Essex County Nature

Essex County Nature Meeting
2019-04-10 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Detroit)
Join us in welcoming Tammie Dobbie from Point Pelee National Park! More information on her topic coming soon.

World Water Day
2019-03-22
World Water Day, on 22 March every year, is about focusing attention on the importance of water. Windsor-Essex County is surrounded by water with many watersheds! What can you do to help improve the health of our lakes and rivers?

Join a spring community planting event late April throughout the month of May with the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup and Essex Region Conservation.
Learn more about our natural spaces and amazing recreation spots by attending our monthly membership meetings and field trips.
Learn about local environmental issues and challenges that affect you by reaching out to the Citizens Environmental Alliance of Southwestern Ontario.
Learn about local household and hazardous waste diversion programs run by the Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority

Essex County Nature Meeting
2019-03-13 19:30 - 21:30 | Ojibway Nature Centre
Member Meeting – Elections, a review of the previous year’s budget and minutes, with a fun quiz throughout. Held at 7:30pm at the Ojibway Nature Centre.

Maple Syrup Festival
2019-03-02 08:00 - 2019-03-03 17:00
Saturday and Sunday March 2/3 2019, John R. Park Homestead Conservation Area, 915 Essex County Rd 50, Essex, ON

Wear your boots to Essex County’s premier Maple Syrup Festival. Make maple taffy in the snow and see syrup being made the pioneer way. Learn the science of maple. Pure maple products for sale. $4 per child, $6 per adult, $20 family maximum. More details to come.

World Wildlife Day
2019-03-02
World Wildlife Day is recognized globally to celebrate and raise awareness for plants and wildlife across the planet. Celebrate flora and fauna today by heading out for a walk at the Ojibway Nature Centre, Point Pelee National Park, along the Little River Corridor, a Conservation Area, the Greenway or any other green space where there is wildlife!

Native Trees and Shrubs Winter Identification Walk
2019-02-17 14:00 - 17:00 | Ojibway Nature Centre
Native Trees and Shrubs in Winter Identification Walk/workshop lead by Dave Kraus on Sunday February 17, 2019 at 2pm at the Ojibway natural area. Meet outside of the Ojibway Nature Centre by the parking lot (remember to hide valuables and lock your cars!). We will leisurely walk some of the trails, observing wildlife and learning some simple clues that are helpful in distinguishing some of our locally native trees and shrubs when they are leafless. Binoculars will be helpful for both wildlife and tree identification.

Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Road, Windsor, ON

Essex County Nature Meeting
2019-02-13 19:30 - 21:30
Join us in welcoming Vic Bernyk, from Native Trees and Plants! More information on his topic coming soon.

New Member Orientation Meeting
2019-02-05 18:30 - 21:00 | Ojibway Nature Centre
Come and join other new members of our club as we explore the inner workings of our club. The meeting will be hosted by the Membership Committee and will cover the club’s activities, structure, history, and volunteer opportunities. This is a chance to ask questions and provide suggestions for the future. Please RSVP by Jan 31 to carlmaiolani@cogeco.ca or by calling Carl Maiolani at 519-972-1399. Light refreshments will be served.
All members are welcome and encouraged to attend.

World Wetlands Day
2019-02-02
It’s World Wetlands Day! Since European settlement, 97% of Windsor-Essex county’s wetlands have disappeared. Wetlands improve water quality, provide fish and wildlife habitat, reduce impacts of erosion on shorelines, provide cultural and spiritual significance, help to mitigate climate change, offer recreation and tourism opportunities and so much more! In Ontario, wetlands provide habitat for at least 47 plant and animal species that are identified as “at risk.”
Wetlands are the kidneys of the planet and deserve our protection! What can you do to protect wetlands?

Keep learning about them by visiting them and grow your appreciation.
Participate in community restoration projects.
Consider adopting a wetland each spring to monitor frogs and aquatic birds.
Attend public presentations by environmental groups who advocate for their protection.
Teach the young ones about the importance of wetlands.
Don’t litter, or put nasty stuff down the toilet.
Keep storm sewers clean from litter.
Report illegal dumping.
Don’t wash your car near a storm sewer.

Tree Planting and Care Workshop
2019-01-29 18:30 - 20:00
Tuesday January 29 2019, Committee Room C, Essex Civic Centre, 360 Fairview Avenue west, Essex, ON, 6:30pm to 8pm.
This exciting and dynamic workshop hosted by the Essex Region Conservation Authority will discuss ways in which you can get involved in the reforestation of Essex County. Learn about the environmental benefits of tree planting, grants and financial assistance to landowners for planting trees, the different tree planting techniques and the ways to care for your future forests and special shade trees. Click here to register.

Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club 34th Annual Dinner
2018-11-03 17:00 - 23:00
Our speaker is Tom Hince. His topic is “POINT PELEE: The Park that Birds Built”. Please join us for this talk on the history of Point Pelee. Tom is a great speaker and always has great pictures to go along with his tallk. We will have our silent auction, door prizes, a share the wealth draw, and a cash bar. Tickets are $40.00 each if prepaid, and $45.00 if preordered and paid for at the door. If not preordered, $45.00 at the door, only if there is space. Tickets can also be purchased for a period of time through our website: essexcountynature.com/tickets. Join us for this great evening!

Hike at the Essex Sewage Lagoons/Greenway Trail
2018-10-13 09:00 - 23:30 | Essex Sewage Lagoons/Trail, 3980 N Malden Rd, Essex, Ontario, Canada
Join Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club member Kory Renaud on the Greenway trail at the Essex Sewage Lagoons at the corner of North Malden and Highway 3. The Greenway trail extension provides an excellent vantage point to see waterfowl and shorebirds that are refuelling in the lagoons before their long flights south. The hike will continue down the trail to the wooded areas to see what other fall wildlife can be found. Meet in the parking lot on North Malden Road at 9am (3980 N Malden Rd).

Essex County Nature Meeting
2018-10-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Ojibway Nature Centre
Join us to welcome former ECFNC president Phil Roberts who will discuss Bald Eagles and what efforts are being undertaken to protect their population across Windsor/Essex. We’ll be at the Ojibway Nature Centre in Windsor, starting at 7:30pm.

Essex County Nature Meeting
2018-09-12 19:30 - 21:30 | Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Rd, Windsor, ON, Canada
Join the Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club in welcoming Bob Pettit from Holiday Beach Migration Observatory with a talk about hawk migration and identification.

Point Pelee Parks’ Day BioBlitz
2018-07-21 - 2018-07-22
In celebration of Point Pelee’s 100 years of conservation and even more years of ecological
study and monitoring, you are invited to join our first all park, all species BioBlitz. Over a
24-hour period, the park’s resources conservation staff will be joined by national experts
and local naturalists to conduct an all search for all different kinds of species in the park.
Join experts for talks and hikes on different groups of species found in the park or
volunteer your time and assist with the count. Contact the park for more information or to
register: pelee.info@pc.gc.ca or 519-322-2365.

Sturgeon Creek Restoration Community Event
2018-05-26 - 2018-05-27
Save the date – The community-planting event will take place on either Saturday May 26
2018 or Sunday May 27 2018 (TBD). The following weekend (June 2 and 3 2018) are also
marked for rain dates. See www.essexcountynature.com/events for updates.

Ojibway Nature Centre Spring Birding Trips
2018-05-23 08:00 - 13:00, 2018-05-16 08:00 - 17:00
Ojibway Nature Centre Spring Birding Trips (Fee Program) –
Meet at the Visitor Centre, Point Pelee at 8:00 am

Essex County Nature Meeting
2018-05-09 19:30 - 21:30
7:30 pm at the Ojibway Nature Centre. All are welcome. Details to come.

Ojibway Nature Centre Spring Birding Trips
2018-05-05 08:30 - 13:00
Ojibway Nature Centre Spring Birding Trips (Fee Program) –
Meet at the Rondeau Provincial Park Visitor Centre at 8:30 am

24th Annual ECFNC Pelee Island Trip
2018-05-05 - 2018-05-06
Register early with Dave Kraus as it often sells out fast! See article in the March 2018 Egret newsletter for additional details.

Pelee’s Festival of Birds
2018-05-01 - 2018-05-21
Celebrate spring migration at Point Pelee National Park. Daily birding hikes, Lunch and
Learn sessions, Birder Breakfast and Lunch and so much more. Visit www.festivalofbirds.ca
for more details.

Ojibway Nature Centre Spring Birding Trips
2018-04-28 08:30 - 13:00, 2018-04-14 08:30 - 13:00
Ojibway Nature Centre Spring Birding Trips (Fee Program) –
Meet at the Visitor Centre, Point Pelee at 8:30 am

Earth Day Bake Sale
2018-04-22 10:00 - 15:00
10 am-3 pm at Malden Park – see article in March 2018 Egret newsletter for additional details.

Dark Sky Event
2018-04-21 19:00 - 23:30
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) sponsors Dark Sky Nights at Point Pelee
six times per year. Upcoming program nights include April 21 in association with Pelee’s
“What’s Croaking” program at 7:00 pm in the Visitor Centre followed by star gazing with the
RASC in the VC parking lot. Visit Pelee’s web page for future dates and more info.

Spring Bird Walk at Holiday Beach
2018-04-21 09:00 - 11:00
Join members of the Holiday Beach Migration Observatory (HBMO) at Holiday Beach for a
spring birding walk to explore the Big Creek Important Bird Area followed by a
presentation on attracting hummingbirds, pot-luck lunch and HBMO spring meeting. Meet
at the Holiday Beach hawk tower at 9:00 am.

Reptile & Amphibian Survey, Tree Identification, Birding, and Nature Appreciation Walk
2018-04-15 14:00 - 16:00
Meet at Dave Kraus’ property at 1515 Mersea Road 7, Leamington. Lots of parking on the
grass laneway before the barn. Walk will be lead by Steve Marks and Dave Kraus and will
start at 2 pm.

Essex County Nature Meeting
2018-04-11 19:30 - 21:30
Breaking Birding Boundaries: My 2017 Ontario Big Year – Point Pelee area birder and
naturalist Jeremy Bensette had a very successful Big Year in 2017, travelling to the far
reaches of his home province of Ontario in pursuit of every bird species he could possibly
cross paths with. This presentation touches on many of the highlights, lowlights, statistics,
results, and antics of his Big Year. Join Jeremy at 7:30 pm at the Ojibway Nature Centre for
a summary of his year-long competitive and very social birding journey that turned out to
be so much more rewarding than he expected!

Ojibway Nature Centre Spring Birding Trips
2018-03-17 08:30 - 13:00
Ojibway Nature Centre Spring Birding Trips (Fee Program) –
Meet at the Tip parking lot, Point Pelee at 8:30 am
