Second Year of the Comber CBC Continues to Highlight Lesser-Birded Region of Essex County

By Jeremy Hatt

The second Comber CBC took place on December 21, 2025. 22 keen participants volunteered for the Count this year, up from the 16 intrepid birders who covered the CBC in its inaugural year in 2024. Almost everyone who participated joined for a casual roundup at A&W in Comber to go over the results and discuss the highs (best birds, camaraderie) and lows (agonizing misses, the cold) of the Count. It was great to see many new faces on the Count along with the dedicated returning Area Leaders.  

The Comber CBC circle spans across Essex and Chatham-Kent Counties and includes several birding hotspots including Ruscom Shores Conservation Area, The Trans Canada Trail from Staples to Comber, Big ‘O’ Conservation Area, Comber Sewage Lagoons, Rowsom’s Tilbury West Conservation Area, Tremblay Beach Conservation Area, Stoney Point Sewage Lagoons, Tilbury Sewage Lagoons, Northside Park, and several parkettes along the Lake St. Clair shoreline.

A total of 65 species and 16,658 individuals were counted. This was several species down from the 2024 total of 76, which will likely be forever difficult to beat. It will be hard to recapture the magic of that first year!

Results of the 2025 Holiday Beach Christmas Bird Count

By Jeremy Hatt

The 20^th Holiday Beach CBC took place on December 27 with 29 volunteers counting a total of 82 species and 62,905 individual birds. This is the third highest species total since the Count was started in 2005. Previous high counts are 94 (set in 2024) and 88 (set in 2023). This is a testament to the volunteers who put an exceptional effort into covering their areas and inspecting large flocks of birds closely for that one special species mixed in.

Cooler temperatures leading up to the Count meant that all inland waters were mostly frozen. However, Lake Erie and the Detroit River were open and significant numbers of waterfowl were scattered across the lake off of Holiday Beach and at the river mouth. No snow cover was present on the day of the Count. Tundra Swans (4,188), Canada Geese (10,548), and Mallards (8,206) were present in particularly impressive numbers. Winter conditions following the count have pushed most of these birds even further south; as in January and February, most of the waters of Lake St. Clair, Erie, and the Detroit River were completely frozen.

Many thanks to all the dedicated Area Leaders and volunteers for another great count and to Kory and Sarah Renaud for graciously hosting another excellent roundup. Special thanks to those who helped w/ the tally at the roundup.

Lakeshore (ONNS) Christmas Bird Count 2025-2026 Results!

By Jeremy Bensette

Thanks again to everyone who participated in the Lakeshore Christmas Bird Count on January 3, 2026.

We had a great birding day with relatively comfortable winter conditions, safe roads, and some nice socializing with some participants attending the group breakfast and/or late afternoon dinner. While we did not experience last year's strong wind, or rain/snow, the cold temperature and ice on Lake St Clair presented a bit of a birding challenge. Despite these winter conditions, we had another very successful count! See below for some highlight finds, and a complete list of birds found. 

We counted a total of 71 species (plus one additional count week sp.) and 13130 individual birds this year. This year's species count appears to be the third highest ever (74 remains the highest from two separate previous counts: 2025-01-04 and 2009-12-14), and it is significantly higher than the 22-year average count of approx 60 species since this CBC was first recorded in year 2000. The great participation by 18 birders was surely a major factor in this year's success.

One particularly exciting highlight was new for the all-time Lakeshore CBC list: 

Two Black-crowned Night Herons were found in Area 1. This is typically only a warm season resident in the area, and relatively scarce at that. A great find for the first time in this Christmas Bird Count! 

Thank you all for working together on a superb Lakeshore CBC! I look forward to another great count next year. If anyone would like to volunteer a space within the count circle to have an end-of-day compilation for next year's count, we would be most appreciative. There is much time between now and then to figure this out. 

ECFNC Teams with the Ontario Field Ornithologists for their Annual Detroit River Outing

By Jeremy Hatt

Sixteen (16) participants attended the Detroit River outing on January 10^th, an annual event co-hosted by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) and the Essex County Field Naturalists' Club. Kory Renaud and I led walk again this year. We had a great day with 50 species observed across 7 eBird hotspots in Windsor and Tecumseh. Temperatures stayed around 2C for the day with low winds, making it a comfortable outing. The sky remained cloudy throughout the day and ended with a mix of rain, sleet, and snow in the final hour! Our full trip report is available on eBird here: https://ebird.org/tripreport/462318.

January Members' Meeting - Lake Sturgeon!

By Sheila Laurin

At the club meeting of Wednesday, 28 January our guest speaker was Olivia May Galloway a conservation biologist.  Olivia’s presentation was about captive rearing and reintroduction of Lake Sturgeon fish.  She shared with us some of her experiences while working with the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) in the efforts to increase the Lake Sturgeon population in the Great Lakes Basin.

Lake Sturgeon is a native freshwater fish that can grow very large and can have a long lifespan. They have a triangular nose with four barbels,a large suctorial mouth, five rows of bony scutes on their back and an asymmetric tail. They are a protected species of fish in Canada and the United States and there are regulations and research being conducted to monitor them and their lifecycle.  

While studying this species, Olivia took part in a spawning survey in the Detroit River to collect data about their behaviour.  She also was involved in the process of raising these fish in a hatchery. This involved several steps and it began with a gamete collection in the St.Clair River. These larvae then went to the hatchery to grow into juvenile fish. During this life stage she studied them and analyzed data about their health.  She also investigated ways to enrich their tank environment so as to be ready for release back into the wild population.  When the fish are old enough, they are released back into the waterways they came from. It takes many years for a Lake Sturgeon to mature into an adult fish and reach breeding age.  

For more information about freshwater fish science, we have a unique facility in Lasalle, Ontario called the Freshwater Restoration Ecology Centre.  https://pitcherlab.ca/frec

February Members' Meeting - Ontario Purple Martin Association

By Sheila Laurin

On Wednesday, 11 February 2026 our club meeting guest speaker was John Balga, from the Ontario Purple Martin Association.  In his presentation, he explained what people are doing in Windsor-Essex to help Purple Martins thrive at different sites in our local area.  At the Holiday Beach Migration Observatory (HBMO) sites, there are many breeding pairs and babies being raised there every summer.  Purple Martin swallows migrate to and from the Amazon basin in South America and spend their breeding season in some southern parts of North America.  In the spring, the first birds to arrive from South America and travel north are called the “scouts”. 

These birds, when they arrive here in early spring they are hungry and are searching for food and begin to establish their nests. Purple Martins are aerial insectivores, and they need a good habitat with many bugs to eat.  They also have predators, like owls and hawks who could possibly eat them.   Weather variations in the spring can negatively impact their numbers, if it gets very cold.  They prefer to live in colonies, so their housing is an important factor in attracting them to a potential nesting site.  There are now several options of bird houses tailored for them that have been developed.  To prevent larger birds from entering the housing it is important to have small entrance doors.  There are partnerships with the Purple Martin Conservation Association (PMCA), Nature Canada and others to help protect these unique migratory birds. If you would like to learn more or join them, visit the Ontario Purple Martin Association website.

The Depths of Winter list is primarily tallied from eBird data but reports during the period can also be posted to the Ontario Bird Alert Discord server or sent to the coordinator, Jeremy Hatt.

The total number of species tallied this year was 110, which is among the lowest number of species seen during all the years of the challenge. This is not surprising given how cold February was this year and with all inland waters and much of Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie frozen for a good portion of the month.

This year there were no new species additions to the overall Depths of Winter List.

Since its inception in 2015, the Depths of Winter List stands at a total of 150 species. Historically, according to eBird, there have been 167 species recorded in Essex County in February.

Bluebird Committee Update

By Don Bissonette

Every year, we are collecting less Bluebird trail statistics. There are less Bluebird Committee trails, less Affiliate trails and less Affiliate Monitors willing to share their Statistics with us. 

Recently, I found a Bluebird Committee Trail Report from 1994. That year, we collected statistics from  22 trails, with a total of 231 Bluebird houses. 12 of these trails were Bluebird Committee trails, and the other 10 trails were Affiliate trails. 

Click READ MORE below for 2025 stats and possible reasons for the decline in trails.

Thank  You to every-one, who has contributed financially to our Bluebird Committee. 

 The Ontario  Eastern  Bluebird  Society's  Annual  General  Meeting is on Saturday, March 22, in Hamilton. For more information, visit their Facebook Page, or their Website.

Van  Ert  Live Traps for Sale. Recently, I received a delivery of Van Ert Live Traps. They are $23.00 each.  Cash only.  (20.35 + 2.65 H.S.T. = $23.00 each). Contact me, (Don Bissonnette) if you want one, and we can arrange pick-up. If You are planning on going to the next Ontario Purple Martin Association meeting, we can meet there. Receipts provided. 

Thank You to all of the Bluebird Trail monitors, who shared their 2025 trail statistics with us. Best Wishes for the 2026 Nesting Season! ...  Don B. 

Turtle Conservation Committee update & call for Volunteers

By Alexander Campbell

We are currently gearing up for the 2026 season, which means this is the perfect time to get involved! There are many ways you can help by joining the TCC, from surveys to transporting injured turtles to rehabilitation centres, there is something for everyone in this committee. 
Do you have a skill that was not listed but think would benefit the committee or have interest in joining this turtley-awesome committee? Please email us at turtles@essexcountynature.com

As a reminder, with this warm weather turtles will begin to start crossing roads and within a couple months will begin to nest and they need your help!
If you come across an injured or deceased turtle please let us know! You can call or text our injured & nesting turtle hotline to report observations. 

Click the link below for our 2025 turtle stats, and for more details on how to get involved!

A Tale of a Backyard Visitor

By Carl Maiolani

So on one of my regular trips outside with my dogs, I’m watching them wander about when I see what I thought was a small branch with some leaves fall down from my tall maple tree into an area that is fenced off from the dogs. Both dogs started to pay attention to what had fallen and had started to sniff the object through the fence. I looked up at the tree to find a very, very large bird perched above. I immediately went inside the house and came out with our camera. I ignored the dogs who by this time were competing for the spot that was closest to the fallen object on the other side of the fence. I quickly took a number of photos of what was clearly a bald eagle picking away at some delicious morsel. 

Turtle Conservation Committee welcomes New Community Science data collection project via iNaturalist

By Alexander Campbell

Are you a frequent iNaturalist user? Have you always wanted to be a frequent iNaturalist user? Well, now’s your chance!
The Essex County Field Naturalists’ Turtle Conservation Committee has launched a community-science based project on iNaturalist titled “Turtles of Essex County - (ECFNC - TCC)
This project was created to gather community-science based observations of turtles in Essex County. Examples of these observations include; road mortality, invasive species, predated nests and generalized observations of turtles in Essex County.

The data collected from this project will allow the committees’ lead Biologists’ to further understand key mortality & nesting areas, abundance of invasive species and the general diversity and distribution in Essex County.
Digital Link to the project:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/turtles-of-essex-county-ecfnc-tcc

Announcing Essex County Nature's Greenway Series

By Jeremy Hatt

In 2023, ECFNC started a monthly walk series held on the third Sunday of each month from March to February. The idea was suggested by former Membership Secretary, Howard Williams, to observe the changes of the season at one location. ECFNC has kept this tradition alive ever since.

Our first monthly walk series took place at Black Oak Heritage Park/Ojibway Shores. The following year, we focused on Spring Garden. This March we will finish up our 2025 series at Tallgrass Prairie Heritage Park/Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve.

In 2026, we’re expanding our horizons further and our monthly walks will now take place at a different section of the Greenway throughout the year. We’re excited to explore what the Greenway has to offer and will cater meeting locations to the seasons. As before, we will meet the third Sunday of each month and explore both the Chrysler Canada and Cypher Systems Group Greenways.

The Committee is represented by the Pearl Crescent, a common butterfly of Essex County that can be found from April to October but is most abundant in late July to early August and mid-September. This variable pollinator of meadows and roadsides symbolizes the complexity and interconnectedness of nature; a great emblem for the Committee.

The Committee has also been in contact with the Toronto Entomological Association (TEA) to explore more ways to get involved in the Ontario Butterfly Atlas as well as participation in additional butterfly counts in the region. Point Pelee National Park is restarting its annual butterfly count this year and ECFNC will be closely involved in helping organize the event and providing volunteers to count. The count will be held on Saturday, August 8 - stay tuned for more details closer to the date.

Partnerships with Pelee Buzz on Pelee Island are also in the works including a moth night that will be held in coordination with TEA on Saturday, June 6 at 9pm and continue on the morning of Sunday, June 10. The moth night will be led by Alan Macnaughton, Vice President of TEA. More details on how ECFNC members can participate will be forthcoming.

Also, a reminder that the Butterfly Committee has created Projects on iNaturalist and eButterfly for collecting data from all butterflies reported in Essex County. They are a great resource for learning about our local butterflies, their flight times, and abundance.

iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/butterflies-of-essex-county

eButterfly: https://www.e-butterfly.org/ebapp/en/projects/view/91

Finally, we are still looking for additional members to help, so if you are interested in joining the Butterfly Committee, please contact me at hattjeremy@hotmail.com

Essex County Nature Receives Government of Canada’s Gender Based Analysis Plus Grant

By Jeremy Hatt

ECFNC is honoured to receive a micro-grant of $2,600 on behalf of Point Pelee National Park through the Government of Canada’s Gender Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) program. The purpose of the grant is to support partners and stakeholders in developing or enhancing programs and products that are more inclusive, accessible, and effective for a wider range of people, ensuring fairness and equal opportunity for the peoples of Canada.

The Membership Committee is busy brainstorming ideas for how the Club can best utilize the grant and will keep members abreast of events, outings, and other programs in 2026. This will include collaboration with other organizations to build and strengthen community within nature.

Remembering Dave Martin (1953-2026)

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of ECFNC member, Dave Martin. Many members will know him for his incredible dedication to nature and birds, but those who met Dave appreciated his perennial willingness to share his knowledge and expertise, particularly as a mentor to newer and younger birders.

Dave and his wife, Linda Wladarski, have contributed an exceptional amount of important local bird data, submitting the highest number of eBird checklists of any eBird user in Essex County, and often from less-birded areas around LaSalle and Amherstburg. Dave also helped in the creation of several Key Biodiversity Areas in our area including the Lower Detroit River KBA, which he and Linda volunteered for during Canvasback counts for many years. He was also a dedicated Area Leader for the Holiday Beach Christmas Bird Count and helped lead hikes for ECFNC and the Ontario Field Ornithologists. One of the sites he loved to show birders was the “Grand Canyon” of the Greenway. He also made immeasurable contributions to the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, including Atlas-3, which concluded in 2025.

Dave Martin’s obituary can be found at https://www.familiesfirst.ca/memorials/dave-martin/5682998/.

Review of AGM Statements

These statements are are included for review ahead of the 2026 AGM:

2025 AGM Financial Reports

2025 Signed Audit Certificate

2025 AGM Minutes

Vote on Updated Bylaws

The Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA) is the enabling corporate legal framework for nonprofits incorporated under Ontario law, replacing the former Ontario Corporations Act. Essex County Field Naturalists Club falls under this regulatory body. Although the regulations came into effect on October 10, 2024 we are not too late. Amendments have not been made since the club’s original incorporation in 1985. Those by-laws are still valid however a little out of date. Much care and caution was used in the process to bring the club up to date with this new framework.
The board has spent the last year reviewing and updating the bylaws with an aim to align the changes with the requirements of the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA). These bylaws guide how the club operates.

At this years Annual General Meeting (AGM) we will be voting on accepting these new bylaws. We want to ensure our members have ample time to review the proposed changes. 2026 March ECFNC Draft By-Laws are included for review. Please share any feedback or questions.