Since Sept 1, 2024
03/16/2025 10:00 Aylmer Management Wildlife Area and Sewage Lagoons
C. McCrae
9 attendees
15 degrees, windy, mostly overcast
a few puddles on unpaved paths
03/06/2025 10:00 Gibbons Park
C. McCrae
10 attendees
-2 degrees, windy, some snow
Some snow-covered grounds and paths
02/17/2025 10:00 morrison dam, exeter
Lissette
1 attendees
poor
kind of stormy day
02/23/2025 13:00 Fanshawe CA
C. McCrae
10 attendees
0 degrees, overcast
Some snow-covered trails and roadways, some hills
15 bird species including Redhead, Common merganser, American tree sparrow, White-throated sparrow, both nuthatches Red squirrel Handfed birds at several locations
02/15/2025 13:00 Greenway Park
Jennifer Evans
9 attendees
Very snowy, Severe Weather Advisory
The path was clear, no issues.
The 9 of us braved the cold and snowy conditions and walked from Springbank Park to Greenway Park and back. Over the 2 hour walk we saw 24 different bird species and the chilly weather did not keep exciting species away. We were impressed with a tree full of Bald Eagles (9 in total), the river filled with Canada Geese (100+), Green-winged Teal (3), Common Goldeneyes (26) and one very loud Domestic Goose. In the forest path, we saw several Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers (5 and 2 respectively). Overall, the hike was a success and showed how bird life thrived even when the City shut down with the snow!
01/25/2025 08:00 Sarnia Area
C. McCrae
11 attendees
-7 to 1 degree, strong west wind
Some snow-covered trails with occasional ice
36 bird species were identified including Bald eagle, Horned lark, Snow bunting, Snowy owl, Northern flicker, Carolina wren, Northern shrike, Northern harrier, Rough-legged hawk
01/09/2025 09:00 Pinery Provincial Park
Kathleen Holland
14 attendees
Clear, -8 C
packed snow, fairly level trail
Tufted Titmice, Black-capped Chickadees, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Bald Eagle, White-breasted Nuthatches
01/01/2025 10:30 Greenway Park
C. McCrae
20 attendees
snow, mist, some sun, 2 degrees
muddy off-paved paths
23 species including 4 Bald eagles, Pied-billed grebe, Ring-necked duck, Brown creeper, Golden-crowned kinglet, woodpeckers: Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, Northern flicker
12/07/2024 09:00 Christmas Bird Count for Kids
C. McCrae, Lissette Verbeem, Evelyn Rogers, Diane Calzonetti
19 attendees
overcast, -1 degree
heavy snow off plowed paths
761 individual birds of 25 species, including 2 Bald eagles, 479 Canada Geese, 121 mallards, 8 Bufflehead, 5 Common goldeneye, 2 Hooded and 9 Common mergansers, 1 Belted kingfisher
11/24/2024 13:30 The Coves ESA
C. McCrae
19 attendees
partly sunny, breezy, 5 degrees
a bit of mud and uneven ground
19 bird species including Brown creeper, Cedar waxwing, Hooded merganser, Belted kingfisher, Hairy woodpecker – lots of bittersweet vines
11/11/2024 01:30 Coldstream ca
Lissette Verbeem
7 attendees
mostly overcast, a bit of sun, and light rain at the end
fairly easy walk, some boardwalk, balance hardpacked
Canada geese, cardinal, chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, goldfinch, redtail hawk, crow, jay muskrat cedar swamp roots
11/08/2024 09:00 Medway Valley Forest
Kathleen Holland
12 attendees
overcast to sunny, 9 C
uneven terrain in places, level trails otherwise, stairs
signs of White-tailed Deer as that was our focus. Sighted and discussed a dead opossum
11/03/2024 08:00 Strathroy SL, Forest SL, Kettle Point area
C. McCrae
5 attendees
partly sunny, 15 degrees
some uneven ground
50 bird species including Pied-billed grebe, Greater yellowlegs, Dunlin, Bonaparte’s gull, American coot, Northern pintail, Green- and Blue-winged teal, Trumpeter swan, Hermit thrush
10/20/2024 13:00 Westminster Ponds ESA
Cathy McCrae
8 attendees
sunny, 23 degrees
some hills and uneven ground and roots
White roof mushroom on beech trees, 3 types of butterflies (2 sulphurs, Cabbage white, 1 8bird species including Killdeer, Ring-necked duck, Cooper’s hawk
10/14/2024 10:00 Morrison Dam, Exeter
Lissette Verbeem
12 attendees
5 to 10C, sunny
hardpacked dirt, relatively flat, other than tree roots
Canada geese, mallard, pied billed griebe, green wing teal chickadee, robin, jay, crow, song sparrow, white throated sparrow, ruby & golden crowned kinglets, brown creeper, white breasted nuthatch, swainson thrush, turkey vulture- 16 species total white squirrel safely crossed the road for all to see. Lots of beaver handywork old tree stumps.
10/05/2024 13:00 Komoka PP and Delaware Sportsmen Pond
Cathy McCrae
8 attendees
sunny, 20 degrees
some hills and uneven ground on trails
20 bird species total including Bald eagle, White-throated sparrow, Ruby-crowned kinglet, Northern harrier, Virginia rail, Belted kingfisher, Green-winged teal Butterflies – Cabbage white, Clouded sulphur, Northern crescent
09/29/2024 10:00 Hawk Cliff and Port Stanley
Cathy McCrae
12 attendees
cloudy, 21 degrees
some uneven ground on the trail in the woods
Over 35 bird species including Golden-crowned kinglet, Black-throated green warbler, Red-eyed vireo, Northern harrier, Osprey, Bald eagle, Merlin, Ruddy duck, American coot, Tree swallow
09/22/2024 10:00 Cedarcroft
Dave Jolly
10 attendees
partly sunny, 25 degrees
Some uneven ground on the loop trail
identifying goldenrod and aster using colour, flower head arrangement, habitat, leaf shape, leaf width Asters- panicle, calico, heart-leaved, New England Goldenrods – late, zig-zag, Canada, blue-stemmed, (including a hybrid with Canada) Annual daisy fleabane
09/07/2024 10:00 Cedarcroft
Carrie Long
4 attendees
Rain! and cool temps
Because of the rain, we sat under a canopy
We introduced the concept of Nature Journaling and studied 2 species of Goldenrod to make comparisons and record our findings in individual notebooks.
09/05/2024 10:00 The Coves
Stacey Jaczko
10 attendees
Sunny and warm
Terrain mostly easy and dry some roots to avoid
It was a quiet day for birding with mostly resident birds seen. Leaf cover was still high and many birds were heard but not seen. Highlights were Great Blue Herons, two Great Egrets and numerous birds feeding in a huge Hackberry tree loaded with berries. A total of 15 bird species were seen or heard.