The legend of the blue pike: An endangered species tale
Blue pike (Photo by New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation)
Species have come and gone for millennia, but the stories of those species that met their demise due to human activity have an especially strong emotional impact in the field of wildlife conservation. Such is the case concerning the legendary blue...
Stumbling upon the unexpected
Perfectly camouflaged eggs of our mystery species (Photo by NCC)
There’s almost a rule among biologists: when you’re out looking for one species, you will have a difficult time finding it. But you’ll often see some other amazing species incidentally! This past summer, fellow Nature...
Why did the turtle cross the road?
Minesing Wetlands (Photo by Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority)
I didn’t expect one of the neatest experiences of my summer to happen while surveying the Minesing Wetlands for road mortality last June. In fact, I’d spent the day preparing myself mentally to have to make difficult observations of...
Something's Fishy: All about that bass
Largemouth bass (Photo by Trisha M. Shears)
When I think of Canada's rich history, I like to look back at all of the knick-knacks in my grandparent's house. Their old two-story home in Oshawa, Ontario served as my own personal museum. Old books, leather crafts from my grandfather’s...
NCC Creative Conservation Challenge: Mud Inspired 2015
My 2015 year in nature (Collage by Cameron Curran)
There’s no question that I had a "wild" 2015. My experiences in nature encapsulated discovery, wilderness, adventure, learning and community building. Through these experiences, I learned an abundance of natural heritage and ecological...
New year, new beginnings – even if it’s not in an ideal spot
Can you spot the killdeer? (Photo by Sarah Wallace/Dispatches from the Field)
Often when biologist go out to the field for their first time, they are super excited and usually think they have it all under control. Thoughts, such as, “Oh I can carry all of those heavy totes myself,” or “I will map out the...
Of crappies and conservation
Black crappie (Photo by Eric Engbretson, USFWS)
If you've ever tossed a line into freshwater in eastern North America, there's a good chance that you've hooked a feisty, speckled panfish that puts up quite the struggle and is a year-round favourite of anglers everywhere. They go by a number of...
Caring for Canada's wetlands
Birding at the Tabusintac Estuary, NB (Photo by NCC)
If you used water today to brush your teeth, cook or quench your thirst, you should probably thank a wetland! World Wetlands Day, celebrated every February 2, is an opportunity to learn about the value and importance of wetlands to Canadians. If...
Spot the species on World Wetlands Day
Coastal wetlands of Sandy Island, eastern Georgian Bay coast, Ontario (Photo by NCC)
If one slogan can help us appreciate wetlands more, for me it would be: “wetlands are not wastelands.” In fact, the term “wetlands” represents a wide variety of habitats (such as bogs, marshes and swamps) that offer a rich...
What's flapping around in two Christmas Bird Count circles? (Part Two)
Bob and Mike checking out a flock of sparrows and finches (Photo by Kristyn Ferguson)
A ways up Highway 400 and across the top of Lake Simcoe from the Richmond Hill count circle (read about it in Part One), the Carden Alvar Christmas Bird Count took place on Saturday, January 2. It was a cold and dark morning when I left my house...
