Birding MacGregor with Ian Shanahan

MacGregor Park is a haven for a wide variety of warblers, vireos, water birds and many other species during the spring migration. There are many of these birds still present during the second weekend of the Huron Fringe Birding Festival and having a knowledgeable leader like Ian Shanahan leading two of the events gives you a great opportunity to search some out. Check out Ian’s profile on the festival website http://friendsofmacgregor.org/page/ian-shanahan and you will see that his love of birding will benefit anyone lucky enough to get on one of his hikes.

Come out and see what birds Ian can point out for you as he takes the various trails of MacGregor Park. The warblers are in their best dress at this time of year and can be much easier to spot as they flit from branch to branch searching for insects.

Around the park there are a variety of habitats to suit each warblers needs and Ian will be able to tell you what you could possibly see along the various trails covered on his two events. The birds are at their best in the mornings and both of Ian’s hikes are morning hikes. Get your binoculars, get your questions and enjoy a mornings walk in the park.

To register for Ians events go to the registration page of the Huron Fringe Birding Festival and sign up for a great time looking for those beautiful feathered friends.

http://friendsofmacgregor.org/page/huron-fringe-birding-festival

Family Programs at the Festival

Spring is a time to get outside and enjoy the sights and sounds the natural world has to offer. What better way is there than to take your children or grandchildren and teach them about nature and how to preserve and treasure what we now can experience in our area. The Huron Fringe Birding Festival is much more than just about birds and has several interesting events that are geared towards young learners who want to enjoy what nature has to offer.

The events have knowledgeable leaders and cover subjects such as, Tracks and Scats (identify animal tracks and droppings), Take a Peek at the Beak (learn about shapes and types of bird beaks), Sciensational SSSnakes (a hands-on experience with reptiles and amphibians), Dyes from Nature and Spinning Wool (create a Tie-Dye bandana and also your own wool spindle to take home with you) and Frog Frolic (check out some ponds for species of frogs and toads).

These events cover a variety of nature knowledge and help give kids a much better understanding of the importance of nature in each and every day of our lives. They are FUN and INFORMATIVE!!!

Bring out the kids and everyone can have fun and enjoy some of what nature offers!

Check out the schedule at: http://friendsofmacgregor.org/page/schedule-of-events and don’t delay as some of the events are filling up!

Tree ID with Jim Coles

How often have you walked through a forest looking at the young as well as the mature trees wondering just what kind of tree they were? In the two events Jim is leading in the festival he will show you how to identify those trees using the twigs and leaves and also show why specific trees grow in specific soil and sunlight habitats. Going for a walk through the woods is fun but learning about the woods you walk through is even more satisfying.

Since birds live in and near trees you will probably also see and hear several species of birds along the way and knowing what species of trees are around will also help you know what species of birds will be inhabiting the area. In one of his hikes Jim will take you through his property and talk about forest management while on the other hike he will talk about the trees around the visitor centre and due to habitat why these are the species of trees that grow here.

Trees make up a large part of the natural environment and if there’s something you want to know about them, Jim is the person to ask. Check out these half-day hikes on the afternoons of Sunday May 28^th and Monday May 29^th and really let your knowledge of trees start to blossom.

Check out the events at : http://friendsofmacgregor.org/page/schedule-of-events