The SCOOP // April / May 2019

SCOOP The

April / May 2019

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Our Birds of Spring: Muscovies, Warblers, & More

Here’s The SCOOP

The

SCOOP T Founded in 2005 by Richard Saxe

PUBLISHER & AD SALES Karen Nordrum stonemills.scoop@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTORS John Lynn Bell, Catherine Coles, Dianne Dowling, Katherine Burrows, Glen R. Goodhand, Alyce Gorter, Kate

here is no more joyous sign of spring than the return of birds.

Well-known migrants of course, including geese, ducks, red-wing blackbirds, robins, and many others, but even those who never left become more active and vocal. Chickadees and blue jays seem re-energized and ubiquitous, after months of relative scarcity. But recent years have brought even more spectacular returns. This spring alone we’ve heard multiple reported sightings of two of our greatest birds, long extirpated from this region: the bald eagle and the trumpeter swan (not to be mistaken with the mute swan, introduced from Europe and considered invasive). Both suffered the same fate, but for different reasons: trumpeter swans were hunted for their meat,

feathers, and even their leather, until they disappeared in the late 19th century, and bald eagles were decimated by DDT in the second half of the 20th century. To see them come back is much more than a sign of spring, it’s also a powerful symbol that we can correct past mistakes and restore some of the great natural wonders we’ve destroyed.

Since this particular spring is so well suited to the hope and renewal that birds often represent, what better way to salute the season than to read the many bird stories our multi-talented writers have composed for this issue of The SCOOP. From beautiful, motherly ducks, to wilder, scarcer species we may encounter in this area with a bit of effort, we bring you a raucous flock of bird

writings. Even when birds are not centre stage, they can be found between the lines. A story about old barns would not be complete without the many birds that will inevitably call it home (one we know best has robins, swallows, and some sort of sparrow in it). Our ash trees are unfortunately struggling. Many birds rely on them for food and shelter. Planting a few trees, always a good idea in any circumstance, might be a great help.

Koester, Marcella Neely, Susan Rehner, River Falls Class, Terry Sprague, Amanda Tracey, & Tom Wheatley

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COVER Thelma, a beloved Muscovy mother duck from the Wilton area. Photo by Kate Koester.

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The SCOOP • April / May 2019

Suspense for the Great Outdoors Catherine Coles

N

ow that spring is finally in the air, I’ve recently rediscovered an entire sub-genre of books that has long been off of my radar – novels about adventure and survival in the great outdoors. While a rugged adventure is certainly not in store for me this year (or hopefully ever), I can’t help but be captured by books about fraught, touch-and-go wilderness expeditions.

The following are a few great ones to help you gear up for the outdoor season ahead.

The book that initially sparked this recent mood is The River by Peter Heller.

A perfect mix of psychological fiction and survival story, this novel follows two hyper-competent, outdoorsy friends from Dartmouth who embark upon a weeks-long canoe trip in the Canadian north. On their trip, they run into a few major problems. First, a massive wildfire is approaching, and they are a way off of their destination. The nights are also getting colder, and they worry about that too (Robert Frost’s Fire and Ice comes to mind). The final barrier to their survival is all too human. They come across a cagey man named Pierre who appears to have left his wife for dead deep in the woods. Our Dartmouth pair manages to track down and rescue the badly battered woman, but it soon becomes clear that Pierre is not interested in having his misdeeds come back to haunt him. If the wildfires don’t end our protagonists, Pierre just might.

The River at Night by Erica Ferencik is a thriller I was very much looking forward to when it was released last year. While I

can’t say it lived up to my expectations, it was still a great page-turner and definitely transported me to the backwoods. It follows four middle-aged women as they embark on a rafting trip in rural, densely forested Maine. Three out of four of the friends are reluctant to take a girls’ weekend so far off the beaten track, but the fourth pushes her lust for adventure on to the others. Naturally, an incident occurs and puts in motion a plot that will remind readers of Deliverance.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen is a classic novel of juvenile fiction that is intended for grades 6 to 12 but is a gripping read for adult readers too. A thirteen-year-old boy named Brian is the only passenger on a small plane flying him to visit his father in the Canadian wilderness. When the pilot suddenly has a heart attack and dies, the plane drifts off course and crashes into a small lake. Brian swims free of the plane, arriving on a sandy tree-lined shore with only his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother had given him as a present. This fast-paced novel chronicles Brian’s mistakes, setbacks, and small triumphs as, with the help of the hatchet, he manages to survive the 54 days alone in the wilderness.

deranged, rogue black bear attacks their family’s Algonquin Park campsite. Some may find the childish voice of the narrator a bit off-putting, but I sped through this novel. It is moving, suspenseful, and a great survival story that goes well beyond the threat of bear attack.

The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens follows a teenage boy named Wolf who finds himself stranded on a mountain with three women he doesn’t know. He must overcome not just the natural elements, but his own fears and guilt.

Since the novel is framed as a letter written by Wolf to his son years later, there’s no question about his survival; but the letter hints that survival has come at a major cost. This novel is perhaps not as suspenseful as the others, but it is still a great character-driven wilderness survival story.

You can reserve all these titles at your branch of the County of Lennox & Addington Libraries or online at www.

CountyLibrary.ca.

TAMWORTH & DISTRICT LIONS CLUB

2019 Events May 18

Yard Sale & E-Waste Collection

Tamworth Arena

June 1

Annual Golf

Tournament Briar Fox Golf Course

July 1

Canada Day BBQ All proceeds to Canada Day Committee

The Bear by Clare Cameron is loosely based on a shocking true story. It is narrated by a little girl who must fend for herself and her baby brother after a

July 6

Kids Fishing Derby Beaver Lake

August 18

Fish Fry & Corn Roast Tamworth Arena

December

Santa Claus Parade & Mon-Tue 10am-6pm • Wed-Fri 9am-6pm • Sat 9am-noon

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April / May 2019 • The SCOOP

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Have Truck, Will Travel Alyce Gorter

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he good-quality, thick-pile, light beige carpet had, at one time, looked quite spiffy in the basement family room. However, over the years it had sustained heavy traffic from two – and four-legged mammals who all seemed to produce a never-ceasing dribble of dirt, hair, and crumbs. In addition, it had sustained several floods from an overflowing cistern, developing, as a result of all of this, into a breeding ground of mould, mildew, and marital discord. It had to be removed.

Now I don’t want to over-simplify matters but there are two kinds of personality types in this world – the process-oriented and the task-focused.

Under an even stronger microscope, these two groups could be described as “the talkers and the doers.” You know them well – the process/talkers who want to schedule just one more meeting, convene one more committee, and develop pages of power-point charts and graphs showing “how to…” and while they are figuring out all the steps in the procedure the task/doers have got the job done. Well, the Gorter parental unit is composed of one of each of these types.

So ... getting back to the carpet …

For some reason, nagging and complaining (my version of motivational speaking) had not produced the desired effect and the hot, humid summer was approaching. I could envision our family room as a personal, home rainforest with mushrooms sprouting, vines stealthily winding around the children while they sat innocently watching TV, and a slowly thickening miasma that would creep up the stairs and poison us while we slept.

Something had to be done NOW! The carpet had been professionally laid to cover 12’ by 24’ of floor space with the recommended underlay glued to the concrete, carpet stapled to the underlay, and baseboard nailed to securely hold the carpet edges in place. No small job in removing everything, let alone moving all the furniture to get at it. But the kids were in school, and today seemed a fitting time to tackle the job. The fact that the man of the house was home that day (for some reason long since forgotten) meant, I thought, that there would be two of us to do it. However, the Processor had scheduled an extended meeting with

the living room sofa which reduced the team to one.

Armed with a hammer, screwdriver/ staple remover, pry bar, and enough fury to melt the glue and singe the carpet I began the battle. Lift, lug, push, pull, and shove couches, TV, end tables, lamps and sundry other “stuff,” wrench, pull, tug, pry, lever, scrape, and pound to loosen carpet. Yes, the snores upstairs were loud, but how could he not hear me slugging away downstairs ALL BY MYSELF?! The anger increased, pushing me onward, enforcing my determination to ignore aching muscles and cramping limbs.

Hours later the carpet was finally released from all its nails, staples, and semi-permanent bonding to the underlay. I began rolling it up — long edge toward long edge—so that by the time I was finished, the resulting bundle was 24’ long and heavier than I could ever possibly manage to move. Now, I am not totally against the act of processing and it was fairly obvious that since I had spent no time previously in considering the “what next” part of the job, I should probably do that now. Planning time was brief, however, as the solution was readily apparent. We have lots of rope. I own a truck.

The process: Step One: Back the 4-wheel drive up to the upper-level patio steps.

Step Two: Lay the rope on the lowerlevel (basement) floor.

Step Three: Roll carpet over rope.

Step Four: Secure rope around carpet in tight knots.

Step Five: Drag loose end of rope up 13 steps, across entryway, through the front door, across deck, and tie to bumper hitch of truck.

Step Six: Step on gas.

Just as I headed out the door for Step Six, Rip Van Winkle finally woke up and came to see what the commotion was all about. He was speechless. I assumed he was either too impressed with my ingenuity to speak or just surprised he wasn’t rolled up in the carpet. “If you’re finally here to help,” says I, “stand at the top of the stairs and make sure the rope doesn’t snag and take one of the doors off its hinges.” He did. It didn’t.

Got ‘er done.

GrassRoots Growers 10th Annual Spring Plant Sale Saturday, May 25, 10 a.m. – noon Beaver Lake Lions Park, Hwy 41, Erinsville

No EARLY BIRD SALES Heritage Tomato Plants • Vegetables • Herbs Unusual Annuals & Perennials • Shrubs

Proceeds provide funds for Fleming College Awards, Speaker Events, & Prize Money for Local Fairs Plants grown by GrassRoots Growers & their supporters

www.te-grassrootsgrowers.weebly.com

Food Matters — to Everyone Dianne Dowling

W

hat is good about the food system in this region, and what could be better? That’s the question that will be raised at “Food Matters — to Everyone,” a public event on Saturday, May 11.

The Food Policy Council for Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox-Addington is hosting the event to raise awareness of activities, projects and businesses in the L&A region that are related to farming and food, and to create an opportunity for people to network and plan future collaborations.

“Food Matters — to Everyone” will be held at Roblin Wesleyan Church, 3100 County Road 41. Everyone is welcome to attend and there is no admission charge.

The event will begin at 12:30 noon, with a chance to tour displays set up by community organizations and businesses. You will be able to talk with people at the displays, learn about their activities and, if you wish, get involved with their pursuits.

Beginning at 1:30 p.m., there will be presentations by a panel of people involved in food and farm initiatives, followed by a question-and-answer period.

From 3 to 4 p.m., there will be a session in which organizations and individuals will have a chance to contribute answers to these questions: 1. what are the good things going on in our regional food system, and; 2. what can we do to make the system better.

Attendees can submit their ideas in writing and also share them orally.

Refreshments will be available during the event.

If you are connected to a food – or farm-related organization, or food is an aspect of your work, and you would like to attend, or you would like a display at the event, please contact me at 613-5460869, or dowling@kos.net. Advance registration is needed for a display, but not for attending as a member of the public.

Go to foodpolicykfla.ca for details. See you there!

food policy and held public consultations in 2017. In 2018, AAFC released its What We Heard Report, a summary of the presentations received during the consultations.

I wrote to AAFC this winter, asking about their progress in developing a national food policy and when we might expect its release. Here is the reply I received in March from the Food Policy for Canada section within AAFC: “Food Policy is a complex and broad subject matter that requires a multifaceted approach. The food policy touches on the mandates of other federal organizations, some of which are developing complementary initiatives to the anticipated policy. Following extensive public consultations in 2017, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC) released the 2018 What We Heard Report to present the findings of this important process. Since then AAFC has been working extensively to identify priorities and options to address the themes/ challenges that will best reflect the long-term vision for the Canadian food system. It is important that this policy, as the first of its kind, is done right. To note further, no date has been set for the release of the policy; however, it is on track to be released before the end of the mandate. For more details on the food policy, please visit www.canada.ca/en/ campaign/food-policy/what-we-heard. html.”

The Food Policy Council for KFLA supports the advocacy of Food Secure Canada on a national food policy. Go to foodsecure.org for more details on proposals for a comprehensive national food policy focusing on access to sufficient, affordable, and healthy food for all Canadians, overseen by an inclusive governance organization such as a national food policy council.

I agree with the sentence, “It is important that this policy, as the first of its kind, is done right.” Contact your MP and the new Minister of Agriculture and AgriFood, Marie-Claude Bibeau with your comments about a national food policy and what it should contain.

Dianne Dowling is chair of the Food Policy Council for KFLA, and is a volunteer with other food and farm organizations in KFL&A. Her family operates a certified organic farm on Howe Island.

The Food Policy Council for KFL&A published a Food Charter in 2012, outlining the council’s vision and commitments. Go to foodpolicykfla.ca to read the charter and to learn about other activities of the council.

NATIONAL FOOD POLICY — TO BE ANNOUNCED BEFORE THE FEDERAL ELECTION THIS FALL The federal government, through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), has been developing a national

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The SCOOP • April / May 2019

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Do You Remember Drive-In Theatres?

Glen R. Goodhand

S

ome sharp SCOOP reader will say, “You’re treating drive-in theatres as a thing of the past. But they still exist!”

Yes, they do. There are 40 of them remaining in Canada, and two of them are in this area: the Mustang in Picton and the Family Fun Park in Kingston.

But I am rewinding to their hey-day in the 1950s, and even into the 60s and 70s.

Their popularity reached its peak in the fifth decade of the 20th century. That’s almost ancient history in 2019.

The first such entertainment centre was opened in Camden, New Jersey in 1933.

Richard Hollingsworth charged 25 cents per person, and featured a British comedy, “Wives Beware,” starring Adolph Mongeau. It was shown on a screen measuring 40’ by 50’ and there was room for 400 cars.

Generating sound properly was one of the first snags. Speakers in the tower created an echo effect, which worsened the further away movie-goers were parked. Hollingsworth then tried rows of speakers for every line of cars. Finally, in 1941, in-car speakers solved the problem (eventually with improved technology wireless FM sound was funnelled into automobile radios).

The first Canadian drive-in opened near Hamilton in July 1946. Not only were they an appealing novelty at first, but they were ideal for families. Kids could get into their PJs at home, and either watch the film or fall asleep in the car, ready to be carried into bed when they returned home. Drive-in theatres helped to bond those of all ages. Some sites had playground equipment to occupy the

youngsters while waiting for “dusk” to announce, “show time!”

The convenience of a snack bar didn’t hurt the popularity either—even though it meant the family flivver could be full of popcorn by evening’s end. Other flies-in-the-ointment were common.

Stowaways, smuggled in the trunks of the cars, were a favourite ploy.

Sometimes, a search would even have revealed a patron lying across the back-seat floor. There is a true story about one cheater who went to let his pals out of the trunk—but his key broke off in the lock. Talk about a conundrum!

The weather was a stickler. Rain didn’t hinder the projection of the film or the provision of sound. But in the early days, most windshield wipers were not electric, but vacuum powered—meaning the motor had to be running for them to operate.

Sometimes hot-rodders purposefully demonstrated their Hollywood mufflers or straight pipes, which annoyingly competed with the dialogue of the picture.

Although it didn’t happen that often, periodically someone would drive off with the in-car speaker still attached, tearing it off the post—and sometimes scratching the paint on their vehicle.

Paul and Nancy Peterson. They revealed the difficulties most irritating to their operation.

Sparking could be an embarrassment, but drunk youths invading the premises was far worse.

They wouldn’t come to watch the film but to party, and their hooting, hollering, and cavorting throughout the evening would create noisy disturbances.

When Peterson gave notice there would be zero tolerance toward such behaviour, the revellers stayed away but would drive by, hang out their car windows, and heckle him. The upshot of it all was that attendance dwindled for a time. But when the rabble-rousing decreased, a more mature audience replaced the trouble makers.

The entertainment fare at drive-in theatres was usually “B” movies—second choices for downtown movie houses.

Shows like “Godzilla Eats the Tooth Fairy” or “The Three Stooges Meet Laurel and Hardy” filled the giant screen.

Untoward conduct was both a problem for the drive-in manager and moviegoers.

Some maintain we’re experiencing a The most common embarrassment was revival of the drive-in theatre and assert sparking. Normally a couple would see a they are a “monument to tradition” and show—then, on their way home, park and that “nostalgia brings them back.” Could spark. But drive-ins accommodated be. Rumour has it the first picture on sparking (in case you don’t know—that’s Search (Advanced) >> Results >> Details >> Full Image Picton’s summer programme is: “The smooching) during the show.

Search: Horse Whisperer Gets Laryngitis.”

Streetview of Sulphide Recently the National Post featured a story on the Picton drive-in, ownedsmall by(640 x 480) default (1000 x 900) large (1600 x 1000) extra large (2400 x 1200)

TAMWORTH LIONS CLUB Yard Sale⁄Electronic Waste & Old Clothing Collection

SATURDAY, MAY 18 8 a.m. – 12 noon Tamworth Arena We will have over 50 tables full of items with some large pieces of furniture as well.

Food and drinks will be available. Please help support our club so we can in turn support activities in our community.

Go

The Hamlet of Sulphide Marcella Neely

J

ust a little northeast of Tweed but south of Hwy 7, there once was a tiny village known as Sulphide. The Nichols Mining Company established it in 1907 to house the manufacture of sulphuric acid for fertilizers.

Cloyne & District Historical Society

book will be available in the Bancroft store. We found the presentation informative and enlightening, and it prompted me to drive through the area to imagine it as it once was.

•• APRIL & MAY EVENTS •• Monday April 22, 1 p.m.

Cloyne Hall

Sulphide was set up as a company town. Nichols built and owned the homes and businesses and rented At the September meeting of the Cloyne them to employees and their & District Historical Society, Paul Kirby families. It was quite an active from Kirby Books in Bancroft introduced Search (Advanced) >> What's New >> Details >> Full Image community from 1908 when the us to many little-known facts about this Search: plant opened until 1964 when it interesting settlement. Kirby researched, Workers in front of Building Sulphide Mine a book ceased operation. It enjoyed a interviewed, andatthen wrote Black and white photograph of the main small (640 x 480) default (1000 x 900) large (1600 x 1000) extra large (2400 x 1200) three churches, a ballpark, school, about Sulphide that is waiting for a final street in Sulphide, Ontario. The three white arena, tennis court, recreation hall, edit. Kirby Books will publish it and the buildings in top left hand corner were where general store, the management lived when the mine was and hotel. All the opened. Courtesy Tweed Public Library. residents knew each other and having so much and costs. It was a community loss. in common, interacted regularly. Plays, Why was this site chosen for the dances, cultural, company? Location, location, location: it social and recreational was a large, unspoiled block of land that events took place. had railway access, iron pyrite was They had a hockey present in the soil, and Hydro was readily team and a baseball available. When the sulphide ore in the team. There may have area was found to be of low grade, it was been some social never mined but brought in by rail and differences based on a processed into sulphuric acid and then division of religion or shipped out. ancestry, but the tight-knit community I can’t help but wonder how many other came together when such hamlets have a story to tell? two young boys drowned in the local The only way we have is to preserve the pond. They gathered past for the future.

Black and white photograph of miners/workers in front and helped with of the Sulphide Mine. Courtesy Tweed Public Library. funeral preparations Go

Guest speaker Linda Corupe, author of “The Hard Road Ahead & The Addington Colonization Road in Early Ontario.” The Addington Road ran North from Sheffield Township, through Kaladar and straddled the border between Barrie and Anglesea townships. Everyone welcome. Free admission

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Saturday May 18, 9 a.m.

Mammoth Yard Sale Cloyne Hall

Reusable donations welcome and may be dropped off at the hall on Friday, May 17 between 9 & 11 a.m.

Monday, May 20, 1 p.m.

Cloyne Hall

Kevin Goodfellow will share more information on the Mazinaw-Pringle Lake Tramway. This was a 19th century engineering feat that transported logs from the Mississippi Watershed to the Moira Watershed. Free admission.

Everyone welcome.

Cloyne & District Historical Society and Pioneer Museum (613) 336-8619 pioneerinfo@mazinaw.on.ca

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April / May 2019 • The SCOOP

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Summer: A Great Time to Hug (Or Save) a Tree Katherine Burrows

T

rees are an integral part of life in the Stone Mills Canadian Shield region. We look forward to summer when we can sit under trees in our lawn chairs. Our children climb and swing from trees. After swimming, we hang wet bathing suits and towels on trees.

A large number of our beloved trees are currently suffering under attack from the Emerald Ash Borer. For more information on this highly destructive invasive insect, I contacted Stone Mills resident, Amanda Tracey, Coordinator – Conservation Biology at the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Central Ontario – East Ontario Region.

Amanda explains, “The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a wood-boring beetle that attacks and kills all species of Ash (black, white, green). Adult beetles lay eggs on the bark of ash trees. Once the larva emerge, they essentially tunnel under the bark and chew/eat their way around under the bark, until they emerge from the tree as adults.”

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website provides this description: “The beetle is metallic green in colour and is 8.5 to 14.0 millimetres long (about ½ inch) and 3.1 to 3.4 millimetres wide (½ inch). While the back of the insect is an iridescent, metallic green, the underside is a bright emerald green. The body is narrow and elongated, and the head is flat. The eyes are kidney-shaped and usually black. Emerald ash borer larvae are white and flat, with distinctive bell-shaped segments, and can grow up to 30 millimetres long (1 inch).”

Although the EAB was only discovered in Canada in the early 2000s, “it is believed to have killed millions of trees in the United States and Canada, with billions more across North America at risk of infestation and death” according to the CFIA, creating a significant impact on major habitats and industries.

The CFIA notes, “Ash wood is also used to make furniture, hardwood floors, baseball bats, tool handles, electric guitars, hockey sticks and other materials that require high strength and resilience.” It would be hard to find someone who doesn’t use at least one of those items regularly.

In addition to providing strong wood for things like furniture or flooring, Amanda informs me that, “Ash trees are a common species in our area. They are significant in forests and wetland, and are also, importantly, one of few species that is able to tolerate the pressures of urban areas, so you often see them planted throughout cities and urban parks. Given that ash trees are so abundant, a loss of ash trees can affect the filtration of our air, can have important implications for flooding and water filtration and pollution management. Ash trees also provide support for wildlife, whether it be as food, shelter or as a nesting site. If ash trees were to die off, it would have cascading effects in the food web.”

Amanda notes that residents can “look for adult EAB with a shiny, green appearance to emerge in the early summer months. These beetles are small – maybe ½ an inch in size with a very flat head, and large, black eyes.”

Signs of the beetle, she continues, “include die back of leaves (yellowing, wilting), which can occur out of season and is a good indicator that something is wrong with the tree. Adult beetles that

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emerge from ash trees leave a D-shaped or half-circle shaped hole in the bark. If the bark is falling off or peeling, you may see S-shaped tunnels under the bark which were left by the larva. It can take a few years for EAB to kill a tree, but in some aggressive invasions it has happened within a single season.”

To find out if you have ash trees on your property, you should know, “There are five species of ash in Ontario. Black, Green, Red, Blue and White. White ash is by far the most common of these trees. White ash can be recognized by diamond-patterned bark on mature individuals and have opposite and compound leaves. There are few natural predators for EAB, but woodpeckers are one of them. If you notice unusually high woodpecker activity in a tree, you should check for some of the other signs of EAB too,” notes Amanda.

I asked Amanda what advice she has for Stone Mills residents who want to protect the trees on their properties.

She replied, “Be aware and educate yourself – The first thing you can do is understand the problem EAB is causing, and learn to identify ash trees, the beetles, and the signs of the beetles.

Report beetle signs and sightings to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) or the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF).”

According to the CFIA website, their proposed plan to control the EAB includes: “regulating the movement of ash materials and firewood; performing enforcement activities; doing surveillance; providing effective communications; and supporting continued research.”

Further, the CFIA no longer promotes the removal of trees in infested areas. Their website confirms, “the CFIA has determined that removing infested host trees is not an effective tool in managing the emerald ash borer. The CFIA only orders trees to be removed within regulated areas for the purpose of supporting research.” Amanda recommends that property owners consult a forestry professional first.

“They can help assess your property and can help with a cutting plan or offer other alternatives.”

Amanda also suggests to residents, “Find

Top photo shows the S-shaped tunnels left by Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) larvae under the bark of an ash tree; adult EAB beetle (bottom right). out if you live in a regulated zone. A regulated zone is set by the CFIA and this means wood can’t be transported out of that zone. EAB actually cannot travel that far and are most often dispersed further distances in wood being moved by humans! Not moving ash wood (whether it be firewood or parts of an ash tree) is generally a good practice, whether you live in a regulated zone or not.”

The next time you are relaxing in the shade of a tree with your favourite summer beverage, take a moment to

appreciate all the gifts we receive from our local trees. Then take a closer look. If you see signs of the emerald ash borer, take the opportunity to learn more about how you can help minimize the damage in our community.

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would like to take this opportunity to thank my many customers who have supported me over the past 25 years - I truly appreciate your business & loyalty. It has been my pleasure to provide the level of professional service to each and every one of you. I look forward to many more years of great success.

Thank you to my mentor, the late Vern Napier (Vern Napier’s Camera & Audio) for his guidance and trust in me. When starting out in this business, Vern gave me an opportunity to start my own business when he retired. I couldn’t have lasted this long without his support, expertise, and knowledge.

Completed over 25,000 repairs, service businesses & camera stores all across Canada, Kodak Canada’s only authorized service centre, repair centre for Bell & Howell Canada/USA, national distributor of camera & projector repair replacement parts across the world.

Some of the businesses that use my services: • Downtown Camera (Toronto) • Henry’s Camera (27 stores across Canada) • McBain Camera (8 stores across Alberta) • Parson’s Foto (Owen Sound) • BJ Photo Labs (Waterloo) • Photo L’Excellence (Quebec) • Burlington Camera

• Japan Camera (Belleville) • Photo Metro (North Bay) • OPP-SIU Eastern Ontario Region • National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa) • Various high schools, colleges, and universities across Ontario

Services include: Repairs to cameras - film/digital, lenses, flashguns, and projectors, sales of photographic equipment, accessories, projector bulbs, data recovery, photography lessons, camera cleaning clinics for photography clubs across Eastern Ontario, film developing, printing & scanning services. I started a “Green Recycling” program for used & broken camera equipment. Drop off your unwanted equipment to my shop to be recycled and kept out of our landfill.

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7

The Solace of a Mama’s Heartbeat Kate Koester

M

other Nature can be so cruel on one hand, yet so gentle on the other. With Mother’s Day around the corner, I thought I’d share this bittersweet story about mothers, Muscovy duck mothers in particular.

Muscovies are not actually ducks. Native to Central and South America, they survive in our part of the world with only a bit of protection. They’re larger than the average duck and easily recognizable by their bumpy red faces. Their spoken language consists mostly of breathy whispers. Their meat is leaner and more tender than domestic or wild duck.

What endears Muscovies to me most though, is their motherly determination.

They’re extraordinary egg-layers. They go to great lengths to find that perfect nesting spot, away from the stealing hands of the farmer or the hungry mouths of predators. They can raise a clutch of … well, keep reading … let’s just say LOTS of babies.

This particular story is about two Muscovy mamas, Thelma and Cassie.

Thelma was a beautiful chocolate brown hen. Cassie is a beautiful midnight black hen.

I lost Thelma a few years ago. She had been nesting deep in an old brush pile behind the coop. Earlier that season Thelma had laid her eggs here, then there, trying to find a safe place away from my stealing hands. Clever girl, she soon realized I wasn’t stealing Lucy’s eggs, so she started laying her eggs in Lucy’s nest.

Lucy is a goose. One by one, Lucy kicked Thelma’s eggs out of her nest. Desperate to raise a brood, Thelma kept sitting, on Lucy’s eggs. This was OK with Lucy. It made her job easier. She could frolic with the flock, knowing her eggs were safe with Thelma. Once the goslings hatched, Lucy was happy to have Thelma share the responsibility, until the babies were about a week old. Then she decided she didn’t need Thelma’s help. In no uncertain terms, Lucy kicked Thelma out of the nest.

Poor Thelma. After 28 days of sitting and a week of tending babies, she was left without a single baby, without a nest to call home. My motherly heart melted. My stealing hands dissolved. “Sweet Thelma,” I thought. “Choose your place.

You will have babies.”

Thelma chose her place. It was a good one, deep in an old brush pile behind the coop. Every morning she’d make her way

to that nest to lay her egg. Her nest was so deep in the brush pile that I couldn’t see it, but I knew it was there.

So did the dogs. They protected that nest in more ways than I knew.

When she had enough eggs to Thelma, the Muscovy duck. Photo by Kate Koester. make a clutch, Thelma started sitting. We’d see her once, maybe Hatching Day, YES! When I was confident twice a day. She’d come out to bathe and that Cassie’s hatch was complete, I enjoy a meal, basking in the light of dusk scooped her babies up and brought them and dawn. to a safe pen.

One fateful day, I took the dogs for a walk. All of them. Broad daylight, I didn’t think Thelma was at risk. “Dear Thelma…” The signature left on her carcass was clearly that of a raccoon. I want to believe it was a mama coon who had babies to feed. “Dear, sweet, beautiful Thelma.”

That’s the bitter part. Here’s where the sweet part starts.

When we got home and discovered the carnage, I tore that brush pile apart to find whatever eggs might be left. There were 14 of them, blood-spattered with the evidence of Thelma’s last efforts to protect her young. I gathered those eggs into an incubator as fast as I could and then, tears streaming, I dropped to my knees. Within seconds, Orion, my Great Pyrenees pup, was lying at my side.

Sweet, beautiful pup.

Lucy the goose and Thelma the Muscovy duck, sharing a nest.

Photo by Kate Koester.

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Ten days later, 11 of Thelma’s eggs hatched! On the same day, Cassie hatched 11 of her own in the woodshed. I knew the woodshed was a safe place for Cassie to brood. But I also knew that once her babies hatched, she’d need to take them to food and water. I would have to be on close watch to move those babies to safety.

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The SCOOP • April / May 2019

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Hmm … Cassie had been a great mama in the past, so I wondered … Could I? Would she? Double her brood?

I decided to give her the chance. I brought Thelma’s ducklings from the incubator. Then I brought Cassie and put her in with all 22 ducklings. She was anxious at first. When it was clear that she wasn’t going to settle, I let her out.

She promptly headed to the woodshed.

Reassured that none of her babies were left behind, she made her way back to the pen, to 22 ducklings! Sweet mama, she didn’t miss a beat.

In my mind’s eye, I will forever see Cassie, wings spread as wide as she could stretch them. 22 ducklings, warm and cozy, soothed by the solace of a mama’s heartbeat. For the rest of that summer, Cassie paraded around the barnyard, a proud and protective mama to those 22 little ones. What a sight!

“Dear Cassie, I will always be grateful to you for the part you played, paying homage to Thelma’s heritage.”

Somehow, sadness has a way of making joy feel truly complete.

In celebration of mothers of all kinds, thanks for reading!

A Natural View: Watching Warblers With Our Ears Terry Sprague

I

am always happy to leave the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, at the southeastern tip of Prince Edward County, before the end of May, and head straightaway for home. I want to be a long way from there when the Blackpoll Warblers arrive.

Blackpoll Warblers are among our late May arrivals in the warbler family. While most warblers have rather pleasing little whistled songs, chirps, and a variety of other pleasant notes, the Blackpoll Warbler has a song that is usually missed by anyone unable to detect extremely high-frequency notes.

One birder friend who prides himself in being able to identify most birds by ear, claims he can see the bird singing through his binoculars, but is unable to hear a thing. His ears just can’t pick up those thin notes that make this bird unbearable to some birders who experience no trouble at all hearing it. In fact, I have always developed a splitting headache after only three or four songs from this bird. Liken the experience, if you will, to someone dragging their fingernails down a school blackboard. It’s a frequency I am unable to tolerate beyond 30 seconds.

But things are looking up. After almost 65 years of birding by ear, I am appreciating a gradual loss of hearing for those high-frequency notes that have bothered me so in the past. Eventually, I will no longer have to listen to the Blackpoll Warblers!

There are others out there, too, with similarly thin, but less irritating high-

frequency songs. Only in recent years have I successfully differentiated between the see-saw notes of the Black-and-white Warbler and the very similarly delivered song of the Baybreasted Warbler. It probably helped somewhat when I was told by a birder that a Bay-breasted Warbler was present one day, and I purposely strained to hear it. There seemed to be a slight difference between it and a Black-and-white Warbler that was singing nearby. The Cape May Warbler, too, has a similar song and adds to the challenge of identifying these “butterflies of the bird world” by their songs. It has taken me six decades to get proficient at identifying the songs of warblers by ear.

The majority of these tiny warblers are migrating to the boreal forests to nest, so we get to listen to them for only a short period each spring. Because they don’t sing in the fall on their return trip through, we must wait a whole year before we experience their songs once again.

The American Redstart, also a warbler, is perhaps one of the most difficult to identify by song alone. Its repertoire of songs is incredible, and each one is delivered differently, but after a few decades of being in the field, it all registers somehow. Today, it takes a very gifted American Redstart to fool me.

Identifying by ear is an ongoing exercise.

Surprises are thrown at listeners of bird song from every direction. The Northern Parulas that arrive here from their wintering grounds in Mexico in May have an interesting song if we can call it that.

Described by Peterson in his field guide as a “buzzy trill that climbs the scale and trips over at the top,” I always compare it to the sound of a zipper being drawn up. I remember some 20 or so Northern Parulas arriving en masse one morning at Prince Edward Point after a change in the weather, and they were doing the buzzy trill.

The sound of zippers from

Blackpoll Warbler. Photo by Ian Barker.

American Redstart. Photo by Bonnie Bailey. every part of the woods. The new arrivals fed very low in the bushes, some even at eye level.

However, during another visit to the same woods two hours later, the same Northern Parulas were offering a totally different song – a series of lively notes, terminating in a sort of quaver, and all of them were now singing this new, peculiar song, but there were no zipper sounds to be heard anywhere. Why they choose one song over another has always been a question that even experts can’t seem to answer. Perhaps it’s enough that we enjoy the songs they deliver and not attempt to delve into the psyche of a bird.

So, it’s not a case of learning one song and applying it to a given species of warbler. In most cases, we must learn several songs, and be ready when they throw a new one at us. Black-throated Green Warblers are notorious for this, I find. Even the ubiquitous Yellow Warbler can sound like a Nashville Warbler once in a while, or even a Chestnut-sided Warbler. Sometimes you have to raise your binoculars, just to make sure.

Northern Parula. Photo by Ian Dickinson.

Others, like the spirited staccato of the Tennessee Warbler, are unique as is the Common Yellowthroat, Cerulean Warbler, and Ovenbird, as well as the notoriously late Mourning Warbler, which arrives later in May. One’s expertise will improve with each passing year. After all, there are probably no more than 130 variations of songs from the 36 species of warblers that pass through each spring. How difficult can it be?

Terry Sprague lives in Prince Edward County and is a retired interpretive naturalist and hike leader. See his website at www.naturestuff.net. He can be reached at tsprague@xplornet.com.

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9

Seeds to Plants to Seeds: Cycling Through the Seasons Susan Rehner

SEEDY SATURDAY IN KINGSTON

T

o usher in spring and find the seeds I want to grow this year, I paid my annual visit to Seedy Saturday in Kingston on March 9. The Loyalist C.V.I. hall was pleasantly crowded with tables and displays featuring a wide range of seeds, predominantly organically grown and heritage varieties. Most of the seed vendors were local – from Mountain Grove, Verona, Wolfe Island, Gloucester, Westport, Foxboro, and Ottawa. Two were from out of province — Quebec and Nova Scotia. I attended with friends who had not been to a Seedy Saturday before and they were delighted to find all the seeds they had planned to order, including popping corn. Another friend was pleased to find seeds for “Red Bull” Brussels sprouts, purple broccoli, and jelly melons.

A focal point for many attending Seedy Saturday is the seed swap table. There you can share your own saved and packaged seeds and swap them for something of interest, or make a donation and pick up a package of donated seeds.

The array of vegetable, fruit, herb, and flower seeds, as well as garlic and seed potatoes, was impressive. There were also tables devoted to sauerkraut and

other fermented foods (Pyramid Ferments of Milford), bee products, “Uneekish” traditional Korean garden tools, medicinal herbal products, and sunflower oils. Various organizations had tables, such as the Kenhteke Seed Sanctuary and Learning Centre of the Bay of Quinte to whom the Tyendinaga Mohawk Band Office has recently allocated 15 acres on which to grow traditional indigenous food and medicinal crops. Kingston Area Seed System Initiative (KASSI), who organized this year’s Seedy Saturday, was there to stress the importance of saving openpollinated seeds adapted to our regional conditions and making the seeds available to growers. Community Harvest Kingston holds a weekly farmers’ market and workshops and has set up urban gardens and children’s gardens in north Kingston. The Food Policy Council of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington were there to explain their vision “to create a more secure, accessible and sustainable food system in our region.” The National Farmers Union provided information on the need to protect the important right of farmers and individuals to save their seed. Other groups at the event included Root Radical Community Shared Agriculture (CSA), Seeds of Diversity, USC Canada, Lee Valley Tools, Loving Spoonful, and the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security.

Besides stocking up on great seeds at Seedy Saturday, I enjoy the opportunity to meet likeminded people and renew acquaintances, and discover what the various YEAR-ROUND SERVICE - STUMP REMOVAL organizations are doing in our area.

Trimming • Removing And the tasty soup and bread prepared Topping • Bucket Truck Service

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children’s activities are another bonus.

SPRING SPEAKER EVENT The timing is wrong for this issue of Bird & Bee, a small-scale, farm-based seed company from the SCOOP to Ottawa, at the recent Seedy Saturday in Kingston. mention Photo by Catherine Janes.

GrassRoots Growers’ spring speaker contribute to local agricultural fairs and event on April 2. For me, writing now, it other community projects, and fund hasn’t happened yet, and by the time the annual awards to two Fleming College April/May SCOOP is in your hands, it will students in the Sustainable Agriculture be over. The speaker, Paul Zammit from program. New this year, GrassRoots the Toronto Botanical Garden, is well Growers, in partnership with the Field known for giving lively presentations, so family, will fund an award for a I’m looking forward to it. And I hope graduating student at Guelph University many of you will have attended and who has completed the Certificate for enjoyed learning about Paul’s awardOrganic Agriculture within the Bachelor winning approach to container of Science degree program. We will give gardening. this award in memory of one of our founding members, Mary Jo Field.

GRASSROOTS GROWERS 10TH ANNUAL PLANT SALE, MAY 25

This is an event people love to attend.

Plants are grown by GrassRoots Growers and our supporters and are priced modestly. There is a wide variety from which to choose – annuals, perennials, herbs, tomatoes (many are heritage), vegetables, trees, and shrubs. Once again, the sale will be held at the Beaver Lake Lions Park in Erinsville on County Road 41 from 10 a.m. until noon. Our policy is “no early bird sales” to be fair to everyone attending. And, at the end of the growing season, don’t forget to save seeds from your favourite openpollinated plants to start again next year or to share at seed swaps.

The plant sale is our one fundraiser of the year, and the proceeds from this sale allow us to book expert speakers,

Tamworth/Erinsville GrassRoots Growers is a community-based group. Our mission is to encourage interest in local and organic gardening for both the home garden and the market garden; to raise awareness of issues surrounding food production; to improve our practical knowledge of all aspects of plant life; and to provide networking opportunities for gardeners. We welcome new members.

Visit our website at www.tegrassrootsgrowers.weebly.com

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10

The SCOOP • April / May 2019

Grassland Birds of the Napanee Plain Amanda Tracey, PhD

W

ith birds migrating south for the winter, I always associate winter with quiet. While those of us with winter feeders may still see birds around in the winter, you don’t tend to hear them as much. But as spring approaches, the air starts to warm, and your ears are filled (sometimes nearly deafened) by the sounds of birds. Birds are busy trying to attract mates, fight over resources and territory, or defend their nests and eggs. This is one of the most exciting times of the year.

But I haven’t always felt that way. I lived in the downtown core of the city for about ten years up until about two years ago when I moved to Stone Mills. I noticed birds in the city, but not like I do now. I would see the Pigeons, the Mourning Doves, the Starlings, and the Grackles and the occasional little sparrow here and there, but that was the extent of the spring birding in the downtown area.

Moving to the Napanee Plain took my interest in birds to a whole new level.

The Napanee Plain is a good area to see birds, and in particular, grassland birds, something I saw almost none of in the city. In fact, the Napanee Plain is part of the Napanee Limestone Plain Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) and a

major reason for this IBA, is because of this area’s importance for grassland birds. The Napanee Plain has natural grassland features such as limestone alvar but also has a history rich in agriculture and still remains actively used for agriculture today, whether that be crops, hayfields, or grazing lands.

While the Napanee Plain is a great place to see grassland birds, populations are largely in decline because of changes to their habitat (for example less cattle pasture or lack of fire) or because of habitat destruction (for example development of houses and quarries).

While good habitat for grassland birds has declined everywhere, you are still likely to see many grassland birds in the Napanee Plain. A few examples are included below.

BOBOLINK Bobolink are a similar size to Red-winged Blackbirds. These compact birds have small features with disproportionately big and flat heads. Breeding male Bobolink look quite unique because they have white on their backs and black on their bellies, which is a little bit backwards when you think about many other birds which tend to be lighter on their bellies and darker on their backs.

Breeding males also have black bills and yellow patches on the back of their head. Female and non-breeding Bobolink are much less conspicuous and tend to be brown with streaky brown backs and lighter coloured beaks. Male breeding displays involve flying low over grassland habitat and singing. Their song is one of the most distinct bird songs I have ever heard and rambles on with series of pitchy notes and buzzy sounds. Imagine taking a cassette tape and rewinding it. Bobolink sound a lot like that!

Eastern Meadowlark. Photo by Russ Chantler.

EASTERN MEADOWLARK Eastern Meadowlark are larger than Bobolink and more comparable in size to the classic American Robin. They have thin, long, and sharp-pointed bills and they are mostly tan coloured with black markings on their back and a bright yellow underside. An obvious black “V” is located on the chest of this species and is its most defining characteristic.

Eastern Meadowlarks have a melodic, whistling song which is a joy to hear in the spring.

EASTERN LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE The Eastern Loggerhead Shrike is an endangered songbird and is a similar size to the Eastern Meadowlark. This grey bird has a white underside, a black mask, and a black bill with a hook on the end. Their song is a quiet mix of trills and buzzes. One of the few predatory songbirds, this species is wellknown for impaling its prey, and can sometimes be referred to as a “Butcher Bird.”

Eastern Loggerhead Shrike are endangered and only around 20 breeding pairs remain in Ontario.

The Napanee Plain is home to roughly half of those pairs and this is likely because of stewardship by landowners in the area, and also habitat stewardship from groups like

Wildlife Preservation Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

The recent story for grassland birds hasn’t been a particularly bright one, especially over the last few decades. All the birds listed here, among other birds associated with grasslands such as Common Nighthawk, Whip-poor-will and Short-eared Owls are all considered species-at-risk.

However, there seems to be a recent surge of new initiatives, projects, and research, as well as new interest from the public that puts these birds, and grassland habitats in general, at the forefront of conservation. The story of grassland birds isn’t over yet, and here’s to hoping the next chapter for them is brighter.

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Male Bobolink. Photo by Barbara Frei.

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(613) 358-2833 or 1-888-832-1904 April / May 2019 • The SCOOP

11

The “Cat” is back!

The Black Cat Café 5 Ottawa Street, Tamworth Hotel New # 613-840-5665 theblackcatcafe@outlook.com Call, text, or email orders Check out our Facebook page for daily specials!

Opens Friday, April 5 SPRING CAFÉ HOURS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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STONE MILLS TOWNSHIP FIRE ADVISORY LINE Residents are responsible for safe burning, and must follow the burning by-law 2015-810.

If you would like a full copy of the burning by-law you can pick one up at the Stone Mills Township Office, or download a copy at www.stonemills.com/emergency-services/fire The Stone Mills Township Fire Department has a Fire Advisory Line for all residents to call and find out if there is a Total Fire Ban in place and to also find out what the fire meter readings are for that day.

Please call either of these two numbers: Local Phone: 613-379-5255 Long Distance: 1 877-554-5557 If you have any further questions feel free to call Fire Prevention Officer Tracy Easterbrook: 613-378-2475

12

The SCOOP • April / May 2019

Daily Soups & Sandwiches •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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BEAVER LAKE SWIM PROGRAM Registration May 25, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Tamworth Fire Hall

Children must be 5 years old before the first lesson.

Weeks of lessons begin July 8, 15, 22, 29, August 12, 19.

No lessons the week of August 5 (civic holiday).

Solution to the crossword puzzle on page 13:

Puzzle Page Crossword: “Mob Rule” by Matt Gaffney

Sudoku

April / May 2019 • The SCOOP

13

Wooden Barns and Barn Doors John Lynn Bell

S

ixty years ago, my dad, who had grown up on a farm in Moscow, often remarked that within a short time, there would not be a wooden barn left in the country. Remembering his prediction, with a zoom-lensed camera at hand, I have spent the past few months driving the rural roads between Belleville and Brockville, searching for beautiful, old, wooden barns.

These unique buildings are quickly becoming part of our disappearing heritage. Occasionally I see a large flat-bed on the 401, loaded with huge beams and weathered siding from a disassembled barn. Another piece of rural Ontario whisked across the border to become a quaint guest house or cozy inn on the American side.

Of course, there is still an abundance of barns in Ontario. But many have been partially or completely sheathed with steel siding. Although I respect those farmers who have preserved the original building, metal siding and a cement block foundation doesn’t have the photographic appeal of barn board and cut stone.

Initially, I photographed just the barns, trying to find the best shot by eliminating

vehicles and any outbuildings. But I soon realized I was missing a very important part of the building – the double and single barn doors! Many single doors display a lot of character, but several have developed a significant sag over many years for lack of diagonal bracing.

This sag, and often an irregular or rotting bottom edge, combine to make for a great picture. One of my favourite single doors, shown on the top left side of my poster, has a four-inch hole near the bottom. I would think this is for easy access for the farm cats, for inclement weather or endless mousing.

Huge double doors are the most important entrance to the barn, whether sliding or swinging. They are often propped tight with a discarded slat or gnarled stick. One wonders how many countless loads of hay have come up the ramp and through these doors, pulled by straining teams or chugging old Ford or Allis-Chalmers tractors? Occasionally I see a small bush or a slender tree growing directly in front of the double doors and would love to see what old vehicle or farm machinery is slowly rusting away inside.

My favourite finds are the lonely, stand-alone, small sheds. These once useful, now abandoned buildings, often at the edge of an outlying field, have

served their purpose and remain forgotten and forlorn. Settled well into the ground at an awkward angle, they sit with a saddlebacked roof, siding akimbo, and doors missing. How many raccoons, foxes, skunks, and swallows have raised their young here over the years?

I have now photographed over 150 wooden barns and dozens of single and double barn doors. Thanks, Dad for your foresight. Long live the old wooden barn!

Spring Bird Song Tom Wheatley

A

fter a long cold winter, it seemed as though spring would never come. The occasional late winter thaw fooled us into thinking spring had finally sprung, only for winter to throw another blast of polar vortex air towards us.

We could sense spring was coming, however. Some early indicators were the longer daylight hours, the “springing” forward of the clocks, and the whispers of hockey playoffs. “Are the Leafs gonna win it all this year?”

The birds seemed to know that spring was arriving as well, and the attentive bird watcher could detect the subtle signals from our feathered friends.

Woodpeckers began drumming on trees, the crows were “coming out of the woods,” and skeins of Canada Geese were seen streaming through our skies.

Now as the spring has progressed, it seems as though every day a new bird species has arrived in our neighbourhoods to greet us with their singing. The chickadees with their fee-bee calls, the bright red cardinal with his alarm like call, and the song sparrows singing continuously while perched on picket fences.

Throughout May, the orchestra of songbirds will continue to belt out a

symphony of song, with tantalizing tinkles and silky sleek singing, bold backyard buzzes, and light lutey lisps.

It is not only the birds we are seeing.

Rabbits and chipmunks are nibbling below our birdfeeders, deer are emerging from woodlots to lick the salt from the roadsides, and our neighbours are emerging from their homes after surviving the last licks of winter.

Lawnmowers are stumbling out of backyard sheds, blurry eyed and groggy from their long hibernation, while their noisy nature clearing cousins, the snow blowers, wearily take their summer places in their dens among the snow shovels, gas cans and used tires.

Early spring is the time to stretch our legs and get more active outdoors. We can take advantage of the network of hiking trails in Lennox and Addington before the onset of the summer heat and biting insects. Napanee offers a stroll along the river at Springside Park, while the lookout at Camden Lake, north of Yarker, gives enjoyable views of this shallow lake. Sheffield Conservation Area, south of Kaladar, offers a hiking trail through the Canadian Shield, or a paddle on Little Mellon Lake.

For me, it is the birdsong I enjoy the most. Standing in the backyard, closing my eyes, and listening to the language of the birds.

Along the back fence line, a Yellow warbler sings its swift-paced “Wheat, Wheat, Shredded Wheat!”

To my left, a distant Towhee sings a rising “Drink your TEA!” I’m surprised to hear the song of a Carolina wren singing from across the street, “Cheer-EE! Cheer-EE! Cheer-EE!” The Carolina wren is somewhat uncommon in our area, being more abundant south of Lake Ontario.

Eastern Towhee, Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area. Photo by Kyle Blaney.

Behind me is a White-crowned sparrow, singing with a rather urgent, “I Gotta Go Pee-Pee NOW!” Don’t we all.

Throughout our woodlots, the seldom seen but often heard Ovenbird sings like an impatient student, with its rising “Tea-cher, Tea-Cher, TEA-CHER.” And in our open farm fields, the Savannah sparrow sings out the inviting, “Won’t you come sit down besiiiiiiiiiiiide me!”

Another abundant yet difficult to see bird is the Red-eyed Vireo, who taunts us with his whistled phrases from high in the treetops, “Here I am, in the tree, look up, at the top...”

Tel: 613-379-5874 Email: soscsvcs@gmail.com Web: www.s-o-s-computers.com

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14

The SCOOP • April / May 2019

As spring turns into summer, bird song slowly diminishes. After the young leave their nests, the males no longer need to sing to attract a female or defend a territory. Eventually one morning we step out of our homes and notice that the song has disappeared, quite suddenly it seems.

Bird song is a reminder we are not alone on the planet, but that we are surrounded by other species. Birds are living out their lives in our neighbourhoods. Like us, birds are finding mates, building a home together, and raising the next generation.

Tom is into all things birds. He enjoys birding in the local Conservation Areas, leading bird hikes in the Bay of Quinte region, and volunteering at the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory during the spring and autumn migrations. If you’re interested in joining a bird hike with Tom, his contact email is goldenwingbirding@ outlook.com.

Kyle Blaney travels throughout Canada as an Outreach Lead for the SHAD Enrichment Program (www.shad.ca). In his spare time, he is an avid birdwatcher and nature photographer. His website is www.kyleblaney.com and he can be followed on Instagram at @kblaney.

Haiku Poems by River Falls Class

T

he students in this combined Grade 3 and 4 class would like to share with SCOOP readers their animal haiku poems. We hope you enjoy them!

— River Falls Independent Elementary Class, Yarker

THE BOOK SHOP

THE RIGHT MORTGAGE

In support of

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Barbara Nichol will read from THE LADY FROM KENT

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Season Opening on Friday April 19

Bridge Street East & Peel, Tamworth

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*OAC E&OE

April / May 2019 • The SCOOP

15

Wishing everyone Happy Easter!

Fresh home baked SCONES, TARTS, BARS, & SQUARES Breads from THE BREADMAN & Kingston’s NORTH ROAST COFFEE Check out our new VEGETARIAN ITEMS & our SEED TO SAUSAGE products WILD BC SALMON & SMOKED SALMON now available from our freezer Try our homemade JERK PATTIES & SAUSAGE ROLLS or one of our many vegetarian savouries QUINN’S JERKY & a selection of frozen steaks & chicken

HOURS WILL BE EXTENDED IN MAY TO INCLUDE EARLY MORNINGS Follow us on Facebook @ The river bakery café & patio llbo

We look forward to serving you!

11 Concession St. S., Tamworth, ON

If the flags are out, we’re still open!

MONDAY:

11 am - 4 pm

TUESDAY:

CLOSED

WEDNESDAY:

11 am - 4 pm

THURSDAY:

11 am - 4 pm

FRIDAY:

11 am - 5 pm

SATURDAY:

10 am - 4 pm

SUNDAY:

Offering an academic, artistic, musical and nature-based learning experience Taught by certified and experienced teachers We have 3 Spots open for next year’s Grade 4/5 combined class For more information, please visit:

www.riverfallsclass.com

11 am - 4 pm

Robert Storring

Broker

OFFICES 44 Industrial Blvd.

Napanee

CONTACT Direct: Office: Toll Free:

613-379-2903 613-354-4347 1 866-233-2062 storring@kos.net robert.storring@century21.ca

14 Concession St. Tamworth

GO TO WORK AND NEVER LEAVE HOME! Excellent opportunity to get into business for yourself.

Restaurant and pizza take out in Tamworth has been successfully run for years until the owner’s illness. All set up, all equipment included. Small eat in area with washrooms, kitchen/cooking area, prep area and storage. On top of all that there is a very comfortable 3 bedroom residence attached. Good size room, updated flooring, propane fireplace, nice back yard and a double garage. $219,500 K19001460 RENOVATORS OR DO-IT-YOURSELFERS This 3 bedroom 1 bath home located on Town services has lots of potential. No doubt the home needs work but in 2017 a new asphalt roof and furnace were installed.

Located on corner lot just a short walk to Golf Course, the Napanee River, walking trails, and downtown. Renovate to your taste or to sell. $169,900 K19001500

THINKING OF SELLING? LISTINGS NEEDED! INVENTORY IS VERY LOW AND DEMAND IS HIGH FOR ALL TYPES OF REAL ESTATE, HOMES, COTTAGES, FARMS, & LAND. GIVE ME A CALL FOR A NO COST ESTIMATE OF WHAT YOURS MIGHT BE WORTH! 16

The SCOOP • April / May 2019

TCO Agromart has the solution to your lawn envy Quality lawn seed to fit your needs

Custom lawn fertilizer with slow-release nitrogen for a greener lawn all season long.

11 Pleasant Drive, Selby 613-354-4424 www.tcoagromart.com