"When we plant a tree, we are doing what we can to make our planet a more wholesome and happier dwelling-place for those who come after us." — Holmes

On Sunday, April 28, the Windsor-Essex community celebrated Earth Day 2019 by planting 2,200 trees and shrubs. We planted in Little River Corridor Park: along the Ganatchio Trail and around the pond, west of the Florence Avenue and Beverly Glenn Street junction in East Riverside.

Little River Spring Cleanup Event 2019

By Gina Pannunzio, Kelly LaForest and Ian Naisbitt

On Tuesday, April 2, Essex County Nature was invited by the City of Windsor, the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup and the Essex Region Conservation Authority to participate in a river cleanup in the Little River watershed. Caesar Windsor’s CodeGreen group coordinated the event, which included bringing many supplies and numerous volunteers to the cleanup. Thankfully, Mother Nature cooperated with sunny, mild weather.

Volunteers who cleared garbage out of Little River stand next to the new Detroit River Canadian Cleanup sign. Photo by Claire Sanders

Heritage Committee Earth Day Bake Sale

By Cathy Lapain

The long-awaited sunshine brought many people out to Malden Park to attend 2019’s Earth Day celebrations. Several people stopped by our booth to check out all the wonderful baked goods donated by some of our members. We had a very good variety of bake goods this year including cupcakes with colourful sprinkles on them and watermelon shaped Rice Krispie squares, which were both popular with the kids, and several pies that where bought almost immediately.

Volunteers Needed for Blue Kestrel Café at Hawk Festival

By Aileen Petrozzi

 
First, I want to thank JoAnn Grondin for her many years of coordinating this event for our club.  I appreciate all her help going forward.

The Blue Kestrel Café will be open Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14 and Sept.15, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Festival of Hawks at Holiday Beach Conservation Area. On both days, the club provides coffee and baked goods in the morning and, starting at 10:30 a.m., a barbecue with hotdogs and sausages.

This is a fundraiser for the club run by the heritage committee. We cannot carry out this fundraising event without your help. Volunteers are needed to help with organizing it. A committee will meet sometime at the end of July.

If you can’t help on the committee please sign up to help at the café for two or four hours, or make baked goods (muffins, squares or cookies). We need one volunteer cooking hotdogs and sausages on the barbecue from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

When you sign up to volunteer, you can also enjoy all the activities offered before and after. You will not have to pay to enter Holiday Beach. I have four spots for senior high school students needing volunteer hours.

If you would like to be on the committee, to volunteer or to make baked goods, please contact me at Petrozzi2@gmail.com or 519-966-7132, or sign up on the sheets at the back of room at our meetings.

Coming in November: Storm Chaser

Save the date for the ECFNC’s 35th annual dinner: Saturday, Nov. 9.

The guest speaker is storm chaser David T. Chapman. Stay tuned for more information about the new venue and other details. The club is looking for members to be on the planning committee and donations for the silent auction.

If you are interested in seeking donations for the silent auction or any part of the planning of this event, please contact JoAnn Grondin at 519-734-0056.

ECFNC Member Meeting

Wednesday, June 12, 2019, 7:30 p.m., Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Rd., Windsor, ON

Join us in welcoming Larry Cornelis, who will discuss native plants and pollinators.

Milkweed for Monarchs

Saturday, June 15, 2019, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Northwest Beach, Point Pelee National Park, 1118 Point Pelee Dr., Leamington, ON

Help create monarch habitat by planting milkweed. Milkweed is the only plant that monarch butterflies lay their eggs on and is the sole food source for the monarch caterpillar. Planting milkweed is the best way to help the monarch population grow.

No planting experience is necessary. Groups are welcome to volunteer. Registration is required for individuals and groups.

Please wear comfortable clothing and sturdy closed-toe shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Bring water in a reusable container. Remember to wear sunscreen. Gloves and shovels are provided. Plantings happen rain or shine but not in thunderstorms. Please dress for the weather. High school volunteer hours may be acquired.

For more information, or to register to volunteer: call 519-322-2365 or email pc.pelee.info.pc@canada.ca.

Happy City Author Kicks Off Green Speaker Series

Tuesday, June 18, 2019, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Augustus Ballroom, Caesars Windsor, 377 Riverside Dr. E., Windsor, ON

Join the City of Windsor in welcoming Charles Montgomery, Canadian urbanist and author of Happy City to discuss building cities for human experience. Montgomery is the founder of Happy City in Toronto, an urban planning, design and architecture consultancy. It uses the science of wellbeing to create healthier, happier and more inclusive communities.

This is the first in Windsor Essex County Environment Committee’s 2019 Green Speaker series, which is supported by the Michigan Chapter of the Congress for New Urbanism and Windsor Region Society of Architects.

For more information go to http://www.charlesmontgomery.ca/. Register for free tickets at https://windsor.snapd.com/events/view/1250111.

Bee Friends

Thursday, June 20, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Rd., Windsor, ON

This is part of the all-ages Thursday evening program series. The cost is $7.50 for adults and $6 for children. Visa, MasterCard and debit cards are accepted for in-person registration. There is a 10 per cent discount for families and seniors. You can register online at www.activewindsor.ca.

Citizen Science Tree Survey

Saturday, June 22, 2019, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., green space near Florence Avenue and Wyandotte Street East, Windsor, ON

Essex Region Conservation is looking for individuals who want to gain some field experience collecting data from a sample of the Earth Day trees planted in the spring of 2019 with the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup. Parking is available at the Sand Point Beach parking lot off Riverside Drive. Volunteers will walk south down the Ganatchio Trail towards Wyandotte Street.

Volunteers should bring their own snacks, lunches and reusable water bottles. Wear weather appropriate clothing. Long pants, shirts and sturdy close-toed footwear are recommended. High school students who would like to earn volunteer hours should bring their paperwork.

Spots for this workshop are limited and pre-registration is required. Please register at https://treesurveycitizenscience2019.eventbrite.ca.

For questions about the event, call Gina at 519-776-5209 ext. 245.

Canada Day at the Point

Monday, July 1, Point Pelee National Park, 1118 Point Pelee Dr., Leamington, ON

There will be activities throughout the park, including a park-wide scavenger hunt. Ride the shuttle to the tip, take a hike on a park trail or relax with a picnic at the beach.

At the Northwest Beach, join the Canada Day Beach Bash. There will be activities for the kids, shows by the Windjammers International Kite Performance team and birthday cake at 1 p.m.

At the Visitor Centre, get creative at the Canada Day Craft Centre, take in a creature feature, and enjoy birthday cake at 1 p.m.

For more information: call 519-322-2365 or email pc.pelee.info.pc@canada.ca.

Annual Butterfly Count

Saturday, July 6, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Rd., Windsor, ON

Join staff and volunteers for the nature centre’s 26th annual count. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, all butterfly lovers are welcome to help with the annual tally of these beautiful insects. There is a $5 participant fee collected by the Friends of Ojibway Prairie.

ECFNC Member Meeting

Wednesday, July 10, 2019, 7:30 p.m., Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Rd., Windsor, ON

31st Annual Essex Region Conservation Golf Tournament

Thursday, July 18, 2019, Pointe West Golf Club, 200 Golfwood Dr., Amherstburg, ON

Join the Essex Region Conservation Foundation for its 31st annual golf tournament fundraiser.

Attendees will enjoy 18 holes of golf, many on-course opportunities to win great prizes, silent and live auctions and a fabulous dinner buffet.

All proceeds from this event will support the protection of the significant natural resources of Essex Region, including the development of regional trail systems and the protection and restoration of local forests and wetlands, among many other important initiatives, for enjoyment today and for generations to come.

For sponsorship information, contact Peter Baldwin at 519-776-5209 ext 367 or via email at pbaldwin@erca.org.For more details click here.

Monarch Madness

Thursday, July 18, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Rd, Windsor, ON

This is part of the all-ages Thursday evening program series. The cost is $7.50 for adults and $6 for children. Visa, MasterCard and debit cards are accepted for in-person registration. There is a 10 per cent discount for families and seniors. You can register online at www.activewindsor.ca.

Self-guided Dark Sky Night

Saturday, July 27, Point Pelee National Park, 1118 Point Pelee Dr., Leamington, ON

Explore the park on your own after dark and experience the dark skies of Point Pelee. You will have the opportunity to stay late and see what goes on after dark. Note that there are no formal programs on these evenings. Visitors can pick up a seasonal star chart at the gate upon arrival. The only cost is the park admission fee. 

Explore the Shore

Saturday and Sunday, July 27-28, County Road 50, Essex County, ON

Businesses and organizations partner for this event that promotes tourism on Essex County Road 50 along the shore of Lake Erie south of Harrow, Ont.

Participants offer a variety of unique activities to showcase their businesses. They include farmers, wineries, road side vegetable stands, restaurants, bed and breakfast hoteliers, outdoor recreation (golf, conservation areas, beaches, harbour/marina), artists, authors, and small business owners.

Be sure to stop in at John R. Park Homestead, and take a glimpse at what life was like in the early settler days of Essex County. The restrooms and picnic area will be open to the public.

As well, Holiday Beach Conservation Area, a natural gem along the shore of Lake Erie will be open as well. Enjoy the beautiful tree lined trails, a great beach, and some of Canada’s best bird watching.

Prairie Day

Sunday, July 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Rd., Windsor, ON

Join nature centre staff for an exploration of the summer wonders found in the tallgrass prairie. Guided hikes, art activities, and unique photo opportunities are just some of the family-friendly activities in store. This is a free event.

Wild Ontario

Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 3 and Aug. 4, 2019, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitor Centre, Point Pelee National Park, 1118 Point Pelee Dr., Leamington, ON

Join Wild Ontario at the visitor centre and see live birds of prey. Learn about the role they play in the environment.

Meteor Shower Beach Party

Saturday, Aug. 10 at 9 p.m. to Sunday, Aug. 11 at 2 a.m., West Beach, Point Pelee National Park, 1118 Point Pelee Dr., Leamington, ON

The park will be open for optimal viewing of the Perseid meteor showers. Join members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Windsor Centre on the beach and view the early night sky before sitting back and enjoying the meteor shower

Bring a chair or blanket and settle in on the West Beach for the evening. The event is included in the admission cost to enter the park.

Lost Arts Festival

Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., John R. Park Homestead, 915 Essex County Road 50, Essex, ON

Celebrate summer on the shore of Lake Erie. See demonstrations of lost arts and visit the voyageur encampment. Stay to enjoy hands-on activities, live music, livestock displays and games for kids.

Watch as the Homestead’s resident blacksmith turns raw iron into detailed pieces, and learn about native plants and pollinators in the garden. Other demonstrations include beekeeping, butter making, and textile weaving, all of which will give guests the chance to meet the artists and learn how to fit one of these ‘old’ hobbies into modern life.

Admission: $6 per adult; $4 per child (ages 3–16); $20 family maximum.

ECFNC Member Meeting

Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019, 7:30 p.m., Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Rd., Windsor, ON

Karen Alexander, of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, will be the guest speaker.

Magical Moths

Thursday, Aug. 22, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Rd., Windsor, ON

This is part of the all-ages Thursday evening program series. The cost is $7.50 for adults and $6 for children. Visa, MasterCard and debit cards are accepted for in-person registration. There is a 10 per cent discount for families and seniors. You can register online at www.activewindsor.ca.

Nectar Festival

Saturday, Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to noon, Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Rd., Windsor, ON

Learn about the sweet lives of hummingbirds, butterflies and other nectar lovers. Witness hummingbird banding and learn tips on how to attract these jewels to your yard. Visitors will have the opportunity to adopt a hummingbird which helps fund the banding process. This is a free event.

Festival of Hawks

Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14-15 and Sept. 21-22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Holiday Beach Conservation Area, 6952 County Road 50, Amherstburg, ON

Join experts from the Holiday Beach Migration Observatory for this natural spectacle. Watch thousands of birds of prey flying overheard. Take in free programs hosted by local experts and see live hawks and owls up close. A great family event for experts and amateurs alike.

HBMO experts will be on-site conducting hawk banding and adoptions. Event goers will get up close to a variety of raptors as experts measure, tag, and then release these birds back into the wild. Visitors will also be in awe at the live raptor display of Kingsport Environmental, a local organization that rescues and rehabilitates raptors and promotes falconry through education programs.

Free educational programs will complement the ongoing banding and live hawk display throughout both weekends. Local experts will be on-site to teach on a wide range of birding and nature-related topics.

Programs are free with the festival admission fee of $15 per vehicle. For more details click here.

***The Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club will be running the Blue Kestrel Café at the Festival of Hawks, Sept. 14 and Sept.15, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. On both days, the club provides coffee and bake goods in the morning and, starting at 10:30 a.m., a barbecue with hotdogs and sausages. This is a fundraiser for the club run by the heritage committee. Volunteers are needed to help with organizing it. A committee will meet sometime at the end of July. If you can’t help on the committee please sign up to help at the café for two or four hours, or make bake goods (muffins, squares or cookies). We need one volunteer cooking hotdogs and sausages on the barbecue from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. When you sign up to volunteer, you can also enjoy all the activities offered before or after. You will not have to pay to enter Holiday Beach. There are four spots for senior high school students needing volunteer hours. If you would like to be on the committee, to volunteer or to make baked goods, please contact Aileen Petrozzi at Petrozzi2@gmail.com or 519-966-7132, or sign up on the sheets at the back of room at an ECFNC meeting.

ECFNC Member Meeting

Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, 7:30 p.m., Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette Rd., Windsor, ON

Annual Dinner and Guest Speaker

Saturday, Nov. 9

Save the date for the Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club 35th annual dinner.

The guest speaker is storm chaser David T. Chapman. Stay tuned for more information about the new venue and other details. The club is looking for members to be on the planning committee and donations for the silent auction.

If you are interested in seeking donations for the silent auction or any part of the planning of this event, please contact JoAnn Grondin at 519-734-0056

Jessica Middleton (jsscmddltn@gmail.com)

Chris Hart (c.hart14@yahoo.ca)

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• Help restore and protect Essex County’s natural heritage

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