The Egret Article

Club’s YouTube channel becomes meeting hub
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Club’s YouTube channel becomes meeting hub

The Egret Article

Club’s YouTube channel becomes meeting hub

By essexcountynature|2020-09-11T12:48:14-04:00September 8th, 2020|The Egret Article|

When COVID-19 temporarily halted monthly membership meetings at the Ojibway Nature Centre, the Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club turned to YouTube.

September marks the fourth time the club is launching a video on its Essex County Nature channel the night of its regular monthly meeting (the second Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.)

The latest instalment is a team effort spearheaded by Gina Pannunzio and includes video, photo and narration contributions by Jennifer Nantais, Chris Hart, Jessica Middleton and Steve Marks.

The topic is the snapping turtle, Canada’s largest turtle and one of its oldest surviving species.

Launched previously are videos about sharing sightings on eBird, the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 3, and dealing with injured and orphaned wildlife. All are available to view and share on the YouTube channel, along with other nature videos submitted by members.

Want some tips on identifying native trees in Windsor and Essex County? We have a video for that. Bill Roesel, president of the Friends of Ojibway Prairie, gives viewers a tour of trees at Ojibway Nature and shows us how to identify them.

Board vice-president Kory Renaud has been the driving force behind the YouTube channel. He has edited and uploaded the videos, which are attracting attention to the club. His video on using eBird to record sightings is a great resource for birders.

While we would all prefer to be meeting in person, and going on group hikes and field trips, the online videos are another way for members to stay in touch and share information. They also reach a wider audience.

If you would like to submit a video or contribute to making one, contact membership secretary Ellen van Wageningen (). You can also send her suggestions for future topics.

A screen shot of the Essex County Nature YouTube channel taken Sept. 8, 2020.

Our Wild Backyards, continued

By Chris Hart|2020-09-08T20:32:40-04:00September 8th, 2020|The Egret Article|

As Covid-19 continued to alter our summer plans, one thing remained constant, and that was our love for nature. Especially the incredible creatures found right here in Essex County. There is no better form of ‘social distancing’ than the great outdoors. Whether it was in a National Park, a local conservation area, or simply stepping out your backdoor, here are some wildlife photos from club members.

A Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perches in a tree along Deer Run Road (Photo by Cathy Lapain)

A female ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) floating in Cathy Lapain’s backyard

An Eastern foxsnake (Pantherophis gloydi) cruising along a path at Holiday Beach (Photo by Gina Pannunzio)

It’s pollen time for this eastern carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica) (Photo by Chris Hart)

An American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) keeps an eye on things at Holiday Beach (Photo by Gina Pannunzio)

A rare Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) made an appearance in the Pelee area this weekend (Photo by Kory Renaud)

Gina Pannunzio managed to spot a Lake Erie Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) basking on the trail at Holiday Beach

A Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) shows off his pretty colours at Sadler’s Pond (Photo by Cathy Lapain)

Snack time for this Yellow-throated warbler (Setophaga dominica) in the Gesto area (Photo by Cathy Lapain)

A Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis) takes a rest (Photo by Gina Pannunzio)

A Whimbrel (Numenius hudsonicus) wades into the water at Wheatley Harbour (Photo by Cathy Lapain)

These Green frogs (Lithobates clamitans) must be part of each others’ social bubble (Photo by Gina Pannunzio)

A monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) enjoying a butterfly bush in Chris Hart’s backyard

It’s good to be king. Club president Paul Pratt gives a wave from atop the new tower at Point Pelee

Paul Pratt gets a new perspective on the point.

If you have a photo that you would like to submit, please send it to with your name and the who/what/where info for the photo. Also, consider submitting your best photos to our new photo contest! See the event section for more info on that.

Detroit River Canadian Cleanup 2019/20 Annual Report and Pathway to Delisting

By Chris Hart|2020-09-08T20:35:36-04:00September 8th, 2020|The Egret Article|

When the Windsor-Detroit area underwent rapid industrialization at the turn of the 20th century, the Detroit River became notoriously polluted. These environmental issues have been identified as being related to, or the cause of, the impairment of several beneficial uses. The 1970s and 1980s saw the development of a massive conservation effort aimed at cleaning up the Detroit River.

The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) between Canada and the United States, first signed in 1972, commits both countries to protect and restore the Great Lakes Ecosystem. The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup implements the Remedial Action Plan on behalf of a community-based partnership between the government (federal, provincial, municipal), local industries, researchers, environmental organizations, and citizens working together to protect, restore, and enhance the Detroit River ecosystem.

To learn more about the many projects that took place over the last year, download the DRCC annual report here .

The Pathway to Delisting has also been updated. This living work plan documents the remaining actions necessary to delist the Canadian side of the Detroit River as an Area of Concern. Download your copy here!