Posts Tagged ‘Ferns’
A BOTANY AND BIRDING DAY WITH DOUG
A member of the Bruce Birding Club, the Saugeen Shores Camera Club and a past president of The Friends of MacGregor, Doug Pedwell has also participated in the Huron Fringe Birding Festival as an event leader and committee member for quite a few years now.
Since retiring from teaching Doug has indulged his lifelong passions of nature study, photography and travel. He can often be found wandering the back roads of Grey and Bruce Counties, camera in hand, searching for that perfect shot of flora, fauna, birds and landforms. You will definitely feel that a day with Doug in the field is informative, rewarding and a whole lot of fun. Doug will be leading three events at this year’s Festival. Here is his description of what he expects to accomplish on Botany and Birding in the South Bruce Peninsula.
A new concept is being offered this year – Botany and Birding in South Bruce Peninsula. It begins with afternoon sessions at 1:30 pm and runs into the evening. Travelling to the area around Wiarton, the group will head towards Skinner’s Bluff and Bruce’s Caves. These properties of the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority are homes to a variety of ecosystems which will provide us opportunities to encounter some spring wildflowers and some uncommon ferns.
Walking Fern
We will follow sections of the Bruce Trail along the top of the Niagara Escarpment in the Skinner’s Bluff area, which will give us some great views of Colpoy’s Bay as well as a chance to see and hear some forest birds. From there we will head to Bruce’s Caves for some botany and geology. This area is a fern lover’s paradise and also contains a number of spring wildflowers.
Spring Beauty
Walking in this area ranges from medium to difficult. The Talus slope at Bruce’s Caves is the most difficult portion.
Brewer’s Blackbird
From Bruce’s Caves we head to Wiarton where we will have a bite to eat. Bring your supper or you can get something at Tim Horton’s where we will make a pit stop for a civilized washroom.
Bluebird
We then bird our way back towards MacGregor Point Park via Wiarton Lagoons, Isaac Lake, Sky Lake, Red Bay, Oliphant, and Sauble Beach. All of which are local birding hotspots. We should see a variety of waterfowl and songbirds, grassland birds, nesting Bald Eagles and if they return, Piping Plovers.
Wild Ginger
(All photographs courtesy of Doug Pedwell. Follow our Blog. We will be posting more of Doug’s photos as well as comments on his other events over the next few weeks.)
REGISTER NOW FOR ALL OF DOUGS EVENTS: http://www.friendsofmacgregor.org
A37 – 1:30 pm – BOTANY & BIRDING IN SOUTH BRUCE PENINSULA – Monday, May 26.This all day event returns to the Park by 8:45 pm. (Moderate, car-pool, bring lunch, snacks and water)
B4 – 7:30 am – DOWN & DIRTY – WILDFLOWER PHOTOGRAPHY – Thursday, May 29.
B10 – 6:45 am – NATURE & LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY IN SOUTH BRUCE PENINSULA – Thursday, May 30. (Difficult, car-pool, bring lunch) Bring DSLR camera & accessories.
HURON FRINGE BIRDING FESTIVAL – ONE OF THE TOP 100 FESTIVALS IN ONTARIO
MAY 23 to MAY 26 & MAY 29 to JUNE 1
MacGREGOR POINT PROVINCIAL PARK, PORT ELGIN, ONTARIO
http://www.facebook.com/HuronFringeBirdingFestival
ROCK STARS AND HIDDEN TREASURES
On Friday, May 23 at 8:00 AM, Peter Middleton is your personal guide to Rock Stars of the City (A2) – as he introduces you to the over 50 fern species found in Grey/Bruce. Here’s Peter’s account of what you can expect to see.
“The escarpment that surrounds Owen Sound is a focus for Rock Stars, although Rolling Stones have not yet done an article on them. The secret is one of hidden clefts, cool faces, seeping bottomlands and rich woodlands, all aspects of the Niagara Escarpment. In these places, ferns find a number of unique growing opportunities favouring a remarkable diversity of species. The “west rocks” and “waterworks woods” are two areas of particular richness to search for rare and unusual species. Green Spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes ramosum) is a tiny plant that hides itself in the darkest of crevices. In contrast, Marginal Shield Fern (Dryopteris marginalis) forms stately sprays in full sunlight, but always with its feet in touch with the limestone substrate. The provincially rare Hart’s Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) adorns shaded woodland ridges with unique leaf-like fronds. These are but three of the approximately twenty species that await discovery on an outing to the little known botanical treasure troves surrounding Owen Sound.”
Fern Habitat
Green Spleenwort
Hart’s Tongue
Then, on Sunday, May 25, Peter will show you The Hidden Treasures of the Huron Coast (A25 – 7:00 AM). On this outing Peter takes you on an exploration of Lake Huron coastlines, both present and past, north of Sauble Falls. He’ll take you to Petrel Point, Ontario’s oldest reserve and balance that with a trip to their newest, Sauble Dunes.
As a naturalist, outdoor educator and a man with a true passion for all things natural, Peter Middleton has spent a lifetime in the field…literally. During that time he has always stressed the importance of teaching younger generations the value of the natural world around them. For Peter, outdoor education is a practical extension of what is learned in the classroom.
Peter with his Latornell Award
As proof of this lifelong commitment, his achievements were recently acknowledged with the Environmental Leadership Award. Peter was one of five recipients recognized for their profound impact on conservation in Ontario.
So note those dates and plan to spend some quality outdoor time with our award-winning leader, Peter Middleton.
THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF ROOM ON BOTH OF PETER’S EVENTS SO REGISTER ON-LINE – NOW
http://www.friendsofmacgregor.org
Email: birdfest@rogers.com
Peter Middleton is a retired outdoor education teacher and principal. He has guided groups, to many areas of the globe, to observe birds, animals and plants, and interpret natural environments. Throughout his life, Peter has had an overarching interest in birds. His passion for birds began as a young boy in northeast Scotland, and continued to develop in Canada when his family immigrated in 1952. He is a respected field ornithologist who, over the years, has contributed to many projects including the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, North America Breeding Bird Surveys, Grey-Bruce Records Committee and Endangered Species Recovery Programs. He was a leader for the endangered Piping Plover Protection Project at Sauble Beach. He served as President of the Owen Sound Field Naturalists and has been a member of OSFN since its inception in 1989. In his spare time he serves as a Director on the Board of the Bluewater Association for Lifelong Learning (BALL) and on the Board of Ontario Nature.
HURON FRINGE BIRDING FESTIVAL
MAY 23 to MAY 26 – MAY 29 tor JUNE 1 -2014
MacGREGOR POINT PROVINCIAL PARK
PORT ELGIN, ONTARIO
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http://www.facebook.com/HuronFringeBirdingFestival
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HFBF CONGRATULATES PETER MIDDLETON
As a naturalist, outdoor educator and a man with a true passion for birds, Peter Middleton has spent a lifetime in the field…literally. During that time he has always stressed the importance of teaching younger generations the value of the natural world around them. For Peter, outdoor education is a practical extension of what is learned in the classroom.
As proof of this lifelong commitment, his achievements were recently acknowledged with the Latornell Environmental Leadership Award. Peter was one of five recipients recognized for their profound impact on conservation in Ontario.
The Huron Fringe Birding Festival couldn’t be happier for Peter. Over the years he has been one of our key presenters and leaders and a keynote speaker at our Festival Banquet.
And this year, you can experience Peter’s outdoor expertise directly as he is back at HFBF on two dates.
On Friday, May 23, he’ll be your personal guide to Rock Stars of the City – as he introduces you to the over 50 fern species found in Grey/Bruce and in and around Owen Sound.
On Sunday, May 25, Peter will show you The Hidden Treasures of the Huron Coast as you explore Lake Huron coastlines, both present and past, north of Sauble Falls and you’ll visit Petrel Point, Ontario’s oldest reserves and the newest, Sauble Dunes.
So note those dates and plan to spend some quality outdoor time with our award-winning leader, Peter Middleton.
Peter Middleton is a retired outdoor education teacher and principal. He has guided groups, to many areas of the globe, to observe birds, animals and plants, and interpret natural environments. Throughout his life, Peter has had an overarching interest in birds. His passion for birds began as a young boy in northeast Scotland, and continued to develop in Canada when his family immigrated in 1952. He is a respected field ornithologist who, over the years, has contributed to many projects including the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, North America Breeding Bird Surveys, Grey-Bruce Records Committee and Endangered Species Recovery Programs. He was a leader for the endangered Piping Plover Protection Project at Sauble Beach. He served as President of the Owen Sound Field Naturalists and has been a member of OSFN since its inception in 1989. In his spare time he serves as a Director on the Board of the Bluewater Association for Lifelong Learning (BALL) and on the Board of Ontario Nature.
Peter with his Latornell Award
HFBF SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING, JANUARY 15, 2014
ON-LINE REGISTRATION BEGINS FEBRUARY 1, 2014
http://friendsofmacgregor.org/page/schedule-of-events
Email: birdfest@rogers.com
“Like” us on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Friends-of-MacGregor-Point-Park/101912730956
Follow HFBF on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fompp
HURON FRINGE BIRDING FESTIVAL
MAY 23 to MAY 26 – MAY 29 tor JUNE 1 -2014
MCGREGOR POINT PROVINCIAL PARK
PORT ELGIN, ONTARIO
