Good to Know

  GHG AND AMAZON   Climate chaos and global overheating caused by too many green house gases in the environment are having profound impact on our bird populations. Most birds are migrating earlier in the spring as spring temperatures are getting warmer. A study of 63 years of data for 96 species of bird migrants in Canada showed that 27 species have changed their arrival dates significantly. Birds also seem to be delaying their autumn departure due to global overheating.  Some birds in Europe are even failing to m igrate all together. Yesterday I pointed out that you can help reduce greenhouse gases by composting. Y ou can also help reduce greenhouse gases by buying locally rather than from Amazon etc.   Every time you order online from companies like Amazon, you are making it more and more difficult for local retailers to stay afloat. Not only do local retailers provide residents with much  needed goods and services, but they are a critical tax b...

  BIRDS AND CLIMATE CHAOS Climate chaos and global overheating caused by too many green house gases in the environment are having profound impact on our bird populations. Most birds are migrating earlier in the spring as spring temperatures are getting warmer. A study of 63 years of data for 96 species of bird migrants in Canada showed that 27 species have changed their arrival dates significantly. Birds also seem to be delaying their autumn departure due to global overheating.  In a study of 13 North American passerines, 6 species were found to delay their departure dates. Some birds in Europe are even failing to migrate all together. One very easy action you can take to help decease one of the most potent GHG in the environment is the simple act of composting. It turns out 50% of bio gas from landfills sites is methane. Organic materials biodegrade in landfill sites, while deprived of oxygen will readily produce methane gas. Methane gas 30-40 times mor...

 MIRRORED CABINS -DEATH TRAPS FOR BIRDS I love hiking in a woodland settings under an umbrella of towering trees while listening to the a chorus of chirping and chattering birds. Lately,  I have been looking at spending a weekend in a mirrored cabin in the woods. Mirrored cabins are a growing trend  offering  vacationers an opportunity to “immerse themselves in nature”. I recently changed mind! I discovered that a rustic cabin replete with large windows, from top to bottom, that would provide me wonderful opportunity observe wildlife, including bird s from the inside, was in reality an instrument of death for the birds! BIRDS CANNOT SEE GLASS! To the birds  the vegetation reflected  on the glass is just as just as inviting as the real thing. Collisions with buildings claim the lives of millions of birds in Canada each and every single year!

LAKEFRONT SUGGESTIONS FOR BARRIE  When considering improvements to the Barrie Lakefront we should strive to create an inviting destination for residents and visitor s with a myriad of needs and interests that appeal to their senses and need to enjoy the great outdoors. Connecting with the flora and fauna in our natural surroundings has demonstrated to enhance our emotional and physical well being. At the same time we want to ensure that any changes we make will not negatively impact the ecological health of Lake Simcoe. So we would have to rethink the best ideas offered, if in any way they resulted in the shredding of the threads of the delicate web of life existing along the lake shore. We want to ensure we protect, maintain, and enhance the food sources and threatened habitats for wildlife from our precious pollinators to the resident and migratory birds that rely on our lake and environs for their survival.   As well we have to keep in mind what we can do to ...

TREES AND EARLY SETTLERS IN ONTARIO T he Barrie Bird Team is happy to announce Barrie has made it the Entry Level. The Bird Team is working tirelessly to to add more evidence in the hopes of attaining the Intermediate Level before March 31. We then need a council resolution or letter of support within 12 months of certification. On another note about the concerns of developers cutting down trees to build. We have been cutting down trees at an alarming pace since the settlers first arrived in North America. As a matter of fact, at one point in time , so many of the old growth woodlands had been razed by early settlers large tracts of land was turning into desert. Sites like the Oak Ridges Moraine was turning into a dust bowl and the Niagara Escarpments was a barren wasteland. Just like the impacts of climate chaos, Ontario endured the ravages of increasingly more powerful floods, erosion, and deadly fires. It was through the sheer determination and relentless efforts o...

 BENEFITS OF TREES  I mentioned becoming involved in planting as many native trees as possible is necessary for birds to survive and thrive. Not only do birds benefit from trees,but below are listed the myriad of benefits trees provide for the ecological health of our environment and all living beings on Earth. c arbon sequestr ation - absorb s CO2 and stores carbon in wood lungs of the Earth - 1 large tree provides enough oxygen for 4 people  homes - trees help restore some of the wildlife habitats we have destroyed  shade umbrellas - t he shade of trees, not only keep cities cooler, but the shade of towering trees prevent eggs from aquatic life from drying out in the intense heat of the sun  water tanks -  protect and restore important wetlands and forests by reducing flooding and erosion, roots of mature trees hold staggering amo...

HOW MANY SPECIES OF WILDLIFE  DO YOU  THINK  A NATIVE OAK TREE   CAN SUPPORT?   less than 100? less than 500? Oo ver 1 000?                                   A NATIVE OAK TREE CAN SUPPORT 1,139 SPECIES!!   532 species of caterpillars 147 species of birds ( 9,000 plus species) 120 species of mammals ( 9,000 plus) 60 species of reptiles and amphibians  (amphibians - 8,000) (reptiles -1,046)    280 species of insects (5-10, million)

  TREES AND BIRDS                            You can help birds survive by planting as many trees as possible on your property or community tree planting initiatives. Why not turn your backyard into a woodland? Living Green in partnership with the City and Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority has a laudable goal of p l anting 10,000 trees in Barrie in the next few years . Native Trees provide food, dew, shelter, nesting materials, nesting, and observation points for birds. How Beneficial Are Trees lungs of the Earth - 1 large tree provides enough oxygen for 4 people  climate chaos solution - large scale CO2 removal can be achieved through refores...