Next Outings

 Butterfly Garden Spring Clean-Up

Saturday, May 24, 10:00 a.m.

This past summer, with help from volunteers from the Oshawa Garden Club and elsewhere, we managed to clean up the centre garden so well that we can refurbish some of the plants that have survived but dwindled. I have applied for a TD Friends of the Environment grant to purchase these plants, and hope to have the garden and the plants ready when all the DRFN volunteers come to help on May 24! PLEASE DO! Photo from DRFN website There's lots more to do as well to get the gardens ready for summer - edging, spreading woodchips, weeding, pulling grass, pruning, cutting dead stalks, planting a few annuals, cleaning up litter, etc. Please come and lend a hand to keep this garden thriving. The pollinators and other visiting critters (and people) will thank you! Bring garden tools, gloves, drinking water and dress for the weather. Park on side streets Glencairn or Ansley, then walk a short distance to the garden on Rossland Road just west of the Oshawa Creek. There are three gardens, so lots of work for everyone. Note: Help is also needed over the summer – a couple of hours a week, or as often as you can come. It’s really a great place to spend time if you like gardening and nature! Contact Dianne to arrange, or if you have questions: Dianne Pazaratz 905-433-7875 or dpazaratz@sympatico.ca.

Saturday, June 14 at 10 AM Crow's Pass Conservation Area
Leader: Don Docherty
This beautiful area has a wide variety of nesting birds including Ovenbird, Blue-winged Warbler and Scarlet Tanager.
Take Highway 12 to Scugog Line 2 (Chalk Lake Road); turn west and drive to Ashburn Road. Turn north onto Ashburn Road then west on Middle March Road. Continue west to parking area. (Caution: Watch for golfers where golf fairway crosses the road allowance.)
Difficulty: Easy walking.
Bring appropriate clothing and footwear based on the weather forecast. Bring water and insect repellent.

Saturday, July 5 at 10 AM Enniskillen Conservation Area: Bluebirds, Bobolinks and Butterflies
Leader: Kristen Osborne
This conservation area has a little of everything. Nesting birds and butterflies in majestic fields.
Take Highway 418 north from Highway 401 to Taunton Road (4). Turn north on Holt Road and drive 5.6 KM to Enniskillen CA. Meet at the main parking lot with the payment machine
Parking charge: $7 per vehicle
Difficulty: Easy walking.
Bring appropriate clothing and footwear based on the weather forecast. Bring water and insect repellent.

Saturday, August 02 at 10 AM Second Marsh Wildlife Area
Leader: Don Docherty
We’ll walk the berm which runs adjacent to the west side of this vast marsh complex. We’ll walk from a heavily treed area, to open marshland then look back up into the marsh from the Lake Ontario side.
Meet at the entrance to the berm on Colonel Sam Drive just past the water treatment plant. On-street parking is readily available.
Difficulty: Light walking.
Bring appropriate clothing and footwear based on the weather forecast. Bring water and insect repellent. Be prepared for ticks if you go off trail.

Saturday, September 06 at 10 AM Darlington Generating Station Parkland
Leader: Don Docherty
Darlington is a great place to visit any time of the year. Migration will be in progress. We’ll walk the circuit around the berm, check the east trail, and walk the top of the berm.
Meet at the parking lot to the SE of the pond at Darlington Generating Station. (From the 401, take the Courtice or Holt Road exit, take Megawatt / Energy Drive to Park Rd to the first (small) parking lot.) Don’t drive over the speed limit since photo radar warnings have been posted for Park Road.
Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly.
Difficulty: Light walking on excellent trails.
Bring water and insect repellant.