| Who
We Are
A
group of people from various walks of life and ages, who share a
common interest in nature study, and the appreciation, and preservation
of natural processes.
A
Short History of the Club
The
West Elgin Nature Club traces it begining to the year 1946. Through
the interest and encouragement of the late Dr. W.E. Saunders, a
group of the local people assembled in the West Lorne Public School
for the inagural meeting and ME.V.E Lemon was chosen the first president
of the club. The club is a member of the Federation of Ontario naturalists
and the Canadian Nature Federation, over the years many prominent
speakers have contributed their time and knowledge to the meetings.
Some of the Club's highlights include:
| 1. |
The
first confirmed sighting of the Northern Cardinal, locally,
was on May 27, 1928 by Earl Lemon. |
| 2. |
Mr.
Dugald Murray reported the first red-bellied woodpecker in 1951
in his woodlot along the Thames River. Since that time, they
have become a common, but not abundant, resident species throughtout
the area. |
| 3. |
The
first Canadian sighting of a Phainopepla (a bird of the Southwest
United States) was made by Mr. R. Pokraka on the Christmas bird
count, Dec 27, 1975. |
| 4. |
An
American Avocet, a first record for Elgin County, visited the
Rodney sewage Lagoon in August 1978. |
| 5. |
West
Elgin has the only record of a small brown orchid (Liparis Lilifora),
the nodding onion (Allium cernuus) and Queen-of-the-prairie
(Filpendula rubra) |
| 6. |
West
Elgin has a few specimens of native black gum and American chestnut
trees. Other Carolinian species native to the area are being
revived. |
Our
Activities
| 1. |
Indoor
meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 8pm
September to April with the exception of December, at the West
Elgin Senior Elemntary School, West Lorne. Speakers both local
and guest, provide a variety of programs. A social hour follows
each meeting. |
| 2. |
Field
trips are scheduled for the months of April, May and June. The
annual canoe trip on the Thames River is held on the second
week of August with a picnic at the Big Bend C.A., Wardsville. |
| 3. |
West
Elgin bird census is taken on Decmber 27 every year with a pot
luck supper and a speaker to complete the day. |
| 4. |
In
1983 the Club was granted a lease on 32 acres of property in
West Elgin this is the West Elgin Nature Club Reserve (Aldborough
Memorial Forest Preserve). |
| 5. |
A
wood duck nest box program continues in our sewage lagoons. |
| 6. |
The
Club has manufactured over 300 bluebird houses. The majority
of these nest boxes have been sold to local citizens and a large
number have been placed throughout various locations in the
township. |
| 7. |
In
1999, the Club leased 2 miles of railroad right-of-way and formally
created the Dutton-Dunwich Praairie. The property is 24 acres
in size and is one of few remaining prairie remnants in southern
Ontario. |
If
you think that you would like to join this Nature Club, come out
to our next meeting and see what goes on. Annual membership fees
are $6.00 individual and $10.00 family. To get more information,
contact our current president, Ken or Joan Neil of West Lorne. |
