Today’s blog comes from Carlin Thompson, a discovery leader at Sandbanks Provincial Park.
My name is Carlin, and I’m a struggling birder.
As an Ontario Parks Discovery leader, I am surrounded by colleagues with a passion for the natural world — which I share.
Many share a specialty in identifying birds — which I do not.
These are my confessions.
Today’s blog comes from Jessica Stillman, school outreach coordinator for Bronte Creek Provincial Park.
With all the coloured leaves and migrating birds, autumn is all about big performances.
But even before sharing these spectacular displays, autumn delights us with the sights and sounds of another performance: the fabulous fall show presented by European Starlings.
Continue reading Autumn isn’t just coloured leaves and migration — bring on the murmurations!
Today’s blog comes from Piping Plover Biologist Monica Fromberger from Ontario Parks’ southeast zone.
Every year, Darlington Provincial Park runs a Piping Plover conservation program to help these special endangered shorebirds.
This year, the park’s plover lovers have done it again!
Lovebirds Blue and Miss Howard have successfully hatched, fledged, and raised all four of their chicks to migrate for the second year in a row.
Continue reading The Piping Plover power couple of Darlington
Esker Lakes Provincial Park surrounds a chain of sparkling lakes set in an ancient glacial landscape, carpeted in boreal forest.
A quiet, family-oriented park, Esker Lakes sits just east of the historic mining town of Kirkland Lake in northeastern Ontario.
Here are five reasons Esker Lakes will delight family campers and nature-lovers alike:
Continue reading 5 reasons to visit Esker Lakes Provincial Park
In today’s post comes from Alistair MacKenzie, Discovery Supervisor at Pinery Provincial Park, shares one of his parks exciting new conservation technologies: ecopassages.
I have a lot to thank my parents for, not the least of which is for introducing me to nature as a young child.
When my family immigrated to Canada, we began exploring Ontario and seeking out opportunities to witness natural phenomena and wild species. Soon, this behaviour led us to Algonquin Provincial Park, and we started making frequent pilgrimages there in all seasons.
Continue reading A mouse, a beast, and a ghost: who’s using Pinery’s ecopassage?
In today’s post, Learning & Education Specialist Rachelle Law recounts Team Ontario’s push to find as many birds as possible.
Every year, a team of expert birders from Ontario Parks prepare — binoculars in hand — to compete in a heated competition.
The goal: spot and record as many bird species as they can over one weekend, and win the coveted “golden” binoculars.
Continue reading The annual birding battle for the golden binoculars
We’re midway through an exciting five years for Ontario Parks (2021-2025)!
We’re supporting the third Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas: an enormous community science initiative that aims to survey all the province’s breeding birds.
It’s a big job, so if you like birds and care about their conservation, we could use your help!
Don’t let the Northern Shrike’s small size deceive you.
These little floofs are strict carnivores and will stealthily hunt anything of manageable size, including insects, mice, lizards, and other birds.
Northern Shrikes spend the breeding season in the far north, but can be found south of Thunder Bay and Sudbury during the winter, so watch for these masked predators warbling in shrubby habitats.
Today’s post was written by David Bree, Natural Heritage Education Leader at Presqu’ile Provincial Park.
It’s a blustery late-May day on Presqu’ile’s beach and a few birders are out watching the shorebirds. The birds wheel in and land for a few minutes of frantic feeding before lifting off again and heading out to disappear over Popham Bay.
One can’t help but be in awe of their flying skill and wonder. Where are they going? Where have they have come from? Questions no doubt asked by people since questions could be formed.
One may also ask, “where does the wind go?” since it seems impossible to track the wind and the birds that ride it. But, of course, we now do know where many of these birds go, thanks to bird banding.
Chickadee-dee-dee!
No matter the season, this little bird is always there to sing you a tune.
This month’s FREE digital download was snapped at Rondeau Provincial Park.
