Nature Club News for September 2025

by John Dickson

The Owen Sound Field Naturalists (OSFN) are pleased to kick off the 2025 -2026 Season with special guest speaker, the award-winning author and artist Allen Smutylo.

Featuring his new book, Gold of Another Kind – The Lost Legacy of Georgian Bay, this presentation is scheduled for 7pm Thursday September 11, at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre. Allen Smutylo: Gold of Another Kind – The Lost Legacy of Georgian Bay, by a Governor General’s Literary Award nominee, is a historical, as well as a personal account of the once staggering quality and quantity of fur bearing animals, virgin timber and multitudes of fish that once thrived in Georgian Bay and vicinity. The thrust of European ambition in the New World, plus the pursuit of the Bay’s natural resources, rivalled the voracity of any ‘gold rush.’ Signed copies of Smutylo’s book will be available.

Having lived in this area for more than half a century, engaging with the peoples and the elements here, delving into their stories, Smutylo is renowned for his hands-on research and lifestyle, documenting and interpreting what he discovers, exquisitely, in print and in paint. Smutylo’s artwork and writing has been based on extensive travels to some of the Earth’s most remote places. This includes eight years spent depicting the extraordinary life of the Tibetan Buddhist nomads in the Central Himalaya. He is the recipient of many nominations (Governor General Literary)  and awards for prestigious galleries and categories (Best Adventure Book, Banff Film and Book Festival) locally and internationally, and was an engaging presenter in the BALL (Bluewater Association for LifeLong Learning) series some years ago. He has made over 20 sea kayaking and backpacking expeditions into the Canadian High Arctic and Greenland,  and many more right here, in and around Georgian Bay. 

In Allen Smutylo’s own words – ‘My main interest over the last forty years has been the relationship between human cultures and the natural world.’ Doors open by 6:30, Thursday September 11, at the Bayshore Community Centre, to facilitate OSFN publications, merchandise and membership sales/renewals too. 

Everyone is welcome, with Admission by donation (unless already OSFN members).

This event will also be available on Zoom with a link available and posted at osfn.ca or https://owensoundfieldnaturalists.ca/nature-club-news/nature-club-news-for-july-2025/ where you can also check on the Young Naturalists club too. 

As for the rest of the 2025-2026 season here is a brief outline so you can add these dates to your calendar for talks you don’t want to miss: October 9, with Martyn Obbard and Black Bears of the Saugeen Bruce Peninsula; November 13, with Adam Shoalts and his new book Vanished Beyond the Map – the Mystery of Lost Explorer Hubert Darrell (sponsored by Dr. Mark Robertson); December 12 with Keriann McGoogan and her new book Sisters of the Jungle – The Trailblazing Women who Shaped the Study of Wild Primates;  January 8, 2026 – OSFN’s 

Jeannine Kralt presents Engaged Stewardship plus the role of Conservancies and Land Trusts in our region; February 12, with OSFN’s David Morris and an Introduction to the Soils of Grey and Bruce; March 12 is Members’ Night with several brief presentations, coordinated by Brian Robin; April 12 with the return of wildlife biologist Brent Patterson and ‘Understanding Drivers of Moose Population Dynamics and Challenges in Ontario’s Boreal Forests’; May 14 with award-winning photographer and artist/potter Steve Irvine – Exploring Nature Close to Home; June 11 with Research Scientist Todd Morris and ‘Is Conservation Translocation a path forward to recover Canada’s endangered Freshwater Mussels?’

These talks are complemented by many diverse hikes and field trips with such diverse themes as mushroom/fungi ID, Old Growth Forests, Migrating Waterfowl and other birds, late-winter tracking, geology, botany, and more.

CLEARING A FOREST TRAIL AT OUR HOSPITAL

We need your help!

For 8 years, NeighbourWoods North has been planting trees/ shrubs and flowers at our Owen Sound Hospital. The ultimate goal is to create a 2 kilometre naturalised walking trail that circles the hospital grounds. This Fall, we are clearing a trail through the north wood lot creating a 200m path through mostly invasive buckthorn.

Can you help us?

When: Saturday, September 6 and 13th, 9:30 – 11:30am.

Where: Meet at the NWN shed, located 100m north of the emergency entrance on Hospital grounds.

Clothing: Old clothes, long sleeved shirt, sturdy gloves to guard against thorns.

Tools:  Bring the following if you have them- small pruners, long handled loppers, battery operated reciprocating saw.

FALL TREE PLANTING AT OUR HOSPITAL

Come out and help us plant trees at the hospital!
Every Saturday, starting on September 20th, through to the end of October, we will be planting trees, shrubs and flowers and protecting our current plants. We currently have nearly 200 different trees and shrubs to be planted this year.  This selection enhances our biodiversity through the 45 different species that has been selected.  It’s very satisfying work, made even more enjoyable by working in teams.

We would love to see you!

Amanda Eriksen coordinates the OSFN Young Naturalists Club: It is starting up again soon! I have been working on the program and we have some fun stuff in store this year! From painting with a real nature artist, star gazing, planting native seeds, to lots of great hikes with knowledgeable leaders, this year is full!

Our first meeting is Sunday September 28th at 2 p.m. primarily for ages 7-12.We will meet near the pavilion at the arboretum at the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority building. We will get registered, see who used the birdhouses this year and check on the salmon. Can’t wait to get to know nature better with you! Amanda.

To register, email youngnaturalistsos@gmail.com Or check out https://owensoundfieldnaturalists.ca/young-naturalists/young-naturalist-program/

To close, a Nature quote from Allen Smutylo: “The planet is, by many accounts, in the midst of the Sixth Great Extinction. What is causing this to happen? Long before humans applied themselves, the Earth had a long track record of environmental assaults and past extinctions. This time, however, the reasons for it point to us.” from Gold of Another Kind: The Lost Legacy of Georgian Bay

Nature Club News for August 2025

by John Dickson

The Owen Sound Field Naturalists Club (OSFN) is getting busier now with various types of hikes taking place and monthly speaker events starting on September 11, at 7pm, with acclaimed author and artist Allen Smutylo, to add to your calendar.

You can check some of these out at www.osfn.ca as well as looking into the Young Naturalist Club, aimed primarily at ages 7-12.

 OSFN’s Audrey Armstrong held a Monarch butterfly tagging program at Isaac Lake,  Sunday August 24, and shared this report. ‘A group of 8 OSFN members joined Audrey Armstrong, Willy Waterton and Patti Byers  for a fun afternoon of chasing butterflies with nets and learning about monarch butterflies in migration.

As Citizen Scientists, we tag monarchs for Monarch Watch and apply tiny round tags with unique numbers to help scientists learn more about monarch behaviour and migratory patterns. This is when the long-lived super generation begins their 4,000 km journey to Michoachan, Mexico. We know monarch numbers are in decline and on Sunday we tagged only  5 monarchs, compared to almost 50 in 2021.

People want to help monarchs and the best way to make their world better is to create habitat.  If you plant milkweed in your garden, females will find them and lay eggs on your plants so you will have an opportunity to witness their magical life cycle in your own back yard.

The Bruce Birding Club (BBC)  is ready to kick off its fall season too, with two scheduled hikes most months on the first and third Wednesdays, usually in Bruce County, plus a few in Grey, and in a few other counties too. There is no cost to join, beginners and seasoned birders are welcome and it provides many learning opportunities too. Many of the club members are actively birding throughout the months as well. If you are interested in doing some birding with some scouting and guidance to enhance each event, please email James Turland at  jaturland@gmail.com for the schedule of activities and ask to be added to his email list.

The Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory’s Stéphane Menu is back on site and guiding the operations there as the migration of many birds has already begun. Here is an excerpt from his weekly blog –

‘On August 15, the nets were open for the first time for the fall migration monitoring, the first of 78 straight days when a dedicated team of volunteers and the bander-in-charge will get up before sunrise to count, catch, and band birds….  

We’ve been fortunate to greet a new family at Cabot Head: Peregrine Falcons have bred nearby and raised two young this year (females based on their size). The young have been very vocal, advertising their presence by long harsh calls, making it easy for us to detect and admire them. Over the last few years, there were signs of Peregrine Falcons establishing a territory around West Bluff, but it is the first year that there has been tangible evidence of successful breeding. What a delight!’

For more please visit www.bpbo.ca 

OSFN’s Erik van den Kieboom, has been in the north this summer and I asked him to share some details of the work he has  been doing and some of the highlights  he has encountered as well.

“This summer I had the opportunity to work with Birds Canada and collect data for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas in the southern boreal forest. With this year being the fifth and final year of the project, our goal was to find the highest possible number of breeding bird species in every atlas square we visited. In one and a half months, I visited 15 squares, conducted 81 point count surveys, and saw approximately 150 species of birds. Some highlights included a Great Grey Owl, a Black Tern colony, a Black-backed Woodpecker nest, and a Black-and-white Warbler nest.

In addition to the birds there were also a few interesting sightings – bears, moose, some cool turtles and snakes. The bugs were pretty bad this year, but easy enough to prevent too many from biting.

This fall I am volunteering with the Hilliardton Marsh Research and Education Centre as a bird bander. The station is located in the boreal forest region of Ontario, just north of New Liskeard. The banding process involves catching birds with mist nets we’ve set up around the property. We then place a metal band on the leg of each bird with a unique identification number. Finally, we record some information about the bird, including its age, sex, mass, and wing length, before releasing it back into the wild. Currently we are catching a number of warbler and flycatcher species that will soon be passing through southern Ontario. Besides songbirds, a large number of waterfowl and shorebirds also stage here in the marsh before heading further south for the winter. Keep an eye out for any birds this fall with a silver band on their leg, there’s a chance they may have come from here. I was camping in a tent this summer but here at the station we have small cabins to stay in.”

In addition to all of the activity with birds and butterflies, many naturalists are enjoying the latest blooming wildflowers as we enter the season of Asters and Goldenrods, while others are enjoying some astronomy and observing the night skies, or are scouting out the various fungi and mushrooms often found in forested areas.  I now have three different patches of Wild Asparagus which I have found and which I like to see at various stages, including when it has bright red berries. 

It also looks like it will be what some call a ‘mast year’ with not only most fruit trees having abundant produce, but also various nut trees that have a good crop, as I have observed many laden Black Walnut, Oak  and Horse Chestnut trees with nuts galore this year.

Nature Club News for July 2025

by John Dickson

On June 12, following a social time with light refreshments,  the Owen Sound Field Naturalists (OSFN) held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.  President Dr. Brendan Mulroy conducted the meeting which included completion of his term and a move to Past President, making room for the incoming new co- Presidents Bella Waterton and Paul Scriver. 

 Congratulations to Lois Johnson and Ernie Vanleeuwen, who received the OSFN Community Conservation Award  in recognition of their caring and successful efforts to provide housing for Purple Martins.

The club’s Honourary Life Membership was then awarded to Jim and Judy Duncan. After the AGM was adjourned, the audience was treated to a special presentation by Marine Biologist and Artist,  Sarah McComb-Turbitt  about the Whales of Canada, with a focus on the Atlantic coast.

OSFN has a few outdoor events during July and August but generally increases activities in early September.

To learn more about OSFN please visit www.osfn.ca as well as the Facebook page.

Here are excerpts from James Turland’s  Bruce Birding Club  (BBC) report to the club. ‘On June 18, we met in Tobermory for a day of birding and were led by Doug Pedwell. We began with a lakeside property recently donated to the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy (EBC). The lake was calm, and there was lots of bird activity. A variety of species, including cormorants and mergansers were diving for food, while Common Terns patrolled overhead, calling sharply as they plunge-dived for minnows.

At the Shining Rainbow Deer Nature Preserve of the Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC), a boardwalk over wetlands led to an observation deck and to trails with winter wrens, orchids and samples of pincushion moss. At a nearby roadside fen a Sedge Wren emerged just a few metres away, singing loudly from a bush. It gave excellent views for everyone, especially in a scope.

Later we visited Singing Sands, exploring the boardwalk and nearby trails. Because of the cool weather, early spring flowers were still in bloom, Yellow Lady’s Slippers, in particular, lined many roads and trails. Mindy Buckton, a plant expert and co-leader for the day, pointed out several botanical highlights.

We continued on to Dyers Bay Road and the ‘sparrow fields.’   In a wetland area, a Sora called out and was seen by a lucky few close to the road. Many Cedar Waxwings perched close by, preening after a recent bath. New bird sightings continued right up to our final stop. It was a wonderful day filled with camaraderie and great birding. Be aware there are reports of returning shorebirds already. Many thanks to Doug and Mindy for leading. Also a thank you to all who’ve led hikes this season. Sharing the leadership keeps the diversity in the outings.

Young Naturalist club members wrapped up their season with a special hike June 29 with guest leader Caley Doran, who introduced them to the amazing Boyd’s Crevice Caves section of the Bruce Trail.

Many thanks to OSFN’s  Amanda Eriksen for coordinating the activities of this club, which will be starting up again in September.  https://owensoundfieldnaturalists.ca/category/young-naturalists/

On a rather hot Saturday, July 5th,  the annual Butterfly Count was held at MacGregor Point Provincial Park, and conducted by seven teams of observers, with ‘cabbage whites’ being the most numerous sighting. 

Chris Sheedy,  Senior Park Naturalist wrote – 

‘Thanks to all who attended the 2025 NABA annual count with us this year, it was the year of the Cabbage White with a sweeping total of 2350 observations!

It sure was a hot one and we do appreciate the commitment to stick it out for the whole day of surveying.

I have also had the pleasure – and surprise – to notice large Yellow Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies fluttering around tree tops and visiting the blossoms there, right in Owen Sound. Other observers in the area have seen the larger silk moths, including Polyphemus and Luna. Our scarlet runner bean flowers may be attracting hummingbirds when we aren’t looking, but we have noticed that they also are quite popular with many bumble bees visiting them.

 As James Turland mentioned above –  ‘be aware there are reports of returning shorebirds already’. In fact a Ruddy Turnstone, which nests  in the high Arctic tundra was spotted recently by William Gray at Hibou, already on its way further south.

I have also seen several large flocks of black birds already, likely both grackles and red-winged blackbirds

If you would like to shop early for those on your list, Photographer and Naturalist Arni Stinnissen has two different 2026 calendars available. These include his ‘Birds of Ontario’, and the Saugeen Bruce Peninsula calendar, with wild landscapes, peaceful shoreline scenes, animals and birds, celebrating the beauty of our region all year long.

Both calendars are available at Bains General Store in Ferndale and the Readers Haven in Tobermory carries the Bruce Peninsula one. Arni is also at the marketplace in Tobermory on Wednesdays and will be at the Art Show at the District School in Lions Head on the August long weekend and the Artists Tour the weekend of Aug 23-24.

It was a very special day for about 30 OSFN members who took part in tours of a recently acquired property now protected by NCC on the Saugeen Bruce Peninsula. It includes many species of flora and fauna, which require specialized habitat features, including the limestone pavement alvars there. OSFN recently donated funds that had been earmarked for conservation, to NCC in memory of OSFN’s founding President Lorraine Brown, to support the protection of this special property.  On July 3rd, two separate tours with about 15 members each were co-led by NCC staff members Esme and Alex. Afterwards, I received this note from Kate McLaren (a former OSFN President) ‘Hi John, It was great to see the new NCC acquisition and to hike the path with such knowledgeable and friendly people. Much appreciated!’ And this one from Ruth Nielsen – ‘The hike was wonderful. What extraordinary rock formations!’ 

Nature Club News for June 2025

by John Dickson

At 7pm Thursday June 12, Sarah McComb-Turbitt, a local artist and marine biologist will cap off the 2024-2025 monthly speaker series of the Owen Sound Field Naturalists (OSFN), at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.

This event will take place ‘in person’ only. OSFN Meetings are Open to the Public, with Attendance by Donation. For Membership and Young Naturalist Club Information, please visit www.osfn.ca  

 McComb-Turbitt will give an overview of many of the whales found in eastern Canada and then share some of her personal journey studying the long-finned pilot whales there, and what Marine Biologists are learning about whales from the Whale Watching industry. ‘Disruptions from whale-watching vessels to behaviors such as foraging can be particularly harmful to cetaceans, but impacts could be reduced if areas essential for these sensitive behaviors are identified. We used data collected onboard whale-watching vessels to explore space-use patterns in long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) off northern Cape Breton Island, Canada, an area where tourism is essential.’ 

Sarah McComb-Turbitt, a Marine Biologist turned artist and new mom, has dedicated her life to wildlife conservation. Although her high school focus included a strong art component with then teacher Jim Sebesta, Sarah also had memorable science teachers, including Deane Atherton, Jen Wardell, and Fred Schlenker, and she followed up with degrees and a career in Marine Biology that included the penguins of the Falkland Islands and whales. Along the way she also became a very proficient wildlife photographer.  

‘Restoring Canada’s oceans strengthens our communities, creates economic and nutritional benefits, and protects our future, as we believe Canada has a national and global obligation to manage our natural resources responsibly.’

Most recently, Sarah teamed up with Wildlife Preservation Canada (WPC) to raise awareness about Canada’s most vulnerable species at risk. As her career as a wildlife artist grows, Sarah hopes to expand her support and partner with other organizations and researchers to highlight animals and locations from around the world. Her work goes beyond art as a powerful tool to capture the unique behaviours of animals and foster a deeper appreciation for our planet’s diversity. Sarah’s ultimate goal is to enhance the connection between the viewer and the natural world and create a window into the sentimental moments in the lives of animals. Since transitioning to painting full-time in 2020, she has supported conservation with every wildlife work created, underlining her unwavering commitment to the cause. Sarah has achieved standing in AFC’s annual juried exhibit for the past four years. 

Her academic journey from researching whales and penguins to the vibrant art world has created a unique collision point between the science and art worlds. Since transitioning to painting full-time in 2020, she has supported conservation with every wildlife work created, underlining her unwavering commitment to conservation. When you observe her art, you will recognize how well it captures the raw beauty and personalities of her subjects. 

Sarah is a Signature Member of Artists for Conservation and has a passion for Canada’s, and the Globe’s, most vulnerable species at risk. To learn more, visit https://www.smccombturbitt.com/

The Owen Sound Young Naturalists May meeting was held at the Hibou Conservation area. Marsha Courtney and I led – with me, (Amanda Eriksen) looking for birds and Marsha’s eyes on the ground. I kept track of all the birds we ended up hearing or seeing and we had a final tally of 21 species. We saw some orchids, jack in the pulpit, and a few damsel
flies and bees. It was a beautiful day for a hike, and it is always great to see what the kids notice. We took so long on the boardwalk that we didn’t even make it to the beach!  Our June meeting is planned with Caley Doran at the Boyd’s Crevice.

Carol Edwards-Harrison shared these observations about the Swiftwatch event on June 2 – ‘Last evening’s presentation on Chimney Swifts by BIRDS CANADA’s Gabriel Evans-Cook and OSFN was both informative and fascinating. Peter Middleton followed up with well animated fun facts and we all were delighted to hear about how the preservation of the Old Courthouse chimney came about. Kudos to the present owners and BIRDS CANADA for all their excellent work to save this precious roosting home for the at risk Chimney Swifts.The Chimney Swifts put on a dazzling show to the oohs and awes of the gathering and turned us all into another version of Swifties!’

Members of the Bruce Birding Club (BBC) were invited to visit Grey County on June 4, to enjoy some wonderful birding opportunities right here in Owen Sound. Led by Judy Duncan and Norah Toth, along with advisor Rob Wray,  we started out in Harrison Park, which in recent years I have realized can be like a funnel and staging area for migrating birds to rest and forage for their continuing journey north. However, they may find just the diversity of habitat they need, to stay and raise their families right here. Other birding hot spots we visited were the Inglis Falls Arboretum, the rail line north from Rockford and The West Rocks area as guests of Peter and Elizabeth Korpal, whose innovative trail system offered many bird sightings as well as bees, butterflies and botany to enjoy. 

The Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory Blog (BPBO) shows it has been active again this Spring with lots of dedication to observe and document the migration activities at this special location. ‘

Big flocks of fast-flying Cedar Waxwings are also seen at this time of year, another fun challenging bird to count as they speed across the sky in an ever-mingling flock. Common Mergansers are also seen in large numbers now, with up to 26 birds on June 2nd. But they are much easier to count as they either lounge on the shoreline or float on the surface of the water, diving from time to time for a fish. These groups are composed mostly of males, enjoying life after their brief reproductive duties, leaving the females alone to incubate and raise the young.’