Total Solar Eclipse at Port Burwell (42.6422° N, 80.8058° W; height 175m)
Eclipse Begins 2:01 pm
Totality Begins 3:16 pm
Maximum Eclipse 3:17:pm
Totality Ends 3:18 pm
Eclipse Ends 4:30 pm
Duration 2 hours 28 minutes, 11.9 seconds
Duration of Totality 2 minutes, 57.8 seconds
Broadcasting the Seeds of Restoration
As a follow-up to our February meeting, our guest speaker for that evening, Payton Landsborough, has provided the following set of links to further information. Click on the underlined text to access the link.
Seed Collection 1) Simple protocols for collecting wild plants native to northeastern Canada – Brittany Rantala-Sykes and Daniel Campbell a) Detailed information about seed biology, collecting, processing, and pre-treatments. b) Includes comprehensive protocols for 60 Canadian plant species (not all native to southern Ontario).
Mat was born in northern Ontario in Kirkland Lake. The family moved to Sudbury where Mat started his piano lessons and started his mechanical tinkering. Deciding to go to university to study music he arrived at the university of Toronto where he spent about 5 years and not really getting anywhere. After realizing that he had a good knack of working in wood and his love of music he decided to start building harpsichords. In a few years he had a shop and was producing harpsichords fashioned after historical examples in museums. This blossomed and one of the things that he enjoyed was tuning harpsichords to historical tunings. During this time Mat founded a magazine called Continuo which had a readership across North America. It also started selling books and recordings on the internet with software developed by mat.
After a number of years, he became distracted by hang-gliding and decided to pursue his magazine and mail order business in the states by one of the best hang-gliding sites. And after a few more years decided to join Jim Marske to develop flying wing gliders in Ohio. And after a number of years enjoying flying and building gliders, he returned to Canada to pursue sustainable living which has occupied his time ever since. He got enamoured by the idea of being self sufficient so built an off-grid residence with a windmill, solar cells and evacuated hot water tubes. Mat was also very interested in the alternative fuels so started down the road of pressing sunflower oil for fuel This led to producing sunflower oil for human consumption.
Not being satisfied with things he ventured in to farming by renting land and starting to grow sunflowers seeds which lead to acquiring farm machinery and eventually using horses for farming.
In about 2015 Mat and Dorothee joined forces to purchase a farm where the oil pressing, flour milling and the growing of many of the crops used in the production of oil and flour has flourished. And once into farming Mat became very interested in soil health.
Unfortunately, just after getting Married to Dorothee, Mat was diagnosed with leukemia. After about 8 months in hospital and a stem cell transplant, he has recovered and is back on the farm enjoying life to the fullest.
VN Founding Member Receives Contributions to Science Award from the University of Waterloo
Tree Tour with John Enright on Saturday, 4 June 2022
This tree tour has been scheduled for the OVN, but others are invited.Duck Rally
Duck Rally – March 26th, 2022
Nine intrepid birders participated in the OVN duck rally on Saturday March 26th, 2022. Cold temperatures, (2 to 3°C), intermittent snow, rain and wind made viewing difficult at times, especially after the sheltered viewing stand at Aylmer wildlife.
A brisk NW wind at Aylmer lagoons chilled the participants who followed that with hot chocolate, coffee, and snacks at the Tim Hortons nearby. The next stop, Calton Swamp, added a kingfisher and a red-breasted nuthatch to the ducks which were repeats of previously viewed species.
Four participants rounded out the early afternoon finish with delicious hot Caribbean food at Beach Patties restaurant (member Lisa Partap) in Port Burwell.
A total of 14 species of ducks and 23 species of ducks and waterbirds were tallied. An additional 10 species of passerines or upland birds were observed. Several participants picked up some important, “easy I.D. tips” for various species of ducks, especially at a distance.
Thanks to Bruce Bolin for organizing and coordination the venues and times. Participants, in no particular order, were Bruce Bolin, Jeff Robinson, Pat Wray, Mike Andrews, Janis Hamilton, Kim Sheppard, Art Veldhuizen, Trish Snider and Ron Allensen.
Special thanks to Donna and Andy Eveland for lending their spotting scope, and to Tom Manley who was otherwise occupied representing the OVN at an Ontario Nature regional meeting.
RA
Otter Valley Naturalists Hold 16th Annual Christmas Bird Count
The Otter Valley Naturalists Club held their 16th annual Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, December 19th in support of the National Audubon Society’s yearly winter survey. Twenty-four people participated, each covering a section of the Port Burwell-Vienna 12 km radius circle. The aim of the survey is to find as many bird species, and their population numbers, as possible.
The data collected is contributed to form part of the Audubon Society’s data dating back to 1900. The count was started by conservationists at the turn of that century as an alternative to what was then the Christmas-time practice of hunting birds to see how many different species and numbers they could kill. Instead, volunteer bird enthusiasts’ now count winter birds on one designated day each Christmas season throughout the Western Hemisphere.
In a preview to a beautiful December day, the calm conditions of the predawn hours were ideal for calling and locating owls. A significant count of fourteen screech owls and 3 Great-Horned Owls resulted. Daylight revealed an out of season House Wren for one participant. It was sighted amid a group of five Winter Wrens.
A record high number of seven Hermit Thrush were tallied. However, despite mostly open flowing water and lakes, waterfowl species were down significantly with only seven species counted, the most numerous being the Canada Goose. Cardinal numbers were down as well with a count of 99, shy of the 2009 record of 292.
Red-bellied woodpeckers were recorded in good numbers, especially at feeders, but the most numerous woodpecker was the Downy. Kathryn Boothby, Adrian Juurlink, Janis Hamilton and Dave Jolly all observed our rarest winter woodpecker, the Yellow-Bellied sapsucker, for a record count of four.
A pair of Eastern Towhees, unusual for this time of year, have been in residence for over two months at Monarch Landing, just east of Port Burwell. They did not disappoint and showed up on schedule. They were seen and photographed by several people.
A number of the people have participated in this count every year since its inception in 2006. Former Port Burwell resident Joe Stephenson combined a trip from B.C to visit family and count birds. “I love it”, he said,” It gives me an opportunity to visit with my children and grandchildren, and enjoy nature at the same time. “One of Joe’s sons, Rob, who travelled from Parry Sound to participate, was rewarded in discovering a rare winter bird, the “Yellow-Rumped Warbler”. It was the only warbler species found on the day.
Up to now Rob’s favorite bird to find each year has been the “Brown Creeper” which did not turn up this year. However, by the end of the day he had changed his tune and was “Pumped about the Yellow-Rumped!”
Other participants came from Woodstock, St. Thomas, Delhi, London, and Hamilton.
“It’s a very fun day”, said Tom Manley, the president of OVN, and official compiler of the data. “All current Covid protocols were followed by participants.” he added. “We just had to cancel the gathering and usual dinner at the end of the day.”
Tom added that he would like to thank everyone who participated and helped make it another great OVN event. “It’s wonderful to have such a knowledgeable and dedicated group of volunteers willing to spend an entire day in the field under what are often challenging weather conditions.”
– Submitted by Ron Allensen
OVN Membership
Due to the pandemic and the associated safety measures, the OVN has not been holding in-person meetings. When in-person meetings will resume remains uncertain.
Membership fees were waived for one year, but donations were welcomed. The membership fee is $25 for families and $20 for individuals. Junior/student memberships (for under 16 years of age) are just $5.
Our Zoom presentations, both live and recorded, remain available. See the sidebar for the link.
Cheques for memberships or donations, payable to the Otter Valley Naturalists, can be sent to the following address. Please include your contact information, with email if you have it.
Otter Valley Naturalists ℅ 22 Old Vienna Road Tillsonburg Ontario N4G 3C4
Arthur Langford Nature Reserve Trail Maintenance
On 10 July 2021 eight members of the OVN performed some trail maintenance and mosquito feeding at one of the properties of the Long Point Basin Land Trust, the Arthur Langford Nature Reserve. Seen in the image, left to right, are Gord, Bruce, Eric, Lucy, Ray, Peter, Andy and Mike.
2020 Christmas Bird Count
20 December 2020
Young TJ helps dad, Kevin Robinson, count in sector 7 for the CBC with his “birdoculars”.
On Christmas Bird Count Sunday, Trevor and Leanne Stephenson were birding along the Otter Creek in the village of Vienna with their children when they had an interesting experience.
Leanne recounts the details;
Walking along the Otter in downtown Vienna, were heard blue jays uproariously mobbing something. Trev said “Let’s go see what that is”. “It could be an owl!” And in a fenced yard in Vienna, we saw a great horned owl flapping against a window trying to free itself from a window screen while escaping the mob of blue jays! The owl did escape and we lost it’s path (approximately 11 AM in full daylight).
This must have been especially exciting for their three-year old daughter Aster. We must note that at six months of age Luna has eclipsed her sister as the youngest OVN Christmas Bird Count participant on record!
COVID-19 and OVN
Please be aware that although OVN events are still on our calendar, some near term events are likely to be rescheduled or revamped as on-line video meetings.
We will continue to be in contact with our speakers for the upcoming events to ask if they can reschedule for alternate meeting dates in 2021 or in some cases, give an on-line presentation.
The Straffordville Community Centre is closed for community use as are most potential alternate sites.
The northeastern United States was once blanketed by broadleaf forests. Despite the changes to the landscape wrought by agriculture and development, many of the original species of forest bees persist. One can see the magazine here. Go to page 11.
Despite the article’s focus on the northeastern United States, the information is relevant to forests here in southwestern Ontario.
It is always rewarding to support our fragile nature.
Prothonotary Warblers
This spring Rex Martin and Janis Hamilton were birding in the first marsh section of Yarmouth Natural Heritage Area. Along the trail they stopped to distance chat with other fellow birders. That’s when they observed two Prothonotary Warblers. These birds are on the SARA (Species at Risk Act) registry. Rex had the idea that the Prothonotary Warblers needed a nesting box to encourage a nesting pair. Janis suggested her husband, Gord Hamilton, might help make a nesting box. Rex later received permission from Dusty Underhill, Catfish Creek Conservation Authority’s Supervisor, and then asked Gord to help him.
Gord made six prothonotary warbler nesting boxes and on May 31st they went to Yarmouth Natural Heritage Area to install them. Ron Casier from the St. Thomas Field Naturalist Club met them to open the park and assist. Rex brought his kayak and Gord brought the nesting boxes and tools. Rex paddled into the wooded marsh and attached the boxes to trees approximately 3 feet above water level. This is understood to be the prothonotary warblers’ preferred nesting height. The two wooded marsh areas in Yarmouth are ideal prothonotary warbler habitat. Afterward the conservation authority placed caution tape and signs requesting photographers and park goers to distance with respect for the sensitivity of this area and the rarity of these birds.
Perhaps the Corona Virus is affording more people the time to walk and bird this area and therefore many more species being documented. Perhaps the habitat and climate are now supporting these birds’ travel to our regions. Whatever the reason, Yarmouth Centre has been visited by many warblers and various bird species that normally head farther West.
Bluebirds
As a separate project, Gord Hamilton of the Otter Valley Naturalists made 60 Bluebird nest boxes late this past winter. Various OVN members installed them and many of the nesting boxes housed Bluebird families this spring. Others were home to Tree Swallows.
Corrine Genier, a Ph.D. candidate from Western University, subsequently studied some of these nests, taking blood samples, tail feathers and banding Bluebirds and Tree Swallows to assess the diet quality of nestlings. Part of her project is collecting associated insects to study the food available to these bird species in their respective nesting habitats, in particular comparing riparian habitats to inland habitats.
Thanks to several members who participated in the 2020 Great Canadian Birdathon while distancing. Some members dispersed to different areas and together we came up to the edge of 100 bird species, as you will see in the list.
Several members have been kind enough to support this activity and to raise funds for Birds Canada and OVN in a 3/1 split, i.e. 75% to Birds Canada and 25% of the funds return to OVN. If you wish to contribute, you still can. The Canada Helps link is:
Several OVN members individually participated on this exceptionally cold day. 48 species of birds were observed.
Bats and COVID-19
by Miranda Sawyer
Bats have been in the news recently for an unfortunate reason. In late January of this year, it was reported that bats – specifically the Chinese horseshoe bats, of the genus Rhinolophus – may have been the original source of the then-emerging novel coronavirus that has since turned into a global pandemic. Although this was widely reported, the actual situation is far more complicated and nuanced, and this early reporting may have already caused unnecessary harm to bat conservation.
The reason for these reports is that scientists studying the genome of this new virus quickly found that its closest known genetic match was to a coronavirus found previously in Chinese horseshoe bats. It was a 96% match, making it very similar but not identical to the virus affecting humans. Less widely reported, however, was that the virus was later also found to have similarities to one found in the critically endangered pangolin, or ‘scaly anteater’. While this virus strain was less similar overall (only a 90% match), certain portions of it were a much closer match (99%) than the bat coronavirus. It is now believed likely that this virus is kind of naturally occurring “chimera” of different viruses, which may have passed through multiple animal hosts such as pangolins before ultimately infecting humans.
Bats have a remarkable ability to seemingly resist viral infections. As a result, it is possible for them to carry certain viruses without being harmed by them. This ability to act as a “reservoir” for viruses has led to them being blamed for disease outbreaks, even in cases such as this where there is no current evidence of direct transmission. This can have serious effects on conservation efforts, as people turn against them and blame them for these diseases. There are already reports of a town in Indonesia killing hundreds of wild fruit bats in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, despite this species being entirely unrelated to the pandemic. This mirrors a situation in 2004, where 10,000 palm civets were culled by the Chinese government after being identified as the likely host sources of virus responsible for SARS.
With the new link to pangolins, there is growing concern that something similar may happen to them as well; Pangolins are already critically endangered due to heavy poaching for the Chinese market, and a further loss in numbers would be disastrous.
This mass-culling of wild animals in response to pandemics is especially unfortunate when considering that these diseases are only able to jump from animals to humans because of human actions in the first place. It is when these animals are taken from the wild and then kept or killed in unsanitary conditions that these kinds of disease crossovers can occur. If these animals were left alone and protected in the wild in the first place, situations like this could have been entirely prevented.
Please, spread the word. Bat conservation has always struggled against misguided public perception of bats as dangerous pests, rather than the beneficial and vital part of the ecosystem they truly are. Don’t let this become yet another reason that bats are persecuted.
Sources and further reading:
It’s wrong to blame bats for the coronavirus epidemic
Miranda Sawyer holds a Zoology degree from the University of Guelph. She has a lifelong passion for bats and has travelled to places as far as Jamaica and Israel to work with them in the field. She had been the scheduled speaker for the Otter Valley Naturalists 14 April 2020 meeting. Due to the pandemic that meeting was cancelled. She has kindly agreed to give a presentation next year, 8 March 2021.
Our speaker for the May meeting, Dr. Andrew Peregrine, has provided this updated chart as of May 30. Among the updates shown is the increased estimated Lyme disease risk for our area.
Free Online Course: The Cornell Lab Offers eBird Essentials
This is a new online course from their eBird Academy. This eBird Essentials course guides one through how to get the most out of the eBirding experiences and invites one to become a part of this worldwide project. It is estimated to take about three hours to complete, but can be taken a little at a time, if desired.
Discover tools that help you find birds wherever you go
Gain confidence submitting your sightings
Get expert tips for using eBird and joining the community
The Otter Valley Naturalists consists of about 50 members. We are members of a much larger provincial body known as Ontario Nature (ON). Ontario Nature includes over 160 clubs and over 35,000 members from across the province of Ontario.
The OVN meets monthly, usually the 2nd Monday of each month, September through June, at the Vienna Community Centre. The club has speakers and activities every month. Some of the activities include: the Christmas Bird Count, the Baillie Birdathon (in Conjunction with Bird Studies Canada), a summer butterfly count, Monarch Butterfly tagging, a spring cleanup, nature walks, education and outreach, habitat creation and rehabilitation projects.
OVN Meeting - Bank Swallows May 9, 2024 at 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Natashia Barlow of Bird Studies Canada and U. of Waterloo
OVN Meeting - AGM and Potluck June 13, 2024 at 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Again this year, this annual event will be held at Janis and Gord Hamilton's place.
Acknowledgement
We acknowledge the land we meet on is the traditional territory of several nations including the Mississaugas, the Attiwonderonk (Neutral), the ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ (Anishinabewaki), and the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy). We are grateful to have the opportunity to be on this land.
Additional land history and acknowledgement can be found at
The opinions expressed in these recorded presentations are solely those of the presenter and/or participants and not necessarily those of the Otter Valley Naturalists. The Otter Valley Naturalists does not guarantee the accuracy or reliability of the information provided.
Recent Photos by OVN Members from the OVN Flickr Site
As a separate project, Gord Hamilton of the Otter Valley Naturalists made 60 Bluebird nest boxes late this past winter. Various OVN members installed them and many of the nesting boxes housed Bluebird families this spring. Others were home to Tree Swallows.
Otter Valley Naturalists 