Upcoming Events
Please preregister for all events by email: [email protected]
May 13 at 5:00 am: First Light at the Lone Pine Marsh and join in on our Birding Marathon
June 7 at 10:00 am: Willow Lane Nature Reserve hike
June 10 at 6:00 am: Moth Morning at the Bonebakker Nature Reserve
August 23 at 8:00 am: McRae property walk
September 6 at 11:00 am: Arts Day at the Lone Pine Marsh
September 27 at 9:00 am: Jack van Nostrand Nature Reserve Hike
October 18 at 10:00 am: Wilhemina Woods Nature Reserve hike for fall colours
November 9 at 9:00 am: Wilkinson Nature Reserve walk
December (TBA): de Kleer Nature Reserve walk
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Past Events
Haddon Nature Reserve evening hike
On May 2 twenty-five people enjoyed the magic of spring wildflowers and a chorus of spring peepers in the newly minted Haddon Nature Reserve led by property steward and donor Dari Haddon.
McColl Nature Reserve hike
On April 12 fifteen people adventured through the woods, fields, and deer trails at McColl Nature Reserve. We were pleased to be able to make it down to Cold Creek, an important trout stream that flows through 5 of NLT’s nature reserves in Northumberland County.
Winter Walk at future Rae Blackwell Nature Reserve
On January 19 about 3 dozen nature lovers headed off into the forest and fields of this property to look for tracks and signs of animals. Evidence of an abundance of wildlife was found including deer, fisher, raccoon, coyote and a huge number of wild turkey.
Nature walk at Lone Pine Marsh Braham Nature Reserve
On November 10 we looked for signs of animals getting ready for winter at the Lone Pine Marsh, and were treated to evidence of intense beaver activity on the west side of the marsh. The beavers had cut down a huge path through the birch forest up to the meadow and had dragged dozens of small bushes and trees through the forest to the marsh, making a wide new path in the woods.
Fall Colours walk at Haddon Property (future NLT reserve)
On the cool sunny morning of October 18, Dari Haddon shared her beautiful woodland trails with about 25 people. We all enjoyed the fall colours, and the Barred Owl that greeted us by hooting repeatedly upon our arrival!
Fall walk at Doug McRae’s Brighton property – future NLT nature reserve
About 20 people enjoyed walking the trails and hearing about Doug’s ecological restoration of his property at the gateway to Presqu’ile Park in Brighton.
Tallgrass Prairie and Forest Walk at Pelton Nature Reserve
Participants observed the fields after the controlled burn that took place this April. They also explored the freshly cleared forest trails. Thanks to Bill Newell the Pelton property steward for leading the walk. It was a beautiful morning!
Mothy Morning at Bonebakker Nature Reserve
Early risers got a great view of some fabulous moths in the forest of the Bonebakker Nature Reserve. Highlights included Polyphemous silk moths, Luna moths, and Io moths. Thank you to Tyne Bonebakker for sharing his love of moths and setting up the sheet and light in the forest.
Grassland Birds walk at Bonebakker Nature Reserve
We could not asked for better weather for our outing to Bonebakker Nature Reserve. Under sunny skies and a fresh breeze 25 participants were treated to birdsong and great views of the resident stars of the grasslands at this lovely nature reserve overlooking Lake Ontario. Highlights included Eastern Meadowlarks singing perched high up in the trees, and Species such as Grasshopper Sparrows and Eastern Bluebirds carrying food to their young.
Birding for Beginners Nature Walk at Lone Pine Marsh
On the sunny morning of May 25, thirty birders of all ages joined Doug McRae and Leslie Abram for an introductory birding tour of the Lone Pine Marsh. Highlights included a fly-over of two Trumpeter Swans, the courtship displays of Bobolinks in the meadows, and a number of nesting birds in our bird boxes such as Tree Swallows and Eastern Bluebirds.
Kennedy forest hike (future NLT reserve),
On the sunny warm morning of May 4, over 50 people enjoyed a hike through the well established trails of the Kennedy property, led by Rob and Freda Kennedy. This walk took participants through lovely forests with birds and frogs singing their spring songs. The Kennedys have pledged to donate this 300 acre property to NLT – it will be their second generous donation of land for a nature reserve and we are very grateful.
Animal Tracks and Signs Winter Walk at Wilkinson Nature Reserve
February 3, 2024: Thirty people enjoyed the beautiful winter sunshine while searching for signs of animal and bird life at Wilkinson Nature Reserve. Highlights included very friendly chickadees that ate peanuts and sunflower seeds out of people’s hands, as well as tracks of deer, coyote, and many other mammals. Beaver activity was apparent around the marsh, and woodpecker feeding holes were found in many trees. It was a great day out and five new people signed up to volunteer to help look after NLT’s nature reserves. Thanks so much!
Photo credit: Sally Verstege
Fall Colours Walk at Leckey Nature Reserve
October 14, 2023: On the sunny fall morning of October 14, about 25 people were treated to a fall colours tour of the Leckey Nature Reserve. This Nature Reserve is looked after by the Northumberland Land Trust. The steward for the Property, Laurie Hill, led the walk through the fields and forests of these beautiful 177 acres. Highlights included the colourful views from the tops of the hills, and a special viewing of a porcupine house in a tree! Thanks to everyone who came out, it was a lovely morning.
Sneak Peak: de Lint nature reserve
August 12, 2023: More than 20 people including six members of the Board took the tour of the property that will be the next addition to the Northumberland Land Trust. Before the walk began an osprey flew over the group with a fish in its talons. The first leg of the tour took in the forested section of this 100-acre property, and concluded in the fields next to the watercourse.
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Lone Pine Marsh Braham Nature Reserve – Dragonflies and Butterflies Nature Walk
July 14, 2023: The group smelled the milkweed flowers, peered into little spaces, and found tiny damselflies, frogs, caterpillars, and a multitude of unidentified beauties. Hilda Van Netten wrote about the walk in her blog, titled In Praise of Slowness.
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Jack Van Nostrand Nature (JVN) Reserve walk
June 17, 23. NLT members and friends gathered for a walk at the JVN Nature Reserve. Led by JVN Steward David Geale, the Group made its way down the rough, and sometimes muddy, trail along the west boundary of the Reserve. It was too late in the season for the chorus of Northern Waterthrushes that can be heard here in May, but Swamp Sparrows, Common Yellowthroats and Eastern Wood-Pewees were among the birds proclaiming their territories. Some of the butternut seedlings donated by John Apostolides were close to the trail; they had their first leaves out and seemed to be doing well.
The previous night, David had set up a white sheet with a bright light to attract moths, and the number of moths still clinging to the sheet in the morning was impressive. Most were small, though many were intricately and attractively patterned. However, there was also one large female promethea silkmoth (Callosamia promethea, photo left) which sat happily on David’s finger for everyone to have a good look.
At the lakeshore we saw a Caspian Tern and a loon amongst the more common Ring-billed Gulls, and Tree Swallows were busily feeding nestlings in the newly-installed nest box. We were also able to see some of the turtle basking logs (but no turtles, unfortunately) put in place by volunteers a couple of winters ago, and a probable Least Bittern was seen briefly.
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McEwen Nature Reserve walk
June 1, 2023: It was a good morning to see Grasshopper Sparrows, nesting Tree Swallows and Bluebirds, as well as Crested Flycatchers and other birds that call grasslands and forests home. The Group was also able to see some Eastern Newts from the pond.
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Wilkinson Nature Reserve walk
January 28, 2023: Although there was a fair bit of snow on the ground, most of the tracks we found had been degraded somewhat by sublimation – the melting and enlarging of tracks due to melt. Regardless, we managed to find tracks of Red Squirrel, White-tailed Deer, an unidentified canid (either Red Fox or Coyote), plus a small weasel (either Long- or Short-tailed) and best of all, a set of Fisher tracks. While the latter are fairly well distributed in the county, they are generally scarce and very rarely seen. Very few birds were noted but we did see a lovely Northern Shrike hunting in the marsh (probably the first record for this species at Wilkinson) and a lone Rock Dove flying over, which was somewhat out of place.
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Munn Nature Reserve walk
October 23, 2022: The weather was warm and the leaves were spectacular as a group of over 30 people headed into the woods on the Munn Nature Reserve. Our walk was led by James Munn, who taught us about trees and forest communities, as well as the history of the Reserve. He planted many of the trees on the property with his family, who sought to create habitat for wildlife in an area that had previously used for pastureland. On our tour through this thriving forest community, we were able to see the results of the Munn family’s labour and foresight.
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DeKleer Nature Reserve Opening
September 10, 2022. A large group of family, friends, and members of Willow Beach field Naturalists and NLT gathered to see the newly installed sign and to officially open the de Kleer Nature Reserve. For many, it was the first chance to see some of the property, walk part of its boundary, enjoy refreshments, and meet Harold, who generously donated this Reserve. Piper Creek and its headwater tributaries flow through the Reserve on their way to Cold Creek. They are fed by multiple springs and seeps along the way as they pass through moist cedar lowlands and mature hemlock forest. At the north end there is a steep rise into deciduous uplands with a view over the valley below.
