Owen Sound Field Naturalists

Join our new program director, Andy Koshan, on a snowshoe hike to experience the joys of winter. With a little luck, it will be a sunny, clear, clod day. We'll follow up with a hot chocolate at the Harrison Park Inn. Meet at the Inn at 1:00 PM.

As one considers the most populous nation in the world, conjured images of India rarely turn to diverse landscapes and fascinating wildlife. It is an ancient land teeming with people and intriguing cultures, but it also possesses a wonderful array of wild creatures and spectacular birds. Peter Middleton will take us on a tour to … Continue reading India: Temples, Tigers and Peacocks →

Donna Stewart, the Chair of FOOCE, will talk about this relatively young but extremely active and successful volunteer conservation group. FOOCE's vision is "to preserve the unique fen, alvar and Beach/grassland ecosystems of the Oliphant mainland community and adjacent Fishing Islands". Her presentation will tell us of surveys, findings and achievements that the group has … Continue reading Friends of Oliphant Coastal Environments (FOOCE) →

Trapper Verle Barfoot will lead us on a search for signs of winter wildlife in the Glen Conservation Area near Copper Kettle. This trip will take place either Feb. 12 or Feb. 19 depending on the conditions. Bring snowshoes or skis and meet at the Glenn Parking area at 10:00 AM . Bring binoculars, a … Continue reading Signs of Winter Life →

Wiarton-area potter, Steve Irvine, is also a noted photographer, photographing everything from stars to macro views of nature. His photos have appeared in National Geographic, Natural History, Science and several astronomy magazines. Steve will show us some of his best nature photos, including some taken with the ceramic pinhole cameras that he makes.

Or should we call it skunk cabbages and sinkholes. It's early spring and in the Beaverdale Bog north of Markdale. The bog forms the upper reaches of the Saugeen River Watershed. Water from the bog also escapes down sinkholes into the Beaver Valley. We will visit a couple of GSCA properties in the bog, watching … Continue reading Hot Spathes and Hidden Holes →

Local teachers, Deane Atherton and Dawn Hollyer spent April/May 2011 in the Philippines, where they worked as volunteers on a survey of reef life. The job involved two intensive weeks of training in which they learned to recognize 50 genera of fish, followed by 6 weeks of reef surveys around the Philippines. Deane will tell … Continue reading On the Reefs in the Philippines →

In early spring, ephemeral ponds appear on the forest floor as the ice and snow melt away. We'll join the Young Naturalists for this outing to the Hibou Conservation Area to look for the invertebrates found in ephemeral ponds. Dress warmly and wear rubber boots. Meet in the parking lot of the first Hibou entrance … Continue reading A Visit to Spring’s Ephemeral Ponds →

Mondays on May 2, 9, 16 and 30 at 6:00 PM. Join Dave Fidler or other leaders for nature walks/hikes (with emphasis on birds) at Fidler's Green. We'll hike through mature woods that Dave has been managing for birds and visit a wetland with species such as Common Moorhen, Virginia and Sora Rails. No registration … Continue reading Birding at the Fidler’s →

This outing will begin with a hike to explore the cliffs and woodlands of the escarpment above the Bayview Estates. The trail was developed and is maintained by the residents of the sub-division with open access to the public. Following our exploration of this open trail, we will head to Irish Block Line and the … Continue reading Escarpment Rambles →

Rare birds, common birds, local birds, from the extremes to the everyday stuff. Mark Wiercinski will share his knowledge (and also no doubt, his keen sense of humour) and do his best not to talk longer than an hour.

Alfred, a veteran OFO hike leader, will take us to areas in Wiarton, Sky Lake, Isaac Lake, Oliphant, and North Sauble Beach searching for spring migrants. Meet at Tim Horton's at 8:00 AM in Wiarton. The tour will last about 4 hours. Limit 15 people.Contact Fred Jazvac to register: 797-3332 or jazvacfb@bmts.com