Protected: Winter 2022-23 Photo Contest Winners
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WINTER 2022-23 PHOTO CONTEST
Thur., December 1st, 2022 to Tues., February 28, 2023.
It is already December which means once again the Urquhart Butterfly Garden, in partnership with the Hamilton Conservation Authority, is holding a Winter Photo Contest. Please see the poster below for submission guidelines.
You may take your photographs in Canal Park (including from the observation platform) as well as in the Urquhart Butterfly Garden.
There are only two categories:
Birds and Other Wildlife – identification required
Natural Winter Scenes – includes plants, landscape shots and etc.
Wildlife is easier to see in the winter. There are dozens of little Hooded Mergansers in the canal right now and a lot of other bird life. The beavers have been busy, and you will see one if you are observant in the early evening.
Please remember that when you submit your pictures in February, you must include your name, address, and phone number.
Best of luck to all!
GOOGLE FORM SUBMISSION LINK:
A link to the entry form may be found HERE:
https://tinyurl.com/contest-form
ALL submissions are due by 11:59 PM Tues., February 28, 2023. Late submission will not be considered.
All photos entered (up to 3 per category) may be entered using a single form. Repeat submissions will not be considered. Any questions please contact: winterphotos2023@gmail.com
IDENTIFICATION RESOURCES:
There are many excellent digital resources for help with plant and wildlife identification. Fortunately, most are free of charge.
Winter Plant identification is difficult, at times impossible, and is therefore optional for the winter contest. We have included a plant ID link for any interested in broadening their natural history knowledge.
Correct identification of birds and all other wildlife is required and can be accomplished with the resources provided. Incomplete or incorrect identifications are factored into the judging process.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to winterphotos2023@gmail.com for ID hints if you are truly stumped.
BIRDS
Hamilton Naturalists’ Club Birding Checklist: https://hamiltonnature.org/birding/birds/
Download a free checklist to the birds of the Hamilton Study Area (HSA), a circle with a 40 km radius centered on Dundurn Castle.
The All About Birds website, Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/#
Read species accounts and compare similar species. Also Links to the Merlin Bird ID App.
The Merlin Bird ID App: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/
Upload photos for AI assisted identification. A caution: While Merlin is often correct, it is in development and may result in errors. It will typically point you in the right direction but treat it as a starting point.
The Sibley eGuide to Birds App, Version 2: https://www.sibleyguides.com/product/sibley-birds-v2-app/
Comes at a cost of $19.99 but also serves as a traditional field guide. Hard Copy of the Sibley Guide also available.
INSECTS
Bug Guide: https://bugguide.net/node/view/15740
Upload photos for ID help or browse entries
PLANTS & ALL WILDLIFE
iNaturalist Canada (plants, birds, insects, mammals): https://inaturalist.ca/
An excellent resource for ID help and storing observations. Works better with a (free) registered account but can be used without.
UBG Summer 2022 Photo Contest Winners!
Where did the summer go? It is hard to believe that fall is fast approaching and with it the results of the Photo Contest.
Congratulations to the winners, and Honorary Mentions, in the 2022 Urquhart Butterfly Garden Photo Contest! You will receive your diplomas in the mail.
It is always exciting to see the Garden through the eyes of photographers, and there were some unexpected photos this year. Thank you to all the entrants, it was really a treat looking at your photos – whether you won or not. If you did not win, the winter photo contest is coming up!
Joanna, Nancy, Anne, Ryan, & Matt.
Youth – Winner: Luisa Bonachela, Age 13, Oakville. Wild Chicory.
Adult – Honorary Mention: Ada Smith, Ancaster. Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum).
Adult – 2nd Place: Fernanda Bonachela, Oakville. Himalayan Cranesbill.
Adult – 1st Place: Mary Dimitriw, Dundas. Japanese Anemone.
Youth – Winner: Luisa Bonachela, Age 13, Oakville. Sweat Bee.
Adult – Honorary Mention: Michelle Sharpe. Moulting Katydid.
Adult – 2nd Place: Mark Williams, Hamilton. Brown Horned Treehopper.
Adult – 1st Place: Fernanda Bonachela, Oakville. Margined Calligrapher.
Youth – Winner: Gill Doncaster, Age 10, Dundas. Peck’s Skipper.
Adult – Honorary Mention: Jim Auty, Hamilton. Great spangled fritillary.
Adult – 2nd Place: Marsha Wright, Waterdown. Black Swallowtails.
Adult – 1st Place: Doug Lay, Toronto. Hummingbird Clearwing.
Youth – Winner: Luisa Bonachela, Age 13, Oakville. Dekay’s Brownsnake
Adult – Honorary Mention: Michelle Sharp, Dundas. Gray Treefrog.
Adult – Honorary Mention: Nancy Lazare-Gellert, Dundas. Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
Adult – 2nd Place: Geoff Dunn, Ancaster. Red-bellied Woodpecker.
Adult – 1st Place: Mark Williams, Hamilton. American Goldfinch.
Seen in the Garden 2022
September 21, 2022
September 18, 2022
September 17, 2022
September 16, 2022
September 13, 2022
September 11, 2022
September 10, 2022
September 2, 2022
August 28, 2022
August 27, 2022
August 21, 2022
August 20, 2022
August 17, 2022
August 16, 2022
August 15, 2022
August 14, 2022
August 12, 2022
August 10, 2022
August 9, 2022
August 7, 2022
August 2, 2022
August 1, 2022
July 31, 2022
Cabbage White laying eggs!
July 29, 2022
July 28, 2022
July 27, 2022
July 26, 2022
July 25, 2022
July 23, 2022
July 22, 2022
July 21, 2022
July 20, 2022
The Striped Hairstreak is very small – the size of a thumbnail – and rarely seen in the UBG.
July 18, 2022
July 16, 2022
*Interesting fact*
Two-marked Treehopper Enchenopa binotata …”two spots” is a species complex, a group of nine species that are identical in appearance (as adults) while remaining reproductively separate. This particular treehopper is a bit of a oddity in that if the male and female produce offspring from a non-host plant, fewer eggs are laid but the newly hatched offspring could become a new species based on the phenology of the new host plant …
July 15, 2022
July 12, 2022
The Hooded Merganser and Great Blue Heron can be seen in the Desjardins Canal from the Urquhart Butterfly Garden.
July 11, 2022
July 10, 2022
July 9, 2022
July 8, 2022
July 4, 2022
July 1, 2022
June 29, 2022
The Acadian Hairstreak (Satyrium Acadica) is found across Canada from British Columbia to Nova Scotia however not often seen in the UBG.
June 28, 2022
Lady Bug eating Aphids – a good example of the predator – prey relationship at work.
June 26, 2022
Bumble Bee Mimic Robber Flies are also called the “assassin” flies as they lie in wait for unsuspecting bees, wasps and butterflies to pass by and then they attack.
June 25, 2022
June 8 -24, 2022
The Hummingbird Moth (Clearwing Moth) While most sphinx moths fly at night, hummingbird moths fly during the day. They feed on flower nectar, dipping in a long thin proboscis.
June 9 – 24, 2022
June 22, 2022
June 14, 2022
June 9, 2022
June 8, 2022
2022 Summer Photo Contest
The 2022 Summer photo contest closes at midnight September 6th.
Below is the link to enter your photograph(s).
Summer Education Series 2022
Bees, Bees, Bees – A Free public workshop
Jenna Braun,
Saturday August 27, 10 am.
Jenna and her able assistant will be back by popular demand on
Saturday August 27, and no one knows bees like Jenna. When one thinks of bees we tend to think of the honey bee, however there are 800 bee species in Canada if which over 400 are in Ontario.
Our native bees range in size from the 25mm carpenter bee to the tiny 5 mm solitary bee, and many of the species can be found at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden and you can see them up close and personal with Jenna.
Numbers of native bee are in serious decline, due to habitat loss and land fragmentation plus the use of pesticides. Unfortunately 12 bee species have recently been added to creatures at risk in Ontario.
Native bees are our most important pollinators, so there is cause for great concern when species are declining. They not only pollinate wildflowers but also the crops we eat. Listen and look on Saturday 27 as you learn more about the many bee species at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden, and find out how you can help encourage bee preservation, even if you only have a balcony.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
There is lots of free parking and the site is conveniently accessible by bus or bike. Please bring a chair and wear a hat – you will spend an hour in full sun.
The event will NOT proceed in the event of rain.
For more information contact: Joanna Chapman, 905-627-8917
or jfcchapman@gmail.com
Nature in the Garden
Brian Wylie
Free Workshop Saturday August 20, 10 am
It is not every naturalist who really loves answering questions from kids, but Brian Wylie really does! When Brian was a young child he used to sit patiently beside local ponds to see what lived there, and has been a keen naturalist ever since.
August is the end of summer and the Urquhart Butterfly Garden is seeing lots of action, rare butterflies, insects of every type, cicadas emerging, spiders spinning. There are many flowers in bloom and the observant will see hummingbirds flitting about.
This is the time of year when snakes can be seen sunning themselves on the rocks, but they often return into hiding if they detect sound or movement, so one must move slowly and carefully in order to see them.
There are finches on the very tall flowers and you may see other birds gathering for the fall migration. A trained eye like Brian Wylie’s can spot wildlife that many people might not notice.
Join him on August 20, 10 am
The session is free and open to all. You are requested to bring a chair and wear a hat. You will spend 1 hour in the full sun of the garden. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is immediately adjacent to Centennial Park and the Hamilton Air Force Association at 128 King St. E in Dundas.
There is plenty of free parking and the location is easily accessible by public transportation or bicycle.
Sponsored by the Dougher Foundation & Hamilton Naturalist’ Club …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
For more information contact: Joanna Chapman
jchapman@295.ca
905-627-8917
Summer Education Series 2022
Bees, Bees, Bees – A Free public workshop
Jenna Braun
Saturday August 27, 10 am.
Jenna and her able assistant will be back by popular demand on
Saturday August 27, and no one knows bees like Jenna. When one thinks of bees we tend to think of the honey bee, however there are 800 bee species in Canada if which over 400 are in Ontario.
Our native bees range in size from the 25mm carpenter bee to the tiny 5 mm solitary bee, and many of the species can be found at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden and you can see them up close and personal with Jenna.
Numbers of native bee are in serious decline, due to habitat loss and land fragmentation plus the use of pesticides. Unfortunately 12 bee species have recently been added to creatures at risk in Ontario.
Native bees are our most important pollinators, so there is cause for great concern when species are declining. They not only pollinate wildflowers but also the crops we eat. Listen and look on Saturday 27 as you learn more about the many bee species at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden, and find out how you can help encourage bee preservation, even if you only have a balcony.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
There is lots of free parking and the site is conveniently accessible by bus or bike. Please bring a chair and wear a hat – you will spend an hour in full sun.
The event will NOT proceed in the event of rain.
For more information contact: Joanna Chapman, 905-627-8917
or jfcchapman@gmail.com
Summer Education Series 2022
Nature in the Garden
Brian Wylie
Free Workshop Saturday August 20, 10 am
It is not every naturalist who really loves answering questions from kids, but Brian Wylie really does! When Brian was a young child he used to sit patiently beside local ponds to see what lived there, and has been a keen naturalist ever since.
August is the end of summer and the Urquhart Butterfly Garden is seeing lots of action, rare butterflies, insects of every type, cicadas emerging, spiders spinning. There are many flowers in bloom and the observant will see hummingbirds flitting about.
This is the time of year when snakes can be seen sunning themselves on the rocks, but they often return into hiding if they detect sound or movement, so one must move slowly and carefully in order to see them.
There are finches on the very tall flowers and you may see other birds gathering for the fall migration. A trained eye like Brian Wylie’s can spot wildlife that many people might not notice.
Join him on August 20, 10 am
The session is free and open to all. You are requested to bring a chair and wear a hat. You will spend 1 hour in the full sun of the garden. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is immediately adjacent to Centennial Park and the Hamilton Air Force Association at 128 King St. E in Dundas.
There is plenty of free parking and the location is easily accessible by public transportation or bicycle.
Sponsored by the Dougher Foundation & Hamilton Naturalist’ Club …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
For more information contact: Joanna Chapman
jchapman@295.ca
905-627-8917
Birds of Urquhart Butterfly Garden and Canal Park
Bill Lamond
Free Workshop Saturday August 13th at 10am
Bill Lamond is a well known Ontario Naturalist and an exceptional birder who can identify the many birds that are seen at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden and Canal Park.
Join Bill for this Nature Walk where he will be able to share tips for identifying birds and interesting notes about their lives and migration. Bring your binoculars because Bills’s eagle eyes might spot some rare species
Bill is not only an expert in birds but also in herps, moths, butterflies, dragonflies and plants. This nature walk is sure to keep you entertained.
The session is free and open to all. You are requested to bring a chair and wear a hat. You will spend 1 hour in the full sun of the garden and Canal Park. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is immediately adjacent to Centennial Park and the Hamilton Air Force Association at 128 King St. E in Dundas.
There is plenty of free parking and the location is easily accessible by public transportation or bicycle.
Sponsored by the Dougher Foundation & Hamilton Naturalist’ Club
For more information contact:
Joanna Chapman
jchapman@295.ca
905-627-8917
Butterfly & Nature Identification Walk
Matthew Mills
Free Workshop Saturday August 6th, at 10 am
Naturalist Matt Mills will be the guide for Butterfly and Nature Identification walk and tour of the garden on Saturday August 6, at 10am.
Matt is a very experienced gardener who has spent much time in the Urquhart Butterfly Garden. During this walk he will identify birds, butterflies, insects and the native plants and other plant species in the Garden. Matt will be bringing a selection of organically grown native plants which can be purchased.
“We are heading into midsummer and butterfly diversity should be excellent” observed Matt Mills recently. “Furthermore, we should be able to catch sight of cicadas emerging after their years underground”.
The session is free and open to all, You are requested to bring a chair and wear a hat. We will spend 1 hour in the full sun of the garden. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is immediately adjacent to Centennial Park and the Hamilton Air Force Association at 128 King St. E in Dundas.
There is plenty of free parking and the location is easily accessible by public transportation or bicycle.
Sponsored by the Dougher Foundation & Hamilton Naturalist’ Club …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
For more information contact:
Joanna Chapman
jchapman@295.ca
905-627-8917
Summer Education Series 2022
Birds of Urquhart Butterfly Garden and Canal Park
Bill Lamond
Free Workshop Saturday August 13th at 10am
Bill Lamond is a well known Ontario Naturalist and an exceptional birder who can identify the many birds that are seen at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden and Canal Park.
Join Bill for this Nature Walk where he will be able to share tips for identifying birds and interesting notes about their lives and migration. Bring your binoculars because Bills’s eagle eyes might spot some rare species
Bill is not only an expert in birds but also in herps, moths, butterflies, dragonflies and plants. This nature walk is sure to keep you entertained.
The session is free and open to all. You are requested to bring a chair and wear a hat. You will spend 1 hour in the full sun of the garden and Canal Park. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is immediately adjacent to Centennial Park and the Hamilton Air Force Association at 128 King St. E in Dundas.
There is plenty of free parking and the location is easily accessible by public transportation or bicycle.
Sponsored by the Dougher Foundation & Hamilton Naturalist’ Club
For more information contact:
Joanna Chapman
jchapman@295.ca
905-627-8917
Summer Education Series 2022
Dragonflies & Their Kin
Brenda Van Ryswyk
Free Workshop Saturday July 30th, at 10 am
Brenda Van Ryswyk is a Natural Heritage Ecologist and a well known dragonfly expert. Brenda will lead a walk through the garden where she will share her knowledge on the astonishing lives of dragonflies & their kin.
Dragonflies & Damselflies (Ondonata) are quite astonishing creatures that you may have noticed hovering in the garden or zipping through the air. As we walk through the garden Brenda will share her knowledge while she shows how to locate and identify dragonflies & their kin.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is adjacent to water and is an excellent location for dragonfly viewing.
The session is open to all, and you will leave with a new knowledge and understanding of dragonflies and damselflies (Ondonata) at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden. Saturday, July30th at 10 am.
Please bring a chair and wear a hat as we will spend 1 hour in the full sun of the garden. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden is immediately adjacent to Centennial Park and the Hamilton Air Force Association at 128 King St. E in Dundas.
There is plenty of free parking and the location is easily accessible by public transportation or bicycle.Sponsored by the Dougher Foundation & Hamilton Naturalist’ Club
Urquhart Butterfly Garden 