There are a lot of events happening in the area to help promote awareness of nature and conservation. We’re happy to share a number of them. Check out our Facebook page for more information.

Seed Change for Systems Change – June 18 from noon to 2 p.m. – via ZOOM

Pond Exploration – 1424 Clarke Rd, London, Ontario – July 2 at 10:30 a.m.

Speaking of Wildlife at Pittock! – Pittock Conservation Area – July 11 at 1 p.m.

Owl Prowl at Fanshawe CA – 1424 Clarke Rd, London, Ontario – July 15 at 8:30 p.m.

Bug Safari at Fanshawe CA – 1424 Clarke Rd, London, Ontario – July 18 at 10:30 a.m.

In this vast country we can surely set aside required space for birds and other species while building Canada Strong…

From Birds Canada:

Today, organizations across Canada are raising concerns about decisions that the federal Government is making that will have lasting impacts on nature and wildlife.

We often hear that protecting the environment and supporting the economy are competing goals, but they don’t have to be. Over the last few weeks, a series of worrisome policy decisions have been made which will have compounding impacts on the birds we all love. Taken together, these decisions are pushing our ecosystems—the environments we depend on—too far. For ourselves, and for the birds, we must do more. We must do better.

And we can do better. Strong environmental protections and effective economic policies can go hand in hand. Birds Canada is directly contributing solutions to make that happen.

Read the full statement from our President & CEO Patrick Nadeau: https://tinyurl.com/mteafwnk

From Green Party of Ontario:

The Greenbelt is home to 121 vulnerable species which makes up 42% of Ontario’s species at risk.

The Ford government is a year and a half late in conducting its mandatory review of the Greenbelt.

Greens are calling on the Ford government to produce their review and prove to Ontarians that these lands will continue to be protected

From Endangered Ecosystems Alliance:

This is the time of year many eastern Canadians eat fiddleheads, or the young, curled up fronds of the Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), cooked here with butter and garlic – delicious! . While other species of ferns are also eaten sporadically in other regions of North America, Matteuccia struthiopteris is often considered the most edible, though all ferns contain at least small amounts of toxins and should be eaten in moderation (many can be quite toxic and carcinogenic, and all edible ferns must be well cooked and ideally with a change of water after an initial boiling).

This is another example of a non-timber forest product that requires the standing deciduous and mixed wood forests of Canada and the US, with an estimated economic value of $10 million (Cdn) annually. New Brunswick by far is the epicenter of the industry, where thousands of pickers gather them each spring from the woods and meadows (including many First Nations communities, who first discovered the edibility of the fern), with some good pickers making $300 to $500 per day. Native ecosystems are vital for both our health and wellness, and for the economy!

Please SEND a MESSAGE to the federal decision-makers to protect endangered ecosystems across Canada by reintroducing and strengthening the Nature Accountability Bill, at:https://www.endangeredecosystemsalliance.org/news/natureaccountability2025

From Saving Monarchs:

Plant trees for the people who will never know your name. Care for the earth long after you’re gone.

Kindness isn’t just how we treat each other today, it’s what we leave behind for tomorrow. Every tree planted is a gift to future generations: cleaner air, cooler summers, shelter for wildlife, and hope for a healthier planet.

A caring person plants seeds knowing they may never sit in the shade, but someone else will. 

From Meteorologist Ross Ellet:

The bird highway is open and the spring migration peak starts tonight and runs into early next week. You can help by turning off those outdoor lights. The graphic below has the list of expected birds moving in during the overnight hours. We are also getting very high reports of hummingbirds right now. They migrate during the day.

From the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority:

Handsome and regal, bald eagles are one of the most recognizable birds in the world. While you might often see them flying over Fanshawe Lake, there are many things you may not know about them.

For instance, their name is derived from Old English meaning “white-headed”, rather than hairless. A mature adult is mainly brown with a white head, neck and tail. Both sexes have identical plumage, but females are about 25% larger. Juvenile birds do not obtain the distinctive adult feathers until they are four or five years old.

In the late 20th century, bald eagles were on the brink of extirpation due to hunting, habitat loss and pesticide ingestion. Measures, such as banning the use of DDT in the 1970s and other recovery efforts, slowed their decline. Populations recovered and their status was downgraded from “endangered” to “threatened” in 1995 and by 2007, they were removed entirely from the list.

Find out a whole lot more about this majestic bird in our Thames River Current newsletter.

From Birds Canada:

In the latest episode of The Warblers podcast, we learn about two delightfully contrasting birds: the calm and collected Louisiana Waterthrush, which gently bobs along streams, and the Acadian Flycatcher, a darting aerial insectivore which screams “PIZZA” as it bursts into the air!

While seemingly having few similarities, both birds rely on Carolinian Forests and, unfortunately, face a worrying threat. Samreen Munim and Brendan Boyd from the Ontario Forest Bird Program join us to share their deep love for these two species, and help us understand Hemlock Woolly Adelgid – an invasive species that is encroaching on these special forests and the birds that rely on them.

Thanks to Birds & Beans Coffee Roasters for supporting the podcast. You can listen to this episode wherever you get your podcasts!

From the City of Woodstock:

The City of Woodstock has officially been designated a Bird Friendly City by Nature Canada. For Nature Canada’s announcement, please visit: https://naturecanada.ca/…/new-bird-friendly…/

From Turtles Kingston:

Has anyone ever told you a snapping turtle is aggressive and can bite off your finger?

Well it’s important to know that these are FALSE MYTHS!

Is a snapping turtles snap dangerous? yes

Can they bite off your finger? no

Will they attack if they feel threatened? yes

Are they aggressive? no

So let’s get some things straight about the Ontario common snapping turtle (we are not talking about the alligator snapping turtle)

has a bite capacity less than an adult human. Thus, a bite will hurt but it cannot take off your finger in one bite.

they bite and release so if you are bitten it won’t last long but their snap is very easy to avoid by keeping your hands to the back of their shell (above their back legs)

they snap because they feel threatened and cannot pull themselves inside their shells like other turtle species.

We know that even with these myths busted it can still be intimidating to help a snapping turtle. So what to we recommend?

If you ever need to move a snapping turtle and you aren’t confident use the drag method.

Get an item such as a shovel, car mat, or towel / blanket (don’t drag them without soemthing underneath)

Grab the turtle from the back shell above the tail (never grab them by the tail)

Gently pull the turtle onto your item and drag them across the road in the direction they were headed.

https://www.turtleskingston.com/moving-turtles