Pembroke Area Field Naturalists - Trips and Events.

March 2008 to September 2008

 

Owling Night
When: 7:15 pm, Saturday, March 29th, 2008
Where: Wilberforce Twp Park. Go south on Hwy 41 past intersection of Hwy 41 and Lake Dore Rd., cross the bridge, turn right after bridge and go a short distance to park.
Trip Coordinator: Chris Michener, 625-2263 (cmichener@renc.igs.net)
A route will be followed by car parade (car-pooling encouraged!) passing through varied habitat. A tape of owl calls will be used to encourage owl response.
 
PAFN Annual Meeting
Wed., April 16, 2008, Room 201, Algonquin College, Pembroke.
Agenda: 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm - video and booksale. Benita is accepting any used nature books, videos, etc., which will be available for sale at the AGM for nominal cost.
7:00 pm to 7:30 pm - Annual General Meeting.
7:30 pm to 8:00 pm - social with refreshments.
8 pm. Tammy Richard, biologist on Base Petawawa, will offer a presentation on the species-at-risk surveys on the Base including the discovery of nesting Kirtland's Warblers in Summer 2007.
 
A Trip to Bellow's Bay
Date: Saturday, April 19, 2008.
Time: at 9 am.
Trip Leader: Manson Fleguel, 732-7703.
Meet at the marina in Pembroke, at the mouth of the Muskrat River. Car pooling will be offered. Bring rubber boots, as mud and water will be encountered on the walk (1.5 km total). Migrant songbirds, ducks and friendly people are highlights. Spotting scopes are useful, binoculars essential.
 
Shaw Woods: Mother's Day Weekend Wildflowers and Nature Walk
Date: Saturday May 10, 10:00 am
Place: Due to limited parking at Shaw Woods, we will first meet at Wilberforce Twp. Beach & Picnic Park. From the intersection of Hwy 41/Lake Dore Rd., go south on Hwy 41 over the Snake River bridge and make the next right.
Trip Organizer: Grant Bickel, 687-4765 and photographer, Bernd Krueger, 625-2879.
The purpose of this outing will be to enjoy early spring in the beautiful Shaw Woods. The main focus will be to see woodland wildflowers. We should see Blue Cohosh, Trout Lily, Trilliums and several others species. This walk is for all ages and is an introduction to the Shaw Woods, an old-growth forest. The walk will be easy to moderate on well-maintained trails. The pace will be determined by the participants and will last about 2.5 hours. Photographers are welcome and we will split into groups depending on interests. A special bonus hand-out for participants is a CD containing professionally recorded forest sounds from the Shaw Woods. These were recorded in 6 locations and present a good variety of bird song.
 
A Walk in the Petawawa Terrace (Old Fish Hatchery)
Date: Sunday, May 18, 2008.
Time: 5 pm.
Trip Leader: Myron Loback 735-1278.
Meet in the upper parking lot of the Terrace, on Laurentian Drive. (go west of Pembroke on Pembroke St. towards Petawawa, turn north on Laurentian Dr., watch for sign and parking area). Some migrant songbirds and waterfowl can be expected. Good outing for children as Canada Geese will likely be present and, quite possibly, with young. This is an enjoyable, relaxed outing. Please bring rubber boots for some wet/muddy areas.
 
6th Annual Natural History Day - Free, but must pre-register! The MNR is handling the registration Call 613-732-5511.
Where: Bonnechere Provincial Park, Davenport Centre.
Date: Saturday, May 24, 2008. 8:30 am to 4 pm.
Schedule: 9 am -12 noon: morning outdoor childrens' program, while inside will be talks about various nature topics. The theme this year is species-at-risk.
12 - 1:00 pm, lunch.
1:00 - 4 pm: Field trips in the park.
 
Breakfast at the Swamp: Birdwalk along Ross Rd and Drive to the Snake River Line
Date: Sunday, May 25, 2008.
Time: 7 am.
Trip Leader: Leo Boland with help from - 'the breakfast caterers' Benita Richardson and Sandra MacDonald.
This trip will start with a free breakfast (provided by the above volunteers and the PAFN) at the Ross Road wetlands on Ross Road between Stafford Rd. 3 and the Micksburg Road. We expect to see Virginia Rail, Sora, Green Heron, Black Tern, Marsh Wren and possibly a Least Bittern. Last year, a Red-headed Woodpecker flew over the group. We will then drive to the Snake River Line in hopes of seeing Sandhill Crane, Broad-winged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, shorebirds and ducks.
After breakfast, a youth birdathon team (the Mighty Ducklings) will start a day long search for as many species as they can identify. Chris Michener will be their driver. The team members will be aged between 10 and 15 years old. Please help support their efforts and the PAFN by filling in the enclosed pledge sheet. The members of this youth team are enthusiastic, budding naturalists. The results of their 'Big Day' will be available on our website or by calling Chris Michener (625-2263). (email: cmichener@renc.igs.net)
 
PAFN - 9 and Dine - Fundraiser
Date: Friday, June 6th, 2008. (tentative)
Time: 5 pm. Tee-off time.
Island Brae Golf Course will be the site of dinner and 9-holes of golf. The cost is $35.00 each (unconfirmed at press time). The format will be "best ball". If you don't golf, come for supper (reduced rate). To register a team or yourself and for more information, please call Benita Richardson at 735-5404.
 
4th Annual PAFN Tri-wing Challenge. This is a weekend long event where teams of one or more individuals are challenged to spend any amount of time from 4 pm Friday, June 20 to 4 pm Sunday, June 22 counting bird, butterfly and dragonfly species (or just one category if you want to concentrate your focus). At 4 PM Sunday, everyone is invited to a PAFN potluck picnic at the Wilberforce Township Park to tabulate the results. The park has swings, outhouses, tables under a roof and an extensive sand beach for swimming. Bring your own plates and utensils as well as food items.
The 4 categories of the Tri-wing Challenge are:
·weekend totals for bird species; (last year 110 species were seen)
·weekend totals for butterfly species; (30 species last year)
·weekend totals for dragonfly species; (34 species last year)
·weekend for total of all three. (174 total species last year)
Each team member (give your team a name!) does not have to identify each species but does have to remain within earshot of each other. The Tri-wing Challenge is based on the honour system for the correct identification of all species. Species lists for birds, dragonflies and butterflies can be found on our web site or contact Chris to have paper copies mailed to you. Pre-registration is not necessary. For more information contact Chris at 625-2263 (email: cmichener@renc.igs.net). Four trophies are available to be won. Last year, the Dragonhunters (Christian and André Renault) won in the bird (94 spp.) and dragonfly (22 spp.) categories, the Lone Boghaunter (Ethan Anderman) won in the butterfly (28 spp.) category and the Solitary Buttchecker (Chris Michener) won the combination (127 spp.) category.

18th Lake Dore Butterfly Count
Date: Saturday, July 5th, 2008 (Rain/wind date, Sunday, July 6th).
Time: 9 am. Organizer: Chris Michener 625-2263.
Where: Wilberforce Twp Park. Go south on Hwy 41 past intersection of Hwy 41 and Lake Dore Rd., cross the bridge, turn right after bridge and go a short distance to park.
Bring butterfly field guide, binoculars, footwear (optional) for the bog after lunch, net (for catch & release) and lunch. A map of the Count circle and species list will be available. A participants' fee (under 12 free) of $5 is asked to cover publishing costs of the North American results (North American Butterfly Association).
 
15th Hog Island Butterfly Count
Date: Sat., July 12th, 2008 (lousy weather day, Sun., July 13th).
Time: 9 am.
Organizer: Chris Michener 625-2263.
Meet at Mullen's Esso, Pembroke St. E., near the turn to Quebec. The Count Circle for this butterfly Count is half in Ontario and half in Quebec. In the past, some groups have gone to the Westmeath area; others have butterflied on Allumette Island. You can choose the area you prefer. Maps of the circle and checklists will be available. A participants fee (under 12 free) of $5 is asked to cover publishing costs.
 
The 9th Lake Dore Odonate (Dragonfly) Count
Date: Sat., August 2nd, 2008 (lousy weather day Sun., August 3)
Time: 9 am. Organizer: Chris Michener, 625-2263.
An excellent opportunity to appreciate this group of insects! We have had fun with nets and encountered a good variety of damselflies and dragonflies. The idea is to search for 'odes' within a 7.5 mile radius of Biederman Park, Lake Dore. Meet at the Wilberforce Twp Park. Go south on Hwy 41 past intersection of Hwy 41 and Lake Dore Rd., cross the bridge, turn right after bridge and go a short distance to park. Picture guides will be available as well as experienced 'odonaters'. A large insect net, optional rubber boots, close focus binoculars, and lunch/drinks are suggested.
 
Marina/Waterfront Bird Walk
Date: Saturday, August 16, 2008
Time: 8 am.
Trip Leader: Ken Hooles 735-4430.
Meet at the Pembroke marina, by the mouth of the Muskrat River in Pembroke. Ken will introduce us to migrant birdlife along the Pembroke waterfront. There are usually gulls, terns, ducks, geese, cormorants and songbirds such as vireos, warblers, sparrows and finches. Surprises usually occur and it's a good social outing... a chance to meet some very nice people!
 
Westmeath Provincial Park - entrance from Westmeath Rd.
Date: Aug. 30th, 2008
Time: 9 am.
Where: At the entrance to the Park. This is on County Road 12, about 5 km SW of Westmeath. Leaders: Leo Boland, Rob Cunningham and Bernd Krueger will be trip leaders. This time of year is great for migrants in the Park. Species that have been seen at this time are Sandhill Cranes, Bald Eagles, Merlin, Indigo Bunting, Eastern Wood-Pewee as wellas various vireos and warblers, and if we make it as far as the beach, some shorebirds, terns and gulls.
 
Renfrew County Woodlot Conference
Date: October 4, 2008.
Where: the property of Dr. Burwell, between Renfrew and Calabogie. Call Rob Cunningham for more information (613-732-8402).


PAFN home