Boo! The scariest night of the year is almost upon us.
As we celebrate Halloween with costumes, trick-or-treating, and plenty of scares, let’s take a look at the history behind this spooky day. Continue reading The spooky celestial history of Halloween
In today’s post, Alistair MacKenzie, Naturalist Heritage Education Supervisor at Pinery Provincial Park, recounts a dramatic encounter with an Eastern Screech Owl.
We desperately needed to confirm breeding evidence for Eastern Screech Owls in our survey squares for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas back in 2005.
It was our last chance given that the atlas was wrapping up the collection period and I was frustrated since I confidently knew that screech owls did indeed breed in the park, but sadly we just hadn’t managed to be in the right place at the right time to confirm it.
Today’s post comes from David LeGros, one of our Algonquin Provincial Park naturalists.
As the crisp fall days get colder and the occasional dusting of snow whitens the landscape, we know that winter is just around the corner. For the countless songbirds of our forests, they avoid our cold winters and lack of food by migrating south.
Other animals are adapted to the cold conditions and may grow a thicker coat of fur or feathers. Some, we think, have the enviable ability to sleep away the long Ontario winter by hibernating.
Continue reading Underground, underwater or frozen solid: how do frogs & toads spend the winter?
There are few sounds more haunting than the howl of a pack of wolves in the dead of night. It makes the hair on the back of our necks stand up!
But are these creatures really the “big bad wolves” we remember from bedtime stories?
Today’s post was contributed by Ryan Rea, a natural heritage educator at Algonquin Provincial Park.
One look at a map of Algonquin and you can’t help but be fascinated by all of the names of the some 2,000 lakes.
Continue reading What’s in a name? A historical look at lake names in Algonquin
You might think that snakes are creatures of the night, slithering around in the dark, looking for prey and striking when they find it.
But you’d be wrong. Most of our snakes are active during the day, though the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Milksnake and Ring-necked Snake do come out at night.
Today’s post comes to us from Heather Stern, a naturalist at Bon Echo Provincial Park.
Some of the oldest rock in the world.
Something that is carved.
Something made of wood.
These are only a few examples of the many things you can see from the Visitor Centre at Bon Echo Provincial Park, thanks to Rod MacKenzie with Hi-Spy Viewing Machines.
Whether you’re perusing for holiday gifts, soaking in the arts, or simply in need of a hot drink after a November hike, it’s the perfect season to visit Presqu’ile Provincial Park!
Christmas at Presqu’ile unfolds November 3, 4, 7, 10 and 11, 2018. Presented by the Friends of Presqu’ile Park, this annual event features wares from more than 100 of Ontario’s artisans, artists and crafters.
Frogs and toads have an ancient history, with fossils dating back to the time of the dinosaurs.
Algonquin Provincial Park Naturalist David LeGros has been fascinated by these amphibians since he was a toddler and he shares some fun facts about them.
Today’s post comes from Evan McCaul and Steve Kingston, ecologists with Ontario Parks’ Northwest Zone.
Did you know that bats play important roles in our ecosystems and are unique in being the only type of mammals that can truly fly?
All bats in Ontario are nocturnal predators that feed primarily on insects like moths and mosquitoes. There are eight different bat species across Ontario, including three species at risk: the Little Brown Bat, the Northern Long-eared Bat and the Tri-coloured Bat.
