Black-and-white Warbler, Pohto by Remy Poulin, 2021

Join Ken Allison for a birding walk on the Burnt Lands Alvar, which is not seen primarily as a birding destination. The plants and geology are what draw most naturalists to this area. However, the mix of prairie and boreal forest vegetation does provide habitats for some interesting bird species. There are usually breeding Clay-colored Sparrows, Grasshopper Sparrows and Field Sparrows. If we get into the old burn area, there are Eastern Bluebirds and Eastern Towhees. Forest birds include Ruffed Grouse, Black-and-white Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Magnolia Warbler and Pine Warbler.

The focus will be on birds, but we will also look at special alvar plants or any other organisms that cross our path.  If there is interest from the participants, we will talk about the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas and demonstrate how to do a point count.

Date:  Saturday, June 4, 2022 (rain or shine)

Time:  8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Location:  Burnt Lands Provincial Park, located approximately 5 km east of Almonte.

Parking:  Park along Golden Line Road just off March Road on the Provincial Park side of the road.

Registration:  No advance registration is required but please sign the standard MVFN waiver sheet upon arrival.

Reminders:  Dress appropriately and bring binoculars, hat, sunscreen and insect repellant.  Be tick aware, use tick protection and check for ticks at home.  With regard to COVID, wearing masks is optional, however, please follow social distancing protocols and stay six feet apart from others.

Contact:  For more information, please email Ken Allison or phone at 613-256-4283.

MVFN Spring Bird Walk

MVFN members and friends are invited to join Ken Allison for a Spring bird walk on the Allison’s lovely woodland property on the outskirts of Almonte.  The Warblers will be stopping to feed on their way northwards and other birds will be nesting on the property.  We are hoping to see or hear Black-and-white Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Blue-headed Vireo, Wood Thrush and Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Date:  Saturday, May 14, 2022 (rain or shine)

Time:  7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Location:  561 Wolf Grove Road, Almonte, ON

Registration:  You must pre-register.  We are limiting registration to 15 participants .  To register, please  complete the form, at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSds5KY3ckV_FmjKed3lHBye0iaR_EUnC_eC9yo82TevVbmG5Q/viewform

Carpooling:  If you have friends with whom you are comfortable carpooling, you could meet at the Civitan Club, 500 Almonte St.

Parking:  Parking on site is limited.  Only about 6 or 7 cars can park down the driveway near the house.  Others can park at 561 Wolf Grove Road, on the same side of the road as the driveway, on the Almonte side.  (To the west, towards Middleville, there is a rise in the road that reduces visibility for traffic).

Reminders: Dress appropriately and bring binoculars, hat, and insect repellant.  Be tick aware – use tick protection and check for ticks at home.

Contact:  For more information, please email Ken Allison or phone at 613-256-4283.

MVFN Spring Bird Walk

Yellow Warbler.  Photo taken by Rémy Poulin, May 2021

Join Jim Atack as our guide, and Ken Allison as our expert birder, for an all-day outing in the Westport area looking for Warblers and other birds not often seen near Almonte.

Date:   Thursday May 12, 2022 (Raincheck Friday May 13, 2022)

Schedule:
7:45 – 8:00 a.m. – Meet for parking and carpooling at Jim Atack’s house, 407 Shipman Drive, Almonte. Please sign the standard MVFN Waiver sheet upon arrival.

Morning:  Drive to birding locations at Wolfe Lake and Canoe Lake Road on the way to the Hahn Farm and a walk to their lakeside cottage for lunch.

Afternoon: Drive to Porter Road and a large area of wetlands on the other side of Westport.  Our first stop will be at an old barn where Blue-gray Gnatcatchers nested for several years. Then several stops along the road to the wetlands and the turnaround where the logging road begins, back to the main road, cross to the Perth Road and back to Almonte arriving around 5:00 p.m.

Registration: You must pre-register.  We try to limit the caravan to about four cars as we will be parking on narrow country roads. To register, phone Jim Atack at 613-461-0299 or email

Reminders:  Bring binoculars, hat, insect repellant, water, lunch, and snacks. Be tick aware – use tick protection and check for ticks at home. Spotting scopes could be useful.

COVID:  Please wear a mask while carpooling and follow social distancing protocols by staying six feet apart from others whenever possible.

Species:  The list of species seen or heard on similar outings in 2018 and 2019 is on the MVFN website at https://mvfn.ca/birding/

Yellow-rumped Warbler – photo taken by R. Poulin at the Perth Wildlife Reserve in May 2021.

MVFN members and friends are invited to join Rémy Poulin for a Spring bird walk at the Perth Wildlife Reserve.  Located on the Tay Marsh, this environment hosts a rich variety of wildlife.  We are hoping to see or hear up to 10 warbler species as well as Pied-billed Grebe, Baltimore Oriole, House Wren and many others.

Date:  Saturday, May 7, 2022 (rain or shine)

Time:  8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Location:  Perth Wildlife Reserve Conservation Area, 100 Wild Life Road, Perth, ON

Carpooling:  If you have friends with whom you are comfortable carpooling, please arrange it amongst yourselves.

Parking:  Pay parking is available.  There are several options for paying for a day pass:  (1) in advance via phone or online; (2) via the paybyphone app; or (3) in cash on site.  Cost for the day is $7.  There is a payment station where you can put cash into an envelope and slip it into a deposit box.  Further details on how to purchase a day pass or annual pass can be found at: : https://www.rvca.ca/conservation-areas/purchase-a-pass

Bring: Dress appropriately and bring binoculars, hat, and insect repellant.  Be tick aware – use tick protection and check for ticks at home.

Registration:  No advance registration is required but please sign the standard MVFN waiver sheet upon arrival.

Contact:  For further information, contact Rémy Poulin

Note:  Visitors to the Conservation area must follow all local public health guidelines, maintain physical distancing and obey trail signage.  Masks are required in gathering areas and when physical distancing is not possible.

Michel Gauthier and Rémy Poulin will lead our fourth early morning bird walk on Wednesday, April 27, 2022.  Join MVFN members and friends at 6:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Carleton Place Arena, 75 Neelin St. where we will access the Mississippi Riverwalk Trail.

You do not need to register in advance, but you will be asked to sign the standard MVFN Waiver sheet upon arrival.

With regard to COVID, wearing masks is optional, however, please follow social distancing protocols and stay six feet apart from others.

Dress warmly as it may feel cold along the river and bring your own binoculars.  Hope to see you there!