Activities
Field Trips and Presentations
Field Trips
Field trips provide an excellent opportunity for club members and the public to meet new people and to explore our natural environment. Trips may last two or three hours or as long as all day. The weather can change quickly, so remember to bring the proper clothing, lunch and refreshments, if desired, sun lotion, and insect repellant. Please do not pick plants or collect specimens on field trips, unless for identification or curating purposes, and then only in small numbers, or none at all in the case of rare species. Please leave dogs and other pets at home except for service dogs.
If you have any questions regarding field trips, please contact the field trip leader directly. The club is always interested in new ideas, so don’t hesitate if you would like to lead a field trip or workshop or have an idea for one.
Field trips are normally held on the weekend, but some of the members are available at almost anytime. If you would like to go out during the week, whether birding, chasing dragonflies or butterflies, looking for flowers, or skiing contact Bob at bobsaunders01@gmail.com
If You Plan to Attend
Please, call or email the field trip leader to confirm the date, time and place and to hear of any updates or last minute changes a few days before the trip is scheduled to take place. The leader will also appreciate knowing the approximate number of participants ahead of time.
Presentations
From time to time we hope to give talks or presentations. They will be held at the Fort Frances Public Library from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Everyone is invited. The cost is free but a small donation would be appreciated to cover the cost of renting the library. There is a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the Rainy River District, and if you are interested in giving a talk please contact us. Stay tuned for announcements of upcoming presentations.
Waiver and Release Form
All people attending a field trip will be asked to sign a waiver and release form, recognizing the fact that any outdoor activity poses risks, whether minor or significant. The field trip leader will be responsible for collecting signatures. A copy of the form can be found by clicking here.
Upcoming Events
Spring Birding for Beginners
Meet at: Sorting Gap Marina
When: 8am, Saturday May 28, 2022
Route: We’ll tour the waterfront, Point park, wetlands at Cornwall Street and maybe the Emo Lagoon if it’s not raining, then return via hwy 602, stopping at various good locations.
Proposed RRVFN Events for 2022
The Events Committee has proposed a number of possible activities and field trips for 2022, and we would appreciate feedback from members (or non-members, for that matter) on their interest in participating or even leading these activities, or any other activity not on the list. Hopefully, the pandemic concerns will have diminished by then, but in any case appropriate measures will be taken to ensure the safety of the participants.
We hope to have three types of events each season:
1. Indoor presentation with in-person and online participation. 1-2 hours, location and time to be announced (at the moment we are hoping to hold these events at the Fort Frances Library;
2. Walk and talk events, 1-2 hours, held outside with the emphasis on learning something about our natural environment on a specific topic;
3. Day trips, 2-6 hours, where the emphasis is simply to enjoy the outdoors. It could be hiking, cycling, skiing/snowshoeing, birding, searching for dragonfly exuvia – whatever pops up. Experienced field naturalists will be present.
We also have our regular club meetings. We hope to include presentations to encourage people to come and meet our members. There will also be online events to connect, ask questions, and prepare for an event. Stay tuned for further announcements.
The club continues to be actively involved in the new Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 3, an enormous project that will take five years to complete. This will be a perfect opportunity for the club to expand its influence, and for members to increase their birding skills by accompanying more skilled birders in the field.
Further Information: Contact either ILKA Milne boghaunter@yahoo.ca or Bob Saunders bobsaunders01@gmail.com
