Today’s post comes from Discovery and Marketing Specialist Dave Sproule. Migrating birds are already arriving along the edges of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, and many southern parks have birding events and festivals. But for most of the migrants, these parks are just a rest stop after crossing those big stretches of water. Their destination may … The post The boreal forest: Ontario’s songbird nursery appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Today’s post comes from marketing specialist and birding enthusiast Tanya Berkers.  When Ontario Parks signed on as a supporter of the third Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, I eagerly volunteered on one of the organizing committees. I love birding, and the Atlas is an important volunteer-dependent project that supports conservation and environmental policy across the entire … The post 3 ways to level up your birding appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

The songbirds are returning and bringing spring with them! Catch a bird-banding demonstration, take in a nature photography workshop, or sign on for a bird-themed hike with our park naturalists. If you love songbirds, you won’t want to miss the Ontario Parks spring birding festivals: Festival of Flight — May 4-19 Rondeau Provincial Park Visit the park … The post Spring birding festivals appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Today’s post comes from Eva Paleczny, learning and education specialist with Ontario Parks.  On my morning drive to work one day, I noticed a bunch of Mourning Doves sitting in a row along an electrical line. As I continued driving, I wondered why birds gather in groups like that. Are they being social? Is it … The post Discover birds with your kids appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Today’s post is from Justin Peter, who was a Natural Heritage Education Specialist at Algonquin Provincial Park from 2006 through 2013. Now a professional travel planner, Justin is a keen local and worldwide explorer, looking for birds everywhere he ventures. It’s tempting to say that winter’s not the best time to look at birds in our Ontario … The post A winter birding challenge appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

“The early bird gets the worm” usually makes us think of robins. But the real early bird isn’t Robin Red-Breast. It’s the Canada Jay, also known as the whiskeyjack or Gray Jay. Master of the “staycation” This northern bird is no fair-weather feathered friend, flying to the sunny south for the winter. Like the Blue … The post Canada Jays: the real early birds appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Today’s post comes from Barb Rees, our Discovery Program and Marketing Specialist in the Northwest Zone of Ontario Parks. Winter is a great time to watch for woodpeckers. Why? Simply because there are less leaves on trees making most birds more visible. Typically, there are also more birdfeeders placed out in the winter than the summer … The post Woodpeckers 101 appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Today’s post comes from Cortney LeGros, the Healthy Parks Healthy People coordinator at Ontario Parks. The holiday season is steeped in tradition. No matter how you celebrate, there’s one scientific tradition that’s been around for over 120 years to help mark the holidays. For me, the holidays would not be complete without participating in at … The post Christmas Bird Count — keep the community science tradition going! appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Today’s post comes to us from David Bree, former Discovery Program Lead at Presqu’ile Provincial Park. Butterball was a bit of a miracle child. The way the year went, it was amazing that his egg was ever laid, let alone hatched. And he never should have flown. But, somehow, he did. To truly understand Butterball’s … The post Butterball’s story appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more

Today’s post comes from Bronte Creek Provincial Park Discovery Ranger Hannah Stockford and Darlington Provincial Park Piping Plover Student Jax Nasimok. Once upon a time, bird migration was a great mystery! Early ideas about migration by philosophers and scientists from hundreds of years ago were quite unusual. They varied from thinking birds hibernated in the mud … The post Tracking the mysteries of migration appeared first on Parks Blog ..read more