Into Summer on the Carden Alvar
We gathered on Saturday, June 17th for the second part of our Alvar Flora Tour Walk. Unique flora grows and blooms on the Alvar during...
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Your Ultimate Guide for a Deeper Connection to Nature
Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- May 15
- 3 min
The Carden Alvar- A Flora Tour Walk
In 2014, a part of the area known as the Carden Alvar just east of Orillia, Ontario became a Provincial Park called Carden Alvar...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Apr 3
- 2 min
Getting to Know Trees
This past Saturday we had a lovely group of people attend our Winter Dendrology class. Dendrology is the scientific study of shrubs and...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Mar 24
- 2 min
The Ghost of the Forest
We have had a resident Barred owl (Strix varia) with us for some time here at the nature centre. We named him/her Berty the Barred Owl....
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jan 31
- 3 min
Not just One but Two: In Search of Mammal Tracks
Just a day and a half after our Mammal Tracking workshop, not one but two moose came to visit early Monday morning. We went live on...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jan 22
- 2 min
Seniors on Snowshoes
We didn't really know what to expect with only a couple of inches of snow on the ground; nevertheless everyone came prepared for a hike...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jan 17
- 3 min
Mammal Tracking in the New Year
Just when we thought we would never see the sun again, it broke over the eastern horizon and shone brightly all day for the first time in...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Nov 29, 2022
- 2 min
Mammal Tracks Tell a Story
As winter approaches and the days shorten you may be asking yourself how and what you will do to maintain your connection with nature...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Oct 4, 2022
- 2 min
The Mushroom World
And what a World it is! With over 50,000 species world-wide there is no shortage of finding exquisite looking and sometimes delicious...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jun 25, 2022
- 3 min
A Walk on Carden Alvar
Father'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...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jun 14, 2022
- 2 min
Dazzling Displays
The month of June is a very extraordinary month on the Carden Alvar. Unique flowers, over 400 species, endure the harshness of Alvar...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- May 31, 2022
- 2 min
Those Unique Birds
Bird watchers and seasoned birders joined us at the Nature Centre last Sunday morning to observe and learn about the rare and endangered...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Apr 27, 2022
- 2 min
Dendrology - 2 Weeks Later
Dendrology; The science and study of woody plants, specifically trees and shrubs. We had our second workshop, led by Bob Bowles, this...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Apr 13, 2022
- 3 min
Winter 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...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Apr 3, 2022
- 3 min
Spring is in the Air at the Centre
At this time of year, the pond at the Nature Centre is alive with activity. Compared with the summer months, the pond is nearly double...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Mar 26, 2022
- 2 min
The Pre-Dawn Sky
If 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...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Mar 20, 2022
- 2 min
Spring has Sprung
Happy Spring Everyone! Spring officially arrived in the Northern Hemisphere today, March 20, 2022, at 11:33 AM EDT. This day is also...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Mar 4, 2022
- 2 min
Mammal Tracking - The Eye of a Detective
Diagonal walkers, pacers or waddlers, bounders and gallopers; are just some of the new terms we learned at our Mammal Tracking workshop...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Feb 22, 2022
- 2 min
An Irruption of Arctic Snowbirds
One morning, during the early part of February, while walking on trails at the nature centre we saw what looked like swirling snowflakes...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jan 17, 2022
- 3 min
The 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...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jan 8, 2022
- 2 min
24th Carden Alvar Christmas Bird Count
We started our bird and mammal count, at the nature centre, just after the sun rose on Monday January 3rd. It was certainly a very...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Dec 24, 2021
- 2 min
Holidays - 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." ...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Dec 4, 2021
- 3 min
Massive 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...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Nov 22, 2021
- 3 min
A Merriment Event
We wrote in a previous blog (in June) about a local organization, Friendship Force Lake Simcoe (FFLS) that provides opportunities to...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Nov 15, 2021
- 3 min
Agents of Change; Our Youth and World Leaders
Our last 3 blogs were about wetlands and their significant role in keeping our environment healthy and combating climate change. Our...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Nov 8, 2021
- 3 min
Life in The Wetlands
King rails (Rallus elegans), frogs (Lithobates), salamanders (Ambystoma), spotted turtles (Clemmys Guttata) and 7 other turtle species, ...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Oct 31, 2021
- 3 min
Wetlands and Climate Change
Last week we talked about the importance of wetlands and listed 5-10 benefits of protecting and restoring our wetlands. Just to recap,...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Oct 23, 2021
- 2 min
Wetlands: Their Role in Keeping Us and the Environment Healthy
We have all heard of wetlands but do we really know their significance and importance to the health of our environment. Let's start with...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Oct 14, 2021
- 3 min
Marvel Communication
Our 'Giving Thanks For a Rainbow of Colour (and Mushrooms)' workshop, held over Thanksgiving weekend, was a success even though it rained...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Oct 6, 2021
- 3 min
It's the Season - For Mushrooms
Some would think Tis the Season with the activity that is happening currently on social media. So much excitement and enthusiasm going on...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Sep 25, 2021
- 3 min
Sunflowers - A Vision of Gratitude
Those beautiful, tall, (sometimes)yellow flower heads facing the sun. You can't help but smile and acknowledge their beauty when you see...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Sep 16, 2021
- 2 min
The Butterfly Journey Continued
We wrote at the beginning of September about the migration of the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) to Mexico. During our online...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Sep 2, 2021
- 3 min
A Journey to Mexico
Did you know the third generation of Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in Ontario undertake a spectacular journey in late August,...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Aug 27, 2021
- 2 min
Invasive Aquatic Plant
This article was written by Bob Bowles for simcoe.com and appears online and in Orillia Today. New invasive aquatic plant taking over...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Aug 17, 2021
- 2 min
The Elegant Trumpeter Swan
These majestic birds can have a wingspan up to 3 meters and weigh between 7-13 kgs making these the heaviest, native waterfowl in...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Aug 7, 2021
- 2 min
The Life of Monty
We watched as "Monty" the Monarch butterfly took his first flight last Saturday, July 31st at our workshop "Monarch Butterfly Birthday-A...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jul 29, 2021
- 2 min
Leucism: 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,...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jul 20, 2021
- 2 min
More about Butterflies including Damselflies, Dragonflies and Moths
The Carden Alvar Butterfly and Dragonfly counts were held this past weekend, July 17th and 18th, celebrating its 24th official year. We...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jul 8, 2021
- 2 min
Butterflies: A New Place to Reside
One of our goals, at the nature centre, is helping to save endangered species and what better way to assist than to build a butterfly...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jun 29, 2021
- 2 min
Hosting - 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...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jun 18, 2021
- 2 min
Spittlebugs: You Don't Say
Well, a new word in my vocabulary; spittlebug. During our recent walk with Bob here at the centre, he pointed out a whitish, foamy...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jun 9, 2021
- 2 min
So 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...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Jun 4, 2021
- 2 min
Promises - Bluebirds - And Yellow Flowers
There'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...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- May 28, 2021
- 2 min
An Unusual Find: Crawe's Sedge
Sedges are often overlooked or thought of as clumps of grass. But like everything in nature it seems the more you look, and the closer...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- May 22, 2021
- 2 min
Wildflowers: More Discoveries
During our daily walks at the Nature Centre, we've discovered more spring ephemerals and some spectacular wildflowers. It seems the more...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- May 6, 2021
- 2 min
Spring-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...
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Robert L. Bowles Nature Centre
- Apr 29, 2021
- 2 min
The Majestic Pileated Woodpecker
Long before you see a pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus piteatus) in the forest you will more than likely hear the deep, loud drumming or...
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robertlbowlesnaturecentre
- Apr 22, 2021
- 2 min
Earth 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...
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robertlbowlesnaturecentre
- Apr 21, 2021
- 2 min
Choices: 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...
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robertlbowlesnaturecentre
- Apr 16, 2021
- 2 min
Spring Continues to Unfold
We are fortunate at the nature centre to have a small, marshy area where dozens of Willows (Salix) have taken up residency. The...
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