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TThhee PPrraaiirriiee SSmmookkee

Three stages of Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum

Carden Field Naturalists‘ Quarterly Newsletter

Volume 7 Number 1 Summer 2009

President’s Message

By

David A. Homer

Hard to believe, but it is mid-August and we haven‘t experienced much of summer …yet! Many of

our birds have already left for the south or are beginning to form flocks in anticipation of that

annual exercise! Soon the skies will be dotted with flocks of migration ducks, geese, shorebirds and

songbirds. Following Dr. Bridget Stutchbury‘s presentation, we now realize more than ever how

precarious a winter it will be for them on their ―hazardous wintering grounds‖! We wish them well!

Change is the operative word in more ways than just the weather.

Beginning this issue both the Couchiching Conservancy (CC) and the Nature Conservancy of Canada

(NCC) will have regular columns in The Prairie Smoke. Mark Bisset (CC) and Erica Thompson (NCC) ,

both of whom are Carden Field Naturalists members, will be providing regular updates on activities

within their respective organizations.

As usual, we are indebted to everyone who has contributed to this issue. There are a number of

very interesting articles and reports. I trust you will find them as interesting as I did. Happy

reading!

The Prairie Smoke Summer 2009

2

Wilson Snipers win the Carden

Challenge

By

Ron Reid

The Carden Challenge has become an

institution of sorts over the past 5 years,

with teams of four competing to find the

highest number of bird species in a 24-hour

period. This year‘s Challenge was especially

rewarding, as the 8 teams that participated

together raised over $16,000 for

conservation on the Carden Alvar.

Among the 3 Competitive teams, the winner

of the Carden Cup was the Lagerheads team

with 124 species. But in a strange twist of

fate, the local team known as Wilson's Snipers registered in the Recreational

category, and had a great day with 126

species!

The Wilson‘s Snipers are led by Barb Glass,

and call on the talents of Judy Mitchell-

Wilson, Teresa Dale, and Kim McGuire. Their

big win is no accident – they have participated

together as a team for several previous years,

and were on the road by 3:30 a.m. to catch

those early birds. Congratulations to the

Carden Field Naturalists for having such

talent in your ranks.

The Wilson Snipers: Teresa, Kim, Judy and Barb with the winner’s trophy.

A special Teeter-Ass Trophy for vibrant

participation was awarded to the Wild Turkeys, who came together on short notice,

enlisted a new birder to participate, and even

survived a speeding ticket in their quest for

birds.

This year‘s count continued some interesting

trends with few hawks and low numbers of

swallows, but one great find was a migrant

Cerulean Warbler on Wylie Road. Overall,

participants counted an amazing 23 warbler

species, including Blue-winged, Parula, and

Blackpoll for the first time on the Challenge.

A few other new additions including Pine

Siskin, Least Sandpiper, and White-crowned

Sparrow were lingering migrants.

Presentation to library

On behalf of the Carden Field

Naturalists, David Homer presented a

copy of the Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario 2001-2005 to

Janet Hill, Carden Branch Librarian,

City of Kawartha Lakes libraries. The

presentation took place at the June

meeting. The Atlas will remain in the

reserves section of the Library for

individual use.


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SILENCE OF THE SONG BIRDS

By

Dierdre Pringle

After hearing Bridget Stutchbury speak

about how we are losing the world‘s songbirds

and what we can do to save them, I purchased

her book, Silence of the Songbirds. This book

was a finalist in the Governor General‘s

Literary Awards and I soon discovered why.

Written in the first person, Bridget writes as

she speaks – with great passion. She

chronicles her adventures visiting the

songbirds‘ wintering grounds. Apart from the

perils all migratory birds face, the loss of

habitat and poisoning of their winter

environment with pesticides is wiping out

large number of our favourite songbirds.

Bridget stresses that the power of the

consumer is mighty, and we can make a

difference by purchasing wisely. By refusing

to buy out of season fruits and vegetables

from Central American (most of which are

laced with heavy pesticides) we can make a

difference. The other single most important

change we can make is to buy Certified Shade

Grown Coffee- thus protecting the rainforest

canopy which houses so many species of

North American birds during our winter

months.

Dr. Bridget Stutchbury speaking at CFN

Larry kirtley photo

This book is a great read and a must for

anyone who enjoys the company and songs of

our feathered friends. Paired with a pound of

Certified Shade Grown Creemore Coffee, this

would make a most appreciated gift.

Editor‘s note: Deirdre Pringle was a guest of her friend and former colleague Frances Laver at our April meeting when Dr. Stutchbury gave her presentation to CFN. This article was written initially for publication in her local newspaper.

Membership Dues

A gentle reminder to those who still

have not paid their annual membership

fees which were due in April 2009.

Please forward your payment as soon

as possible to:

Paul Laver

CFN Treasurer

31 Loon Drive

R.R. # 1 Sebright, Ont

L0K 1W0


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A Rare Chance to Expand The

Prairie Smoke Nature Reserve

By

Erica Thompson

Nature Conservancy of Canada

Huronia Program Manager

How long does it take to explore 1330 acres?

You could find out by helping the Nature

Conservancy of Canada (NCC) purchase the

Little Bluestem Alvar property-654 (264)

hectares of high-priority habitat located

adjacent to NCC‘s Prairie Smoke Nature

Reserve on the Carden Alvar.

Little Bluestem field

Margo Holt photo

Securing this property will create a 1330-

acre (538-hectares) nature reserve

protecting one of Ontario‘s rarest landscapes

while providing an outdoor classroom for the

curious amongst us and protected habitat for

alvar flora and fauna.

The property was named little Bluestem Alvar

because it is home to one of Carden‘s most

extensive Little bluestem alvar grasslands.

Little Bluestem Flower Spike

Margo Holt photo

An agreement to purchase this property is in

place with a closing scheduled for September

2009. Federal and Provincial commitments

have been requested, but as with all property

acquisitions, NCC must raise funds to support

the ongoing management and care of the

property. This is the ―forever‖ part of NCC‘s

mission. NCC and our partners at the

Couchiching Conservancy are working

together to raise $68,750 in private funds to

support long term management at the

property. The Carden Field Naturalists have

been wonderful stewards at the Prairie

Smoke and we look forward to working with

all of you on Little Bluestem.

To learn more about this project and how you

can help, please contact me at 705-888-2316

or at [email protected]

or visit NCC‘s website at

www.natureconservancy.ca/ontario.

mailto:[email protected]


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The Couchiching Conservancy Column

By

Mark Bisset

Ron Reid changes Gears

The white beard and deep laugh lines around

the eyes advertise a trademark style.

He‘s a peace-maker, a diplomat, a consensus-

builder, a deal-closer and an innovator who

has played a central role in shaping the

conservation landscape in Ontario. But to

most people around here he‘s just Ron Reid.

Ron’s Retirement Day

Mark Bisset photo

The public face of the Couchiching

Conservancy since 1993 when it became one

of the first land trusts in Canada, Reid is

going into semi-retirement at the beginning of

July. His departure as executive director of

the conservancy this week ties a neat ribbon

around what may be his most important

achievement. Under his guidance, the

Couchiching Conservancy has become a leading

light in the Canadian land trust movement.

It all started in their living room, says Janet

Grand, Reid‘s partner and another driving

force in the creation of the conservancy.

―Essentially what we did is just talked for a

year,‖ Grand recalls of the first group of six

or seven people who built the foundations of

the conservancy.

It was a turbulent time in conservation

circles. Ontario had recorded some real

achievements in the field, creating good

policy and creating numerous provincial parks.

Reid was involved with many of those

achievements, building a solid reputation in

the fields of public policy and advocacy as

general manager for the Federation of

Ontario Naturalists. But by the 1990s a

recession and the resulting cost-cutting

government policies led to serious financial

constraints for conservation. Reid sensed the

province had gone as far as it could at the

time.

―He recognized, long before anybody else did,

that what was left to be done was probably

going to be done by the private sector,‖

Grand says.

So he got busy. Working as a volunteer while

running his own environmental consulting firm,

Reid along with Grand and others created the

land trust.

Ken Thomson, a former Couchiching

Conservancy board member and a committed

volunteer remembers admiring Reid‘s efforts

in the first years of the operation.

―At every meeting of the fledgling

organization he was able to lead the

discussions and bring out the best from

everyone,‖ Thomson recalls.


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He guided the process through the various

political levels educating them as well as the

board in the intricacies of diplomacy and tact,

Thomson says.

―I think that the brilliant thing he did was to

go local,‖ says Michael Broadstreet, vice-

president of conservation for the Nature

Conservancy of Canada.

Reid realized very early that it was essential

to engage local people.

―If we‘re going to protect land in settled

landscapes, if the community‘s not involved,

we‘re toast,‖ Broadstreet says.

By 2002 the conservancy was in a position to

hire a full-time staff member and Reid was

the natural choice. Today the Couchiching

Conservancy manages close to 8,000 acres,

has 120 active volunteers, a membership base

of 300, and four full-time staff.

The jewel of its portfolio is the globally rare

alvar on the Carden Plain, near Lake

Dalrymple. The shallow limestone plain fosters

competing interests. Land owners use it to

graze cattle. High quality limestone close to

the Greater Toronto Area makes it coveted

by quarry operators. The alvar is prized by

naturalists and scientists as a home to rare

birds and plants. Out of this recipe for

conflict, Reid is in the process of creating a

new model of cooperation.

―He‘s a wonderful collaborator,‖ says Erica

Thompson, Georgian Bay - Huronia Program

Manager for the Nature Conservancy of

Canada, Ontario Region. ―He has a unique

ability to forge solutions rather than division

even amongst the seemingly most disparate

views. He is also a very kind person.‖

Recognizing the quarries, land owners and

conservationists would continue to be heavily

invested in Carden, Reid began building

bridges. Cattle grazing is now considered a

crucial conservation management tool on the

alvar and several quarries are active partners

in conservation efforts.

―All the work with the quarry industry could

not have been done 20 years ago. Period,‖

says Grand. ―It just would not have happened.

They were the enemy, we were the enemy to

them. So all this work in Carden in particular

is just ground-breaking. And that‘s what Ron‘s

done his whole career. He‘s done new stuff.‖

Reid is likely to continue to do new stuff. Now

in his early 60s, he‘s not retiring. He will

continue to work for the conservancy on a

contract basis, finishing the projects he has

been so central to on the Carden Plain. And all

is not rosy there. A provincial association of

land owners has recently taken a hard line

with naturalists and bird-watchers in the

area, mounting an aggressive sign campaign to

promote private property rights. But Reid

remains respectful of their concerns, gentle

in his approach, and above all, determined.

The Prothonotary Warbler

By Neil Gray

One of my goals every year that we go to Pt.

Pelee for the spring migration is to find at

least one Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea). In the past 27 years I have only been

successful 7 times, and two of those times

have been in the past two years, after a

hiatus of 6 years. Why such a poor rate of

success in this endeavour? This warbler is at


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its furthest northern border of its natural

territory, occurring mostly in the Carolinian

Zone in areas that have suitable habitat

remaining, which restricts it to major parks

(Holiday Beach, Pt. Pelee, Wheatley, Rondeau,

Long Point). This warbler is listed under

Ontario‘s Endangered Species Act (put on in

1999) and the Federal Migratory Birds

Convention Act protecting the species and its

habitat. At the present time, it is estimated

that there are only 20 pairs in any given year

in southern Ontario and they can be found in

only 5 locations.

Neil Gray photo

This warbler is unique in that it is the only

North American warbler that nests in cavities

of dead deciduous trees in woodland swamp

areas. The cavity itself is typically located in

the lower part of the tree over the water.

Unfortunately this type of habitat has been

declining in southern Ontario. In addition to

the decline in habitat, this species is also

parasitized by the brown-headed blackbird

(throws out the warbler eggs and replacing

them with their own) and because of the low

cavity placement is an easy target by

raccoons.

Neil Gray photo

The bird itself is very colorful, known for its

papal colors and plumage, looking like the

robes worn by the papal clerks. The adult

male in particular has a bright orange-yellow

head, breast and belly, contrasted with a

green-grey back and azure blue wings and

tails. Another striking feature is that for a

warbler, it has a long bill. It is also one of

the larger warblers measuring 14-15cm long

and weighing 14-16gm.

When we were at Pt. Pelee (woodland trail

behind the park offices) this year, the male

bird was in the midst of preparing at least

one nest site; it was skirting around between

several cavities (make by woodpeckers) and a

man-made birdhouse placed on a metal pole in

the middle of a wetland. In typical warbler

fashion it was moving about from branch to

branch, tree to tree, making it very hard to

get a clear photo. This was the bird of the

day (probably the week for most of us), which

brought out everybody with a telephoto lens,

scope and/or binoculars. Even with an

explosion of people watching him, he did seem

to be disturbed. With any luck a mate will

find his new housing arrangements up to par,

and a new brood will be hatched. It would be

wonderful to see this bird again next year.


8

References

Hughes, J. M., 2001. Birds of Ontario. ROM

and McClelland & Stewart Pub.

The Prothonotary Warbler in Canada: On the

Road to Recovery?

www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/factsheets/fs_pro_

warbler

Prothonotary Warbler, Bird Studies Canada.

www.bsc-

eoc.org/research/speciesatrisk/prow

THE LAZY BIRDER

By

Frances Laver

There was silence on the other end of the

phone when I said, ―David, I am looking out

our front window and there is a large black

bird in a tree. It has a long beak. What is it?‖

I was excited because I thought I had found

a new species. He politely said that he didn‘t

know and was probably was shaking his head

at my description.

The next day I heard a really strange sound

and following that sound once more saw this

bird flying toward the lake. Could it be a

small cormorant?

David politely nodded at that theory.

Paul had heard this bird too and was smart

enough to take the binoculars and have closer

look. Looking in our Ontario bird book, he

found it was a green heron.

Green Heron

Larry kirtley photo

Well it looked black to me. I hadn‘t even

heard of such a bird! David says there are

common, which killed the new species theory.

Birders probably know what they look like but

the book had some information that I found

fascinating.

―When plumes were highly prized clothing

accessories early in the 20th century, heron

plumes were the most sought after. Breeding

male herons are adorned with several long,

graceful feathers that stream from their

heads and necks. Although the plumes of the

Green Heron were not as prized as those

from some of its close relatives, many of

these small herons paid a high price for

fashion.‖

http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/factsheets/fs_pro_warbler

http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/factsheets/fs_pro_warbler

http://www.bsc-eoc.org/research/speciesatrisk/prow

http://www.bsc-eoc.org/research/speciesatrisk/prow


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Species on the Edge

Congratulations to Carden Field Naturalists

member Kristen Field for the wonderful book

she has written, Species on the Edge, a reference, atlas and stewardship guide to rare and at risk species in the western portion of the Land Between.

David A. Homer photo

This 122 page book is a result of the species

on the Edge project carried out during 2008

and 2009 by the Couchiching Conservancy as

part of the Waterway Wildlife Program; an

initiative of parks Canada to increase

protection and awareness of species at risk. A

number of our members assisted Kristen in

research data, photographs and

encouragement.

David A. Homer photo

Each species in the book has its own

descriptive page, complete with photographs

of the species, its habitat and a range map.

Carden Field Naturalists will be selling the

book at our regular meetings.

Thank you Kristen for the hard work, late

nights and great effort in producing this

wonderful addition to our libraries, and as a

much needed field guide.

And the Winner Is:

CFN member Nathalie Rockhill is the winner of

the 2009 Nature Festival annual draw. This

year David Homer produced a wood sculpture of

an Eastern Kingbird for the annual raffle.

Sean McNamee photo


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The Wildlife of South America, the

Falkland Islands and Antarctica

By

Harry Hall

We started our voyage in Rio de Janeiro,

proceeded to Buenos Aires from whence we

flew to Iguassu falls on the border of Brazil

and Argentina. Next was Monte Video

Uruguay where we spent a day with the

gauchos on their 3650 acre Estancia.

The Falkland Islands followed and then

Antarctica. From there we slowly retuned to

Tierra del Fuego, Cape Horn, the Beagle

channel, Magellan strait, Patagonia (including

Torres del Peine National park and finally

Valpraiso and Santiago before flying home.

We will not give you a long list of all the

wildlife we saw but will mention quite a few

with whatever stories of interest that go

with them.

Rio is a gigantic city so it was hard to see

much wildlife other than Kelp gulls and

Magnificent Frigate Birds (the ones that puff

their red chests up). One night the sky was

full of hundreds (maybe thousands) of them

flying several hundred feet above the sea.

Since they are sea scavengers one wonders

what attracted so many to that height that

night. It is interesting to note that the

further south you go the more sea life is

evident.

The basic food for many species, unless they

eat each other, is krill, a small crustacean

that is more plentiful the colder the water.

Even when you are hundreds of miles from

land you see lots of birds which reminds us

once again that sea birds don‘t need or even

care about land except to lay an egg and have

a chick (every 3-4 years for the Albatross).

From Buenos Aires we flew to Iguassu falls

which has to be the most beautiful in the

world. There are over 200 separate falls

cascading down both sides of this gorge. The

falls are surrounded by lush vegetation and

rainbows are plentiful. An amazing sight! We

saw caymans, cicadas, hawks, turtles and

cormorants all enjoying themselves only a very

short distance above the falls, Do they know

how close they are to disaster?? Coatis are a

raccoon-like animal that are common in the

area also

The next day at Monte video we were

transported to a working estancia (Larapido)

with 650 milking cows plus wheat, beef and

potatoes.. They also grow a lot of Australian

eucalyptus because they have good hard wood,

grow fast and have a pleasant odor. The

gauchos spend so much time on horseback,

they almost become one unit, They all wear

the long boots and most wear berets --

occasional flat top cowboy hats. It must be a

good life. They all seem happy and eager to

share their experiences. We saw Lapwings,

green austral parakeets, which are hated by

the ranchers because ―they eat everything‖, a

great Egret, southern martin and an austral

thrush.

The next 2 days were at sea en route to the

Falklands. Right Whales and southern Minke

were seen and some people thought they saw

Orcas. There were Atlantic petrels, Wilson‘s

storm petrels, giant petrels and our first

sighting of the legendary Albatross.

These were black- browed species (relatively

small with a wing span of about 7 feet. We

also encountered sun fish which look like big

blobs with huge dorsal fins and no visible tail

they seem to just sit in the water even when

the ship was close to them. How do they

move??

The Falkland Islands some people found

desolate and did not appreciate. I do feel


11

sorry for them if they can‘t see and feel the

beauty in the vast open spaces with the

volcanic peaks poking up through the peat

which they also cut, dry and burn. We took

quite a long hike along the windblown shore

and saw several rare species that live only

there, Kelp geese, Patagonian Crested back

duck, Oystercatchers, Falkland thrush and

Skuas, Flightless Steamer ducks (which

speaks to the lack of predators on the

islands). Our guide pointed out that there is a

certain lack of imagination here. They have 2

types of ferns, small and tall.

Long tailed Meadowlark

Harry Hall photo

They have a meadowlark with a bright red

chest which is called a Long tailed

Meadowlark. The plants are unusual also -sea

cabbage, scurvy grass and diddle dee a small

bush with red berries that make good jam.

There were also multiple cormorants and

penguins on the islands- Magellan, king and

Rock-hoppers

Next stop Elephant Island Antarctica, rugged

mountainous and multiple glaciers coming down

to the sea

We won‘t tell you the details of exactly where

we were on the peninsula but will write in

general terms. We spoke of the ice in a

previous article so we will concentrate on the

wildlife.

Humpback whale diving

Harry Hall photo

We saw a number of whales, mostly

humpback, Weddel seal, Sea lions, and

multiple types of birds—Skuas both brown

and Antarctic, fulmars, Pryons, Petrels --

blue, cape and giant. Only a few sooty

shearwaters were seen which was surprising

since it is the most common bird in the world.

Cormorants were common -- rock ,imperial and

blue eyed

Penguins ,of course, are everyone‘s favorites

and are quite common in these icy waters.

They swim, dive, porpoise, slide on the snow

and icebergs. They look like they are having

fun. They leave red trails where they climb

the mountains (remember that krill is their

staple) Its humorous to see them slide down

the snow if they slip trying to climb up. They

just get up and keep on trudging (maybe

waddling?)

Gentoo Penguins

Harry Hall photo


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For some reason they (at least the Gentoos)

like to nest several hundred feet up the

slopes?? Adelies and Chinstraps were the

other two types . The chinstraps have a bow

tie with their tuxedos

The heroes for me and a new love affair are

the Royal (Wingspan 10 feet+ and the

Wandering (wingspan 11 feet+.) Albatross.

Wandering Albatross

Harry Hall photo

I watched them for hours as they soared

effortlessly, drifting with the wind up ,then

down almost touching the waves at times They

occasionally tilt even at right angles to the

sea. We witnessed them come from behind

the ship which is doing about 25 mph and pass

it. All of these maneuvers without ever

flapping their wings. Masters of the wind they

give new meaning to the word graceful. The

researchers even suspect that they may be

able to sleep while soaring. Apparently with

implanted devices they find that they may go

24 hrs without landing on the sea. They also

are apparently able to lock their ―elbows‖ so

there is no strength required to keep their

wings extended. – the perfect flying machine.

What a fantasy to be able to do something

like that.

The cape petrels with their white patches on

blue wings are quite dramatic as they swoop

and dive often in flocks of 40 – 50

Since it is summer, fog is not unusual with the

ice all around and the relatively warmer air.

Mystical lighting effects are common as the

sun breaks through the clouds and reflects

off the glaciers and the dark water sparkles

amidst the icebergs. Most people, including

me, consider it a spiritual experience. If you

are not affected by these incredible displays

you must need to turn up the volume on your

sensitivity detecting apparatus. Hours can be

spent out on the deck as this panorama

evolves before you, ever changing and

continuing to surprise. Almost totally silent

except for the background droning of the

engines it is occasionally ruptured by the roar

of an avalanche or the thunderclap as the ice

splits off a glacier and crashes into the sea

sending waves out in a semi circle from the

point of contact - glad you‘re not in a canoe

close to it

Once again we must cross Drake Strait, this

time going north, and for some reason a lot of

people developed white spots behind their

ears. Do, you suppose it has anything to do

with this being one of the legendary roughest

spots in the world. It helps to shorten the

lineup for meals too.

Cape Horn looming through the rain and mist

is quite a spectacle as your welcome to the

southernmost land of South America. Ushuaia

(Argentina), not that far away in the Beagle

channel claims to be the most southerly

permanent habitation in :the world , Chile

disputes it

The history of the area with Magellan, Drake

Darwin and many others is fascinating and

well worth pursuing

The Beagle channel, over 200k, which cuts

across Tierra del Fuego is full of mountains

glaciers and wild life--- seals , sea lions and


13

Shags (cormorants) galore, petrels geese,

gulls etc.

The following day on the west coast, we

arrived at Punta Arenas on the Magellan

channel then flew to Puerto Natales. From

there a bus drove us the 2 hours through the

rolling hills of Patagonia to Torres del Peine

National Park. Magnificent tall, steep, stately

cliff-like mountains that look as if they had

quietly exploded from the surrounding

grasslands.. They are not the tallest but

certainly the most dramatic mountains I have

seen. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) it

was foggy and rainy that day which obscured

the view somewhat but gave it a surreal,

otherworldly feeling as they appeared and

disappeared. They are the mountains we have

all seen in ads for Patagonia and Chile

Once again we were lucky with the wildlife.

Andean Condors, Guanacos (Llama like), Rheas

with chicks (Emu-like), and a south American

gray fox that wandered past.

Gray Fox

Harry Hall photo

The Guanacos are left wild because

apparently neither their hide nor meat are

considered valuable.

Further north along the coast and the Darwin

channel are many glaciers fiords, waterfalls,

rushing rivers and volcanoes. Chile has 56

active volcanoes. Interestingly the southern

Chileans consider themselves as almost a

separate country since there is no road to the

northern part without detouring through

Argentina

Puerto Montt was our access harbor to

Petrike(?) falls and Mount Osorno a huge Fuji

look alike volcano that we climbed part way

up. – It was our last highlight before arriving

at Valpraiso, the Chilean ‗bohemia‖ and the

nearest port to Santiago from whence we

returned home inspired once again by visiting

another part of this wonderful planet that is

our home.

Editor‘s note: Harry and Marian will be sharing more of their South American, Falkland Islands and Antarctica experiences with us at our September meeting

New Freshwater Fish Guide

Bob Wright advises that the long awaited

Royal Ontario Museum Guide to Freshwater

Fishes in Ontario is finally available. This

great guide for anyone interested in the

fishes of Ontario can be purchased at most

good bookstores.


14

Third Annual Carden Nature Festival

…Best ever!

By

Lou Probst

Once again nature lovers from all over

Ontario flocked to the Carden Recreation

Centre to participate in the third annual

Carden Nature Festival. It attracted 285

paying guests and was supported by 100

volunteers. Many of those volunteers came

from the Carden Field Naturalist Club. Some

were Activity Leaders, some were marshals,

some made lunches, some arranged fixtures,

some were exhibitors and some were

organizers. In fact the Festival couldn't

happen without the energetic participation of

the Carden Field Naturalists.

Event participants receiving instructions

Lou Probst photo

The Primary objective of the Festival is to

bring tourist dollars into the local economy.

About 40% of guests came from the GTA,

30% from the Orillia area, 11% from

Kawartha Lakes and the remainder from

scattered points in Ontario. About 30% were

repeat customers from 2008 which means

there were many first time participants and

they got their money's worth. Over 100

outdoor and indoor events to choose from.

The choices ranged from early morning

birding to night sky observing, from hiking to

paddling to biking to flying, from plants to

spiders to moths to fish. The Activity

Leaders were top notch with not only local

celebrities like Bob Bowles but many from

afar like Jennifer Doubt manager of the

National Herbarium of Canada and Peter Hall

retired Research Manager with the National

Biological Collection at Agriculture and

Agrifoods Canada.

Kyra Howes leading a wildflower event

Lou Probst photo

Comments from participants say it all:

―Thanks for your work in organizing an

excellent festival‖ Mike McMurtry MNR,

―I really had a good time. Looking forward to

participating next year‖ Dave Beadle,

―Clearly folks in my groups expected this to

be yearly event. You have done another

superlative job!!‖ Ellen Larson,

―I have had 2 people e-mail me to a) thank me

for my role, and b) tell me that they will

advertise the Carden Festival as a model to

follow‖ Doug Lockery,

‖Congratulations on a job VERY well done‖

Janet Grand,.


15

The Prairie Smoke is the quarterly newsletter of

the Carden Field Naturalists. The opinions

expressed in all articles are those of the authors

and not necessarily those of the editor(s). Letters,

articles and comments are welcome, but not

necessarily published.

E-mail documents are requested, please forward to

the editor:

David A. Homer

199 Avery Point Road

Lake Dalrymple

R.R. # 1 Sebright, Ontario L0K 1W0

e-mail: [email protected]

Membership:

Paul E. Laver

Treasurer

CFN

R.R. # 1 Sebright, Ont

L0K 1W0

e-mail:[email protected]

Website:

www.CardenGuide.com/cfn

Web Master

e-mail: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.cardenguide.com/cfn


16

CARDEN FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

NAME_____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

ADDRESS__________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

TELEPHONE_________________________________________________________

EMAIL_____________________________________________________________

FEES (Yearly) Family (Includes Parents and Children 13 years and younger) $20

Single $15 Student (14 to 18 years old) $5

Yearly Membership fees run from April 1 to March 31

Fees include a copy of our quarterly newsletter.

Would you be interested in becoming a member of the executive or be on a committee formed by

the executive?__________________________

Please make cheques payable to:

Carden Field Naturalists Club

c/o Paul Laver, Treasurer

31 Loon Drive

R.R. #1 Sebright ON

L0K 1W0


17

CARDEN FIELD NATURALISTS

2009 PROGRAMME AND OUTINGS

GENERAL MEETINGS

Wed. Aug. 12th 2009 Presentation - Bats

Guest Speaker : Beth Clare, University of Guelph

Wed. Sept. 9th 2009 Presentation- Antarctica

Guest Speaker: Harry Hall

Wed. Oct. 14th 2009 Presentation - The Life History of Loons

Guest Speaker : Ron Tozer, Algonquin Park Naturalist

(Retired)

Wed. Nov. 11th 2009 Presentation - The Invisible Decline

of American Mink

Guest Speaker : Jeff Bowman, Min. of Nat. Resources

Wed. Dec. 9th 2009 Members' Night and Dessert Pot Luck

Documents

TThhee PPrraaiirriiee SSmmookkee