Looking at bryophytes

Bryophytes are non-vascular plants that include mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. They create tiny but intricate and extensive landscapes that play an important role in regulating ecosystems. by Sandy Garland, with thanks to Lynn Ovenden for providing scientific names, Diane Lepage for the photos of Broom Moss and Silvery Moss When the OFNC announced a currently [...]

2021-11-11T10:45:26-05:00November 8th, 2021|OFNC event|

Great Resources for Birders

If you haven’t visited the OFNC website for some time there are two excellent additions to help birders get out and about and find all the birds they can. Ottawa has plenty of varied habitats that make for good birding all year round. You might want to visit all of them or try to discover [...]

2022-03-16T14:12:07-04:00October 1st, 2021|Birds|

Pollinator Garden in 3 Boxes

by Lynn Ovenden There are 3 raised beds at the edge of FWG’s old field between the butterfly meadow and the old woods. Together, they contain 18 species of native wildflowers that were planted in the boxes in spring 2017 by UOttawa students as part of a community outreach project supported by Friends of the [...]

2021-08-24T13:57:15-04:00August 24th, 2021|Fletcher Wildlife Garden|

Proposed new road threatens Mer Bleue wetland

by Jakob Mueller A proposal to build a six-lane roadway through the Greenbelt is open for public consultation, but only until Friday, 16 July. The City of Ottawa wants to extend Brian Coburn Boulevard across the northern fringe of the Mer Bleue wetland complex (see proposal). Of the various options for this project, the city [...]

2021-07-20T14:21:07-04:00July 11th, 2021|Conservation|

A microscopic look at our ponds

A Daphnia, or water flea, and copepods are among the many tiny creatures that live unseen in our pond water. by Julie Laurin I first discovered the Fletcher Wildlife Garden in 2018. Earlier that year, I’d lost the ability to walk independently. I spent six months wondering if I’d ever walk again, if my condition [...]

2021-06-03T20:25:49-04:00June 3rd, 2021|Fletcher Wildlife Garden|

Rare Bird Reports

This spring, Ottawa was visited by a number of rare birds.  Do you ever wonder about what rare birds have been seen over the years?   Rare Bird Detailed Records covering the OFNC Study area ( 50 Km radius of the Peace Tower, Ottawa) was last updated on October 31, 2020 and the information is [...]

2021-06-06T15:20:05-04:00June 3rd, 2021|News|

Where to Go Birding in Ottawa

Spring birding is underway.  This guide to birding in Ottawa is now updated and can be reviewed at Where to Go Birding. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Please keep in mind that during the COVID-19 pandemic, all Ontario birders should be taking extra precautions and following local, provincial, and federal regulations regarding physical distancing [...]

2021-06-06T15:20:41-04:00May 5th, 2021|News|

OFNC Urges Deferring the Inclusion of Tewin in Ottawa’s Urban Boundary Expansion

For Immediate Release - February 9, 2021 Ottawa, ON – The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club (OFNC) is urging the City of Ottawa to defer including the proposed Tewin development in the expanded urban boundary, pending further study. On January 26th, a joint committee of Ottawa city council recommended that a 445-hectare parcel southeast of the city [...]

2021-02-09T22:35:36-05:00February 9th, 2021|Conservation, News|