NATURE CLUB NEWS July 2019

by John Dickson

On June 9, popular Naturalist and former OSFN President Mark Wiercinski led a Birding hike at the Bayview Escarpment Provincial Nature Reserve where many warblers, and thrushes were observed. He  also encouraged everyone to practice listening several layers deep into the forest. In addition to the birds, many plants, some with flowers, and various trees were identified and highlighted, including what Mark called Doug Larson trees. These were very old Eastern White Cedars, growing on the north side of the Escarpment, and typical of the ones studied  by Professor Larson, a former teacher of Mark when he was a student at the University of Guelph.

The hike was a casual one but the learning experience was very much an integral component of the outing. Plans are already underway for next year’s field trip which may be entitled Birds and Much More, with Mark, as he delves into the rich and complex diversity of the forest.

On June 13, the Owen Sound Field Naturalist AGM wrapped up with two award presentations. The first was to Lloyd Lewis, who received the OSFN Community Conservation Award in recognition of his initiative and accomplishments in creating NeighbourWoods North, a strong team effort which has been responsible for the very successful urban tree planting projects in Owen Sound since 2017. Accepting the award, Lewis remarked that he was first attracted to the area by the natural beauty and features here, but found that, in fact, it has been the wonderful people he has met which has been the most satisfying reward.

Norah Toth received from OSFN an Honourary Life Membership, in recognition of her many important contributions to the club, in particular club communications via the newsletter, entitled the Harts Tongue Herald, and to the community, including the establishment of the Huron Fringe Birding Festival, along with Stewardship Grey Bruce, involvement with the Piping Plover monitoring, and work with the Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory, and the Bruce Birding Club. 

Then, the  featured speaker, Bob Bowles, presented an overview of Damselflies, and Dragonflies, plus an outline of the Ontario Master Naturalist Programme he has developed. In the meantime Bowles has now created the Saugeen Bruce Ontario Master Naturalist 2019 Summer Camp Program, taking place on the Saugeen Bruce Peninsula from July 13 to 20.  I was in touch with him earlier this week, and learned there are still 5 spaces available for this course at Red Bay which starts this Saturday July 13 – Here is the link, where there is more information and a method to register for the course. https://www.lakeheadu.ca/about/orillia-campus/community-programs/omnp/bruce-peninsula-program

Ornithologist Lynne Richardson shared this report about the early stages of Piping Plover hatchings – June 20  -Thursday morning – classes from Hepworth Central Public School came to Sauble Beach for a Piping Plover field trip. They observed two three-day-old newly hatched golf-ball-sized chicks scurrying around, hunting and foraging for bugs, snuggling under the adults to thermoregulate, as their hatchling downy feathers are not substantial enough to keep them warm.  The students learned about the biology and life history of these entertaining endangered birds and in a series of creative beach games learned about the many challenges they face in their struggle to raise young and retain a small population throughout Great Lakes.   

Thursday afternoon members of the OSFN came out to the beach where they also were entertained by the interesting behaviours of the plover family. Lynne Richardson, OSFN member and part of the “Plover Lovers” Outreach and Education group led the outing.  Lynne highlighted the life histories of the adult plovers present on the beach this year, which is learned from their bands and many hours of volunteer observations. Mr Blue Bands and Ms Green Dots are a three-time nesting pair at Sauble Beach who hooked up in 2017 after she lost 2 previous mates to predation.  Blue Bands did not like incubating at first and would sneak off the nest, pick up pebbles, shells and grasses, and toss them around for a bit before he could settle down. He turned into a fine young Dad who watches very attentively over the chicks while Green Dots takes off for Florida before the chicks fledge!

On June 23rd, the Young Naturalist club had a year-end special event, attending the Outdoor Education Centre, with activities led by site manager, Deb Diebel. The many club members split up into smaller groups to observe some of the life forms in the waters of Boat Lake. These even included a snapping turtle, and a crayfish. After and early lunch together, the Young Naturalists went on a nature hike, where they observed displays of Showy Pink Lady Slipper Orchids. Then, again forming groups, they went about fashioning a shelter structure in the woods, using materials readily available. Afterwards they all got to see each others’ shelters, with admiration and critical analysis. One of the adults in attendance remarked to me how impressed he was with the team building spirit shown by the youngsters, applying themselves to the tasks with creative enthusiasm, and how they were rewarded by the accomplishments of their group efforts.

On June 27, Chris Rickard led a Butterfly outing at Bognor Marsh on a hot sunny day, which attracted quite a few naturalists, but very few butterflies were observed at this location. However Wendy Howell documented our sightings as follows, including Northern Crescent (6), Red Spotted Purple, Common Ringlet (3), Tiger Swallowtail (2), White Admiral. The group did see many Damselfies and Dragonflies, as Audrey Armstrong has listed here – ebony jewelwing, eastern pond hawk, chalk fronted corporal, and sedge sprites.

On July 6, the annual Butterfly count was held at MacGregor Point Provincial Park. More Monarch Butterfly sightings have been documented lately, including adults still arriving here from the south, and others emerging right here with brand new wings. The Butterfly Gardens of Saugeen Shores volunteers are actively nurturing their “pods” along the shore in Southampton, enhancing habitat for butterflies, where there has been great success in this community involvement and with having some of their locally tagged Monarchs actually making it all the way to the mountains of Mexico.Just this week, when I arrived to do a volunteer shift of monitoring and outreach with the Piping Plovers at Sauble Beach I too saw a Monarch Butterfly. Then I was also amazed at the many brightly coloured dune flowers – orange, yellow, white and purple, nicely set off by the greens of the other vegetation in the Sand Dunes there, easily seen from the Beach Access pathways to and from the beach. However, I was only able to see two chicks, and one adult still actively feeding along the shore, doing their best to avoid being underfoot. It was a hot day and there were many people also enjoying the beach that day. Piping Plover Volunteer Coordinator Kirsten Snoek has confirmed my own observations, that these are all that are left still here from this year’s nesting efforts.

Grey Roots Museum and Archives have once again partnered with OSFN to bring two nature presentations this summer to the Grey Roots Theatre. These will complement the current exhibits there –

Under the Canopy: Animals of the Rainforest, and a terrific retrospective of the Passenger Pigeon which once filled the skies, even locally. This particular exhibit closes at the end of July. 

On Sunday July 28, the film Resilience: Transforming Our Community, directed by Liz Zetlin, will be presented at 2PM, and then Danuta Valleau will moderate a community discussion after the screening. More details are here – https://greyroots.com/exhibit-event-program/resilience-transforming-our-community

On Sunday August 25, at 2PM, naturalist Peter Thoem, on behalf of the Owl Foundation, will present Owls Around Us, also at Grey Roots. Thoem’s  presentation “includes dozens of spectacular images of owls taken here in Ontario. It shows you how owls are everywhere in our culture; they have even made it into our government.”

Coming up August 10 NeighbourWoods North will present Feast in the Field, a one-of-a-kind culinary event supporting the NeighbourWoods North Healing Path Initiative where you can enjoy a sumptuous four-course meal expertly prepared by renowned Chef Zach Keeshig, featuring local wine expertly paired with your meal in a beautiful sheltered setting with live music that will enhance the evening’s flavours and stunning venue.. Hosted by Gleason Brook Winery in Georgian Bluffs, it is an opportunity to support a unique grass-roots initiative that’s creating usable, accessible greenspace. 

NeighbourWoods North volunteers have already planted more than 3,000 trees around the Owen Sound Hospital. Now the group intends to build, through the growing forest, a 2 km crushed-stone Healing Path, complete with benches and interpretive signs. All proceeds from this event will go towards The Healing Path. Tickets for this fundraiser, available at the Ginger Press, (cash only)are $100. each, with a tax receipt for $50. They can also be purchased online by following this link

https://owensoundfieldnaturalists.ca/uncategorized/neighbourwoods-north-presents-feast-in-the-field/  

The proposed development at Leith Beach is still of concern to many naturalists, with many unanswered questions about access, and process. Allowing for more public input and taking more time to carefully consider the proposals has been recommended. 

Jim Hastie has remarked that while paddling many streams in the area, he has noticed that the vegetation growth along the banks this year appears to be more lush and verdant than usual, perhaps a result of the unusual weather patterns many feel we have been seeing this year.  

While cycling and running trails in the area, I too have been hearing and occasionally seeing many American Redstarts, plus Brown Thrashers, and Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, especially along the rail line east of Owen Sound, and also along back roads in the Grey Highlands area.

The remaining two Piping Plover chicks at Sauble Beach are growing, and coached by their father, are doing a little flying now as they develop their bodies and skills for their upcoming flight south, where they can hopefully make it through the winter, to return to Sauble Beach next year.

To close, a quote from a good friend of Nature, Bob Day, who passed away in June of this year – “Some people never lose the ability to dream….Lucky people remain dreamers to the end.”

NATURE CLUB NEWS June 2019

by John Dickson

It has been a busy and exciting time for nature enthusiasts this Spring, although most would agree that more warmth would be very welcome.
On Wednesday May 8, Owen Sound Field Naturalists were invited to the property of John Bakker and Christina Milani, where the mix of pond, meadow, wetlands, coniferous and deciduous forests, along with the brilliant sunshine, revealed a rich array of nature sightings that included White Spruce, Yellow Birch, early Jacks in the Pulpit, Red Trillium, Trout Lily, and a first for many – a Pheasant Back Fungus, (also known as Dryad’s Saddle, or Hawks Wing ). A startled American Woodcock, returned the favour, startling those nearby when it suddenly burst into flight from its hiding place near the trail.

That evening many were in attendance for the premiere screening of Resilience. This important film will have more showings throughout the area over the coming months for those who missed the opening.

The OSFN Members Night was held on May 9th, with several presenters, including Islay Graham, whose winning entry at the local Bluewater Science Fair, went on that weekend to New Brunswick where she was awarded the top national prize. Congratulations once more to Islay!

Eileen O’Connor reports

On a cool and windy Victoria Day May 20 about 10 OSFN members spent the morning on the property of Richard and Lorraine Bentham, located next to Grey Highlands S.S. in Flesherton. Richard related the history of his family’s original farm of 1861 and showed us experimental tree plantings done by the former MNR in his lifetime. He took us to a designated historic maple left as a shade tree for horses by the first Bentham. Lorraine then accompanied us as we toured farther around many ponds created by beaver over the years but the weather was too cool to see any pond life or turtles. David Turner, an expert birder, identified several bird calls, including a cerulean warbler and also identified a tree fungus, dryad’s saddle (polyporos squamosus), new to most of us. We were fortunate to have in the group past and present staff members of GHSS who were familiar with the trails and terrain behind the school but especially John Burton, who was our main tour guide as we walked those areas too. It was all a lovely way to be away from the holiday weekend traffic.

We were also shown the remaining evidence of oil drilling operations from 1916, including coal used as fuel, and steel cabling, all abandoned, when it was determined that the oil contained too much sulphur to be marketable.

NeighbourWoods North was busy Saturday mornings in May, planting and nurturing trees at the Hospital in Owen Sound and at Kelso Beach Park. As Gord Edwards reports:

The plantings in May: Seedling trees came from here, there and everywhere. All were donated, including 50 white spruce as well as other species from Bill Moses; 5 cedar and 2 mountain ash from Doug Fenton; perhaps 100 sycamore as well as other species from the Arboretum; a collection of roadside salvages by Lloyd Lewis, and other contributions from our many volunteers (many of whom are members of The OS Walking Group).

Two piles of mulch (donated by Ontario Hydro/The Nurton Brothers) were lovingly placed around the newly planted seedlings and the thousands of baby trees which survived their first winter.
The Kelso trees were mulched, again by a very dedicated group of volunteers, in spite of the rather cold and wet weather that day. Bravo to NeighbourWoods North!

The 2019 Huron Fringe Birding Festival soon got under way including an afternoon there for the Young Naturalists Club of OSFN, where they were given a tutorial in birding identification and building a suet feeder from a kit. Festival Chair Norah Toth reported “The Huron Fringe Birding Festival increased in many ways this year. Almost 500 participants attended events led by leaders of international acclaim as well as local Field Naturalists. Many events are centred within MacGregor Point Provincial Park; however, some use much of Bruce County and others travel into Grey. Outdoor programs were not restricted to finding and identifying bird species; but included botany, Métis history and photography; evenings were spent learning about The Gambia and Senegal, Tobago and species at risk in Ontario.

A Lesser Black-backed Gull, sighted and photographed by Abby Collins of Kincardine, brought our cumulative sightings list to 250 species. The total count for the 2019 Festival was 186 species.

Peter Middleton won the Norah Toth Award for his contributions to the festival, his involvement in Citizen Science throughout Grey Bruce and his desire and willingness to share his knowledge and be an advocate for the unique and special resources we have in Grey Bruce.

“The high water levels have impacted some boating activities in the area. On May 30, Jim Coles and his companions “were paddling the Beaver River down to the Epping Rd. Water levels were higher than I’ve ever seen. Water flowing into the woods most everywhere. In fact, to get around fallen trees in the river, it was easy to paddle thru the woods! A very pleasant day!”

Throughout Grey and Bruce Counties, recent bird sightings have included greater numbers of less commonly seen birds. For example, Doug Lonsdale told me that he saw his first ever Golden Winged Warbler, along the Teeswater River, this Spring. Right here in Owen Sound, Blackburnian Warblers, Northern Parulas, Indigo Buntings, American Redstarts, Baltimore Orioles, and Brown Thrashers have been observed with much greater frequency than in most years.

On June 5, the Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club held a ceremony to officially open a new Side Trail named to honour Stew Hilts, long time naturalist, writer, and photographer, whose contributions to land stewardship in Ontario are legendary. The trail also leads to a small but very pretty waterfall and, as Stew tells it “My volunteer job in past years has been to scout out new properties acquired by the Bruce Trail Conservancy, find the survey markers, and assess the property. When I saw this falls, not visible from the trail, I knew we had to find a way to get there.

For any local reader, you hike south on the Bruce Trail from Johnson’s Sideroad, 3rd road south of Hutchison’s Corners, for about 10 minutes and you’ll see the blue sign on your left. Allow about an hour total time, in and out. Small parking lot is on the north side of the road, in the corner of the hayfield.” Congratulations, Stew!

Training for Piping Plover volunteer monitors at Sauble Beach has begun with Kirsten Snoek, the 2019 Outreach and Education Coordinator with Plover Lovers. So far this year, two nests have been established with incubation taking place now. Hatching is expected in the latter half of June. To learn more, visit http://ploverlovers.com/ and on facebook.

The Sydenham Sportsmen Association with the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority, and Stewardship Grey Bruce present their annual Youth Expo 8:30AM to 2:30PM, this Saturday June 8. Aimed at ages 10-17, the activities are free, but pre-registration is necessary. Nancy Griffin states “The purpose of the day is to introduce young people to a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities that they can participate in and perhaps take up as hobbies of their own. Activities include birdwatching, archery, orienteering, target shooting, fishing, and critter dips. The day is now in its twelfth year, with Stewardship Grey Bruce, Saugeen Conservation and Sydenham Sportsmen’s Club spearheading the organization along with many sponsors and volunteers involved from the organizations and local area. Participation for the kids is free but we do need to have people pre-register to ensure we have enough supplies (including the free BBQ for participants); space is limited.” Please contact Jo-Anne Harbinson to pre-register at 519-367-3040 EXT. 235 (leave detailed message) Or email: j.harbinson@svca.on.ca

There is growing concern from naturalists about the potential loss of access to currently public land at the Leith Harbour area. A private proposal to purchase some of this land that had been gifted to the municipality for public use, for a proposed development, along with parking, has many in the neighbourhood, the region, and even the province, (who travel there for recreational activities which include fishing, birdwatching, and other beach activities, etc.), concerned that access would be severely restricted. Others are mainly concerned that this proposed treatment of the gifted land, appears to be not in accordance with the intent of the donation. Recent campaigns in the Southampton area have also resulted in a backlash there over the apparent disregard for the wishes of the donors.

Those interested may wish to attend the Leith Beach Zoning Public Meeting Monday, June 10, 2019 6:00 p.m. Council Chambers, 157859 7th Line, Meaford
https://www.meaford.ca/en/business-development/leith-beach-rezoning.aspx

On Thursday June 13, still celebrating 30 years of operations, the OSFN features the final speaker for this season. Bob Bowles will present “Damsels and Dragons”. A former Grey County farm boy, Bob Bowles shares his in-depth knowledge and passion about damselflies and dragonflies, plus the Ontario Master Naturalist Program, which he developed. This event is being held at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, at 7PM. For more details please visit www.osfn.ca

To close, a Nature quote from Joni Mitchell – “They paved paradise, And put up a parking lot”