Ontario Nature Blog

When I think “bird-watching paradise,” Ontario isn’t exactly what comes to mind. I think more along the lines of Ecuador, Madagascar, Panama, Indonesia, South Africa or Texas. Perhaps I fantasize about those places because they’re so remote and I haven’t been to any of them. I wonder why we find it easier to dream of mythical ...

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During Monday night’s extreme weather event in Toronto, I scanned the Internet for images of flooded subway stations and submerged trains, amazed at how suddenly this inundation of water ground the city to a halt. Now that the water has mostly drained and city operations are returning to normal, I am reflecting on how Toronto ...

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When Ontario Nature’s conservation staff drive around the province for field work it’s never relaxing. Instead of sitting back and watching the scenery, we keep our eyes pinned to the road in search of reptiles or amphibians, dead or alive.

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In 2007, to much acclaim, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed with support from members of all parties. Just six years later, the Liberals are quietly trying to gut the act, the NDP are muzzled by one or two northern members seeking exemptions for forestry, and the Progressive Conservatives are raging on about how ...

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I like to think that birding has changed me for the better. I’ve become more attentive to detail, more attune to the natural world around me, more cognizant about conservation issues and the perils facing bird habitats. Birds have changed the landscape of Toronto for me; I now marvel at urban parks because of their ...

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