An educational forum dedicated to the study, promotion, appreciation and conservation of the flora and fauna within Prince Edward County.
Pitcher Plant – photo by S. Banks
At monthly meetings, guest speakers make presentations on topics related to nature that are of interest to club members. Everyone is encouraged to participate by sharing their experiences and observations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have hosted our meetings via Zoom, but we look forward to greeting members and friends in person once more when health considerations allow us to.
Regularly scheduled field trips offer members the opportunity to learn about and experience habitats around the County and beyond.
Events Calendar
You hover over an event below or click on an event for more information.
PECFN is once again involved in the Swift Watch this spring and we hope you can join us. The pandemic made these gatherings impossible for a year or so, but we’re back in business. There will be a series of province-wide survey nights to count Chimney Swifts at the end of May and beginning of June. Picton will be our survey area. These fascinating birds are well worth observing.
A few years ago we were fortunate enough to see 100 Swifts entering a chimney, swirling about and then dropping right in. It can be very exciting.
However, more and more chimneys in Picton are being capped, limiting potential nesting sites for our visiting Swifts. The Armoury chimney has not as yet been opened, so what used to be one of our best places to observe is unavailable to the Swifts.
We will start with a special pre-count day on May 21 to see where we stand, and then begin in earnest on May 25, May 29, June 2 and June 6. If you’d like to participate, meet us in the parking lot behind the Old Town Hall/Firehall at 7:45 PM. The Swifts have usually “gone to bed” by nine, so you won’t be out much later than that.
PECFN joins the Department of Illumination and the South Shore Joint Initiative (SSJI) to host Wild Thing: A Celebration of Biodiversity. This free, family-friendly event is the culmination of The Department of Illumination’s partnership over many months with SSJI. Community and educational components have included art workshops in schools and community craft sessions, where participants have learned about and created depictions of the fabulous biodiversity that can be found in Prince Edward County. Please come to event and check out live music from KASHKA and That’s What She Said, plus crafts, puppets, and a dress-up community procession of wild things! The Department of Illumination will also be unveiling the superb banner of species at risk that was created by their embroidery club, The Society of Stitchers. Get beastie with us and let’s all work together to conserve this beautiful place we call home. To register for Wild Thing, please go to: https://www.ssji.ca/wild_thing
PECFN is once again involved in the Swift Watch this spring and we hope you can join us. The pandemic made these gatherings impossible for a year or so, but we’re back in business. There will be a series of province-wide survey nights to count Chimney Swifts at the end of May and beginning of June. Picton will be our survey area. These fascinating birds are well worth observing.
A few years ago we were fortunate enough to see 100 Swifts entering a chimney, swirling about and then dropping right in. It can be very exciting.
However, more and more chimneys in Picton are being capped, limiting potential nesting sites for our visiting Swifts. The Armoury chimney has not as yet been opened, so what used to be one of our best places to observe is unavailable to the Swifts.
We will start with a special pre-count day on May 21 to see where we stand, and then begin in earnest on May 25, May 29, June 2 and June 6. If you’d like to participate, meet us in the parking lot behind the Old Town Hall/Firehall at 7:45 PM. The Swifts have usually “gone to bed” by nine, so you won’t be out much later than that.
Meet at the Millside Park parking lot on Water St. in Marmora 10:00 a.m., rain or shine. Marc will meet us at Millside Park and spend about an hour discussing the geology of the area. We will then car-caravan to the parking lot at the entrance of the Hasting Trail, a level rail bed, and begin a walking tour of 4 km. – 2 out and 2 back. This tour was designed by Marc and won a tourism award. Those who attended his Gibson Mountain presentation will look forward to this tour.
For more information, go to Marmora and Lake website.
Map of the Miners’ Loop
https://marmoraandlake.ca/attractions The total time should be just under 4 hours, including driving time between stops. In the event of rain, umbrellas and rubber boots work well. Bug spray will be needed, and netting and gloves are a good idea to protect yourself from mosquitoes. Binoculars are suggested, as there have been plenty of raptors seen in the swamp – redtails, eagles, peregrines and osprey.
RVSP: Pecfninfo@gmail.com
NOTE: PECFN outings are for members only — because of our insurance — but we welcome new members. Join us at https://pecfieldnaturalists.org/membership/
Reserve your spot on either date by emailing Pecinfo@gmail.com
Meet at the Millside Park parking lot on Water St. in Marmora 10:00 a.m., rain or shine. Marc will meet us at Millside Park and spend about an hour discussing the geology of the area. We will then car-caravan to the parking lot at the entrance of the Hasting Trail, a level rail bed, and begin a walking tour of 4 km. – 2 out and 2 back. This tour was designed by Marc and won a tourism award. Those who attended his Gibson Mountain presentation will look forward to this tour.
PECFN is once again involved in the Swift Watch this spring and we hope you can join us. The pandemic made these gatherings impossible for a year or so, but we’re back in business. There will be a series of province-wide survey nights to count Chimney Swifts at the end of May and beginning of June. Picton will be our survey area. These fascinating birds are well worth observing.
A few years ago we were fortunate enough to see 100 Swifts entering a chimney, swirling about and then dropping right in. It can be very exciting.
However, more and more chimneys in Picton are being capped, limiting potential nesting sites for our visiting Swifts. The Armoury chimney has not as yet been opened, so what used to be one of our best places to observe is unavailable to the Swifts.
We will start with a special pre-count day on May 21 to see where we stand, and then begin in earnest on May 25, May 29, June 2 and June 6. If you’d like to participate, meet us in the parking lot behind the Old Town Hall/Firehall at 7:45 PM. The Swifts have usually “gone to bed” by nine, so you won’t be out much later than that.
Email gerry.jenkison@icloud.com for the Zoom link. All are welcome.
Jennifer Baici and Friend
Wild turkeys were hunted to extinction in Ontario in the early
1900s but reintroduced in the late 1980s. Because Ontario’s turkey population has grown and changed rapidly since reintroduction, understanding how many individuals there are and where they are distributed is essential to ensuring the long-term persistence of this species in the province.
Jennifer is an ecologist currently completing her PhD at Trent University in Dr. Jeff Bowman’s lab, where she studies the social structure and behaviour of the eastern wild turkey. She is interested in understanding wild turkey flock and nest genetics, factors influencing nesting success and kin selection, and the current distribution of Ontario’s turkeys. This project involves rocket netting, tagging, and tracking wild turkey movement, survival and nest success throughout the year.
