Past Events
October 8
PFN Monthly meeting: ontario breeding bird atlas
7:30 p.m. Peterborough Public Library
Speaker: Mike Cadman, OBBA Coordinator.
October 5
Sunday Morning BIRD WALKS Resume in october
8:00 a.m. Meet at Peterborough Zoo parking lot
Looking ahead to the cooler fall weather, it’s time once again for the Sunday
morning bird walks to commence. Our first walk will be Sunday, October 5th. These ‘walks’ last about 2 hours and are sure to please novice and expert birders alike with good opportunities to hear and see interesting local birds in different locations each week. Meet in the parking lot of the Peterborough Zoo on Water
Street, at 8:00 a.m. and we will carpool from there. Bring some change to contribute
for gas and don’t forget your binoculars. Bird walks will be held every Sunday in
October (starting the 5th and ending the 26th).
September 12
bat walk at jackson park
7:15 p.m. Meet at carpark, Parkhill and Fairbarn
Come and watch bats in Jackson Park and use ultrasonic detectors to listen to their echolocation calls. Meet Paul Elliott at 7.15pm in the car park where Fairbairn Street meets Parkhill Road West. For safety and convenience you should wear sensible footwear and bring a flash light. Accompanied children are welcome.
September 10
pfn monthly meeting: Bats & their conservation
7:30 p.m. Peterborough Public Library
Bats are surrounded by myth and legend, yet the truth is just as amazing. Paul
Elliott will explain the importance of bats in Ontario and beyond, and will explain
what can be done to protect them. Paul moved to Peterborough from the UK last year and has many years experience in volunteer bat conservation and promoting a better understanding of bats through education.
June 15th
Peterborough Museum Property Bioblitz
8:00 a.m. Parking Lot opposite Peterborough Centennial Museum
Join Mike McMurtry to identify breeding birds, plants and other natural things of interest that are on or adjacent to the Peterborough Centennial Museum property. The museum director has requested PFN assistance in identifying natural heritage features on the property so they can be taken into account as part of any future museum development. A sub-group will be meeting at dawn (5:00 am, contact Mike at 748-5353 if you would like to be part of this group) for breeding bird surveys and the general group will meet in the public parking lot opposite the museum at 8:00 am to observe birds, plants and other fauna on or near the museum property. We expect to be active until about noon. We will spend the morning walking the property and, with permission, also the adjacent Trent Severn Waterway land. Bring your binoculars, field guides and notebook. All levels of birders and botanists welcome. Visit http://www.pcma.ca/visitor_generalinfo.htm to see a map of the museum location. The property can be accessed from Hunter Street East just west of the liftlock.
June 8th
Morning Bird Walk and PFN Family Potluck Picnic
8:30 a.m.
(bird walk on farm –
carpool at 8:00am from
Ptbo Zoo)
11:30 a.m.
(potluck
picnic)
1:00 p.m. (woodlot wandering)
Cheryl & Wayne Covert’s farm in Cavan
Cheryl and Wayne Covert have graciously offered to host the PFN Picnic at their farm
(Circle ‘C’ Farms) in Cavan on June 8, 2008. We are planning a day full of exploring the 100 acres of farmland and forest. Please feel free to join the group at any point during the day.
There will be a morning bird walk beginning at 8:30am, for those keen to see the sites and migrating birds before the picnic (there will be 8:00 a.m. carpooling from the Peterborough Zoo), the PFN Potluck Picnic at 11:30 (bring a dish to share and a lawn chair if you can – and please bring your own water), and then an afternoon walk through the property to see the amazing habitat found in the woods, along the stream and around the barn. We look forward to having your family join us for this exciting event!
As a bit of a teaser, Cheryl and Wayne have put together a description of the farm:
“We have a very long laneway that ensures a quiet environment. Our fence lines are wooded and act
as connecting flyways attracting Brown Thrashers, Orioles, Woodpeckers and Warblers. A small
stream, that crosses the property, flows year round. The stream and springs feed four ponds. For
environmental reasons, and our interest in edible wilds, we have let the area around the stream and
the ponds grow naturally. These areas attract a wide variety of bird species from Ducks, Geese, Herons
and a Bittern to King Fishers. The barns are a natural attraction for swallows and flycatchers and our
bird feeders attract Rose breasted Grosbeaks, Gold Finches and Nut Hatches, to name a few.”
Directions to the farm: 2 miles west of the village of Cavan on the 7A Hwy: The farm is at the base of the first hill. There is a sign at the end of the lane that says ‘Circle C Farms’, it is a long laneway into to the Covert’s home. If you go past Tapley Quarter Line, you have gone too far.
may 25
carden plain important bird area (IBA)
7:00am Sobey’s parking
lot by Canadian
Tire,
Lansdowne St.
Guided by Jerry Ball, we will head out to the Carden Plain, a rare alvar habitat that supports an abundance of rare grassland birds. The Carden Plain is a popular destination for bird, butterfly, and plant watchers alike. At only 65 km from Peterborough, it offers globally rare alvar habitat supporting an abundance of grassland birds, including the endangered Loggerhead Shrike and the rare Golden-wing Warbler plus Osprey, Black Terns, Sedge Wrens, Yellow Rails, Upland Sandpipers, Blues Birds, Eastern Towhees, and Brown Thrashers. This is an all day trip, please bring a lunch, water and your binoculars! Meet at Sobey’s parking lot on Lansdowne Street at 7am on May 25th.
may 14
monthly meeting: intrigue in natual history
7:30pm Peterborough Public Library
Dr. Tom Hutchinson will talk about intrigue in natural history. In particular, he will discuss the Rhum Affair, a case of botanical fraud, which reads like a modern detective thriller. The detective is Peter Raven, a noted Classics Scholar at Cambridge University with a passion for the British Flora and the villain, a noted British Professor of Botany who allegedly arranged evidence by planting living plants out of place to support his theory about the last glaciation in Europe. Hang on to your seats!
april 27
Alderville Black oak savanna tour & Bird walk
Special outing admission fee $10 donation to
the Alderville Black Oak Savanna
8:00am
The Alderville Black Oak Savanna is the largest remnant of an endangered ecosystem found in the Rice Lake Plains in central Ontario. There are 5 km of trails that take you through the tallgrass prairie restoration, open prairie, old fields and a woodland. The various habitats host a great variety of plant and bird species.
Roger Frost and Elizabeth Kellogg will guide us through the Alderville Savanna as we search for birds including interesting breeders such as the Eastern Towhee, Clay-colored Sparrow, and the Eastern Bluebird that may be back in the area. For more information about the savanna go to: www.aldervillesavanna.ca
Please meet at the Peterborough Zoo parking lot at 8am to carpool, or meet the group at 8:45am at Ding's parking lot which is right on the Alderville Savanna at 8467 County Rd. 18 (south of Rice Lake, west of Hwy 45 & east of Roseneath Landing Road). Bring your binoculars, water, appropriate footwear, snacks, and change to contribute to gas for the carpooling. Looking forward to a fantastic day!
april 26
Green EXPO
10:00am to 4:00pm at the Evinrude Centre (911 Monaghan Rd)
The Expo will include exhibits, presenters, wine tasting, and
a children's area. Keynote speaker Michael Stadtländer, one of the world's most
accomplished chefs, will present on the ardent promotion of local food. The event will also
include a School Challenge showcasing what area schools are doing to green their schools, and workshops on greening businesses.
Tickets are $5; free for children under 12. For more information,
email: info@greenexpo.ca or call (705) 652-5159.
april 12th, saturday
MarsH Monitoring Program Workshop: indoor
9:30 am to 12 noon, Marchland Centre
This workshop is being held as a follow-up to the March 12th PFN talk.
Location: Marshland Centre (indoor session), Imagine the Marsh (outdoor session)
For those who have signed up to participate in this program, the workshop will include the following:
- where to set up a survey route,
- how to use the field forms, tips on identifying the birds and frogs,
- when and how to do the surveys and help with GPS units and maps.
The location for the workshop is to be determined but will be a combination of an indoor workshop and outdoor marsh exercise. The outdoor portion will run through an actual survey station protocol and will clarify the type of marsh habitat required for a survey.
For more Info:
Meredith Carter (mcarter at otonabee.com) or
Chris Ellingwood (jce at niblettenvironmental.on.ca)
april 6th, sunday
Otonabee River-bank Forest and Woodland:
Trent Nature Areas Walk
Meet at 2:30 pm, West Bank Symons Campus, Trent Uni.
Stroll along the west bank of the Otonabee River between the dams at lock 22 and 23. See the 150 year old sugar maples, beech and black cherry trees in a setting that is reminiscent of the "interminable forest" that Susanna Moodie walked through to get from Peterborough to Dummer ("the last clearing in the world"). Learn to identify trees and shrubs in their winter condition. Footwear appropriate for the weather conditions.
Trip Leader: Roger Jones. Meeting Location: Meet at 2.30 pm. at the North Parking lot, west bank Symons Campus, Trent University.
april 2nd, wednesday montly meeting
sustaining the urban forest:
starting a neighbourhood urban forest stewardship program
7 to 9 pm, Peterborough Public Library
Peterborough Green-Up: Our Urban Forest Speaker Series, part 3
Andy Kenney from the University of Toronto Forestry Dept. will provide a local look at community initiatives and urban forestry policies. As a series sponsor, the Peterborough Field Naturalists will participate in the panel discussion following the presentation.
Note: this session will replace the PFN Monthly Meeting for April – please
be aware that there will not be a PFN members meeting on April 9th.
march 16th, Sunday
The Return of Waterfowl at Presqu’ile Provincial Park
8:00 am, meeting place below
Jerry Ball will lead us on a trip to Presqu’ile for some early spring birding, which will surely include opportunities for viewing the 1000’s of ducks, geese and swans that use Presqu’ile as a resting spot on their return to their breeding grounds. Bring a lunch, binoculars and scope if you have one. Meet at the Country Style at the junction of Old Keene Road and Highway 7. Entry fee per vehicle.
march 12th, wednesday montly meeting
Introduction to the Marsh Monitoring Program
7:00 to 9:00 pm, Peterborough Public Library
Chris Ellingwood, regional coordinator for Bird Studies Canada's Marsh Monitoring Program, will talk about participating in this volunteer citizen scientist project. The program includes two separate components, amphibian surveys and marsh bird surveys. The surveys are easy to do and open to all ages and abilities. A great opportunity to go out with the kids or partner and learn more about marsh ecosystems while collecting valuable scientific data.
The workshops are sponsored by Trent Severn Waterway's Species at Risk Program. The data collected by the MMP will aid in assessing habitat, populations and key natural areas necessary for the continued presence of Species At Risk in the Kawarthas. The time commitment is less than 8 hours a year. This well funded and successful province wide program has training CD's, participant manual, support for volunteers and on-line information and data entry. At this introduction a power point presentation will be made and lots of information available, as well as a sign up sheet. For more info on this program go to Bird Studies Canada's website: www.bsc-eoc.org
march 5th
Our urban forest, part 2 of 3: Bruce Mcgauley, r.p.f. — "Treasured trees: growing a green heritage"
7:00 to 9:00 pm, Peterborough Public Library
Bruce McGauley, retired urban forester from City of London will speak about
“Treasured Trees: Growing a Green Heritage”— a regional look at species conservation issues
and heritage tree programs.
February TBD
birds of the lakeshore — Outing with tony bigg
6:00 am Tim Hortons/ Sobey’s parking lot
Join Tony Bigg on a day of winter birding along the Lake Ontario shore, beginning around Cobourg and heading towards Ajax. There is usually a good variety of birds to be found in those areas, often winter rarities not seen in the Peterborough area. Bring a lunch and binoculars, and meet in the Tim Horton’s parking lot in the Canadian Tire/Sobey’s shopping complex on Lansdowne St. W. We will carpool from there. Call Tony at 652-7541 to confirm date and time of outing and to obtain more information.
February 17th
Junior Field Naturalists — Cross country skiing & snowshoeing
2:00 pm, Camp Kawartha
Come on out and enjoy the snow! Meet in the Camp Kawartha parking lot for cross- country skiing and/or snowshoeing. Bring you own equipment or some can be provided for you.
February 13th
Monthly Meeting — "Arctic adventures" with peter adams
7:30 pm, Peterborough Public Library
PFN Monthly Meeting: "Arctic Adventures with Peter Adams”
Dr. Peter Adams will tell us about his 40 years of involvement with the Arctic, from his early days as a graduate student, his activities there as a professor in the Geography Department at Trent University and his recent work as an MP. He recently published a book about his Arctic experiences and the profits from the book will help support a Trent Student Bursary.
February 6th
our urban forest, part 1 of 3:
michael Rosen, tree canada
"Trees and climate change: the carbon offset connection"
7:00 to 9:00 pm, Peterborough Public Library
Michael Rosen, President of Tree Canada will talk about “Trees and Climate Change: The Carbon Offset Connection” — a national look at urban forests’ role in climate change and air quality.
January 25th
68th Annual General Meeting: Baker's Hill Banquet Centre
555 Parkhill Rd. E, 5:30 pm
Join us for the PFN’s Annual General Meeting – a tradition you won’t want to miss. Keep up to date on club business, elect the next executive, enter the raffle for fabulous prizes, enjoy a delicious meal and stay for an entertaining presentation. Social hour begins at 5:30, supper starts at 6:00, meeting at 7:00, raffle at 7:30 and speaker beginning at 8:00pm. Tickets are $25 per person, which includes admission and large dinner (vegetarian option available). To reserve your tickets, call Don & Emily Pettypiece at 750-1145, or purchase them at the December meeting. Deadline to reserve tickets is January 16th.
Our AGM Keynote Speaker this year will be Dr. Michael Peterman, a professor of
English Literature and Canadian Studies at Trent University, will give an illustrated
presentation about the lives of Susanna Moodie and Catherine Parr Traill. Dr. Peterman
has devoted a lifetime of study to Susanna Moodie and Catherine Parr Traill and has
written many scholarly articles on the sisters, a book about the life of Susanna Moodie
and, along with two other authors, has edited two volumes of Susanna's correspondence.
He has recently published a visual biography on Susanna Moodie and Catherine Parr
Traill titled “Sisters in Two Worlds”.
Once again, local artist Kelly Dodge has generously donated artwork for our silent
auction – see page 8 for more information about Kelly and her work.