Originally posted by Chelsey Park Long-Term Care Home on their Facebook page.

As the weather becomes more inviting, why not embrace a new and exciting hobby: bird watching! This delightful pastime requires nothing more than an open heart and keen senses, making it the perfect activity for seniors seeking enjoyment and relaxation in nature.

Listening to the melodious tunes of birdsongs can uplift your spirits and infuse your day with joy and positivity. For seniors, bird watching offers a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with the natural world, fostering a sense of fulfillment and contentment.

Engaging in bird watching not only keeps your mind sharp and engaged but also provides numerous mental health benefits associated with spending time outdoors. Whether you’re sitting in your backyard or taking a leisurely stroll, take a moment to admire the beauty of the birds around you. Allow their presence to bring you peace and serenity.

Great night at the Ingersoll Public Library on February 21, 2024, learning about the benefits of native species gardening with Liam Kijewski and Crystal Bradford of Wildlife Gardening. The full house was very appreciative of their informative presentation. Check them out at wildlifegardening.ca – plants, seeds and landscaping!

From the Invasive Species Centre: Are you ready to spread awareness about invasive species during Invasive Species Awareness Week (#InvSpWk) on February 26 – March 3, 2024? We have free social media graphics and captions ready for you to post! You can also attend an event throughout the week to learn more about preventing the spread of invasive species. Access the toolkit and register for an event here: https://bit.ly/ISAwarenessWeek

From Ontario Nature: The people of Ontario have good reason to be deeply alarmed by the Government of Ontario’s intent, once again, to weaken protections for endangered species in the province. Species at risk in Ontario need protection now more than ever before. With over 230 threatened and endangered species, Ontario is “losing more biodiversity than we are conserving.”

Read more.

Ontario Nature is opposing the Government of Ontario’s proposed regulatory changes to the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ERO# 019-8016).

Although the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks contends that the proposed changes would improve implementation of the legislation, the opposite is true from the perspective of protecting and recovering species at risk. The changes are geared to “streamlining” and facilitating approvals for activities that would harm many species at risk. See their recent blog for a high-level summary of our concerns.

Read more.

From Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Project FeederWatch turns your love of feeding birds into scientific discoveries. FeederWatch is a November-April survey of birds that visit backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. You don’t even need a feeder! All you need is an area with plantings, habitat, water, or food that attracts birds. The schedule is completely flexible. Count your birds for as long as you like on days of your choosing, then enter your counts online. Your counts allow you to track what is happening to birds around your home and to contribute to a continental data-set of bird distribution and abundance.

Learn more.

Did you know that wild bird populations have dropped by nearly 30% (or 3 billion birds) since 1970? Now you can help Save The Song Birds while having some fun with nature on these cold winter days. Learn more at Wild Birds Unlimited.

The Oxford County Trails Council has released their Winter 2023/2024 issue of The Trail Times. Great information about nest boxes and more.

From Nature Canada:

“Today is a day to celebrate. We are taking big strides in the journey to protect the Seal River Watershed. We welcome the collaboration with the Manitoba Government and Government of Canada, because we know this Nation-to-Nation-Nation approach benefits all of us. The Seal River Watershed Indigenous Protected Area will help our communities heal, create land jobs for land people, and help Manitoba and Canada meet reconciliation and conservation goals. And most of all, we are showing our youth that even though we come from small communities, we can do big things.”- Stephanie Thorassie, Executive Director of the Seal River Watershed Initiative.

Learn more.

The walk in the Embro Conservation Area on January 20, 204, did not disappoint… a beautiful morning with fresh snow and sunshine. We were met by a hairy woodpecker, chickadees and blue jays and saw evidence of pileated woodpeckers. After the walk a tour of a Langlois Eco Home model was provided… Embro’s new master-planned community designed for active living and connecting to nature.