Christmas Bird Count (CBC) Season is Here
The Ottawa-Gatineau CBC will take place on December 15 and the Dunrobin-Breckenridge CBC on January 5. For information on how to participate please check out 2019 CBC information There are counts all across North America, but for dates and contact information of other nearby Christmas Bird Counts that touch on the OFNC 50 km area. Dates and contact information are available at Christmas Bird Count Calendar 2019
Transit explorers “discover Pinecrest Creek”
Pinecrest Creek is piped underground from just south of Carling Avenue to near its mouth at the Ottawa River. Above, Erik looks for invertebrates. by Bev McBride (photos: Bev McBride) Today’s [Saturday, November 2, 2019] OFNC field trip, “Transit explorer series, Lincoln Fields the other way,” was fun and interesting. I can say that, even though I was the leader, because the small group of participants made it so. Many thanks to Bei, Erik, and Mike. It was well worth [...]
Biocontrol of Dog-strangling Vine
Does Hypena opulenta prefer DSV grown in the sun or does it thrive better on shade-grown plants? by Sharla Foster, MSc candidate, University of Ottawa and Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Dog-strangling vine (Vincetoxicum rossicum, DSV) has been plaguing Ontario and Quebec for decades. With few effective control strategies practical for use at large scales, the biocontrol agent Hypena opulenta, a leaf-feeding moth from the Ukraine, was approved for release at several sites in Canada. There is still a lot to learn [...]
Baby Snapping Turtles
Much excitement at the FWG on Tuesday morning, when we discovered that a much-watched nest was open. by Sandy Garland A turtle nest cage consists of a wooden frame with a wire grid over the top to prevent digging. It's placed over the nest with wedges under the edges to allow hatching turtles to escape. In June, an FWG visitor had reported seeing a large Snapping Turtle laying eggs in "left field" at the baseball diamond. We had [...]
Birding Petrie Island
We saw many of these plants loaded with colourful red berries, “highbush cranberries,” either the native North American or introduced European subspecies of Viburnum opulus. According to the experts present, these berries are edible, but when raw they are very sour, and have an unpleasant taste and smell. According to one source, “When you eat these berries raw, it tastes as though you are eating poisonous berries.” They are a winter survival food for wildlife. by Greg Zbitnew A Bald [...]
Carlington Woods – a fine place for a nature walk
Carlington Woods is a natural wonder in the middle of the city. by Bev McBride What a treat it was to go on the Carlington Woods Ramble this morning! This was a joint event with the OFNC and the Friends of Carlington Hill. Convener-leader Owen Clarkin met the group at the trailhead. It was a ramble-style walk, so the pressure was off the leader to find all the good stuff. Participants were encouraged to explore and point out items of [...]
Finding pollinators at the FWG
Our Backyard Garden was the hot spot for pollinators on this sunny July afternoon. by Sandy Garland The only way to learn to identify pollinators is to keep looking for them. As a member of the Wild Pollinator Partners network, the FWG has been participating in a number of pollinator surveys this year. We want to find out which pollinators are visiting our plants and we want to learn more about these helpful creatures. On 21 July 2019, a hot [...]
OFNC butterfly count 2019
Three new species and new record high counts for eight others in this year's butterfly count. by Jeff Skevington The final totals are all in for yesterday's (6 July 2019) OFNC butterfly count, and we ended up with 1143 butterflies of 48 species. The count diversity was average but higher than expected, because we missed at least 12 normally expected species that have not yet emerged. Three(!!) new species were recorded for the count: Diane LePage's group found the first [...]
Trip to Rockcliffe Airport woods
by Greg Zbitnew, photo of Northern Parula by Sandra Dashney On 11 May, 17 enthusiasts enjoyed a trip to the east end's little known gem, the woods and fields east of the Rockcliffe Airport. Conditions and results were excellent for mid-migration, just prior to the peak. Quite a few birds had just arrived - literally over night. It was a little cool, but there was quite a bit of sun and the winds were moderate. There were no biting insects, [...]