Carol Edwards-Harrison is glad butterfiles are finally making an appearance now that their favourite flowers are in bloom. Slightly worn but still handsome, an Aphrodite Fritillary checks out Echinacea, above, and a beautiful Monarch, below,  lights on a Maltese Cross flower. More butterfly news, from the annual MacGregor Point count, follows later in this month's OSFN news.

– by John Dickson

At the Annual General Meeting of the Owen Sound Field Naturalists (OSFN) on Thursday, June 8, President Brendan Mulroy presented the club's Community Conservation Award (CCA) to Lynne Richardson.

The 2023 CAA was awarded in recognition of her 18 years as OSFN Secretary, the many birding field trips led for OSFN and the Bruce Birding Club, volunteering as compiler for the Meaford area Christmas Bird Counts and coordinator for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas for Grey County, and more.

The club's Honourary Life Membership Award was then presented to the husband and wife team of Willy Waterton and Audrey Armstrong, who have added to their CCA from a year ago with an outstanding contribution to the OSFN Publications Committee, especially for the Orchids Bruce & Grey 5th Edition.

Guest presenter Alan Macnaughton then gave an illuminating talk and slideshow entitled the Moths All Around Us, and invited folks to join him for a Moth Night at the Grey Sauble Conservation arboretum the next evening.

He was particularly pleased to report:

One of the reasons for picking June was to see the giant silkmoths, and we were not disappointed.

There were two cecropia silkmoths, the largest moth found in this area of Ontario.

There were also three polyphemus moths, which are also large and crowd-pleasing.

Combining all three years of observations together, I have recorded 274 species of moths at the arboretum.

This was a notable increase in the 206 recorded in the first two years.

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Pat Gillies watches a family of Sandhill Cranes enjoy a mid-morning snack.

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Scott Parent is a Canadian photographer and filmmaker based right here on the Saugeen peninsula.

In July of 2019 Scott paddled tandem from Drummond Island, Michigan, to Penetanguishene, on the shores of south-east Georgian Bay, with his 9-year-old daughter Acadia on a 14-foot SUP, tracing their ancestral migration route of the Georgian Bay Metis Community of 1828.

Together they collected water samples for microplastics research and trash they found along the route. Their journey covered over 480 kilometres across Lake Huron's three bodies of water.

They share their incredible journey in their documentary film, Three Waters, on Wednesday, July 26, at 7:00 p.m. at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre in Tobermory, presented free of charge by The Sources of Knowledge board.

To learn more about the film and the upcoming screening visit the Sources of Knowledge Facebook page, or email Scott Parent directly at [email protected].

Voluntary donations will go to the Three Waters Foundation – a clean-up initiative focused on caring for the remote islands of Lake Huron, and helping wildlife residing in those areas impacted by plastic pollution.

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Ingrid Remkins found this Northern Flicker, above, in Beaver Valley on July 18. Stefan Waldman came across an Eastern Kingbird and fledgeling, below, on July 15.

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The OSFN Young Naturalists club wrapped up its season with a birding hike at Isaac Lake.

As Jody Johnson Pettit shared:

We spotted Great Egrets, a loon with two babies, a Black Crowned Night Heron, Sandhill Cranes in flight, and others.

Many thanks to Jody for coordinating the club's activities in recent years – it has been much appreciated!

The club will start up again in September under the direction of Amanda Eriksen.

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Rob Wray was focused on a Green Heron, above, a Great Horned Owl, below, and a House Wren, bottom, during his explorations this summer.

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Speaking of birds, the Bruce Birding Club (BBC) capped off its 20th season with a Berford Lake Bash that featured a day of birding in small groups.

Gathering afterwards for dinner, the club both honoured and roasted the BBC's founding coordinator, Fred Jazvac, who then shared these sentiments:

I want to thank you for the astounding, and unexpected finish to my organizing of the Bruce Birding Club.

The gift of the large woodpecker carving, is now displayed in a prominent spot in our backyard garden where it can be seen … and where the inscription on the back is visible.

This wooden bird will always be special to me, and a great reminder of one of the most memorable days of my life.

Like you, I came to the potluck, expecting an enjoyable day of birding, socializing with the people who I like to be with – and left flabbergasted.

Thank you for the wonderful times we had over the years, and thank you for the friendship we shared.

James Turland will be leading the BBC as we begin the next twenty years of BBC birding.

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John Dickson has a look at the Healing Path and pollinator gardens on the Owen Sound Hospital grounds, a project developed and run by the volunteers of NeighbourWoods North. His progress around the path was slowed by an escargatoire of snails, and the possibillity of a shadowy self portrait in a field of wildflowers.

At the hospital area I have noticed equipment working on trail preparation to enhance the accessibility of the Healing Path, plus the blossoming of flowers in both the Welcoming Garden and the Pollinator Garden.

The area is also home to many Eastern Meadowlarks, American Goldfinches, Song Sparrows, and Killdeer, as well as the various bees and butterflies buzzing and fluttering among the blooming wildflowers that abound there.

NeighbourWoods North volunteers have continued nurturing the trees planted there, with trimming and mulching activities in recent weeks.

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The annual butterfly count at MacGregor Point showed a decrease from last year, most likely related to the rainy weather that developed after noon.

A Northern Pearly Eye, above, and a Pearl Crescent, below, by Doug Martin.

Bob Taylor was also at the count, capturing a Baltimore Checkerspot, above, a Little Wood Satyr, a White Admiral, a Red Admiral, plus a Question Mark, bottom.

Thank you to Doug Martin for this report:

The annual MacGregor Point Butterfly count was held Saturday, July 8.

Party groups were established consisting of veteran butterfly counters, experienced amateurs, and Park Staff.

We were also joined by several newcomers to butterfly identification who were interested in participating and learning more. They soon found there were more butterflies than Monarchs and Cabbage Whites.

The general consensus was that overall butterfly numbers were down this year. This could have been count day weather related though.

The count started about 10:00 a.m. with lots of activity for the first hour. Overcast skies took over about an hour before noon and activity took a noticeable downturn.

It seemed the butterflies sensed the approaching rain and took shelter.

Monarchs are of special interest to many and this year’s numbers were down compared to past years.

One party had six individuals, but most groups were lucky to have a single sighting during the day despite many patches of milkweed that were in healthy abundance.

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David Turner found this Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on a wonderful display of swamp milkweed.

 
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Many naturalists in Grey-Bruce are observing young birds and other young animals in the company of their parents, from such larger birds as Sandhill Cranes, and Canada Geese, to Ospreys, Crows and smaller birds, including American Robins, Mourning Doves, juvenile Tree Swallows, Eastern Kingbirds, Northern Flickers, American Redstarts and Baltimore Orioles.

Fawns with the does, and even baby snails were all over the running path I was using the other day, requiring me to slow to a snail's pace to watch more closely where my feet were going.

Stefan Waldmann catches the attention of a doe watching over her faun.

In addition, we are already seeing the early migration of Greater Yellowlegs and other shorebirds on their way back from the far north, already heading south for the winter.

I have also been noticing more butterfly species, as have many others. In particular I have been seeing Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, a Northern Crescent, and even a few Monarchs.

Annual Butterfly counts often take place in July in Ontario, when they may be found visiting the vast array of various wildflowers that are blooming here in a sort of slow slideshow as the days and weeks go by.

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To close, a Nature quote from Harry Belafonte's memoir My Song, regarding an investment deal for the island paradise of Klein Bonaire that fell through:

In retrospect, it was all for the best.

On the eve of the new millennium, Klein Bonaire was established as a preserve in perpetuity.

The flamingos will keep their home, and the local flora and fauna will stay as they are.

So will the coral reefs whose fragile state we were naive about when we drew up our plans.

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Please visit the OSFN website here.

source: OSFN