We Got Mail!

Posted January 23, 2012

It sure is nice to work at a place where people send you thank-you letters for just doing your job. Mrs. Grant’s grade 3/4 class from Lincoln Heights came to Laurel Creek for a Habitats and Communities program for which birds was the focus of study.  Comments from the class included: “I thought it was pretty cool when we went […]

The Bird Species List from 2011

Posted January 17, 2012

After an email from a teacher asking for my species list for 2011, I thought that it might be interesting to share. There were 5 species that have been recorded fewer than three times, and 3 species that were first records for the property (since I began keeping track in the fall of 1999). Taxonomic […]

Mountain Bluebird

Posted January 16, 2012

This pretty little bird is a female mountain bluebird, seen today (Sunday) in Puslinch Township, west of Morriston and east of Crief.  It is far from home – breeding birds are found from the Yukon as far east as central Manitoba, and wintering takes place in southern BC, California, and Mexico.  This individual was first […]

Big Year of Birding

Posted January 13, 2012

While Al ans Sean get their friendly competition for bird species underway, a young Guelph are student is already at species 89 for the calendar year 2012.  He calls it “My 2012 Ontario Big Year”  – a great description can be found on his blog Ontario Birds and Herps. I came across the blog searching […]

Bird # 1

Posted January 10, 2012

So today at Laurel Creek, Mademoiselle Nelson’s grade 4 class from Westvale Public School was out for a bird study. Before our hike, I explained to the students that Al from Camp Heidelberg had challenged me to see who could find more species of birds on their property in 2012 (see previous blog). Today I would start my list in […]

All Birds Count

Posted January 9, 2012

Al Woodhouse from the Camp Heidelberg Outdoor / Environmental Education Centre has challenged me for the new year: Who can see the most birds on their centre property in 2012. Al is much better at identifying birds than I am, especially by their calls, but Laurel Creek has a wide diversity of habitats that different types […]

the 111th Bird Species for 2011!!!!!!!!!

Posted January 4, 2012

It may, or may not be fitting that this is the 100th posting on the “outdooredguys” blog, but it certainly is fitting to report that I had my 111th bird species for 2011 just before the turn of the calendar year! On my way down to fill the bird feeders I was admiring all of […]

2011 in review

Posted January 1, 2012

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 5,900 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 5 trips to carry that many people. Click here to […]

Amphibian sightings

Posted December 21, 2011

So today, on December 21, the classes at Laurel Creek saw a total of 8 frogs. One was hopping through the rain, and 7 were in a muddy hole beside our pond. Seems pretty odd to see frogs about on the last day of autumn.  During yesterday’s class, we were walking beside the same pond, and I noticed the pond’s overflow […]

In the Midst of Living

Posted December 16, 2011

“My ideas usually come not at my desk writing, but in the midst of living.” Anais Nin

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