Tick Talk… it’s Lyme Tyme!
If you’re looking for information on ticks and Lyme Disease, check out Allen Woodliffe’s newst Nature Nugget!
http://pawsnaturenuggets.blogspot.ca/2015/05/tick-talkits-lyme-tyme.html
Hikers beware…the trail isn’t there!
If you have been out on the trails this spring, you may have noticed that something is missing – part of South Point Trail! Over the winter, the southerly portion of South Point Trail was lost to the lake. For safety reasons we recommend that hikers do not attempt to cross the missing portion of the trail.
Various shoreline erosion devices have been tried on the south beach of Rondeau over the years, many of which are now offshore under several feet of water.
Please exercise caution on South Point Trail while we look into a solution.
They’re on their way!
Are you planning on migrating to Rondeau during the month of May for our annual Festival of Flight? Check out some of the activities we have planned so you can better plan your visit. We can’t wait to welcome back the birds and the birders they bring with them!
See you all soon!
Hear ye! Hear ye! Family Day Weekend is Fast Approaching!
Check out what’s going on at Rondeau Provincial Park over your Family Day Long Weekend!
We hope to see you all here!
Winter in Rondeau Provincial Park
Winter is a great time to experience Rondeau Provincial Park! Come out and hike a snowy trail to see all of the exciting activity from our winter active species!
The white-tailed deer are wearing their thick, fluffy winter coats to keep them warm during this colder weather – and boy do they look cute in their winter best!
Signs of small mammals are all over the trails as they search out their caches of stored food from the fall.
AND if you’re out and about during dusk and dawn you may be fortunate enough to hear the mighty “Who’s Awake? Me too!” from the Great Horned Owl as they find their mates and begin to occupy a nest, for its almost nesting time for these mighty raptors!
Winter is such an exciting time in the animal kingdom – not everyone has the chance to travel south to escape the cold or sleep their winters away. Sometimes we just need to look a little closer to find what beauties a snowy winter can offer…
Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup 2014
The 3rd annual Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup at Rondeau Provincial Park will take place later this month on Sunday, September 28th. We have had excellent success in the past two years and hope to continue the trend this year!
We are happy to announce a partnership this year with Red Devil Scuba Supplies and Union Gas Helping Hands in Action!
A complimentary BBQ will be held after the cleanup for all registered volunteers- please register in advance by calling the Visitor Centre @519-674-1768 or registering online @ http://
The cleanup will begin promptly at 10am, so come anytime after 9am to finalize your registration.
Species of the Day: Muskrat
Most people think a muskrat is a beaver or very closely related but it is actually more closely related to a field mouse! Just picture the muskrat as a large mouse that is a great swimmer and spends most of his time in the waters of marshy areas. Muskrats dig dens in the sides of ponds and construct rounded structures made of cattails in the water. Cattails are also a common food source along with clams, frogs and occasionally fish. How old do you think muskrats live to be? They only live on average 1-2 years but may live up to the ripe old age of 4! They may have five to ten kits in a litter and up to three litters in a spring season. Muskrats can be 50 cm long with 25cm of that full length being their rat-like tail. A muskrat can actually eat under water without drowning because of special teeth that protrude from the closed mouth which doesn’t allow water in. Named the muskrat because of two special musk glans that produce a strong smelling secretion believed to be used to communicate among each other. A muskrat is a common sighting in many ponds, creeks, and at the edges of marshy bays or lakes. The muskrat’s habitat ranges across all of North America and for that reason has one of the largest ranges of all North American mammals. The building of canals has increased habitat in some areas but the more common draining of wetlands like marshes and ponds has exterminated local populations in some areas where development is occurring. Keep an eye out for these semi-aquatic field mice that may call a pond near you home!
Species of the Day: Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Known as a ‘Jack’, these oddly-shaped flowers are found in early spring in moist and rich forest floors. The pouch or spathe followed by the hood is commonly green with purple streaks and covers the club like spadix. These flowers are easily grown in shade gardens with enough compost or peat surrounding them. Once the flower has died bright red berries will appear and will hang from the stem for nearly the rest of the summer. It is a common but elegant native flower of Eastern North America that you may come to appreciate more if encountered or planted in your home garden.
– J. Pickering
Species of the Day: Canada Goose
The Canada goose is a common sighting for many people because they can be seen across North America in nearly every state and province at some point during the year. These big honkers can be found in fields, ponds, lakes, bays, residential neighbourhoods and sometimes golf courses too. If you think you know a bit about geese here are a few beliefs you might have about these waterfowl. Canadian Geese are illegal to shoot and geese poop when flying. First off, Canada geese are legal for water fowlers to shoot and eat, a hunter is one of the best conservationists in a community! Attributing to the first myth, if Canada geese were not bagged their numbers would skyrocket and they’re already considered a nuisance at their current population levels. Secondly, Canadian geese cannot poop while flying! Unlike gulls, a goose has to be landed to excrete their waste so you only have to keep your eyes on the ground when geese are near.
There are a known 11 subspecies of Canadian geese! They look very similar but can be identified by the size and geographic area they are found in. A group of geese, also known as a flock, usually are seen flying in a V-formation which is very aerodynamic and can help them fly up to 2,400 kilometres in just 24 hours! I hope you appreciate how fascinating these common birds really are and remember you don’t have to keep your eyes on the sky for a stinky present from a Canada goose.
– J. Pickering (2014)
Species of the Day: White Trillium
You may recognize the trillium from your Ontario Drivers Licence, or on your Ontario Health Card. That’s because the White Trillium is Ontario’s provincial flower. The White trillium was named Ontario’s flower in 1937. The White Trillium has three large white petals, and can be found in shaded forest areas. The Latin name for the White Trillium isTrillium grandiflorum, tri meaning three, referring to the petals, grandiflorum meaning large flower, which is where it gets its nickname, Large-Flowered Trillium.
These Trilliums are not always white with three petals, sometimes they have 4 petals! This is very rare – about as rare as finding a 4 leafed clover. The petals of the White Trillium turn pink as the flower gets older. This form is sometimes mistaken as a completely different flower. The Trillium can also have a green streak running down the middle of each petal in varying thicknesses. This means that the plant has been infected by a virus, and eventually, the virus causes the plant to become unable to produce seeds.
The White Trillium is very sensitive to sunlight and the center of the flower is normally pointed at the sun. It looks like these dainty flowers are looking at the suns progress throughout the day. In large patches of Trilliums, all of them will be facing the sun.
This beautiful flower is quite a sight to behold, but don’t satisfy the urge to pick the flower, or even a leaf or petal, as without these, the plant will be unable to have any means to produce energy and it will die. If you see a White Trillium, just take pictures and admire with your eyes, and please, do not touch.
– A.Young (2014)