This years Christmas Bird Count will be on Tuesday, December 26th.
Our club has participated in this citizen science project since it was created in 1950.
Last year we had 14,525 birds with 82 species. There will be no potluck after the days count.
If you would like to participate email asharpe@outlook.com
Our day to raise funds for Birds Canada under the umbrella of Birds Canada Birdathon
(birding for conservation) will take place the same day as “Global Big Day” on Saturday, May 13th.
To participate we will meet at intersection of Kent Bridge Rd (15) and Rose Beach Line (17) at the mailboxes at 9 a.m.
In the morning we will walk around Bates Dr to Pike St and back via Rose Beach Line, approx 2 km.
Vehicle admission to Rondeau PP is $14.50 for seniors and $18 regular. We will stop at the rest rooms just inside the park and hopefully walk around the maintenance area. We will then go to the visitor centre for lunch. Pack your lunch because Rondeau does not have a large variety of food on offer.
We will base the afternoon walks on information we learn at the visitor centre. Everyone who wants are invited to Rondeau Joe’s, just outside the park for supper. Time and health considered we may be able to take in Keith McLean CA after supper.
This day’s adventure is to raise funds for Birds Canada and a portion comes back to our club. To make a donation please go to our fundraising page at: https://www.canadahelps.org/s/nB5yJV
If unable to donate online please see either Al Hurst or Al Sharpe to make sure your donation makes its way to Birds Canada. A sign up sheet will be at the May meeting.
Hope you can make it out for this great day of birding.
Al Hurst & Al Sharpe
Club member Candy McManiman has a showing of her art at St. Marys Station Gallery
until April 8th. Candy also has her art at Art and Soul in Port Stanley. When out and about
you will find her art in the most unexpected places like in the middle of forests. Will leave
that up to you to find.
When the weather is sunny plan a trip to see Candy’s presentation in St. Marys. Gallery hours are 11am to 4:30 pm Wednesday thru Saturday. You never know what you might see at the Thames River waterfront in St. Marys.
The express has two great articles on Catfish Creek AGM.
The first presents teacher Duncan Sinclair the 2023 Conservation Award.
https://aylmerexpress.com/2023/03/elp-founder-saluted-by-ccca/
The second article is a good write up of the things Catfish Creek Conservation Authority
has done over the year. Missing in the article was that Ron Casier presented a
talk on the Chestnut trees, with advances and set backs to the program.
Front page has a picture of Tundra Swans taking off and landing at Aylmer WMA.
The Maple Syrup festival at Springwater is only a one week event this year. Saturday March 11th
to Sunday March 19th. Pancakes are 9 dollars and for children 5 dollars. Bird house building is
available on the 16th Craft Day. Friday features woodcarvers and maple baked goods on Saturday.
The last day will feature live music, face painting and baked goods by Creative Confection Bake Studio.
If you want to know what’s going on in Elgin County get the Aylmer Express. All info above was from this
weeks issue.
With three days done of the four day GBBC, we are at 59 species. Last year we had 63 species. The walk pictured above at Fingal WMA did not produce vary many birds, extremely quiet. With one day to go hoping we can beat last year. It turns out you can go to the website ebird.org/gbbc/submit and your sightings will automatically be included in the GBBC.
Continue enjoying the celebration of birds in February.
Quick update: We ended up with 68 species, I will post a complete list and highlights after March 1st when all rare reports should be in. Not that I think we have any.
This years GBBC is on Friday Feb 17th to Monday Feb 20.
Last year we had 63 species reported in Elgin. Hoping to better that this year.
I will be leading people on Saturday the 18th at 10 am at Yarmouth NHA at
47502 Sparta Line. We will go around Herb Kebbel Wetland and along Catfish Creek.
Sunday will have Ron’s walk at Fingal WMA at 1:30 pm, 34469 Fingal Line.
Attached is info on the GBBC.
Hope to see you out for one or both walks.
Al Sharpe
Hello folks, due to the inclement weather our guest speaker has wisely decided to stay home. Mary will be booked to do the talk in the future. Marches speaker has been decided.
Stay warm and safe and we will meet in March on the 10th, notice the change for March to second Friday.
Al Hurst and executive
The winter season brings up the Christmas Bird Count. Our club has participated
every year since its inception in September 1950. The Count is the longest running Citizen Science project. The count is based on a 24-km diameter circle centred at John Wise Line and Yarmouth Centre Rd. We count all the birds we see for the day and the lists are compiled and input into the database maintained
by Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York.
The CBC took root over a century ago when 27 birders in 25 localities from Toronto, Ontario to Pacific Grove, California, led by ornithologist Frank Chapman, proposed a conservation-oriented alternative to the traditional ‘side hunt,’ a Christmas Day competition to hunt the most birds and small mammals.
This alternative initiative to identify, count, and record all the birds found on Christmas Day 1900 has turned into one of North America’s longest-running wildlife monitoring programs.
Our count is held on December 26th every year. To volunteer for the count or
just count birds in your backyard please contact Al Sharpe at 226-271-7018 or email asharpe@outlook.com.
All birders are encouraged to participate.
On October 1st the Raptor counters viewing platform was officially opened. On hand were Eva Visscher, donors Karen and Eric Auzins, the man who put so many hours into seeing his vision to completion Bob Johnstone and Central Elgin Mayor Sally Martyn. The viewing platform consists of concrete anchor blocks all the way around and filled with packing chips and dust. The platform is elevated and protected with wooden railing. The entrance is graded for easy access.
There is an identification board beside the viewing stand designed by Eva Visscher who took the time from her university studies to enhance the site and allow people to see images of raptors they might be able to see flying overhead.
All Bob’s hard work would not have seen completion if not for the generous donation of Karen and Eric Auzins. The land owner Steve Ivan and Central Elgin with the help of mayor Sally Martyn. The stand should be around for many years and maybe assist in drawing new hawk counters to the location.
Joe Konecny of North Shore Beacon did a wonderful story on the opening. The same story also featured in the October 5th issue of the Aylmer Express.
Dave Brown, the official counter at Hawk Cliff Hawk Watch has a great article on the Hawk Cliff Hawk Watch here.
Many thanks to Bob for all the hard work.
Fellow members St. Thomas Field Naturalist Club.
The event this year will be on October 1st and 2nd, one weekend only.
9:30 am – Thames Talbot Land Trust hike
11:00 am – Hawk Cliff Raptor Banders presentation
1:00 pm – Monarch Watch presentation, showing tagging of butterflies and travels to Mexico
2:00 pm – Hawk Cliff Raptor Banders presentation
All events are run by volunteers.
