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| January 22, 2013 Arboretum e-newsletter |
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For both ecological and economic reasons we no longer print and mail a seasonal program listing our workshops and special events. The information is now distributed via this e-newsletter and is always available on our website. We do appreciate your past and future support of our workshops; the income supports other Arboretum educational endeavours such as brochures, signs, booklets, tours and our website.
If you know of people who may be interested in our workshops or who have received our seasonal program in the past who do not receive this e-newsletter, we would appreciate if you would pass this information on to them. To subscribe to the newsletter simply send an e-mail to [log in to unmask] with “subscribe to newsletter” in the subject line and include your e-mail address and first and last name in the text of the e-mail.
If you have a spot in your community or at your workplace where you can display our workshop posters, please send us an e-mail at [log in to unmask] and we will be happy to send them to you.
Below is a list of upcoming workshops at The Arboretum. Please forward this e-mail to your friends and colleagues! The more participants we have, the more programs we can offer.
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WORKSHOP
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DATE
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REGISTRATION
DEADLINE
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Animal Tracking
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Friday, January 25
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Thursday, January 17
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Winter Landscapes Photography
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Saturday, January 26
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Thursday, January 17
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Night Stalker’s Owl Prowl
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Saturday, February 2
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Thursday, January 24
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Basic SLR Photography
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Saturday, February 16
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Thursday, February 7
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Pruning
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Tuesday or Wednesday, March 19 or 20
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Tuesday, March 12
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An Ecological Vegetable Garden
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Friday, March 22
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Tuesday, March 12
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Gardening Fundamentals
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Tuesdays, April 9/16/30, May 7/14/21
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Tuesday, April 2
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Introduction to Birds
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Thursday, April 18
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Tuesday, April 9
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Warbler I
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Thursday, April 25
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Tuesday, April 16
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Warbler II
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Friday, April 26
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Tuesday, April 16
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The Wonderful World of Spring Wildflowers
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Friday or Saturday, May 3 or 4
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Thursday, April 25
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Garden & Wildflower Photography
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Saturday, May 11
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Thursday, May 2
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The Secret Life of Lichens
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Saturday, May 25
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Thursday, May 16
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Look, See, Paint
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Wednesday, June 12
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Wednesday, June 5
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Night & Low Light Photography
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Saturday, June 22
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Thursday, June 13
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Dragonflies and Damselflies
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Wednesday, July 10
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Wednesday, July 3
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Identification and Biology of Butterflies
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Thursday, July 11
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Wednesday, July 3
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The Wonderful of Summer Wildflowers
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Friday, July 12
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Wednesday, July 3
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Nature and Wildlife Photography
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Saturday, July 13
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Wednesday, July 3
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Shorebirds
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Wednesday, July 17
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Wednesday, July 10
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by Chris Earley
I know we just had a bird quiz in the last newsletter, but birdies have been an important factor to many visitors in the last couple of weeks so I thought we would feature them again. Birders from all over Ontario have been flocking (get it?) to The Arboretum recently to get looks at some of our special avian inhabitants. This quiz is made up of photos that have been submitted by some of these visiting birders. Answers and some information about each species are at the bottom of the newsletter. To see more shots, please visit our Flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/52649814@N05/
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by Ric Jordan
Last month I talked about change and if there is one thing that has been changeable is the weather. Not sure I can remember a December/January quite like now with the fluctuations and lasting warm temperature that we have experienced recently. However looking at the long range forecast today more seasonable temperatures are ahead (and at the time this newsletter is being sent out, have actually arrived) which will be welcomed. A number of individuals have called with questions re swelling buds on soft maples and magnolias in particular and wanting to know if anything can be done to slow down the process if it continues warm. Unfortunately no, we all have to take a wait and see approach and play the cards we are dealt on the weather front. Read More.
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Congratulations to all of you that were engaged over the Holiday Season! If you or someone you know is looking for a space for your wedding ceremony and / or reception please contact Barb Watson – Ash at 519-824-4120 ext. 54110 or [log in to unmask]. Further information on our unique reception facilities and outdoor ceremony sites can be found on our website.
 
West Lawn Auditorium
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What to See Currently at The Arboretum - 34th Arboretum Winter Bird Count Meets an All Time High.
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(Back to Top)
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by Chris Earley
On January 5, 2013 seven intrepid birders headed into the wilds of the Arboretum to count birds...and there were a lot to count! A total of 535 individuals easily breaks the previous record of 434 set in 2006. Why so many birds this year? Well, we had a flock of over 100 American Robins, two Bohemian Waxwing flocks of approximately 50 each and multiple flocks of Common Redpolls totalling 169 birds. These three species are what made 2013 such an abundant bird year. We also added 3 new species to the count list which is quite a feat as the survey has been done yearly since 1980. Our famous but hard-to-find Barred Owl was revealed by two loud crows. A Brown Thrasher, which is a very rare winter bird for this area, has been seen daily since January 1 and we found it eating Asian Bittersweet berries. Last but not least, a Red-bellied Woodpecker was near the bird feeders in the Gosling Wildlife Gardens. We hope you enjoy the photos below. To see more shots of some of our winter feathered friends, please check out our Flickr page by clicking here. Thanks to everyone who came out to the count!
 
Barred Owl Brown Thrasher
Photo by Chris Earley Photo by Chris Earley
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Brown Thrasher - This is the top bird that visiting birders
are trying to see. Brown Thrashers are common breeding birds here in the spring and summer but are very rare here in the winter. Some birders keep a winter list of birds they see from December 1 - February 28 and so this is a much sought out species. Our bird has been enjoying the Asian Bittersweet and Staghorn Sumac berries around The Arboretum Centre. Photo by Paul Tavares. |
Bohemian Waxwing - A visitor from the boreal forest, these waxwings seem to really appreciate the berry-producing trees, shrubs and vines that we have here. At one point, we had over 250 Bohemians in one flock. These are photographer favourites because of their bright colours. Photo by Chris Wagner. |
Common Redpoll - Redpolls nest in the Arctic and come this far south every couple of years. This year is shaping up to be a really good redpoll year. Photo by Karl Egressy. |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker - Until this winter, this southern woodpecker species has only been recorded a handful of times in The Arboretum. We now have 2-3 individuals hanging out here and we are hoping they will stay and breed this spring. Photo by Chris Earley. |
Barred Owl - Luck seems to be needed to find this owl.
It has been sighted periodically since early November but more often recently. Some viewers have seen it catch and swallow Meadow Voles. Photo by Dave Lavigne. |
Cooper's Hawk - The Cooper's Hawks that have been sighted are possibly our resident pair that has nested here for the last 2 years. Photo by Jon Brierley. |
| Hoary Redpoll - Hoary Redpolls are usually found mixed into large flocks of their more easily found cousins, the Common Redpolls. They are challenging to identify but are usually much lighter in colouration overall, with less streaking on the flanks, undertail coverts and rump as well as having a stubbier beak. Photo by Marilyn Bahry. |
Sharp-shinned Hawk - At least one Sharp-shinned Hawk has been attracted to all of the waxwings we have, but no one has seen it be successful in catching one. Photo by Chris Earley. |
Cedar Waxwing - This waxwing is usually much more common that Bohemian Waxwings, but not this winter! Usually birders look for one or two Bohemians with a flock of Cedars but this winter it has been the other way around. Photo by Chris Wagner. |
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Be a part of the BetterPlanet Project by donating on-line:
Your donation can be directed to The Arboretum online through the secure University of Guelph donation page: http://uofg.convio.net/arboretum
If you prefer not to make an online donation, there are several other ways to provide your financial support. You can choose to donate by telephone, mail, fax, or in person:
UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH
Attention Alumni Affairs
50 Stone Road East
Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
Tel: 1-888-266-3108 ext. 56934
Tel: 519-824-4120 ext. 56934
Fax: 519-822-2670
Email: [log in to unmask] |
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If you would like information on bequests and planned giving to The Arboretum please contact:
Ross Butler
Director, Gift Planning
at (519) 824-4120 ext. 56196 or by e-mail at [log in to unmask]
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Our entrance is on the south side of College Avenue; 150 metres west of Victoria Road. The Arboretum Promenade (formerly Arboretum Road) is not open to vehicular traffic. Please visit our website for a map and directions .
We hope that you will find this monthly newsletter informative and helpful. Should you wish to stop receiving the newsletter please send an e-mail to [log in to unmask] which includes your first and last name with your e-mail address to which the newsletter is being sent and "unsubscribe" in subject line.
Please forward this newsletter on to anyone who may be interested. You can be added to our e-mailing list by forwarding your e-mail, first name and last name to [log in to unmask] with "subscribe e-mail newsletter" as the subject.
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The ARBORETUM
Ontario Agricultural College
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON
N1G 2W1
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