Category: Meetings

If you are not a birder or were not at the Orillia Naturalists meeting on April 3, 2019 you might think a red knot is something that is used when boating. A Red Knot is actually a threatened shorebird that stops in James Bay during migration. Although James Bay is part of Ontario it is…

On Wednesday, March 6, the Orillia Naturalists’ Club held a Botany Quiz, a fun way to learn to identify the flowers that you see when you when you walk in the places you love. This has been a long winter – the snow arrived while the leaves were still falling, and has never left us.…

    Chances are if you watch television or spend any time on social media you will have heard something about DNA testing. Many people are exploring their ancestry by using this technology.  The Orillia Naturalists’ Club learned how advances in DNA sequencing expertise is currently used to explore and monitor microbial water quality. Dr.…

On January 2nd the Orillia Naturalists were squirming in their seats as Phil Careless passed a preserved bedbug around and presented his talk on “Bizarre Interactions and Partnerships of Parasitic Invertebrates of Local Parks.” Phil describes himself as a “Mechanic of the Environment.” He is endlessly curious about nature and the more he learns the…

This is the biggest Citizen Science project undertaken by many nature clubs. People drive around in cars, walk sometimes, check out feeders, ask friends to check out their feeders too, and eventually, after the potluck, at the evening Tally we come up with a list, which we submit to Bird Studies Canada.There are different challenges…

Go jays go. That’s what the Orillia Naturalists’ Club was saying when they gathered on November 7th to hear Dan Strickland speak about the distinguished Canada Jay. Dan Stickland worked as the chief park naturalist of Algonquin Park from 1972 to 2000. He received his Bachelor of Science from University of Toronto then went on…

What do ladies, admirals, skippers and hairstreaks all have in common? They are all butterflies of course! On October 3, 2018 the Orillia Naturalist Club had their first meeting of season. It was a full house for James Kamstra, the guest speaker. The title of his presentation was “Butterfly Wonder” and after listening to his…

The attendance was larger than usual, so the gourmet feast was amazing! Nobody went hungry. The minutes will be posted on this site, when they are passed (in a year!) Denis Paccagnella was pleased to add Ray Kiff to the Club’s Life Membership. In addition to being Orillia’s first specialist Ophthalmologist and the Hospital’s Chief…

  The Orillia Naturalists’ Club had tough weather for the 11 people on our first spring nature walk, on Tuesday, April 3. The weather for Arni’s Newfoundland presentation was even worse. Many club members were unable to travel to the meeting because of the freezing rain and high winds. Nevertheless there was a large turnout.…

On Wed March 7 Mike Burrell spoke to us at OMAH. The challenge is out to become Citizen Scientists and the Orillia Naturalists’ Club recently heard about 2 very useful apps to use as tools for this endeavour. Mike Burrell, a Zoologist for Natural Heritage Information Centre in Peterborough, provided an excellent introduction to these…

In the above photo Ryan demonstrates the flow of water, using members of the club, sorted by height .   Ryan Post, Lead Hydrogeologist at the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority, entertained the Orillia Naturalists’ Club on February 7, 2018 with his wit and humour on several technical aspects groundwater. Hydrogeology is looking at the movement…