Monthly meeting on Zoom
2021-07-14 19:30 - 20:30 (America/Detroit)
Join us for our monthly meeting on Zoom to hear from guest speaker Lauren Weller, who will talk about restoration in agricultural landscapes.
Agricultural landscapes, such as Essex County, produce a variety of ecosystem services, the value of which is often underappreciated, and can be important refuges for biodiversity.
Agriculture is also frequently the cause of numerous disservices to natural ecosystems, including habitat loss, soil degradation, and erosion leading to nutrient runoff and harmful algal blooms.
However, addressing these challenges may offer a clear opportunity to revitalize freshwater ecosystems, preserve soils, sequester carbon and increase biodiversity through improved functioning of agro-ecosystems.
Lauren will take a long view of managing soil for ecosystem health, past, present and future, including some research currently being carried out in Essex County that speaks to the sustainable management and restoration of these landscapes.
Tap here on Wednesday, July 14, at 7:30 p.m. to join us on Zoom and hear from Lauren about this important local topic.

Pop-up Outing at Sadler's Park in Essex
2021-08-05 19:00 - 21:00
We are excited to announce our first “Pop-up” outing. These outings are intended to be informal, casual and social, and will take place at various locations around Essex County. We will try to send out a notice at least a week before the event.

Pop-ups don’t have an official leader; rather we hope those in attendance will share their knowledge, since there is such a wide range of experiences and interests within the Club’s membership.

One or more members of the Membership Committee will be in attendance to meet at the start of the pop-up. We will also spend some time using the iNaturalist app and the ECFNC iNaturalist Project, so if you have a smart device, we encourage you to bring it along to help identify anything interesting we find and contribute to the Project.

The first pop-up will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 5, at Sadler’s Park (also known as Sadler’s Pond) in the Town of Essex. It will end around 9 p.m. We will meet at the Greenway entrance parking lot off Thomas Avenue (just south of where Thomas and Forest Street meet). Directions from Highway 3: turn east on Maidstone Avenue (County Road 8), then right onto Bell Avenue and then left onto Thomas Street. Or you can turn east off Highway 3 onto Victoria Avenue and then turn left onto Thomas Street.

Additional details:

The parking lot at Sadler’s Park is gravel and the rest of the trail we will be using is cement with no rough terrain. There are no public washrooms at Sadler’s Park, but there are fast-food restaurants nearby with washrooms available on Maidstone Avenue. If there is light rain, we will go ahead with the outing but if it is storming, the outing will be cancelled. We strongly recommend bringing bug spray for mosquitoes.

Monthly meeting
2021-08-11 19:30 - 20:30
Phragmites australis (common reed), is an aggressive invasive plant that is invading the Great Lakes and is dominant in Essex County wetlands and other habitats. Club President Karen Alexander has been working with phragmites in Ontario since 2011.

Karen is co-founder of the Ontario Phragmites Working Group (OPWG) and served as co-chair of the OPWG from 2015 to 2021. She will share her knowledge about this plant, how it arrived to the Great Lakes, why it became so pervasive on the landscape and present a number of control options that have been developed in Ontario that are leading to phragmites-free shorelines and communities.

This presentation will draw on the expertise of the Invasive Phragmites Control Centre, the Invasive Species Centre, and the Ontario Phragmites Working Group.

Join us Wednesday, Aug. 11, at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom and hear from Karen about this important topic.

Pop-up Outing at East Riverside Park, Windsor
2021-08-19 19:00 - 20:30
After the success of the club’s first pop-up outing at Sadler’s Pond in Essex, we are happy to announce that we will be holding our second pop-up outing along the Blue Heron Trail in East Riverside Park in Windsor.

We will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug.19, at the parking lot in Cora Greenwood Park, which is located on the northeast corner of Little River Boulevard and Cora Greenwood Drive in East Windsor. From here we will cross the road to get on the Blue Heron Trail, which runs through East Riverside Park.

The Blue Heron Trail is fully paved and mostly flat except for some hills on the south side of the park. There are no public washrooms at East Riverside Park. There is a City of Windsor website page for the park that includes a map.

Pop-up outings are intended to be informal, casual and social and will take place at various locations around Essex County. They will usually be announced at least a week before the date of the pop-up.

They will not have an official leader, but rather we hope those in attendance will share their knowledge since our club members have such a wide range of experiences and interests. One or more members of the Membership Committee will be in attendance at the start of the pop-up.

We will also spend some time using the iNaturalist app and the Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club iNaturalist Project, so if you have a smart device, we encourage you to bring it along to help identify anything interesting we find and contribute to the project.

If there is light rain, we will go ahead with the outing but if it is storming, the outing will be cancelled.

Pop-up Outing at West Essex Sewage Lagoons
2021-09-05 08:00 - 09:30
Our third pop-up outing will be at the west Essex Sewage Lagoons. (These lagoons have public access and no permit is required.)
One of our main targets will be shorebirds, since the lagoons serve as a stopover for migrating shorebirds that feed on the muddy banks. However, there is a good assortment of wildflowers and insects that can be seen along the main path to the lagoons as well.
We will meet at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 5, at the parking lot on North Malden Road just west of Highway 3. The parking lot and trails are gravel and the lagoons are a short walk from the parking lot. The main path is mostly flat with a couple of gradual slopes. We will have a scope available but highly recommend bringing your own if you own one. There are no public washrooms at this site.
Pop-up outings are intended to be informal, casual and social, and will take place at various locations around Essex County. They will usually be announced at least a week before the date of the pop-up. They will not have an official leader but rather we hope those in attendance will share their own knowledge, since Club members have such a wide range of experiences and interests.
One or more members of the Membership Committee will be in attendance to meet at the start of the pop-up. We will also spend some time using the iNaturalist app and the ECFNC iNaturalist Project, so if you have a smart device, we encourage you to bring it along to help identify anything interesting we find and contribute to the project.
If there is light rain, we will go ahead with the outing but if it is storming, the outing will be cancelled.

Monthly Meeting
2021-09-08 19:30 - 20:30
Join us for our virtual monthly meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 8, at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom
The topic is the Global Bird Rescue.
Club member and PIBO’s urban bird educator Jennifer Nantais will demonstrate how to participate, search for bird collisions, and record your observations in the Global Bird Collision Mapper and iNaturalist to help identify and mitigate potential hazard areas.

Link for the Zoom meeting.

Monthly Meeting
2021-10-13 19:30 - 20:30
Join us on YouTube for a presentation about the Moths of Essex County by club member Mark Nenadov, who has produced an informative video. He will answer questions after the presentation live via Zoom. The Zoom link will be provided in the YouTube chat.
You don’t need a YouTube account to watch. If you miss the online event on Oct. 13, you can go to the Essex County Nature YouTube channel any time to see the video, as well as recordings of previous online presentations.
Tap here for the link to the YouTube presentation of Moths of Essex County Part 1.

Pop-up Walk at Maidstone Conservation Area
2021-10-16 13:00 - 14:00
Our next pop-up will be at Maidstone Conservation Area. Join us for an afternoon walk through this beautiful oak hickory woodlot to enjoy the fall colours. The Maidstone Conservation Area trail is a 1.5-km loop and includes a section of trail that borders the Puce River.
We will meet at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, in the parking lot off of Lakeshore Road 209 south of Essex County Road 46. The entrance to the conservation area is on the west side of Lakeshore Road 209. The parking area and main trail are a mix of gravel, dirt and boardwalk on flat terrain. There are no public washrooms available at this site.
Provincial COVID-19 guidelines will be followed during the outing and a written safety plan is available upon request. It is expected that those in attendance at pop-up outings are fully vaccinated.
Pop-ups are intended to be informal, casual and social, and will take place at various locations around Essex County and Windsor. We will continue to provide an array of days and times to accommodate members with different availabilities. They will usually be announced a week before the date of the pop-up. They will not have an official leader but rather we hope those in attendance will share their own knowledge since there is such a wide range of experiences and interests within the club membership. One or more members of the Membership Committee will be in attendance to meet at the start of the pop-up. We will also spend some time using the iNaturalist app and the ECFNC iNaturalist Project, so if you have a smart device, we encourage you to bring it along to help identify anything interesting we find and contribute to the project.
If there is light rain, we will go ahead with the outing but if it is storming, the outing will be cancelled.

Monthly Meeting
2021-11-10 19:30 - 20:30
Join us Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom for our monthly meeting and hear from Jackie Serran, coordinator for the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup Remedial Action Plan. She will provide a timely update on the Detroit River cleanup program, including beneficial use impairment status updates, various monitoring and research efforts, and some exciting habitat restoration work taking place, in particular at Peche Island.

Here is the Zoom meeting link.

Pop-up Walk in Spring Garden Natural Area
2021-11-23 09:30 - 10:30
Given the continuing popularity of pop-ups, we are excited to announce the next outing will be at Spring Garden Natural Area in Windsor. Join us to explore this 2.5-kilometre loop through urban forest that is part of the Ojibway Prairie Complex.
We will meet at 9:30am on Tuesday, Nov.23, in the parking lot at the intersection of Malden Road and Elgin Street. The parking lot is on the west side of Malden across from Elgin. The parking area is gravel and the main trails through Spring Garden are made up of gravel and dirt paths on flat terrain. The are no public washrooms available at this site.
Provincial COVID-19 guidelines will be followed during the outing and a written safety plan is available upon request. It is expected that those in attendance at the pop-up outings are fully vaccinated.
Pop-ups are intended to be informal, casual and social, and take place at various locations around Essex County. We will continue to provide an array of days and times to accommodate members with different availabilities. Pop-ups will usually be announced at least a week in advance.
They will not have an official leader, but rather we hope those in attendance will share their knowledge since there is such a wide range of experiences and interests within the club’s membership. One or more members of the Membership Committee will be in attendance to meet at the start of the pop-up. We will also spend some time using the iNaturalist app and the ECFNC iNaturalist Project, so if you have a smart device, we encourage you to bring it along to help identify anything interesting we find and contribute to the project.
If there is light rain, we will go ahead with the outing but if it is storming, the outing will be cancelled.

Pop-up Bird Count Practice at Holiday Beach
2021-12-04 08:00 - 12:00
Join us for some birding fun at Holiday Beach Conservation Area. This outing will be focused on Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs). If you have always been interested in participating in a CBC or if you want to brush up on how CBCs work, this pop-up is for you! We will be counting all the birds we see during the pop-up and talk about what how to sign up for the CBCs in Essex County, as well as how to collect and submit data.
We will meet at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4, at the entrance parking lot to Holiday Beach Conservation Area and make our way through the park including the main road, hawk tower and other trails. The outing will be from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon), but you can leave at any time. The parking area and main road are paved and trails are dirt paths on flat terrain. We will station someone both on the hawk tower and at the base of the hawk tower to observe birds on the marsh. Public washrooms are closed during the off-season in the park.
Provincial COVID-19 guidelines will be followed during the outing and a written safety plan is available upon request. It is expected that those in attendance at pop-up outings are fully vaccinated.
Pop-ups are intended to be informal, casual and social, and will take place at various locations around Essex County and Windsor. We will continue to provide an array of days and times to accommodate members with different availabilities. They will usually be announced a week before the date of the pop-up. They will not have an official leader but rather we hope those in attendance will share their own knowledge since there is such a wide range of experiences and interests within the club membership. One or more members of the Membership Committee will be in attendance to meet at the start of the pop-up. We will also spend some time using the iNaturalist app and the ECFNC iNaturalist Project, so if you have a smart device, we encourage you to bring it along to help identify anything interesting we find and contribute to the project.
If there is light rain, we will go ahead with the outing but if it is storming, the outing will be cancelled.

Monthly Meeting
2021-12-08 19:30 - 20:30
It is a club tradition for members to share photos and stories of their nature outings and adventures at the December meeting. This year we’re doing it on Zoom. Please join us to reconnect with other club members and share some sightings.
Come to our Zoom meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 8, with your cup of tea or coffee and favourite snack to hear updates and recaps of our activities this year from board members. (Tap the green button below to join.)
Then it’s your turn to share. If you have photos to show, email them to Kory Renaud (tap his name to send an email) before the meeting so they can be put up for everyone to see while you’re speaking. If you just want to watch and ask questions at the meeting, that’s OK. We’d love to see you!
Tap here for the Zoom meeting link.

Monthly Meeting
2022-02-09 19:30 - 20:30
Lil’ Reg (the Little River Enhancement Group) was formed over 30 years ago. Join us Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom to hear from Ian Naisbitt about the history of this incredible group and its work to improve the quality of the Little River watershed ecosystem.

Pop-up Outing at Lakeview Marina
2022-02-26 09:30 - 11:30
With COVID-19 restrictions easing in Ontario, the Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club is excited to announce the return of our pop-up outings! The next pop-up will be at Lakeview Park Marina in Windsor at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26. We will meet in the main parking lot of the marina. Lakeview Park Marina is a popular winter destination for birding in Essex County because the water always stays open where the Detroit River flows out of Lake St. Clair. It is an excellent spot to observe overwintering waterfowl, gulls and eagles. Up to 18 bald eagles at one time have been observed from the marina this winter, and thousands of waterfowl is a common sight. This is also a great location to take photos so photographers in the club are encouraged to attend. Spotting scopes are recommended if you have one.
Lakeview Park Marina is located at 9200 Riverside Drive East. The main parking lot is accessed at the intersection of Riverside Drive East and Riverdale Avenue. The outing will be from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. but you can come and go any time. The main parking lot and viewing areas are paved and fully accessible. In the winter, there are no public washrooms available at this site.
It is expected that those in attendance at the pop-up outings are fully vaccinated and preferably boosted. Provincial COVID-19 guidelines will be followed during these outings and a written safety plan is available upon request.
Pop-ups are intended to be informal, casual and social, and take place at various locations around Essex County. We will continue to provide an array of days and times to accommodate members with different availabilities. They will usually be announced at least a week before the date of the pop-up. They will not have an official leader but rather we hope those in attendance will share their own knowledge since there is such a wide range of experiences and interests within the Club’s membership. One or more members of the Membership Committee will be in attendance to meet at the start of the pop-up. We will also spend some time using the iNaturalist app and the ECFNC iNaturalist Project so if you have a smart device, we encourage you to bring it along to help identify anything interesting we find and contribute to the Project.
If there is light rain or snow, we will go ahead with the outing but if it is storming, freezing rain or blizzard conditions, the outing will be cancelled.

Pop-up Outing at Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary
2022-03-06 13:30 - 16:30
This pop-up event will be at Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary. We will be meeting at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 6, in the parking lot of Jack Miner property on the south side of Road 3 in Kingsville. There we will observe the large numbers of ducks and geese that overwinter in the fields. Depending on the conditions, this location can also be good for blackbirds, larks and sometimes even longspurs that feed on the corn left out for waterfowl. If you have a spotting scope, we recommend bringing it along.

The Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary is located at 332 Road 3 West in Kingsville. Road 3 can be accessed via Arner Townline from the west or Division Street North from the east. The outing will be from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., but you can leave any time you need. Parking at Jack Miner’s is on gravel. Observations can be made from your vehicle or from the roadside at this location. Washrooms are available at but may be seasonal.

It is expected that those in attendance at the pop-up outings are fully vaccinated and preferably boosted. Provincial COVID-19 guidelines will be followed during these outings and a written safety plan is available upon request.

Pop-ups are intended to be informal, casual and social, and take place at various locations around Essex County. We will continue to provide an array of days and times to accommodate members with different availabilities. They will usually be announced at least a week before the date of the pop-up. They will not have an official leader but rather we hope those in attendance will share their own knowledge since there is such a wide range of experiences and interests within the Club’s membership. One or more members of the Membership Committee will be in attendance to meet at the start of the pop-up. We will also spend some time using the iNaturalist app and the ECFNC iNaturalist Project so if you have a smart device, we encourage you to bring it along to help identify anything interesting we find and contribute to the project.

If there is light rain or snow, we will go ahead with the outing but if it is storming, freezing rain or blizzard conditions, the outing will be cancelled.

Annual General Meeting
2022-03-09 19:30 - 21:00
Join us on Zoom for our annual general meeting. Whether you are a new member, a longtime member or a member who is reconnecting with the club after two years of COVID-19, this meeting is a great way to find out what we’ve been doing and what we have planned for 2022.

At this meeting, we will be voting to fill vacancies on our board of directors and discuss other volunteer positions with the club.

We will also review the 2021 annual general meeting minutes and 2021 financial statements, and board members will be available to answer questions.

On Wednesday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m. you can use this link to join the Zoom meeting. We look forward to seeing you!

Festival of Hawks
2024-09-14 09:00 - 15:00 | Holiday Beach Conservation Area, 6952 Essex County Rd 50, Harrow, Ontario, N0R 1G0, Canada

Monthly Spring Garden Natural Area Walk
2024-09-22 10:00 - 12:00

Phragmites Removal
2024-10-05 08:30 - 12:30, 2024-10-12 08:30 - 12:30, 2024-10-19 08:30 - 12:30
Phragmites Removal
East Riverside Park
11825 Norbert St, Windsor, ON

Pop Up Nature Walk
2024-10-06 13:00 - 15:00
Friends of Pike Creek
Concession 12 Rd, Tecumseh, ON N0R 1K0

A Rose by Any Other Name: Exploring the Controversial History of Taxonomy Grant Munroe
2024-10-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Ojibway Nature Centre
Starting from early childhood, all of us are taught about simple classifications within nature. Snoopy is a beagle. A beagle is a dog. A dog is a mammal. And a mammal is an animal. Seems simple. But as guest presenter Grant Munroe will show, the process of naming and sorting individual organisms within a systemic hierarchy — the practice of taxonomy — has an ancient, fascinating, and often controversial history. From folk taxonomies to the groundbreaking work of Carl Linnaeus, Darwin’s evolutionary theory to contemporary genetic testing, this lecture will take guests on a journey over hundreds of years of discovery. A must for anyone interested in learning about the naming of nature, including common names, Latin binomials, and more.

Monthly Walk at Spring Garden
2024-10-20 10:00 - 12:00
Join us in the Spring Garden Natural Area of the Ojibway Prairie Complex to monitor changes in the natural world on a monthly basis as the year progresses.
We will meet at the Titcombe Parking Lot off Malden Rd.

Annual Dinner: Lake Erie to the Artic Coast with Adam Shoalts
2024-11-16 17:00 - 22:00

Spring Garden Walk
2024-11-24 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-12-22 10:00 - 11:00

Nature Neighbours Series Field Trip - Sycamore Woods
2024-12-07 13:30 - 15:30
Register here to join us!

Member Showcase
2024-12-11 19:00 - 21:00
RSVP if you want to present to member.sec.ecnc@gmail.com with a brief description of you topic

Greenhouse Integrated Pest Management
2025-01-08 19:00 - 21:00
Greenhouse Integrated Pest Management
– Joanna Dawson
