The songbirds are returning and bringing spring with them!
Catch a bird-banding demonstration, take in a nature photography workshop, or sign on for a bird-themed hike with our park naturalists.
If you love songbirds, you won’t want to miss the Ontario Parks spring birding festivals:
Today’s post comes from Eva Paleczny, learning and education specialist with Ontario Parks.
On my morning drive to work one day, I noticed a bunch of Mourning Doves sitting in a row along an electrical line. As I continued driving, I wondered why birds gather in groups like that. Are they being social? Is it advantageous to their survival?
Birds are among the most commonly seen wildlife in our parks and cities, yet probably among the most difficult to observe and identify, due to their intricate colour patterns, quick movements, and ability to stay hidden from view. Not to mention the HUGE variety of bird species out there!
Despite this, I’ve seen many young children express awe and excitement when they see a bird fly by or land on a nearby window sill. These are new sightings for them and they are curious…but eventually, they become ordinary sightings.
How can you tap into discovering birds with your children at home? How can you spark a lifelong curiosity in birds and other creatures?
Here are some fun ideas you can try out from your own backyard:
Hang in there, parks-lovers — spring is on the way!
One of our favourite signs of spring? The male Black-capped Chickadee’s mating call: “Feebee!”
What are your favourite signs of spring?
This month’s FREE digital download features a Black-capped Chickadee.
Today’s post is from Justin Peter, who was a Natural Heritage Education Specialist at Algonquin Provincial Park from 2006 through 2013. Now a professional travel planner, Justin is a keen local and worldwide explorer, looking for birds everywhere he ventures.
It’s tempting to say that winter’s not the best time to look at birds in our Ontario Parks. Many species have migrated south. We’re hesitant to venture into the chilly weather.
But the quieter (and leafless) atmosphere of our parks during winter provides an excellent and unique challenge for our sense of environmental awareness.
Up for the challenge?
Here’s a selection of birds (and bird signs) you can look for this winter:
“The early bird gets the worm” usually makes us think of robins.
But the real early bird isn’t Robin Red-Breast. It’s the Canada Jay, also known as the whiskeyjack or Gray Jay.
Today’s post comes from Cortney LeGros, the Healthy Parks Healthy People coordinator at Ontario Parks.
The holiday season is steeped in tradition.
No matter how you celebrate, there’s one scientific tradition that’s been around for over 120 years to help mark the holidays.
For me, the holidays would not be complete without participating in at least one Christmas Bird Count.
Continue reading Christmas Bird Count — keep the community science tradition going!
Today’s post comes from Barb Rees, our Discovery Program and Marketing Specialist in the Northwest Zone of Ontario Parks.
Winter is a great time to watch for woodpeckers. Why? Simply because there are less leaves on trees making most birds more visible.
Typically, there are also more birdfeeders placed out in the winter than the summer (since the bears are hibernating). So attracting birds closer to your home makes bird-watching possible right from the warmth of your living room window.
Today’s post comes to us from David Bree, former Discovery Program Lead at Presqu’ile Provincial Park.
Butterball was a bit of a miracle child.
The way the year went, it was amazing that his egg was ever laid, let alone hatched. And he never should have flown.
But, somehow, he did.
To truly understand Butterball’s story, and the miracle it was, we must go back eight years. And oh yeah, you should know: Butterball is a Common Tern.
Today’s post comes from Bronte Creek Provincial Park Discovery Ranger Hannah Stockford and Darlington Provincial Park Piping Plover Student Jax Nasimok.
Once upon a time, bird migration was a great mystery!
Early ideas about migration by philosophers and scientists from hundreds of years ago were quite unusual. They varied from thinking birds hibernated in the mud at the bottom of lakes to flying to the moon!
Now we know most birds that migrate do so to find food, or travel to seasonal habitat or reproductive grounds.
While our understanding of migration is limited, with new technologies like Motus, humans are on the right track expand our knowledge in order to better understand and conserve migratory wildlife.
Today’s post comes from Mitch Kellar, a Discovery Leader at Bon Echo Provincial Park.
Being a staff member at Bon Echo has given me a lot of incredible experiences: seeing the Mazinaw Rock at sunset, camping on Joeperry Lake, and a very memorable Kishkebus canoe trip, to name a few.
Above all, my experiences with Peregrine Falcons — small birds of prey and the fastest animals on the planet — will always be one of my favourites.
Continue reading The fastest animal in Bon Echo, Canada, and the world!
