MACOUN MARSH HIGHLIGHTS OF 2014 (Ottawa, Canada)

January- A sharp-shinned hawk was seen several times over the month of January. 

February- Macoun Marsh was featured at the “Teaching Choices- Tomorrow’s Classroom 2014 “ Symposium at the University of Ottawa.  On February 3 there was a meeting at Ottawa City Hall to look at how Let’s Talk Science can work with local programs like the Macoun Marsh project to promote “backyard” biology.  A saw-whet owl was seen near the feeders on February 1.     

March- A sharp-shinned hawk continues to hunt at the marsh.  

April- April saw the first sighting ever of the rare American bittern at Macoun Marsh.  On Easter day neighbours witnessed it eating a gartersnake! A snowy owl was sighted being chased off by crows. 

May- The Macoun Marsh sub-committee under the Beechwood Cemetery Foundation began.   Twenty nine species of bird were seen on May 10!  Most of these were unusual migrants.  On May 21 forty grade 2/3 students from Lady Evelyn Alternative School enjoyed a fantastic tour by the St-Laurent Academy grade 6 students.  

June- June 7th was our first community marsh tour. Most people came from Dunbarton Court.  In late June VIPs Swetha (India) and Christian (Germany) were in Canada as part of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network. They were involved with the Montreal Working Group on the Review of the Implementation of the Convention on Biodiversity.  They had a private tour of our special marsh! 

July- St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences came out to do bat research at Macoun Marsh. Some students from St-Laurent Academy joined the group with a pizza and DQ picnic. Many night creatures were seen including two little brown bats, one hoary bat, four baby raccoons and a green heron.

August- St-Laurent Academy science teacher Mike Leveille began work on a detailed Macoun Marsh Summer Diorama for St-Laurent Academy School.  On August 19^th we find the 1400^th species recorded- the spotted tussock moth!

September- Local Cub Scouts and Rockcliffe Park Public School visit the marsh.

October- The NAAEE International Environmental Conference tour at Macoun Marsh was on October 8.  Ten delegates came out representing schools and museums from NWT, Alberta, California, New York, Chicago, and Florida.  Rain held off for most of the event.  Aquatic life, salamanders, migrant birds, and asters dominated the tour. 

The ANNUAL BIODIVERSITY MENTORSHIP PROGRAM with youth from local Public, Catholic, and Private schools met on October 18.  There was a student-led Macoun Marsh tour. The students received two messages from youth delegates at a UN Biodiversity gathering in the Republic of Korea.

November- Black-capped chickadees began feeding from local visitors. 

December- Unusually warm weather delay natural cycles with the absence of snow cover and the activity of invertebrates under the soil.  Some migrants are staying longer this winter such as the white-throated sparrow.  On December 12 St-Laurent Academy students witnessed a juvenile sharp-shinned hawk hunting a junco.