Studying grassland birds in the Waterton Park Front
Zack Moore travelling to specific locations to count birds in June 2021 in the Waterton Foothills Parkland. (Photo by Zack Moore)
In 2020, I was fortunate to be selected as one of the first students to receive a Weston Family Conservation Science Fellowship through the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). This program provides graduate students with the resources to address...
Birders of a feather: Ethical wildlife photography
Common Yellowthroat,ON (Photo by Gen Pintel)
Over the past six years, birding and bird photography have become outlets for me to connect with nature. These pursuits also connect me with others, especially those who get just as excited as me when they come across a blackburnian warbler,...
Prince Edward Island: A bird’s-eye view
Blooming Point Nature Reserve, PEI (Photo by Mike Dembeck)
A popular destination for both people and birds, Prince Edward Island is a natural treasure in Atlantic Canada. The small island (5,620 km2) is one of the most densely populated provinces in the country. The island holds historical and natural...
Getting closer to nature, close to home
Hummingbird, Johnson's Mills, NB (Photo by Jordan Myles/NCC)
Backyard birding is one of my favourite ways to experience nature and develop an appreciation for urban wildlife. It's a hobby that not only brings me joy but also allows me to contribute to the conservation of avian species right in my own...
High notes in the bur oaks: Songs of the Manitoulin savanna
Manitoulin Island, ON (Photo by Steve Maxwell)
A bouncing ping-pong ball, buzzes, bugles and booms: these are the sounds of the savanna. For someone unaware, the symphony of bur oak savanna on Ontario’s Manitoulin Island may seem unfamiliar. For many species of grassland birds, however,...
Finding fantastic finches during February’s Great Backyard Bird Count
Pine grosbeak in winter (Photo by Sean Feagan/NCC Staff)
Some people relish raptors. Others prefer partridges. Me, I’m a songbird guy. At this time of the year, my favourite birds, neotropical migrants like our wood warblers, vireos and flycatchers, have left us for warmer locales — and who...
The joy of doing nothing, except hanging out with puffins
Île aux Perroquets and the historic lighthouse. (Photo courtesy of Quincin Chan)
This blog was written by Wendy Ho as told by Quincin Chan The St. Lawrence River holds a special place in my heart. It was part of my three-week honeymoon camping road trip in Quebec years ago. Fast forward seven years and two kids later, we took...
Sanderlings flock to Mackie Ranch
Sanderlings (Photo by Jason bantle)
For the last blog of my internship with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I chose to write about adorable birds that spend a lot of time in the sand: sanderlings. In fact, a flock of sanderlings is called a grain, which is a perfect name for...
Learning not to eat a newt
Beaver pond (Photo by Lenore Atwood)
Our encounters with the natural world are often unexpected and surprising. Lenore, an ardent nature photographer, looks over an ancient beaver pond while perching motionless on a log. “They also serve who only sit and wait” is her...
How I spent my summer helping conserve species at risk in the Prairies
Hare-footed locoweed (Photo by Kayleigh Weaver/NCC staff)
This summer, I had the amazing opportunity to work with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) as a conservation intern in southern Alberta. I spent most of my time working in the Milk River Ridge Natural Area with my direct manager, but I also...
