Category: Birding
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The IBAs of Polar Bear Provincial Park
This installment of our 2017 blog series IBAs in provincial parks — brought to you by Ontario IBA Coordinator Amanda Bichel of Bird Studies Canada — is very “cool.” Welcome to our year-long blog series! For our inaugural spotlight, we are staying in the winter spirit and focusing on Ontario’s far north. That’s right: our worlds…
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Ploverpalooza at Wasaga Beach
The Piping Plover 10th anniversary event, lovingly entitled Ploverpalooza, is scheduled to take place over the course of the summer of 2017. Wasaga Beach Provincial Park and the Friends of Nancy Island have spearheaded the Piping Plover Recovery Program since the species returned to Wasaga Beach in 2008. Help us celebrate the 10th anniversary of…
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Introducing…IBAs in Ontario Parks!
We’re jazzed to introduce a new series for 2017 — IBAs in provincial parks — brought to you by Ontario IBA Coordinator Amanda Bichel of Bird Studies Canada. If you love birds, you won’t want to miss these monthly features. Wondering what an IBA is? The acronym stands for “Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas.” The IBA…
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The secret flight of birds at night
Today’s post comes from Park Biologist Erica Barkley. As a kid, I always pictured bird migration as Canada Geese flying south in a “V” during the day. But that changed one calm, clear September evening. A park naturalist pointed out dozens of tiny “peep” noises over our heads. “Those are songbirds,” he said. “No way!” I…
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Billions travel Ontario's migration superhighways
Today’s post comes from Brad Steinberg, our Natural Heritage Education and Learning Coordinator. An avid birder, Brad identifies several “migration superhighways” and the role provincial parks play in protecting Canada’s Important Bird Areas. Being stuck in traffic sucks. Especially with young kids. This sentiment recently ran through my head while mired in bumper-to-bumper traffic on…
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Soundscapes from across Ontario
One of my favourite signs is from a lookout over the Grand Canyon. It simply says, ONE MINUTE. DON’T READ. DON’T TALK. NO PHOTOS. JUST LOOK…..AND SEE. It is something that I hope you will do often when you visit our parks or other natural areas in Ontario. But how about this variation? TWO MINUTES.…
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Canada jays at Algonquin: winter breeding phenom is underway
Get out your binoculars, cameras, smart phones and pack a baggie full of bread, cheese and raisins. The fascinating world of the winter Canada Jay breeding season is underway at Algonquin Park. And if you’re lucky (as most Canada Jan fans are), these delightfully social birds will feed right off your hand. “Canada Jays are…