Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreJun 253 minA Walk on Carden AlvarFather's Day, this year, was a beautiful day that began with a small group of us prepared and ready to learn about the unique flora on...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreJun 152 minDazzling DisplaysThe month of June is a very extraordinary month on the Carden Alvar. Unique flowers, over 400 species, endure the harshness of Alvar...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreMay 312 minThose Unique BirdsBird watchers and seasoned birders joined us at the Nature Centre last Sunday morning to observe and learn about the rare and endangered...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreApr 272 minDendrology - 2 Weeks LaterDendrology; The science and study of woody plants, specifically trees and shrubs. We had our second workshop, led by Bob Bowles, this...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreApr 133 minWinter Dendrology: The Study of Trees Most of us learned about trees in elementary school. We learned how to identify them mainly by the shape of their leaves and on...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreApr 33 minSpring is in the Air at the CentreAt this time of year, the pond at the Nature Centre is alive with activity. Compared with the summer months, the pond is nearly double...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreMar 262 minThe Pre-Dawn SkyIf you are an early riser and specifically an early riser on March 27th, you are in for one of the top ten sky events for 2022! This...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreMar 202 minSpring has SprungHappy Spring Everyone! Spring officially arrived in the Northern Hemisphere today, March 20, 2022, at 11:33 AM EDT. This day is also...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreMar 42 minMammal Tracking - The Eye of a DetectiveDiagonal walkers, pacers or waddlers, bounders and gallopers; are just some of the new terms we learned at our Mammal Tracking workshop...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreFeb 222 minAn Irruption of Arctic SnowbirdsOne morning, during the early part of February, while walking on trails at the nature centre we saw what looked like swirling snowflakes...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreJan 173 minThe Wolf Moon Once a month or more specifically every 29.5 days we have a full moon. Most people are generally in awe when gazing at the moon, whether...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreJan 82 min24th Carden Alvar Christmas Bird CountWe started our bird and mammal count, at the nature centre, just after the sun rose on Monday January 3rd. It was certainly a very...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreDec 24, 20212 minHolidays - A Magically Time for Gratefullness"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." ...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreDec 5, 20213 minMassive and Majestic We just had to write about the massive and majestic Moose (Alces alces) after capturing this great photo with our game camera of a bull...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreNov 22, 20213 minA Merriment EventWe wrote in a previous blog (in June) about a local organization, Friendship Force Lake Simcoe (FFLS) that provides opportunities to...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreNov 15, 20213 minAgents of Change; Our Youth and World LeadersOur last 3 blogs were about wetlands and their significant role in keeping our environment healthy and combating climate change. Our...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreNov 8, 20213 minLife in The Wetlands King rails (Rallus elegans), frogs (Lithobates), salamanders (Ambystoma), spotted turtles (Clemmys Guttata) and 7 other turtle species, ...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreOct 31, 20213 minWetlands and Climate ChangeLast week we talked about the importance of wetlands and listed 5-10 benefits of protecting and restoring our wetlands. Just to recap,...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreOct 23, 20212 minWetlands: Their Role in Keeping Us and the Environment HealthyWe have all heard of wetlands but do we really know their significance and importance to the health of our environment. Let's start with...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreOct 14, 20213 minMarvel CommunicationOur 'Giving Thanks For a Rainbow of Colour (and Mushrooms)' workshop, held over Thanksgiving weekend, was a success even though it rained...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreOct 6, 20213 minIt's the Season - For MushroomsSome would think Tis the Season with the activity that is happening currently on social media. So much excitement and enthusiasm going on...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreSep 25, 20213 minSunflowers - A Vision of GratitudeThose beautiful, tall, (sometimes)yellow flower heads facing the sun. You can't help but smile and acknowledge their beauty when you see...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreSep 16, 20212 minThe Butterfly Journey ContinuedWe wrote at the beginning of September about the migration of the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) to Mexico. During our online...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreSep 2, 20213 minA Journey to MexicoDid you know the third generation of Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in Ontario undertake a spectacular journey in late August,...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreAug 27, 20212 minInvasive Aquatic PlantThis article was written by Bob Bowles for simcoe.com and appears online and in Orillia Today. New invasive aquatic plant taking over...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreAug 17, 20212 minThe Elegant Trumpeter SwanThese majestic birds can have a wingspan up to 3 meters and weigh between 7-13 kgs making these the heaviest, native waterfowl in...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreAug 7, 20212 minThe Life of MontyWe watched as "Monty" the Monarch butterfly took his first flight last Saturday, July 31st at our workshop "Monarch Butterfly Birthday-A...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreJul 29, 20212 minLeucism: What is it?We recently had a report at the nature centre, from a local birder, that an American Robin had discoloration throughout its plumage,...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreJul 20, 20212 minMore about Butterflies including Damselflies, Dragonflies and MothsThe Carden Alvar Butterfly and Dragonfly counts were held this past weekend, July 17th and 18th, celebrating its 24th official year. We...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreJul 8, 20212 minButterflies: A New Place to ResideOne of our goals, at the nature centre, is helping to save endangered species and what better way to assist than to build a butterfly...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreJun 29, 20212 minHosting - friendship force Lake Simcoe Bob is the 1st-vice president of friendship force Lake Simcoe and is looking forward to introducing visitors from around the world to the...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreJun 18, 20212 minSpittlebugs: You Don't SayWell, a new word in my vocabulary; spittlebug. During our recent walk with Bob here at the centre, he pointed out a whitish, foamy...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreJun 9, 20212 minSo Just What is an Alvar?Growing up I had always heard my family talk about the Cameron Ranch, now part of the Carden Alvar, northeast of Orillia, Ontario. I...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreJun 4, 20212 minPromises - Bluebirds - And Yellow FlowersThere's a bluebird on our window sill, there's a rainbow in our hearts here at the nature centre with promises of things to come this...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreMay 28, 20212 minAn Unusual Find: Crawe's SedgeSedges are often overlooked or thought of as clumps of grass. But like everything in nature it seems the more you look, and the closer...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreMay 22, 20212 minWildflowers: More Discoveries During our daily walks at the Nature Centre, we've discovered more spring ephemerals and some spectacular wildflowers. It seems the more...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreMay 6, 20212 minSpring-Flowering Ephemerals Pretty, delicate and only lasting a short time, spring-flowering ephemerals are some of the hardiest plants in the natural world. It is...
Robert L. Bowles Nature CentreApr 29, 20212 min The Majestic Pileated WoodpeckerLong before you see a pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus piteatus) in the forest you will more than likely hear the deep, loud drumming or...
robertlbowlesnaturecentreApr 22, 20212 minEarth Day - April 22nd, 2021"Earth Day is to raise awareness to the environment and our planet, to learn more about the natural world around us and how to best...
robertlbowlesnaturecentreApr 21, 20212 minChoices: Cranes or Turtles! How about we talk about both.During the early evening of Sunday, April 18th we were pleasantly surprised by 13 Sandhill Cranes (Antigone canadensis) flying...
robertlbowlesnaturecentreApr 16, 20212 minSpring Continues to UnfoldWe are fortunate at the nature centre to have a small, marshy area where dozens of Willows (Salix) have taken up residency. The...
robertlbowlesnaturecentreApr 9, 20212 minIt was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of Times.....This partial quote is taken from the opening paragraph of Charles Dickens epic novel, Tale of Two Cities. Given our current situation it...
robertlbowlesnaturecentreApr 1, 20211 minCrazy Times, Crazy Weather and It's April Fool's Day!We woke this morning to 1" of snow on the ground and news of a province-wide, emergency brake shut-down. This latter news will put a...
robertlbowlesnaturecentreMar 24, 20212 minSpring Blooms, Coming Out of Our Winter CocoonsJoin us over Easter Weekend, on Saturday April 3rd 2021 at 1:30 pm. for our Spring Blooms workshop led by Bob Bowles. Bob is an...
robertlbowlesnaturecentreMar 22, 20212 minFun At Our Signs of Spring WorkshopOn the first day of spring when all of nature is awakening from a long winter's sleep and we have been shut inside, isolated in our homes...
robertlbowlesnaturecentreMar 14, 20212 minSigns of Spring (Part 2)We are looking forward to meeting you at the new Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre at our 'Signs of Spring' workshop on Saturday March 20,...
robertlbowlesnaturecentreMar 14, 20211 minSigns of Spring (Part 1)Come and join us at the new Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre (formally Green Events and Programs) on Saturday March 20, 2021, the first day...
robertlbowlesnaturecentreFeb 22, 20211 minRobert L. Bowles Nature CentreGreen Events and Programs is changing its name to Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre We are excited to officially announce, that Green Events...