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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".

Fall Fungi

Nov 4, 2021

Fungi are mysterious, stunningly diverse, and impactful.

Turtles

Oct 12, 2021

Only two of Ontario’s eight native turtle species are likely to be found here: midland painted turtles and common snapping turtles.

Calling All Citizen Scientists!

Sep 24, 2021

All you need is a smartphone and a love of nature to make valuable contributions to conservation science.

To Catch a Fish

Sep 13, 2021

Fish are fast, slippery, and camouflaged, designed by evolution to avoid being eaten.

Wasps

Aug 16, 2021

I’ve walked through meadows teeming with wasps, innumerable times, without being stung.

Batesian Mimicry

Jul 7, 2021

July is prime butterfly season in Headwaters.

Wild Nocturne

Jun 22, 2021

Grab a flashlight and head out on a hike after sundown and get to know the creatures of the night – including moths, salamanders and frogs.

Minnows

Jun 8, 2021

Most of our minnows, like our songbirds, breed in spring and many male minnows, like male songbirds, advertise their reproductive fitness with brilliant colours.

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.