Tag: Spring Peeper

Exploring High Lonesome Reserve in Spring

This is an excursion for everyone who wants to learn more about nature in the Ottawa River Valley in a small nature reserve located near the town of Pakenham. The High Lonesome Nature Reserve was created by local farmers, it is a very interesting piece of the wild area established on the site of a former farm, which attracts many different species of animals. There are many well-marked trails in the reserve, crossing different types of natural forest ecosystems. We will try to follow several trails to cover areas of forest and wetlands. During our trip, we hope to see slow-moving porcupines, sluggishly examining the crowns of trees with juicy sweet twigs and tender spring leaves, recently awakened chipmunks, and raccoons. We will hear many voices of various representatives of the forest fauna and will try to identify their owners. We will find the first spring flowers, which stand out as bright spots on the forest floor exposed after winter. We also hope to see the first eastern garden snakes basking in the sun after their long winter hibernation and to hear the invisible spring peepers who betray their presence with their collective singing. Barred owls live in the reserve, and if we are lucky, we will be able to see or hear them. The feathered inhabitants of the reserve, nesting in the forest and in wetlands, are just beginning to arrive, but we will be able to see and hear the resident birds of the forest who spend the winter here: several woodpecker species, ruffed grouses, brown creepers, nuthatches, American goldfinches, purple finches, and many other birds…

Location and Tour Information:

High Lonesome Nature Reserve is located near the town of Pakenham, surrounded by fields and farmlands. The reserve was created by local farmers – the Spencer family, who donated the land to a public organization – the Mississippi-Madawaska Land Trust – in 2012. Due to the efforts of this organization, as well as the involved enthusiasts and volunteers, the ecosystems of the reserve were restored to their original state. The nature reserve is open for visits by naturalists and nature enthusiasts in different seasons of the year.

We will meet in front of the entrance to the nature reserve, where there is a place to park several cars at 9:00 am on April 15 (Saturday). Possible carpooling from Ottawa (in my car there is a place for 2-3 passengers). Usually, we’ll wait for delayed hikers, but it is better to confirm your participation before our travel.

After our excursion in the reserve, we will visit one of the local maple syrup farms to  look at and buy the local production: maple syrup and other items, prepared by farmers this spring from the maple syrup.

Dress and Equipment: 

In the mid of April, the day temperatures are usually warm enough to dress in light jackets and light shoes. But nights and mornings are still fresh and chilly. Please, watch the weather forecast before your trip and wear the most appropriate clothes. We’ll walk on the trails near wetlands, therefore we recommend you wear waterproof shoes for the excursion. A walking stick also comes in handy on this route. Don’t forget water and light snacks.

Take also your binoculars and cameras if you would like to observe birds and other animals better and to bring back home the memorable photos from your nature observations.

Night Creatures in the Gatineau Park

We plan to repeat our evening hike to Gatineau Park the time when the snow is mostly melted on April 21 and April 29. This is a guided hike to explore Gatineau Park in the evening time for those who are interested to know more about dwellers of the forests and wetlands, tiny creatures, that just woke up after winter hibernation and nocturnal bird species. We’ll meet at 7:00 pm on April 21 (Friday evening) at Parking 8 in Gatineau Park, which is located not too far from the Gatineau Park Visitor Center.

The snow barely melts in the forest, and amazing creatures, hibernating soundly in the forest floor all winter, already appear on the thawed patches at night: these are small-tailed amphibians – salamanders. In spring, salamanders rush to forest streams, ponds, and lakes to mate and lay their eggs there. At the larval stage, most salamanders from temperate regions are aquatic. Their tadpoles have three pairs of external gills and a long laterally flattened tail. Tadpoles breathe through their gills. At the end of the aquatic stage, they transform into adult salamanders through the metamorphosis process, becoming similar to small lizards. After the breeding season, adult salamanders will return back to the forest, where they will be almost invisible, as they lead a twilight and nocturnal lifestyle. During the day they hide in secluded recesses under the forest floor, stones, and trunks of fallen trees. The diversity of salamanders is rich in the eastern part of North America. So, we hope to see at least several different salamander species at night.

But not only salamanders will be the goal of our excursion. We will also listen to the voices of spring, which can be heard on the distance in the leafless forest. First of all, we will determine whether tiny tree frogs have already woken up – spring peepers, whose melodic whistle resembles the singing of invisible little birds. Also, we will be able to see in the evening dawn how Wilson’s snipes and American woodcocks fly over the forest openings and over wetlands with the characteristic sound of a propeller. We will listen to see if the secretive American Bittern has already appeared near the reservoirs and hide in dry aquatic vegetation near the lakes. And also, we will be able to hear the night conversation of owls – the barred owls and eastern screech owls.

A year ago, during such an excursion, we also saw a bear mom with three cubs, who had just come out from their winter den and were looking for food under the oak trees. Having noticed our small group, the bears immediately tried to hide in the nearest ravine. We could spot three 3 species of salamanders that occur in Gatineau Park and heard the night call of the barred owls.

How to dress?

It is expected lots of rain in the next week. The rain will destroy the snow, but the forest will be damp.  Please, watch the weather forecast to be prepared for a trip. It can be also chilly in the evening time. So, it is better to have warm jackets and good shoes that are most comfortable for a trip on wet forest paths.

What else might be needed?

Do not forget the flash-light. It is great if you have your binoculars for bird observations, and your cameras, or telephones for photos. It would be also good to have light snacks and water.