Here are some photos from 2016 by Al Tweddle, chair of FOPI.
All posts by FOPI_admin
Bill Bower (11 Sep 2016)
Here are some videos taken on Petrie Island by Bill Bower during the summer of 2016.
Bill Bower (25 Sep 2016)
Twenty years ago you wouldn’t have found any of these three butterflies around Petrie Island or around Ottawa for that matter.
All three were found down the Bill Holland Trail within about 300 – 400 yards of one another. I found the Buckeye on Sept. 15th. Their northern range would be northern New York State and Southern Ontario, Sightings around Ottawa over the years have been few and far between. One year there was a small colony located in the Ottawa area which meant that a female with eggs made it this far north. They would not have survived the winter. All old sightings were made in September as well. There has never been a sighting reported from Petrie Island that anyone can remember. I wonder with global warming has anything to do with it.
Katherine Forster 3 May 2014
Great Turn Out for Jane’s Walk: Turtles at Petrie Island on Saturday May 3rd!
On an early May Saturday Al Tweddle and Eva Kasanda hosted 41 intrepid Jane’s Walkers on a Turtle Trail walk and talk. This year the Ottawa River cooperated allowing the visitors access to the island and the Grand Maitre Nature Reserve. The tour started in the Interpretive Centre, providing shelter from some light rain and allowing visitors to learn about the efforts of the Friends of Petrie Island and the wildlife that lives on the island. Outside one brave Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica) showed his (or her) face and Eva Kasanda introduced the group to a pet Red Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) turtle (courtesy of Bill Bower) and she talked about the dangers of releasing this type of non-native species into the wild.
The tour finished up with a visit to the Experimental Turtle Nesting Site. Al and Eva received lots of great questions and comments and FOPI is looking forward to hosting more walks and talks this year! Promotion of this event and other Jane Walks were seen in Apartment 613, Green Living Ottawa and the Ottawa Citizen! Thanks to everyone who came out!
Al Tweddle and Erika Rose 25 May 2014
At 11 am Sunday, we attempted to enter Petrie Island but found the road was closed and water levels were still high. We managed to get to the nature center wearing rubber boots and noted that 50% of the picnic area was under water. On our way in we saw 3 painted and 4 mapped turtles basking along the
turtle trail. We saw 2 geese and 3 goslings swimming through the picnic area. The Bill Holland (BH) trail was completely flooded in the picnic area portion. We ventured to the end of the BH trail by boat, landing where the beaver loop begins. We spotted two muskrats along our boat ride, as well as a heron along the river shore. Along the loop we found a beaver lodge, which
is new this year. Portions of the beaver loop are too flooded to walk through.
We proceeded to the sand dune at the west end of the trail, on our way passing a collection of Bladder Nut. As we approached the Ottawa River shoreline we found that the sandy beach along the River Trail was completely under water.
Water levels have receded since their peak on Thursday the 22nd. We
expect the road to be open in the next day or so. Rubber boots are
recommended on the trails – however in some areas water levels may go above
the top of your boots, watch your step!
Figure 1. A
beaver caught eating dinner !
Figure 2.
Flooded picnic area at Petrie Island.
Figure 3.
Eva, one of our monitors trekking through the flooded picnic area.
Figure 4. A
muskrat seen along one of the nature trails!