New Ontario Nature Website

We want our members and member groups to be the first to know that Ontario Nature has a new website! You are important to us, so we’ve worked hard to create a website that fits your needs. The new site includes an updated look, improved navigation, opportunities for you to take action or join an event and features to improve accessibility for everyone. Please explore our new website and let us know what you think.

Save the Date for our Second Protected Areas Gathering

Ontario Nature is hosting its second protected areas gathering, Transforming Conservation: Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas in Ontario, on May 28-30 in London. Hosted in partnership with Plenty Canada, Walpole Island Land Trust and Trent University’s Indigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences program, this informative event will focus on building on the insights, discussions and knowledge shared at the first protected areas gathering last October. Please contact Sarah Hedges for more details.

Join a BioBlitz this Spring

The Kingston Field Naturalists and MTM Conservation are hosting BioBlitzes this June and all nature lovers are invited to lend a hand. The Kingston Field Naturalists’ event is scheduled for June 15 & 16 at the Helen Quilliam Sanctuary near Sydenham; contact Anne or Erwin for more information. MTM Conservation’s event will take place at Tiny Marsh on June 23; visit the Tiny Marsh BioBlitz Eventbrite page for more information.

Ontario Nocturnal Owl Survey Needs Volunteers

Bird Studies Canada (BSC) invites all owl lovers to join their Ontario Nocturnal Owl Survey this spring. Run in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry’s Wildlife Assessment Program, the survey aims to determine how Ontario’s owl populations are affected by logging. Everyone is welcome to join the effort regardless of skill level. The only prerequisite is a keen interest in owls and a willingness to go out after dark in search of them. Visit the BSC website for more information.

Ontario Community Environment Fund Now Accepting Applications

The Ontario Community Environment Fund (OCEF) is accepting applications for projects aiming to restore and protect Ontario’s watersheds. Since 2010, OCEF has invested close to $1.5 million in 82 projects that improve local watersheds, help fight climate change and protect the health of Ontario’s Great Lakes and inland waters. Applicants can use the funding for land and water-based projects, including community based restoration, research, education or outreach, and capacity building. The deadline to submit an application is May 15, 2018 at 5:00 PM. For more information contact Scotty McCaw at ocef@ontario.ca or 416-314-0067.

Nature on Pelee Island - The Secret is Out

A group of Pelee Islanders invites you to discover the island’s diverse nature. With the help of a Gosling Foundation grant, they ‎have developed a program of public events that will happen throughout the year. In March, a Salamander night walk introduced participants to the unique small mouth and blue spotted complex salamanders returning to their breeding ponds, and to ongoing research efforts. This spring, the Pelee Island Bird Observatory will monitor the migratory birds passing through the area. Check out Pelee Buzz to see all events.

Events

• Sights and Sounds Field Trips with Muriel Sinclair, Thursday April 26 @ 6:30pm; meet behind Zehrs and bring a flashlight; for more information contact Muriel Sinclair at 705-325-7359.

• Feathered Friends Festival, Saturday June 2 @ 10:00am at the General Motors Headquarters in Oshawa; the celebration will feature family-friendly crafts and activities, guided bird hikes, informative displays and much more; for more information visit www.secondmarsh.ca.

• Annual General Meeting and Potluck Dinner, Friday April 20 @ 6:00pm at Northwest Barrie United Church Hall (464 Ferndale Drive North) in Barrie; for more information contact Christine Beggs at 705-721-6842.
• North Simcoe Rail Trail Cleanup, Saturday April 21 @ 10:00am; meet at Little Lake Park parking lot in Barrie; for more information contact Lisa Levez Bordeleau at 705-329-7059.
• Spring Flowers and Early Migrant Birds at the Gables, Wednesday May 2 @ 6:00pm; meet at Little Lake Park parking lot in Barrie; for more information contact Phyllis Tremblay at 705-737-2580.
• Birding Outing to Copeland Forest, Saturday May 5 @ 8:00am; meet at Little Lake Park parking lot in Barrie; for more information contact David Lord at 705-835-6642.
• Spring Migration at Tiny Marsh, Saturday May 12 @ 7:00am; meet at Little Lake Park parking lot in Barrie; for more information contact Don Scanlan at 705-726-6591.
• Spring Wildflowers and Birds at the Little Lake Area, Wednesday May 16 @ 8:00am; meet at Little Lake Park parking lot in Barrie; for more information contact Phyllis Tremblay at 705-737-2580.
• Birding Barrie, Saturday May 26 @ 8:00am; meet at Little Lake Park parking lot in Barrie; for more information contact Jim Coey at 705-543-1866.
• A Night with Whip-poor-wills, Saturday May 26; for more information contact Alex Mills at 647-208-3935.
• Swift Night Out in Barrie, date and time TBD; for more information contact Phyllis Tremblay at 705-737-2580.
• Eastern Bluebird Nest Box Trail, Wednesday May 30; for more information contact Dorothy McKeown at 705-817-9572.
• Oro Rail Trail Flora and Fauna, Saturday June 2 @ 8:30am; meet at Little Lake Park parking lot in Barrie; for more information contact Brian or Lynne Gibbon at 705-721-4599.
• Birding Carden Alvar, Saturday June 9 @ 7:30am; meet at Little Lake Park parking lot in Barrie; for more information contact Brian Gibbon at 705-721-4599.

• Migratory Birds on the Grimston Flats, Saturday April 21 @ 9:00am; meet at Scone School Park; visit www.saugeenfieldnaturalists.com for more information.
• Mother’s Day Wildflower Walk at Kinghurst Forest Nature Reserve, Sunday May 13 @ 1:00pm; meet at the east parking lot on Concession 4; visit www.saugeenfieldnaturalists.com for more information.
• Warbler Walk in Camp Oliver Forest, Saturday May 19 @ 9:00am; meet at the Sugarman home; visit www.saugeenfieldnaturalists.com for more information.
• Prairie Ecosystems with Nikki May, Monday May 28 @ 8:00pm at St. James Anglican Church in Hanover; visit www.saugeenfieldnaturalists.com for more information.

• Annual Dinner Meeting Featuring “Safari and Gorilla Trek in Uganda: The Pearl of Africa” with Maggie Sims, Saturday April 21 @ 5:00pm at Betty’s Restaurant in Chippawa; for more information contact Rick Young or Carol Horvat.
• Outing to the Niagara Glen, Saturday April 28 @ 10:00am; meet near the Niagara Glen Nature Centre in the parking lot on the Niagara Parkway; for more information contact Win Laar at 905-262-5057.

• Hiking Marcy’s Woods, Sunday April 29 @ 10:00am; meet at the end of Holloway Bay Road in Sherkston; for more information contact Peter Bonefant at 905-894-3214 or Rick Stockton at 905-894-1994.

• Lichens, Mosses and Other Plants, Saturday April 21 @ 9:30am at Louth Conservation Area; meet at Rockway Community Centre on Pelham Road to carpool; for more information contact Roman Olszewski at 905-734-9574.
• Annual Potluck Dinner, Monday April 23 @ 6:00pm; for more information contact Carol Horvat at 905-687-8562.

• Movie Night Featuring “First Flight – A Mother Hummingbird’s Story” Tuesday May 8 @ 7:30pm at Simcoe Seniors Centre (89 Pond Street) in Simcoe; for more information contact Len at 519-428-6796.
• Mother’s Day Spring Wildflower Hike at Backus Woods, Sunday May 13 @ 1:00pm; meet at the Backus Woods parking lot off of the 3rd Concession Road; for more information contact Bernie at 519-427-9969.
• Spring Migrants in Backus Woods, Saturday May 19 @ 7:30am; meet at the Backus Woods parking lot off of the 3rd Concession Road; for more information contact Bernie at 519-427-9969.

• Earth Day Road Toll, Friday April 20 @ 7:30am; Meet at Lamb’s Inn (1679 Blair Road) in Cambridge; for more information visit raresites.org/events-calendar/.
• Earth Day Tree Planting, Sunday April 22 @ 10:00am; meet at rare ECO Centre (768 Blair Road) in Cambridge; for more information visit raresites.org/events-calendar/.

• Hometown Habitat Documentary Screening with Douglas Tallamy, Saturday April 21 @ 4:00pm at Toronto Botanical Garden; for more information visit the NANPS website.
• A Swiftly Changing Landscape with Paul LaPorte, Wednesday April 25 @ 7:30pm at Toronto Botanical Garden; for more information visit the NANPS website.
• Native Plant Sale, Saturday May 5 at Toronto Botanical Garden; for more information visit the NANPS website.
• Native Plant Sale, Sunday May 27 at Christie Pits Park in Toronto; for more information visit the NANPS website.

• Early Spring Migrants at the Leslie Street Spit, Saturday April 21 @ 7:30am; meet at the foot of Leslie Street at Unwin Avenue; for more information visit www.torontobirding.ca/site/outings.
• Little Gulls and Other Migrants at Oshawa Second Marsh, Sunday April 22 @ 7:30am; meet at the GM Headquarters parking lot in Oshawa; for more information visit www.torontobirding.ca/site/outings.
• American Woodcock Display Appreciation at Leslie Street Spit, Wednesday April 25 @ 7:45pm; meet at the foot of Leslie Street at Unwin Avenue; for more information visit www.torontobirding.ca/site/outings.
• Spring Migrants at Humber Bay Park East, Sunday April 29 @ 7:30am; meet at the Humber Bay Park East parking lot; for more information visit www.torontobirding.ca/site/outings.
• Outing to High Park, Saturday May 12 @ 7:30am; meet at the parking lot inside the Bloor St. entrance to High Park; for more information visit www.torontobirding.ca/site/outings.
• Spring Migrants at Ashbridges Bay, Wednesday May 16 @ 6:30pm; meet at the southwest corner of Lakeshore Blvd and Coxwell Avenue; for more information visit www.torontobirding.ca/site/outings.
• Late Spring Migrants on Toronto Islands, Saturday May 19 @ 8:00am; meet at the Toronto Islands Ferry Docks at the foot of Bay Street south of Queen’s Quay; for more information visit www.torontobirding.ca/site/outings
• Whimbrels and Other Migrants at Colonel Samuel Smith Park; Saturday May 26 @ 7:30am; meet at the most southerly parking lot at the foot of Kipling Avenue south of Lakeshore West; for more information visit www.torontobirding.ca/site/outings.
• Songbirds, Waterbirds and Waders at Earl Bales Park, Sunday June 3 @ 7:30am; meet at the Earl Bales Community Centre parking lot; for more information visit www.torontobirding.ca/site/outings.

• Little Bluestem on Prairie, Re-creating a Rare Habitat Type in Holland Landing with Shannon Ritchie (Toronto Zoo), Tuesday May 8 @ 7:30pm at River Drive Park Community Centre (20 Oak Avenue) in East Gwillimbury; for more information visit www.ysnaturalists.com.
• Helping Wild Animals in Need of Care with Elizabeth Trickey (Procyon Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Centre), Tuesday June 12 @ 7:30pm at River Drive Park Community Centre (20 Oak Avenue) in East Gwillimbury; for more information visit www.ysnaturalists.com.

Upcoming Deadlines

The next issue of the Nature Network News will be sent on May 15, 2018. The deadline for submissions is May 1, 2018.

Submissions can be sent to naturenetwork@ontarionature.org.

Please note that events can be listed up to two months in advance – allowing others to put it on their calendar well in advance.

 Ontario Nature publishes the Ontario Nature Network News every month with contributions from its member groups and staff. Ontario Nature grants permission for use of the information above in member group newsletters. Please credit either Ontario Nature or the member group.