South Peel Naturalists' Club

10/14/2026

See trail cam photos of Southern Ontario coyotes and learn about their behaviour from guest speaker David Rankine at our monthly meeting Mon. Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. Meetings are held in the basement hall at Church of St. Bride, 1516 Clarkson Rd. N., . All welcome. No cost to attend. https://southpeel.wordpress.com/activities/meetings/

"Searching for coyotes to find myself" was the powerful realization of author, educator, and musician David Rankine after his transformative experience observing the coyotes of Inverhuron Provincial Park. What began as a simple curiosity evolved into an extraordinary exploration of the bond between nature, community, and love in David Rankine's The Two Bays Pack: The Coyotes of Inverhuron, published by One Thousand Trees.

Read about this publication through the link!
https://guelpharts.ca/uncategorized/the-two-bays-pack-the-coyotes-of-inverhuron/

10/09/2026

Interest fall bird facts!

Birds Are Caching Food for the Winter! For birds the biggest giveaway that autumn has arrived is the decrease in daylight hours. For many birds this means it’s time to get out of town and head south, but for birds that winter here like Tufted Titmice, Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, woodpeckers, Northern Cardinals, and Blue Jays, it means it’s time to stock up on food for the upcoming winter. This is also known as caching.

September through December is peak caching time for some of our favorite birds, and these birds can store anywhere from hundreds to thousands of separate caches scattered around their home ranges (our backyards and neighborhoods). Notice how birds are spending less time eating their seeds and nuts at your feeders and are instead making repeated visits where instead of hanging out and eating, they quickly leave with their bounty. Some birds like Blue Jays may actually stay longer as they stuff their mouths with as many seeds or nuts as possible. A study found that Blue Jays can stuff up to 100 sunflower seeds in their mouths before setting off to hide them!

Chickadees, nuthatches, titmice and woodpeckers store their seeds and nuts under tree bark and knotholes; and even under roof shingles, house siding and eaves. Some birds hide seeds by covering them with leaves, moss or grass. Blue Jays often bury their cache in the ground. Birds also remember key landmarks such as rocks and shrubs that surround their cache locations.

Now here’s something truly amazing! Chickadees’ brains actually grow in the autumn to help them remember where they hid their caches of food! In the spring their brains shrink back. Kinda makes a person rethink what it means to be a “bird brain!”

10/08/2026

Upcoming events in on Saturdays Oct. 17, Oct. 24, and Oct. 31. Registration and info at https://www.mississauga.ca/events-and-attractions/events-calendar/tree-planting-events-2026/?eventdate=2026-10-03T10%3A00%3A00&schedule=26107

10/07/2026

09/23/2026

The City of Mississauga Natural Areas Team is running a seed collection walk, talk, and workshop on Tues. Oct. 6 from 4 to 5 p.m. at Jack Darling Park on Lakeshore Road. For more information and to register, visit https://southpeel.wordpress.com/2026/09/15/spnc-outing-seed-collection-walk-workshop/.

Tuesday, October 6, 4-5pm at Jack Darling Memorial Park 1180 Lakeshore Rd West, Mississauga Led by Felicia Radassao, Natural Areas Specialist, City of Mississauga We will meet at the second parking…

09/22/2026

More opportunities in this fall with Oakvillegreen Conservation Association.

09/21/2026

opportunity in east . Help Halton Environmental Network expand the food forest this Saturday, September 26 from 10am to 1pm.

🌳 Plant a tree. Grow a future. 🌱

Join the Halton Environmental Network for a free, hands-on community tree-planting event at the Oakville Food Forest! Together, we’ll create a greener, more resilient space that supports local food, biodiversity, climate action, and community connection. 💚🌎

📅 Saturday, September 26, 2026
⏰ 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
📍 Kinsford Gardens - 2480 Sherwood Heights Dr., Oakville
📧 Register in advance by emailing [email protected], or simply show up on the day and join the fun! 🌱🙌

No experience is needed - just bring your enthusiasm and get ready to dig in! We’ll provide shovels, gloves, snacks, drinks, and a pizza lunch. 🍕🧤 Volunteer hours are also available.

There’s something deeply rewarding about planting a tree and knowing your work will provide food, habitat, shade, and connection for years to come. This important work helps build healthier communities and a more climate-resilient future - one tree at a time. 🌿

Bring a friend, meet your neighbours, and help us grow something meaningful! 🙌