Staying connected from Algonquin to the Adirondacks
By Natalie Sopinka with geologic descriptions by Ken Buchan Larose Forest guide now on sale! At the club's second last meeting before summer, Linda Burr (Education & Publicity Committee) unveiled the OFNC's first bilingual publication The Larose Forest, a Naturalist's Guide. On sale now for $4, the guide includes a description of the forest's history and habitats by OFNC member Christine Hanrahan, species lists of birds, mammals, herps, butterflies, odonates and vascular plants, plus a colour map of the forest [...]
“For a swift return” – campaign to rebuild chimney a success
by Sandy Garland, based on notes from the campaign blog The chimney swifts are back, and they're moving right in to their new roosting site in Shawville, Quebec! In summer 2013, the West Quebec School Board hired contractors to shorten and cap a now-unused tall chimney on McDowell school in Shawville. What they didn't know was that chimney swifts had been roosting in that chimney for many years. Looking down the old chimney at a swift, perched precariously in [...]
Getting started in birding
Sharp-shinned Hawk by Christine Hanrahan So you want to be a birdwatcher, but you just don't know where to begin? And the thought of trying to distinguish a nighthawk from a nuthatch reduces you to despair? Don't worry, help is at hand! The following information will provide you with everything (well, almost everything) you need to launch you safely into the beguiling world of birding. Start with the "four Ss" of bird identification. With these basics, together with [...]
An eye on Ospreys
by Sandy Garland with much help from Rémy Poulin (OFNC) and Bill Petrie (IPBO) First photo from the newly installed webcam at Innis Point Bird Observatory Plans to install a webcam on an Osprey nesting platform with a live feed to the Internet took a leap forward this spring. Although wireless service is still not reliable, we are able to see photos of the active nest, which is located within the Lac Deschênes-Ottawa River Important Bird & Biodiversity [...]
Showing up at City Hall
by Lynn Ovenden Expo at City Hall with Brenda McCrea and Barbara Riley Backyard Biodiversity was the theme last Friday night (April 11) at City Hall. As part of the City of Ottawa Wildlife Speaker Series, the evening featured talks by two guest speakers. Sarah Kirkpatrick-Wahl from Nature Canada spoke about features that make a garden attractive to wildlife. Bill Dowd, CEO of Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, demonstrated how numerous mammals gain entry to our homes and how [...]
Stories from Australia’s waves, caves, and animal graves
by Natalie Sopinka On April 8, OFNC members met for the third time at the new meeting location at the Central Experimental Farm. Murray Citron recited his first-ever published poem (in Trail & Landscape!) which captured all elements of an Ottawa spring: wind, snow and sun. On that note, as spring temperatures rise, so do the number of OFNC events and excursions! All upcoming events are posted on the OFNC website. Anouk Hoedeman updated attendees on the work of the new Ottawa [...]
Ottawa Regional Science Fair: and the awards go to…
by Natalie Sopinka This year the Ottawa Regional Science Fair was held April 4-5 at Carleton University. With over 200 students from grades 7-12, the event was filled with young bright minds asking questions about energy, the environment, human health, and natural resources. Kathleen Conlan and Natalie Sopinka were on hand to judge projects that demonstrated "knowledge of some aspect of natural history, field ecology, or wildlife conservation." From brachiopods and ducks to mushrooms as oil absorbents and wort plants in motor [...]
Birds for beginners
by Bev McBride Editor's note: In the interests of full disclosure, this Red-winged Blackbird was not photographed during this excursion, nor was it photographed at Mud Lake. However, Bev says this species was "emblematic" of the morning's very successful field trip. Photo by Gillian Mastromatteo About 20 people came out for this morning's bird trip to the Britannia Conservation Area / Mud Lake. The most obliging weather meant birds were singing and moving about, making them easy to [...]
Glimpses of wildlife II – a collection of short videos
by Sandy Garland Collage of some of Jeewa's many photos of local wildlife We see thousands of snow geese take off from a field near Winchester, a stunning scarlet tanager calling to a rival from the top of a spruce tree, a nest of baby blackbirds developing to fledgling size, a pair of trumpeter swans, and a coyote staring curiously at the woman behind the camera - who, we are told, was howling wildly at the time. Jeewa Mendis [...]