As we begin another year of outings, or field trips as teachers are fond of saying, we look forward with eager anticipation to many enjoyable and rewarding moments as we come into contact with our natural world. Our heartfelt thanks to all those who led and participated in the 2007 – 2008 outings.
May I remind all members that outings are scheduled to ensure a variety of experiences and are usually led by dedicated and knowledgeable naturalists. This is not to say, however, that the leader of an outing need be an expert botanist or an avid ornithologist. Yes, we do have these people in our club, and they have generously given of their time and knowledge over the past number of years, and will no doubt continue this tradition of service to their fellow KWFN members.
I encourage newer members to take the leap and lead an outing or two this year, whether it be to a familiar haunt or to a new location within a reasonable radius of Kitchener-Waterloo. You don’t need to be an expert on your outing location because the outing participants will all bring their own knowledge and will be only too happy to share that knowledge with the group.
One final point, and this concerns participation. Most past outings have been well attended, but sadly a few have not, much to the chagrin of the leader. Therefore, let’s all resolve to attend as many outings this year as we possibly can, even if it means juggling our busy schedules at home and at work.
FOCUS ON FERNS
Tuesday, Sept. 9
Stamm Woodlot
Fraser Gibson,
Wayne Buck
Join Fraser and Wayne on a leisurely walk through this beautiful hardwood forest in the northwest section of Waterloo. This forest is quickly being surrounded by subdivisions, but it still offers great diversity. Hopefully, this is an introduction to a new natural area for many of you. Our focus will be on ferns (we should be able to see about 10 species) but we will also explore any other notable features.
Meeting Time/Place
6:15 pm in the parking lot of Trinity Evangelical Missionary Church,
Conservation Drive/ Westmount.
ARMCHAIR BIRDING
Saturday, Sept. 13
Laurel Creek Reservior
Jim Burrell 519-699-4695
Bring your lawn chair and binoculars and join Jim for a laid back evening. The large concrete culvert on Beaver Creek Road overlooks the Laurel Creek Reservoir and is a good spot to observe waterfowl as they stop and stage themselves for their fall migration. Other migrating birds such as Osprey may also be seen. Bring a cold drink or coffee and your field guide.
Meeting Time/Place
6 pm at the entrance gates to Laurel Creek Nature Centre on Beaver
Creek Road, Waterloo (enter
off Laurelwood Drive)
HEALTH VALLEY TRAIL
Wednesday, Sept. 17
Helga Hartman
519-885-0661
Meet Helga for a relaxed walk along the Health Valley Trail, part of the Trans Canada Trail, from St. Jacobs to Martin’s Creek and back. The trail follows the river but also crosses open pasture and varied habitat. We should encounter a good variety of wild flowers, butterflies and birds such as warblers, flycatchers, herons and shorebirds. Bring a hat, drink, binoculars, field guides and wear appropriate footwear. This walk will take approximately 2½ - 3 hours.
Meeting Time/Place
9:30 am at the Riverworks parking lot, St.
Jacobs, at the extreme east end (follow the signs for buses and campers)
FALL RAPTOR MIGRATION AT
HAWK CLIFF
Saturday, Sept. 20
Randy Fowler
519-576-2788
(Alternate Date: Sunday, Sept.
21)
Once again we travel to Hawk Cliff near Port Stanley to observe raptors as they migrate south to their winter destinations. Hawk Cliff is one of the best places in Ontario to witness this spectacle due to its geographical location and cliffs along the shoreline.
Various species such Sharp-shinned Hawks, Kestrels, Northern Harriers, Osprey, Broad-winged Hawks, Merlins, and Bald Eagles will be moving at this time of year. Last September’s trip produced a flight of 2,477 birds of 12 different species. This total could increase dramatically (more than 22,000 Broad-winged Hawks moved through on Sept. 15, 2007) if the weather produces good thermals and flight conditions.
The St. Thomas Field Naturalists will again be doing live bird demonstrations at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm using raptors caught at the nearby banding stations. This is a great opportunity to see some of these raptors up close, photograph them and learn more about them. And if you get tired of watching hawks, then check out the migrating warblers and other passerines that are usually found in the nearby trees and thickets along the roadside.
Bring a lunch and drinks, a chair to sit back in, your hat, binoculars, camera and a scope if you have one. This outing will consume most of the day with a one and a half hour travel time each way. Porta-potties should be on location.
Meeting Time/Place
8:00 am at the car pool parking lot, Fountain
Street (Homer Watson) and the 401. In
the event of poor weather, this outing will take place on Sunday,
Sept. 21.
SUDDEN TRACT
Thursday, Sept. 25
Gord Cassidy
519-884-3663
Sudden Tract is home to a wide variety of species, including many that are normally found in more southerly Carolinian zones. The terrain is varied with wooded hills and dales. The trails are long enough for some exercise but have some spots for resting and viewing the native flora and fauna.
Meeting Time/Place
9:00 am – Car pool parking lot at
Fountain and 401.
See Conservation Link for current issues and letters and information submitted by the KWFN.
A New Web Site
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Cambridge Sightings
This forum is for sharing information
regarding birding and wildlife "spotting" in the
Please report
sightings of turtle road fatalities or knowledge of any areas where there seems
to be a lot of turtles crossing roads. Please contact Angie Schoen so she
may build a data base of these areas. She will use this information to
approach the different municipalities about placing turtle crossing
signs. Any help would be appreciated.
Turtle Haven
1-519-745-4334
uros@sympatico.ca
Angie is
also looking for any conservation group(s) that are
working with the Karner Blue Butterfly.
The KWFN Photo Salon features the efforts and talents of
local photographers. Photos should not be larger than 4 x 6(H) or 6 x
4(V). Images to be saved at 72ppi resolution and as a jpeg
file with low resolution. At this point, I will limit submissions
to one photograph per person which may be replaced upon request.
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