Nature Outings of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club

 

 

Field Events 2009-2010

NOTE: As these are “nature outings” please take precaution for poison Ivy, insect bites and sun exposure.

Monday, August 31, 2009
HIKE AT HNC SHORT HILLS SANCTUARY, FOLLOWED BY WINE TASTING, TOUR AND LUNCH AND FEATHERSTONE WINERY
Meet at 9am at Tim Horton’s parking lot in Beamsville at the Ontario St. / QEW intersection. This is your coffee and washroom opportunity! We will continue to our beautiful HNC old growth Carolinian forest nature sanctuary near North Pelham for a nature walk to explore the “Upper Addition”, which is a less well known part and not too hilly. Bring a light snack, if you like. We plan to arrive at Featherstone Winery by noon for our tour and wine-tasting, which costs $5 and takes about ¾ hour. This will be followed by lunch on the patio. There is a good variety of menu items available at reasonable cost.
Leader: Frank Morley (905) 575 0668
Please contact Elaine Serena (905) 639 2702 or e-mail: eserena@cogeco.ca to register for this event by August 23

Saturday, September 12, 2009, 10:30 a.m.
MONARCHS AND MILKWEED IN HAMILTON'S NORTH END
Urban areas can be a reproductive desert for endangered Monarch butterflies which rely on Milkweeds and related species as host plants for their caterpillars. At the HNC’s Lands Inlet Nature Project site we have created an oasis for Monarchs, with hundreds of Milkweed plants and wild flowers. At this outing we will visit the project site and do our best to net and tag some of the Monarchs that will soon be heading to Mexico. There will also be an opportunity to plant more milkweed at the project site. Depending on conditions, we may also visit the Parks Canada Discovery Centre to try to catch and tag some Monarchs around the native plantings by the centre. Participants may wish to end the outing with lunch at the Williams Coffee Pub on the waterfront. Bring a butterfly net if you have one, we’ll have extra nets available, along with gloves and planting tools.
Those who wish are welcome to join us after lunch, when we’ll be doing more Monarch tagging and Milkweed planting with children who are new to Canada, ( 1.30 – 3pm)
Location: Lands Inlet Nature Project Site, Simcoe St. East between Ferguson and Wellington in downtown Hamilton.
For more information contact Alan Ernest at 905 689 9466 or e-mail a.e@cogeco.ca

Sunday, September 20, 2009, 8:00 a.m.
FALL MIGRANTS OUTING WITH BOB CURRY
Bob Curry, author of Birds of Hamilton, will lead this \hike to find a variety of migrating birds at Woodland Cemetery, Valley Inn and the North shore of the marsh. Bring your binoculars and get ready for a very interesting morning of bird-watching!
Meet at the main RBG Centre parking lot on Plains Rd., (opposite Easterbrooks) at 8am
Leader: Bob Curry: (905) 637 2022

Friday, October 2, 2009
HNC 90th ANNIVERSARY PARTY AT THE HISTORIC LIUNA STATION
We are celebrating the history of our club and will have displays of HNC events and achievements over the years. Light refreshments will be served and a cash bar available. We also have a great selection of Silent Auction items and some door prizes from our generous donors. Funds raised at this event will be used for future nature sanctuary land acquisitions. Come and bring your friends to this special evening!
The historic central train station has been elegantly converted into a banqueting hall and is located in downtown Hamilton, close to bus routes and has ample free parking.
Tickets cost only $30 and must be purchased by mid September.
Contact Margaret Troy (905) 634 9901 e-mail: margtroy@hotmail.com or
Jean Stollard (905) 634 3538 e-mail: jjstollard@sympatico.ca

Saturday, October 3, 2009, 1:30 p.m.
REVIEWING THE RED HILL VALLEY
Mary Gartshore will show us the Red Hill floodplain restoration, Green Hill, the pine plantations, the viaduct fen creations, the old tree nursery, and the ski hill, as well as other features of the effort to restore the natural beauty of the valley after the extensive construction of the new highway.
Meet at the Mud St. parking lot, west of the Red Hill Valley Highway and east of Pritchard and Albion Falls.
Jim Rockwood, the environmental coordinator of the Red Hill Valley Parkway for the City of Hamilton and Allan Arthur, project manager with Kayanase, will also be joining us.
Leader: Mary Gartshore, consultant for Kayanase of Red Hill Valley Project
Phone: (519) 586 3985 or e-mail: gartcar@kwik.com

Saturday, October 17, 2009, 7:30 a.m.
SPOOKY HOLLOW VISIT AND FALL WORK DAY AT OUR HNC NATURE SANCTUARY
Meet at the Egg and I Restaurant for breakfast at 7.30am ( at the junction of Hwy#53 and Hwy#2), then it’s off to our Carolinian forest sanctuary, Spooky Hollow, for a day out exploring the woods, ( in beautiful fall colours), and some trail maintenance. Bring a picnic lunch. For details contact Sanctuary Director, Michael Fischer (905)526 0325

Sunday, October 18, 2009, 8:00 a.m.
BIRD BANDING AT HALDIMAND BIRD OBSERVATORY
This is a great time to see a variety of fall migrants and winter residents at the banding lab. Come and enjoy the opportunity of watching the experts and holding a little bird in your hand to see the beautiful plumage, before letting it fly away. It will be a fascinating morning as our dedicated bird banders tell you about the birds and their migration, etc. Meet at 8am in the parking lot at Ruthven Historic Park on Hwy # 54 between York and Cayuga. Bring a picnic and hike the trails of this beautiful property on the Grand River.In the event of heavy rain this event will be cancelled, because the mist nets will be closed.
For details call Rick Ludkin, Master bander in charge of the station, at (905) 765 4963

Saturday, October 24, 2009, 9:30 a.m.
FALL COLOURS HIKE
Come out for a hike along the Bruce trail at Tews Falls to the Dundas Peak. The autumn colours are usually spectacular here with a beautiful view across the valley below. We shall look out for migrating birds and whatever else interests us.
Meet at 9.30am at the parking lot by Tews Falls off Harvest Rd.
Leader: Shirley Klement: for more details, please call her at (905) 336 5433 or e-mail Elaine Serena : eserena@cogeco.ca

Saturday, October 31, 2009, 10 a.m.
VISIT TO ONANDANGA FARMS AND THE CHESTNUT COUNCIL ANNUAL MEETING
The Canadian Chestnut tree has been on the brink of extinction due to the devastating effects of the Chestnut blight. Come and meet the members of the Canadian Chestnut Council and hear about their efforts to restore the population of this noble tree that used to be one of the most important timber and nut producing trees in the Carolinian zone of Ontario. The meeting starts at 10am and includes lectures, a wagon tour of the chestnut breeding nursery and a group lunch. A donation towards the cost of the lunch, ($10.), would be appreciated. Sign up by the end of September.
Contact Elaine Serena for details: (905) 639 2702 or e-mail: eserena@cogeco.ca

Sunday, November 1, 2009
ANNUAL FALL BIRD COUNT
This will be the 36th HNC fall Bird Count, a favourite tradition for many Hamilton area birders. Come and join us for a great day of birding.
Call Bill Lamond to sign up or confirm your count area; (519) 756 9546

Saturday, November 7, 2009, 1:30 p.m.
LOOKING FOR LATE WILD FLOWERS
Dean’s first record of leading this hike for HNC along the waterfront is 1981! The warm waters of Hamilton harbour and the extra light from the street lights keep the flowers blooming longer than one might expect. Meet at the larger parking lot at Princess Point at 1.30pm. Leaders: Dean Gugler and Fleur-Ange Lamothe (519) 647 2371

Saturday, November 14, 2009, 8:00 a.m.
LAKESHORE BIRDING
Kevin’s fall birding excursions are a great HNC tradition, too, he has been leading them for nearly 30 years and recently has been focussing mainly on water birds, including loons, grebes, gulls, jaegers, waterfowl and any lingering shorebirds. Meet in the parking lot just north of Hutch’s Restaurant at 8am. There will be several stops at Grey’s Rd., Sayer’s Park , Miller Rd., Fifty Point, etc. The duration will be at least for the morning and into the afternoon if conditions are good.
Leader: Kevin Mc Laughlin: E-mail: kevinmc@mountaincable.net

Saturday, November 14, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
HNC 4th ANNUAL TRIVIA NIGHT
This event is organised by the Sanctuary committee and Head of the Lake Land Trust. It is an evening of light-hearted competition...excitement, prizes and fun! We will provide snacks and have light refreshments for sale. Make up a team or come on your own.
For further information watch the Wood Duck and HNC website or call Warren Beacham (905) 627 3343

Saturday, November 21, 2009, 10 a.m.
MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT COMPANY'S GREEN BUILDING TOUR
Have you ever been in a building where the rain water flushes the toilets? Come and visit this unique building in Burlington, which is expected to be 70% more efficient than a conventional building of the same size. The store has been built to the Gold Standards rating with the LEED Certification process and produces electrical and thermal energy, with the addition of rooftop solar arrays. Cooling is achieved through the production of ice energy – the first of its kind in Canada. You are invited to come for a tour from 10 am – 11am, then enjoy some time brousing through the store.
Contact Susan Andrew at (905) 333 8559

Saturday, December 5, 2009, 8:00 a.m.
EARLY WINTER HAMILTON BIRDING EXCURSION
Seek out late migrants and visiting winter species to start your winter bird list! We will visit several birding hotspots in the area, depending on recent sightings. This outing will probably go till mid-afternoon, depending on the weather. Please dress warmly and bring a lunch. Meet at the Aldershot GO Transit Station in the N/E corner of the parking lot for carpooling. ( this is off Waterdown Rd,.just south of Hwy 403)
Leader: Sheldon McGregor (905) 304 8282

Saturday, December 26, 2009
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
This annual tradition has always occurred on Boxing Day in the Hamilton area. It is part of a continent wide programme to monitor bird populations. It may surprise you to find out how many different species are spotted during this all day bird count.
Contact Tom Thomas to confirm your count area or to join in the fun: (905) 689 5920

Saturday, January 30, 2010, 1:30 p.m.
IDENTIFYING WILD FLOWER REMAINS IN WINTER
A remarkable number of wild flowers can be identified at this time of the year. We will also examine any bit of nature that takes our fancy. Meet our leaders Dean Gugler and Fleur – Ange Lamothe at the RBG Arboretum parking circle at 1.30pm. In the event of stormy weather, this outing will be postponed to Sunday 31st January.
Call 9519) 647 2371 for details.

Saturday, February 13, 2010, 11:00 a.m.
WINTER HAWKS AND OWLS
Last year Ken and Angie led a most successful Valentine’s Day excursion in Haldimand county, finding a remarkable variety of raptors, including a bald eagle, rough-legged and red tailed hawks, kestrel and four species of owls. The highlight of the day was a snowy owl. However, some white-winged crossbills, pine siskins and 4 flocks of wild turkeys added to the interest of this traditional HNC winter birding day. Bring a lunch and meet at Tim Horton’s in Hagersville at 11am. This outing will go all afternoon. In the event of stormy weather it will be postponed to Sunday. 14th February.
Leader Ken Williams (905) 547 8580

March 1 - May 15, 2010
NIAGARA PENINSULA HAWKWATCH
The annual Hawkwatch has been going on for over 30 years. It takes place daily at Beamer CA , just above Grimsby on the escarpment. It’s a great place to see huge numbers of raptors migrating north in the spring. There is always a knowledgeable birder present to help identify the hawks for you.
More details can be found at: http://www.hwcn.org/link/niaghawk/
Call Mike Street at (905) 648 373

Saturday, March 20, 2010, 7:00 a.m.
LONG POINT WATERFOWL OUTING BUS TRIP
With HNC President, Bill Lamond
The Long Point biosphere reserve is one of the best places in Canada to observe waterfowl and they should be at their peak in late March with upwards of 25 species being observed. Meet at the Aldershot GO station NORTH parking lot, just south of Hwy # 403 off Waterdown Rd. at 7:00 a.m. Please dress warmly!  Bring your binoculars and a spotting scope if you have one. We are travelling by school bus and will have a washroom / coffee break along the way. We are also visiting Florence winery near Long Point for lunch. (meal will cost approximately $10, drinks / dessert extra.) There will be a sign up list and we will be collecting money at the next HNC meeting. Cost of this excursion is $ 25 pp. or $ 40 for couple or family. Please contact Elaine Serena immediately if you would like to come, as we need to know numbers for our school bus and for the winery. (905) 639 2702 or preferably by e-mail eserena@cogeco.ca
For further details contact Bill Lamond at (519) 756 9546 or e-mail bill-lamond@hotmail.com

Saturday, April 10, 2010, 1:30 p.m.
SPRING OUTING TO THE ERAMOSA KARST
Come and explore the newly established Eramosa Karst CA at the peak time for spring runoff. We will visit a variety of karst features, such as sinking streams, sinkholes, karren, springs and caves. This nature sanctuary is becoming a haven for wildlife, including a pair of Long eared Owls that nested here last year and raised 3 owlets this past summer. Meeting time 1.30pm, rain or shine, (it’s even more interesting if it’s raining!),at the entrance kiosk in the parking lot on the east side of Upper Mt.Albion Rd., a short distance south of Highland Rd. West.
Leader: Marcus Buck (905) 575 4759 or e-mail: mbuck@karstsolutions.com

Saturday, April 17, 2010, 8:00 a.m.
SPRING BIRDING IN SALTFLEET
Join Rob on this half day driving tour to look for spring migrants in the area of Stoney Creek above the Escarpment, and hope to see numbers of waterfowl, early shorebirds and songbirds. Meet at 8am at the Tim Horton’s / Wendy’s parking lot at the S/E corner of Mud St.and Upper Centennial Parkway for carpooling.
Leader: Rob Dobos contact by e-mail: rdobos@cogeco.ca

Sunday, May 9, 2010, 1:30 p.m.
EARLY SPRING FLOWERS
This is an exciting time of the year as spring flowers start to appear in the woodlands and fields. Join botanists Dean Gugler and Fleur-Ange Lamothe for a walk in the Hendre Valley. Meet at Cherry Hill Gate at 1.30pm in the parking lot on Plains Rd across from the RBG. There is a small charge for parking, unless you are an RBG member.
Call Dean at (519) 647 2371 for more details

 

Field events beginning in May 2010 will appear later in the Wood Duck and here on the website.

For updates and additions concerning Field Events and other info about the Club, check the Wood Duck, listen to the Bird Hotline at 381-0329, or check this website.

Wednesday Evening Walks

Watch the April and May Wood Ducks and the HNC website for information about these popular summer outings, held every Wednesday evening from late April to early September. There may also be more weekend outings or further details posted nearer the time.

Join us in the Summer/Fall months for Wednesday Night Walks, a series of walks led by our dedicated volunteers to explore the great places in the Hamilton Area for hiking and enjoying wildlife. The hikes usually start at 6:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted and usually finish about 9 p.m.. No dogs please.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009, 6:00 p.m.
TREES OF GAGE PARK
Those of you who came out to learn about the fine old trees of Hamilton cemetery last year will be delighted to join Albert Butwick, long time HNC supporter, guide and historian, as he continues his fascinating tree identification walks in Hamilton, this time at Gage Park.
Meet in the parking lot near the rose garden and greenhouses.
For more details call Albert ( 905) 690 1772

Wednesday, September 2, 2009, 6:00 p.m.
NATURE HIKE IN THE DUNDAS VALLEY AT MARTIN'S ROAD IN ANCASTER
Join us for one of Frank Morley’s popular nature walks to look for mushrooms, flowers, and migrating birds in this lovely part of the Dundas Valley. This hike may be very hilly. Meet at the Morgan Firestone Recreation Complex, parking by the baseball diamond.
This is located on Martin’s Rd., off the Jerseyville Rd. near Ancaster.( Map 13 in the phone book.)
Leader: Frank Morley (905) 575 0668

Wednesday, September 9, 2009, 6:00 p.m
WILD FLOWER WALK WITH DR. JIM PRINGLE
Meet at the RBG Nature Centre by the Arboretum on Old Guelph Rd. to look for late summer wild flowers along the RBG Northshore trails. You can be sure that many interesting plants and flowers will be observed and also a variety of birds, on this beautiful trail along the shore of Coote’s Paradise.
Leader: Dr Jim Pringle (905) 527 1158

Wednesday, April 28, 2010, 6:00 p.m.
SPRING CHORUS
Come out for one of the traditional rites of spring: breeding frogs and salamanders. Tana Mc Daniel and Shane de Solla will lead an evening outing at a breeding chorus of frogs. We will also demonstrate precautions that you can take to avoid transferring amphibian diseases from site to site. Please bring rubber boots and a flashlight. This hike is for HNC members only. The meeting place will be arranged nearer the date.
For more information contact Tana Mc Daniel (905) 957 9523

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