Become an ambassador for nature! Why I volunteer my time for conservation
Mallards (Photo by Denise Harris)
I love to learn new things. It supports my ideal of evolving; of becoming more today than I was yesterday. For example, one day as I sat watching waterfowl, I happened to spy a mallard duck feeding close by. As he dove to feed, all I could see was...
Reflections on James L. Baillie
James Baillie (Photo courtesy of Bird Studies Canada)
Whenever I see reference to Bird Studies Canada’s James L. Baillie Memorial Fund for Bird Research and Preservation, I think about my friendship with Jim Baillie and feel privileged to have known him for so many years. I wanted to share my...
There's no place like home
Catherine Dale with bluebird (Photo by Angela Boag)
“The bluebird carries the sky on his back.” ~ Henry David Thoreau It seems to be an immutable law of nature photography (at least in my experience) that anything mobile will move the second you’ve gotten your camera ready,...
A call to nature conservation
Cold Creek Stewardship receiving a cheque for improvements to the CA building at Benjamin Moore Award presentation. (Photo by Bill Wilson)
I have been involved in nature conservation since 1964 — as a student, as a professional and as a volunteer. During ny 25 years with the Ontario Civil Service, it became evident to me that we all need to lend a hand in protecting and...
Habitat mosaic: Finding Toronto’s wild side
Prairie rose (Photo by Karol Dabbs)
“The spring has sprung, the grass is rizz. I wonder where them birdies is?” ~ Winnie the Pooh Of course spring is just around the bend (officially one day away, if you’re counting) and with it, the city’s fauna will...
Buzzword biodiversity
L to R: Terry Galloway and Bob Wrigley (Photo by Larry de March)
Biodiversity is a relatively new word in the conservation arena. Broadly defined, the term refers to the number of species in, or biological richness of, an area. In spite of biological inventories and diverse studies carried out over centuries...
Conversations in the forest: The roots of nature's equanimity
Misty Darkwoods forest, BC (Photo by Bruce Kirkby)
"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. If a man walks in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer. But if he spends his days as a speculator, shearing off those woods and...
Our tips for beating the winter blues: Get outside and embrace the weather!
Celine and a friendly chickadee (Photo by Canadian Voyageurs)
This year has been a record-breaker. In many parts of Canada the thermometer plummeted and seemed to just get stuck. The term “frigid” was often used to describe the bitter cold outside. Here in Northern Ontario, where winter always...
Lichen hotspot discovered on Prince Edward Island
North Enmore nature reserve, PEI (Photo by Troy McMullin)
In the fall of 2014 my colleague, Rachel Deloughery, and I travelled throughout Prince Edward Island in search of lichen. We visited 63 locations that had the potential of being good lichen habitat. Many of the areas were rich with lichens, but...
The majestic leatherback sea turtle
Propelling through the water on a relentless journey (Photo by Canadian Sea Turtle Network)
When most of us think of turtles, we think of the little painted turtles that can be seen bathing in the sun’s rays on a summer afternoon on the edge of a pond or lake. Many may not be aware that here in Nova Scotia we have a frequent...
