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Don Scallen

Don Scallen enjoys sharing his love of nature through his writing and presentations. Check out his blog "Notes from the Wild".

Calvin the Salamander

May 4, 2021

Calvin is a rare piebald version of a spotted salamander.

Life Renewed

Apr 12, 2021

There is much to quicken the pulse at this time of year. So much to see, hear and appreciate.

New Kits on the Block

Mar 31, 2021

Red foxes are making themselves at home in Inglewood, Grand Valley and Palgrave, hunting in our yards and denning under our sheds and garages.

Winter Ducks

Mar 1, 2021

For sheer visual pleasure it’s hard to beat the splendour of ducks on a sunny winter’s day.

Mudpuppies

Feb 9, 2021

I was invited to search for mudpuppies in a Wellington County stream last December.

Winter Bird Watching

Jan 12, 2021

This is a special winter for bird watching in the hills.

Brook Trout

Dec 1, 2020

There is no guarantee that brook trout will continue to thrive in Caledon, Erin and Dufferin in the years to come.

Tree Crickets

Nov 3, 2020

Singing tree crickets are beautiful. They raise diaphanous wings like miniature sails and vibrate them as they trill their songs.

Hopping and Walkin’ in the Rain

Oct 15, 2020

This is the time of year to get out after dark and explore… especially as the rain falls.

A Forest is More Than Its Trees

Sep 18, 2020

From deep in the earth to high in the sky, forests shelter teeming life.

These Flora and Fauna Rely On Forests

Sep 18, 2020

Here are six plants and animals, representative of myriad others, that depend completely on forests.

Singing Insects

Sep 8, 2020

You likely won’t see many of these without a little dedicated searching.

Beetle Mania

Aug 4, 2020

Four beetles among hundreds of thousands, each with a unique story to tell.

Promethea Moths

Jul 6, 2020

While most moths release their pheromones after dusk, promethea moth females are an exception.

Red Foxes

Jun 16, 2020

The Georgetown fox family is lucky to be living in an older section of town where yards are spacious and tree filled.

Dispatches from a Vernal Pool

May 5, 2020

Vernal pools, like coral reefs, are theatres showcasing life and death struggles between prey and predators.

Flying Squirrels

Apr 7, 2020

Remarkably, flying squirrels can glide up to 90 metres, though most of their aerial journeys are much shorter.

Where the Moose and the Elk Used to Roam

Mar 24, 2020

Wildlife populations in Dufferin and Caledon have come and gone over the past few centuries, most dramatically since European settlement. Some species have vanished from the landscape. Others have arrived. Now things are changing again.

In The Hills

In The Hills is an independent, locally owned print and online magazine that has earned its reputation as the best-read, best-loved magazine in Headwaters.

The magazine is delivered to more than 40,000 homes and farms throughout Caledon, Erin, Dufferin, Orangeville and Creemore – up to double the circulation of any other local publication. And it is available to visitors at local inns, restaurants, specialty retail stores and other tourist locations.