Birding to protect the places we love: Farabout Peninsula

Two intrepid Ontario Nature staff members visited the Farabout Peninsula on Eagle Lake, near Dryden ON, in early July to conduct Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas (Atlas-3) surveys. The peninsula and its shoreline are breeding grounds for many important and sensitive bird species. Ontario Nature staff members, along with their host and guide Dale MacKenzie, and naturalist Darlene Salter of the Farabout Peninsula Coalition, documented over 20 bird species, and confirmed breeding evidence for species including red-necked grebes, bald eagles, and common loons. A highlight of the trip was catching a glimpse of a Canada warbler, a species of special concern, singing in suitable nesting habitat.

The Farabout Peninsula is one of many candidates for protection that Ontario Nature staff have visited this summer in hopes of bolstering the cases for protection. The data collected from this trip will contribute to Atlas-3 and is yet another confirmation of the ecological value of the Farabout Peninsula. 

Photo: A Common Loon “playing dead” on top of its nest to avoid predation. Image copyright Darlene Salter, 2022

Getting more done, together

The Friends of Carlington Woods teamed up with nearby Friends of Hampton Park and Tree Fest Ottawa in 2021-22, thanks to a grant from Infrastructure Canada. By combining forces we've accomplished more and formed some great partnerships:

• Environmental club students at Nepean High School grew more than 150 plants for regeneration projects.
• Digital media students at Canterbury High School prepared line drawings of 30 native species that are used on signage.
• Grade 6 students from Hilson Avenue Public School helped plant native species.
• The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society donated money and volunteers to help clear invasive Japanese knotweed.
• The Sierra Club, Ottawa chapter, loaned out an air quality monitor so that volunteers could track temperature and particulate matter in Carlington and Hampton.
• The Invasive Species Council awarded us a $1,000 grant to remove buckthorn and replace it with native shrubs and trees.

Junction Creek Stewardship Committee’s Fight Against Invasive Species

After decades of environmental degradation, Sudbury is now a green, flourishing city. However, there is a new threat for our ecosystems – invasive species. The spread of invasive plants along Sudbury’s major urban waterway, Junction Creek, is sounding the alarm for erosion and biodiversity loss. With funding support from the Invasive Species Centre and RBC Tech for Nature, the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee’s invasive species project will facilitate long-term management of invasive species while empowering community stewardship. Together our restoration efforts will build a resilient riparian buffer along Junction Creek to withstand the pressures of urbanization, invasive species, and climate change. 

For more information, visit their website here, email restoration@junctioncreek.com, or see this article about Junction Creek from our Summer 2020 magazine.

Youth Summit Pivots to Hybrid Format

The format of this fall's youth summit is being reimagined as a virtual option and several local hubs for youth to connect in-person with like-minded peers in their community. See updates on the youth summit webpage.

Interesting Links and Opportunities

• Check out our new video about the Nature Guardians Youth Program.
• Here is an insightful article about road networks and protected places.
• There will be another offering of the Ontario Master Naturalist Program this fall. See details here.
• Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch is offering an online raptor ID course starting at the end of August. See here for details and registration.
• Join Ontario Nature’s executive director, Caroline Schultz, and Quest Nature Tours on a guided trip to explore the diverse and rich landscapes of Colombia’s Magdalena Valley.

Events

See our events calendar for a complete listing of events organized by Ontario Nature and Nature Network groups. Note that many are online and open to the public so check it out!

To submit your public events for the online calendar, send them to noahc@ontarionature.org at any time and allow up to a week for posting. Please send only events that are open to the public and no more than three events per month.