New Year’s Day is coming up fast — have you picked out a park for your First Day Hike?
This 10-park list rounds up some top options for your first foray into 2021:
Tag: Rondeau
Hiking for head-to-toe health
It’s probably no surprise that hiking is good for your health, but it might surprise you that the benefits reach from head to toe!
Check out the brain and body benefits of hiking:
Fall warbler migration at Rondeau Provincial Park
Today’s post comes from Laura Penner, a Discovery Program Group Leader at Rondeau Provincial Park.
Thousands of birdwatchers flock to Rondeau each spring to take part in one of natures most spectacular events, the annual songbird migration.
The male warblers, in their attempt to attract mates, are in their finest plumage with bold patterns and bright colours. Their unique songs fill the air! Beginner birders focus on the bird’s appearance to identify it. For more advanced birders, the songs may help identify birds that aren’t out in the open putting on a show.
But for those who are ready to take their warbler identification skills to the next level, there is the fall migration!
Continue reading Fall warbler migration at Rondeau Provincial Park
Slithering into fall: hibernation for Ontario’s reptiles
Today’s post was written by seasonal student Heather Van Den Diepstraten from Rondeau Provincial Park.
It’s not just students and birds on the move this fall.
As the cold weather approaches, reptiles are trekking across Rondeau Provincial Park in search of hibernacula (places in which wildlife overwinter). Researchers for Wildlife Preservation Canada are busy tracking the movements of snakes, turtles, and skinks within the park as they find suitable habitat for their hibernation.
Continue reading Slithering into fall: hibernation for Ontario’s reptiles
Monarch Butterflies
Today’s post was written by summer student Danielle Bullen from Rondeau Provincial Park.
It’s that time of year again, and across Ontario, we’re starting to see those beautiful orange and black wings.
Monarch Butterflies come all the way from Mexico over a few generations, depending on the amount of milkweed available during their travels, spending summer here in Ontario.
Adventure Lab: are you ready for an adventure?
Ontario Parks is pleased to unveil a new outdoor activity that we hope will help connect you and your family to our amazing system of parks!
We’ve teamed up with Adventure Lab to create eight unique “Adventures” that teach you about our protected spaces!
Continue reading Adventure Lab: are you ready for an adventure?
Just keep swimming: the perilous journey of turtle hatchlings
Today’s post comes from Olivia Pomajba, a summer student at Rondeau Provincial Park.
A turtle hatchling making its way to water reminds us of the perilous journey we all face in life.
The world must seem incredibly vast to these centimetre-long hatchlings, and they face many challenges.
Continue reading Just keep swimming: the perilous journey of turtle hatchlings
A new house for Barn Swallows at Rondeau
In today’s post, Caitlin Sparks, a Senior Park Interpreter, shares a wonderful species-at-risk success story from Rondeau Provincial Park.
The Barn Swallow is a commonly seen bird around southern Ontario.
Actually, the most common and widespread of swallow species in the world!
So why — might you ask — are their numbers declining so much that they’re deemed a “threatened” species in Ontario? And what are we doing to help protect them?
March’s digital download
Chickadee-dee-dee!
No matter the season, this little bird is always there to sing you a tune.
This month’s FREE digital download was snapped at Rondeau Provincial Park.
March Break 2020
During the long winter months, many of us get less “Vitamin N” than usual. Yet contact with nature has been found to lower blood pressure, strengthen immune system, help prevent disease, and reduce stress levels.
Keen to spend time in nature with your family this March Break? Here’s a list of fun happenings across the province: