Congratulations to the winners in the Winter Photo Contest! You braved the weather and took some lovely photos. As one of the judges said: “It is always interesting to see what people notice on their walks in the Butterfly Garden and Canal Park”.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Good Luck for the Summer Photo Contest which begins in June.
JC/MM
Spring is in the air, and it looks like a rainy one.
The fully renovated Tree Swallow boxes are all mounted in Canal Park and we have a couple unexpected new residents checking out the real estate. Mark Williams managed to take lovely photographs of the new family on the block, and we hope they settle in successfully.
The results of the Winter Photo Contest will be announced on March 31, so look for them on this website.
Best wishes from our Team.
The Hamilton Conservation Authority and the Urquhart Butterfly Garden invite you to participate in a very special Winter 2021-22 Photo Contest.
The contest encompasses the paths of the Urquhart Butterfly Garden and adjacent Canal Park. The diversity of vegetation offers an inspiring palette for winter photography composition. Large numbers of waterfowl roost in the Desjardins Canal each winter. Early morning or evening visits yield a greater chance to view these birds. Insects may be active on milder days and other wildlife can be spotted by the keen observer.
ENTRY FORM
This year, submissions will be accepted online through Google Forms and not via email as in the past. The entry form is available at the following link: 2021 Winter Photo Contest Entry Form
IMPORTANT: All of your photos entries must be submitted together with one completed form. Kindly wait until your full set of photos are ready before submitting. Repeat submissions will not be considered.
A Google account is required for submitting Google Forms. If you already have a Gmail address this is your Google Account, and you are set. If not, a Google account may be set up using any email address.
If you need any help troubleshooting Google Forms or do not wish to set up a Google account, please contact winterphotos2022@gmail.com for assistance.
WILDLIFE & PLANT IDENTIFICATION RESOURCES
A key component to the contest is learning about local wildlife! As such, correct identification is required for ALL birds and wildlife species photographed as well as any plant species which are the focal point of a photograph (more details in the Rules below).
An excellent site for bird identification resources can be found on the Ontario Field Ornithologists website: http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/articles.getting-started-with-birds
Insect identification help can be found at www.Bugguide.net. You can even upload photos and request an identification.
For Mammal identification be sure to check out https://www.inaturalist.org/guides/1327
For Plant Identification https://www.ontariowildflowers.com/ and https://inaturalist.ca/guides/14182
cover the majority of winter plants within the Photo Contest boundary.
If you are still stumped AFTER consulting field guides and online resources, please reach out to the contest email address for an identification hint.
A full set of contest rules, the contest boundary map, and the official contest poster can be found below.
Please direct any questions to the contest email address: winterphotos2022@gmail.com
Best of luck!
CONTEST RULES
Contest Opens: Wed., December 1st, 2021
All submissions due by: Mon., February 28th, 2022 , 11.59pm
All photos must be taken during the contest period.
Entry Categories:
1 – Birds & Other Wildlife (including insects)
2 – Natural Winter Scenes (including close-ups)
Age Categories:
1. Adult – Age 18 and up
2. Youth – Age 17 and under
Awards:
First Prize Adult Categories – Annual Pass from Hamilton Conservation Authority
First Prize Youth Under 18 Categories – $50 Cash
Honorary mentions at the discretion of the judges.
Award Announcement: Wed., March 30, 2022
Judges: To be announced
Rules:
> COVID regulations must be observed with regards to physical distancing (6 ft); masks should be worn when appropriate.
> If the entry is any form of wildlife the species MUST be correctly identified.
> If the entry is a close-up of a tree or plant under ‘Winter Scenes’ identify the subject if possible.
> Photos MUST be taken from the paths of either the Urquhart Butterfly Garden or the paths of Canal Park (including the deck).
> Photos are to be submitted without any digital editing, beyond cropping, adjustments of exposure, sharpness, or minor colour correction.
> Maximum size for each photo is 10MB
> Enter up to 3 photographs per category (maximum 6 total in the two categories).
> One Google Form entry per person (Submit all photos in a single entry; do not enter multiple form submissions.
> Entries to be submitted via Google Forms – A link to the entry form can be found on our website urquhartbutterfly.com.
> Deadline: 11:59 pm February 28th, 2022 – no late submissions will be accepted.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden and Hamilton Conservation Authority reserve the right to use the photographs (with credit) on their websites or in local news media and social media, to promote the respective properties. Images will remain the copyright of the photographer.
Cooler nights and a profusion of aster & goldenrod flowers have signaled the arrival of autumn in the garden. Our ‘Summer Series’ Education Programme has ended for 2021. We are grateful to all of our event leaders and visitors who made the year successful.
Hummingbird migration is drawing to a close but several are still visiting the salvia, red sage and other flowers. Visit our new ‘Filmed in the Garden’ to view a great video on Ruby-throated Hummingbirds by Mark Williams.
‘Filmed in the Garden’ features several videos shot in the Urquhart Butterfly Garden in 2021. Current videos feature the Great Golden Digger Wasp and another with great shots of Preying Mantis, both by Mark Williams. Thank you Mark!
Monarch butterfly numbers are building and will continue strong until successive cold fronts, north winds and sunny days carry them south. Watch for them flitting around the Butterfly Bushes or drifting by overhead.
Another great spot for autumn butterflies is the Crabapple trees near the cedar hedge at the west end of the Garden. On sunny days butterflies can be seen along the path feeding on the rotting fruit on the ground.
Other welcome sights include American Goldfinches and Eastern Chipmunk feasting on the Cup Plant seedheads as Cedar Waxwings pluck berries. Don’t forget to watch for the bird migration overhead.
The September 7th deadline for entering the 2021 Urquhart Butterfly Garden Photo Contest has come and gone. We are grateful to have received many excellent photos of a diverse array of garden wildlife.
Photo Contest Award Announcement:
The 2021 Photo Contest Award Winners will annouced on our website on the morning of Tuesday, October 12th, 2021. Stay tuned!
Urquhart Butterfly Garden 