So, you want to learn who’s who in the world of hoot owls. Or maybe you’re tired of not knowing what members of the animal kingdom are sharing your favourite walking trail. Or perhaps you just want to capture some of the stark beauty you see in the wintery landscape.
You’re in luck on all counts. The University of Guelph Arboretum is hosting upcoming workshops on all of the above.
A 408-acre (165 hectares) gem of a green space, the Arboretum is a haven for dozens of tree species, and many varieties of birds and other wildlife. There are four workshops coming up this month for nature enthusiasts. Two are owl related. You’ll have to dress warmly, and spend a bit of cash.
Starting on Friday, Jan. 13, Arboretum naturalist Chris Early will conduct an all-day workshop, and nighttime owl prowl, entitled “Owl Who’s Whoo,” aimed at training your eyes and ears to identity Ontario’s owls. There are several species, and many of them inhabit the woods of the Arboretum.
Early, the author of Hawks and Owls of Eastern North America, will instruct participants in a variety of hands-on activities that will help you recognize owl plumage, calls and behaviours, as well as favoured habitat characteristics, and migration patterns.
The daytime session runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the owl prowl is from 6-8 p.m. The registration fee is $105 plus HST.
Guest instructor Tamara Anderson will lead “Animal Tracking” on Friday, Jan. 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The early bird fee is $75 plus HST if registered by Jan. 12, $85 plus taxes after that.
The full-day program will demystify the tracks you see in the snow, delving into the variety of footprints left by the many mammals and birds that tread through the Arboretum.
By studying things like foot morphology, track patterns and gait analysis, you should be able to identify and interpret animal tracks by the end of the day. And, as a bonus, there will be a lesson or two in exciting scat identification.
Some time will be spent outdoors, and participants will receive a copy of The Mammals of the Arboretum booklet.
On Friday, Jan. 27 and Saturday, Jan. 28, there will be other opportunities to go owl spotting. From 7 - 8:30 p.m. on both evenings, a “Night Stalker’s Owl Prowl” will happen. Friday’s is for adults and teens, Saturday’s for all ages. The costs at $8 for children, $15 for adults, and $40 for a family of four.
On the prowl you’ll learn to identify the calls owls make in the night, as well as how they catch their food in the dark, among other things.
Then at the end of the month, Jan. 29, Sylvia Galbraith of Silver Creek Photography of Fergus, will conduct the “Winter Landscape Photography” program. The early bird fee is $55 plus taxes up until Jan. 19, $65 plus taxes after that date.
Galbraith will host a visual presentation and discussion on the unique challenges and opportunities of winter photography. She will help you get the best camera setting for bright snow, how best to protect your equipment from the cold, and what photography equipment is best for winter shooting.
Picture taking practice will happen out in the Arboretum. See Galbraith’s photography at www.sylviagalbraith.ca.
To register for any of the January programs at the Arboretum visit www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum and search for workshops under education and events. Workshops happen throughout the year, many related to bird-watching, plant care, and creative activity in nature.
The OAC Centennial Arboretum Centre hosts conferences, workshops, seminars, retreats and more throughout the year in its auditorium and various rooms.
The Arboretum is a place of education, research, nature and recreation. There are over 10 kilometres of trails. It is home to the Gene Bank, which preserves the genetic material of threatened Ontario trees and shrubs. Seeds from the bank are used to restore and reintroduce plants.
The Arboretum is playing a key role in the restoration of elm trees in Ontario.