Friends of Murphys Point: Among Friends

Winter 2011 SKIP - Maple Syrup!

2011-03-13T23:32:00.000-04:00

It was a sweet time at Murphys Point on Sunday as we gathered for our last program of the Winter 2011 Super Kids In Parks session.

Volunteer extraordinaire Alida Lemieux (who is an interpreter at Murphys Point in the summer) joined us again and led a great program all about "the sap that binds us." We started off with a hike along the Lally Trail where we used our tree-identification skills from the week before to pick out some sugar maple trees. Alida taught us a trick to identifying the sugar maple leaf - the lobes are "U" shaped (instead of "V" shaped) and the word "sugar" has a "U" in it. She then explained, using a tree volunteer, how the sap in the tree carries nutrients from its roots to its buds, and extra sugar in the sap works as an antifreeze as winter changes to spring - protecting the tree.

At the next stop we learned how many different creatures use the sap produced in maple trees to survive. One of these creatures is a woodpecker called the yellow-bellied sapsucker. It has - you guessed it - a yellowish belly and it likes - you guessed it - to suck the sap out of trees. The holes it makes attract insects, which draw in other creatures, too, forming part of the food chain. We also had the chance to see a hole made by the pilleated woodpecker, which is a much larger bird.

The next stop featured signs that a person had been tapping a tree. It was a single hole, not too deep, but very round - possibly done using a drill.

We then reached Black Creek, where we took a moment to scope out the beaver lodge, muskrat push-ups and various tracks. Alida and Steph had observed an otter on the ice earlier in the afternoon, but it was nowhere to be seen when the group arrived. A couple of big, soaring birds made an appearance in the distance, though!

Alida then showed us how, in theory, one would tap a tree using an old-fashioned wood auger, spiles and sap buckets. We discussed how the lids help to keep things out of the buckets, and how modern syrup operations have different equipment that removes unwanted items from the sap, such as moths and other bugs. Some of our participants are very knowledgeable about maple syrup production!

We then played a game that demonstrated sugar energy transfer by passing sugar around to show how each part of the food chain is affected by sugar maple sap at its start - with birds, insects, cats, fishers and fungus all playing a role. It truly is the sap that binds us!

The last stop on the hike featured a special guest! A visitor from the 1870s talked a bit about how hard families worked to produce maple syrup on family homesteads. She said she had to carry buckets of sap to the big outdoor iron kettle they used to boil the sap. She explained that often they would boil it past the syrup stage and into sugar, which stored more easily and could be sold at markets in Perth. She also told us about a couple of tricks to use when boiling the sap that help to keep it controlled and to remove unwanted particles.

We then made our way back to the drive shed to play some games. The first was a relay. Each team had to carry a small container of "sap" from one bucket to a pot as fast as possible. Emptying the first bucket fastest didn't necessarily mean that team won - there were obstacles to overcome (such as a squirrel in the kettle or horses running out of control and dumping the sap wagon). The team with the most "sap" won!

The second game was a human chain to represent a pipeline for sap collection. The kids were the links in the chain and had to pass a ball hand to hand until they reached the end of the line.

At last it was snack time, which featured dill pickles and crackers to counter the sweetness of taffy on snow (yum!) boiled up by Skipper Jane.

A huge thank you to Alida for travelling all the way back to Murphys Point to lead another great program for us, and to our volunteers Jane Irwin, Pat Batchelor and Stephanie Gray.

We had a terrific time with our SKIP kids this session. Stay tuned for news about the Spring session - to be announced.

Winter 2011 SKIP - Trees and Snowshoeing

2011-03-08T13:18:00.002-05:00

Our SKIP organizers put in an order with Mother Nature for a little snow for last Sunday so that we could do our snowshoeing program - and did she ever deliver! (Please note that the organizers are now asking for spring-like weather that is more suitable for this Sunday's maple syrup program....)

This week was another busy session for our SKIP kids. Led by Jeff Ward of the Lanark Stewardship Council and Sarah O'Grady of Mississippi Valley Conservation (which generously loaned us snowshoes), we divided into two groups and switched activities partway through.

One group stayed with Jeff in the drive shed to get some pointers on identifying trees in winter. Naturally, we can often identify deciduous trees by their leaves, so how do we do it in winter? Jeff showed us some tricks pertaining to the shape of a tree's crown, whether branches and buds are alternating or not, the colour of the branches and bark, and the texture of the bark. He had samples of logs and demonstrated the different textures and features of each tree.

The next step was to put this into practice, so we headed down the Lally Trail where Jeff and volunteer Judy Buehler had set up a relay game. Kids had to race each other to retrieve twig samples of various species of trees based on what they had learned. We discovered a bunch of neat things about different species.

Next the kids were given paper and crayons and did bark rubbings that they could take home. Some of the patterns were pretty neat!

While all this was happening, the alternate group was up at the parking lot getting ready for a snowshoeing trek. Sarah explained how various animals, such as hares, are naturally equipped to be able to travel easily over snow - and how some, such as deer, are not. She also discussed the origins of snowshoeing and the different types of shoes that are out there.

Next we strapped on a set of snowshoes and, after laying the ground rules for safe travel, we set off through the field and down part of the other end of the Lally Trail to experience the ease of travelling over the recent thick pile of snow. Along the way Sarah and volunteer Linda McLaren pointed out various animal tracks and features of the trail - a great way to explore and hike in winter!

Next everyone returned to the drive shed for a great snack of veggies and popcorn balls provided by our Skipper, Judy Fletcher. Around that time we had a very special guest appearance by the resident porcupine. He trundled across the snow and climbed up the big white pine tree behind the homestead - quite a show! We learned that porcupines do not actually throw their needles. Oh, and we should also remember that the easy way to recognize a white pine tree is by its needle clusters - five needles representing the five letters in WHITE.

Big thanks go out to Jeff and Sarah (and MVC) for their awesome program, along with volunteers Judy F., Judy B., Steph Linda and Steph. Next week is the last program in the winter session - and it promises to be a sweet one at the Lally Homestead!

Winter 2011 SKIP - Week 4 (Birding)

2011-02-28T22:35:00.001-05:00

Last week we focused on water, this week we took to the skies! It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon for a program on birds.

Our volunteer naturalist Heather Lunn led a fantastic program, which started with the kids dividing into two groups and visiting four different bird-related stations. Heather's station dealt with identifying birds in winter. She brought several pictures and guides and situated the group in some edge habitat (where the field meets the edge of the forest) to talk about the four main birds that stay at Murphys Point in winter: ruffed grouse, great horned owl, downy woodpecker and black-capped chickadee. She played bird calls and talked about other ways to identify them, such as visual cues.

Volunteer Judy Buehler, another outdoor enthusiast and birder, conducted the next station, which focused on backyard bird feeding. Several different feeders were set up in the big pine tree behind the Lally Homestead. Judy showed the group different food for birds, such as suet and seeds, and discussed the best ways to feed birds in the backyard - from favourite foods to good locations. Then the kids made Cheerio-bird-feeding necklaces that they could take home and hang on a tree for the birds.

Volunteer Pat Batchelor led the group on a short hike along the Lally Trail to discuss winter homes and habitats for birds. First they discussed good homes for birds that stay in winter and demonstrated different bird boxes. Each participant received a map of the Lally Trail with a clipboard and stickers. As they went along the trail they identified good homes and food sources for birds, and marked them on the map with the stickers.

The last station was led by Steph Gray and Linda McLaren and consisted of a winter survival game in the field. After a discussion about what birds need to survive in winter (food, water and shelter), one participant was designated to be a great horned owl and the rest were red cardinals. The cardinals had to collect a scoop of seeds from a bucket at one end of the field and deliver it "home" to an empty bucket, then do the same with a scoop of water and a tree branch to represent shelter. Anyone who collected all three items without being tagged was a true survivor!

The grand finale took place in the homestead with special guests Dwayne Struthers and Garnet Baker from the Leeds County Stewardship Council, along with Jeff Ward from the Lanark County Stewardship Council. Dwayne and Garnet led a session on bluebird box building, and came with kits for the kids to use so that they could each assemble a box to take home!

The kits contained pre-cut wood and pre-drilled holes, and the participants had the chance to line everything up and use a screwdriver to put everything together. Each box is made so that one side that swings open so the box can be cleaned out each year. The boxes should be fastened to a post (ideally steel so predators can't climb up) at least one metre above the ground. Dwayne and Garnet explained that not every box will attract a bluebird, but they should attract some kind of bird, such as swallows. An installation and care sheet will be provided to the kids with their workbook pages at the end of the program.

While the participants worked on the boxes they nibbled on a delicious snack provided by Skipper Linda McLaren - apples, juice and "seedy" cookies.

A huge thank you to Dwayne and Garnet for providing their skills, expertise and supplies for the bluebird boxes; to Heather for leading this week's program and to all of our program volunteers: Linda, Pat, Judy and Steph. Next week we look forward to communing with the trees - possibly on snowshoes!

Winter 2011 SKIP - Week 3 (Fish and Ice Fishing)

2011-02-20T21:45:00.002-05:00

Wow - what a jam-packed afternoon!

With the weather taking a turn last week and the warm spell and rain leaving top water on area waterways, our SKIP crew decided to play it safe and change our original ice-fishing program to a more land-based games afternoon instead. Luckily, though, things cooled and got downright frigid on Saturday, so when our special guests Conservation Officer Mike Dubé and Deputy-Conservation Officer Curtis Thompson (also Murphys Point Acting Superintendent) tested conditions on Sunday morning, we were able to compromise and add a little bit of ice fishing after all!

This week we met at the park office area and started off by dividing our SKIP kids (parents and siblings were invited to this program, too, and we thank all who stayed) into four teams and rotated around four fish-themed stations.

Heather engaged the kids in a lively rounds of Fish Habitat Tag, where the "fish" kids had to collect three coloured spoons representing food, clean water and sunshine/oxygen - all important things for fish survival. One player was "it" and represented a predator (such as an osprey) or disease or pollution and tried to tag the fishies before they got back to home base.

At the next station, Beth helped each participant to strap on a pair of snowshoes and then they hiked up a short hill to retrieve puzzle pieces. The groups worked as a team to assemble two fish puzzles, and then they had to identify the fish from a chart showing all Ontario species.

Tobi conducted a fishing game at the next station. The kids took turns wearing a blindfold and the group worked as a team (a chorus of voices!) to guide each person toward a bucket filled with fish cards. Then they had to come back and determine what species they got. If they caught one that was out of season (such as large- or smallmouth bass), it had to go back to the bucket.

The last station was a memory hike led by Linda. The kids travelled along a short loop trail and looked for big fish cards hanging from trees. The cards were labelled and the kids had to remember all seven species when they reached the end of the hike.

Then we headed for Loon Lake, where Mike and Curtis awaited. They started with helpful information about ice safety, including thickness and safety equipment.

They demonstrated using a power auger to drill a hole and we all got to see the thickness of the ice and observed the various colours - which represent the type of ice and its strength. The big message from Mike and Curtis is that kids should never go out on the ice without an adult making sure it's safe.

They also reiterated that there are seasons for fish and sometimes certain species can't be kept at certain times. This weekend was a special one for fishing in Ontario because it is Family Fun Fishing Weekend, which means everyone can fish without a licence through to the holiday Monday! The rest of the time adults ages 18 and up need a licence.

Mike and Curtis had drilled several holes in order to demonstrate the different types of equipment you can use when ice fishing. This included everything from the low-tech stick with fishing line attached to a tip-up featuring a snazzy flag and rod and reel sets with jigs - not to mention fish finding equipment that showed us when a fish was about to nibble on the bait!

Then they showed us some of the specimens they had caught, including several perch. Mike pointed out the features of a good-sized female perch carrying eggs.

Everyone had a chance to try the rod for a couple of minutes and check out the action on the fish finder. We hope next year the weather will co-operate so we can plan for an full program of fishing.

Then we headed back to the chalet where Skipper Pat had prepared a wonderful fish-themed snack: fish-shaped cookies and crackers (with a gummy worm treat - bait, you know!) and hot chocolate and juice. Everyone got to take home a "loot" bag made up of fishing bait and tackle generously donated by Canadian Tire in Perth - a huge thank you to them!

Big thanks go out to everyone involved in the program this week: Conservation Officer Mike Dubé and Deputy-Conservation Officer Curtis Thompson; Park Naturalist Tobi Kiesewalter and volunteers Stephanie Gray, Pat Batchelor, Beth Peterkin, Linda McLaren and Heather Lunn. Also thanks to Jeff Ward (Stewardship Council) who helped to coordinate things, and to Trevor Deachman at Canadian Tire, as well as to Wendell Crosbie and the Lanark and District Fish and Game Club for their generous donation toward ice-fishing equipment used in today's program, which will be retained for future years.

Great day, everyone!

Winter 2011 SKIP - Week 2 (Winter Survival)

2011-02-15T21:59:00.001-05:00

Last week our Super Kids In Parks tackled shelter building, and this week it was the whole kit and kaboodle: what to do if stuck in the woods in winter?

Our skilled volunteer leader Alida, who is an interpreter at Murphys Point in the summer and student of all things pertaining to outdoors and education the rest of the time, led us through a great program that featured some helpful tips and fun activities related to winter survival.

The first important message? Don't panic! If you find yourself in a survival situation, stop and think, stay put and make a plan. One way to do this is to pick a landmark, such as a tree, and make it your home base. We practised the skill of finding our landmarks after some disorienting spinning in the field - how quickly could we get to our base?

Another key to survival in the winter is warmth. We know lots of animals have this mastered - they come equipped with special layered fur coats or feathers, for instance. Technically humans have this mastered, too; we just have to use our noggins and dress appropriately. The most important thing is to wear layers: have lots for warmth and peel them off as you cool down and sweat so you don't get cold and clammy. Another trick is to exercise (we did jumping jacks) to keep warm, being careful to conserve your energy.

Speaking of energy, food and water were the next topic. We learned that we can go quite a few days without food, but not long at all without water. We also learned that eating snow takes a lot of energy and uses a lot of warmth, so it's best to build a fire (more warmth) and melt the snow if possible.

We broke into four groups and Alida timed us to see which group could build a small fire (with help from adult volunteers and kit with some supplies) and melt snow in a can the fastest. The winning group completed the task in mere minutes, and one group demonstrated building fires is tricky business - and had no luck at all!

The next big tip for winter survival is to be seen and heard. Like a cardinal against snow, bright colours help a person to be seen. Make noise, too - bring a whistle and emit three short blasts to signal for help. We practised the art of noise making (not that a large group of kids needs a lot of practise with that) by doing coyote calls, with Alida explaining the difference between the noises made by pups and adults.

Finally, it doesn't hurt to leave a message for your rescuer, so we spent some time tromping through the field to write large messages in the snow that could be seen from above.

Our Skipper Pat then "rescued" us with hot chocolate and other snacks in the warm drive shed while we recapped all we'd learned. There was even a little time for frolicking in the snow before going home.

A big thank you to Alida for a great program, as well as to our volunteers Pat, Judy, Beth, Lynn and Steph. Ice fishing fun is planned for the next program - stay tuned!

Winter 2011 SKIP - Week 1

2011-02-08T00:19:00.001-05:00

Our first program of the Winter 2011 session of Super Kids In Parks got off to a great start! New participants mingled with seasoned veterans and worked as a team to build a big shelter on the Lally Homestead site at Murphys Point.

We kicked the afternoon off with an introduction to the program in the warmth of the drive shed, and then program leader Beth dispatched the crew to the barn foundation, where heaps of discarded Christmas trees awaited a new recycled adventure. Volunteers explained to the kids that we can't use trees or brush or deadfall from within the park because it is protected, so we gathered used Christmas trees from outside of the park specifically for this program.

The first task was to haul the trees from the foundation to the shelter site, which was located against an old fence rail and in some scrubby trees for added protection. Not an easy task in the deep deep snow!

Then the kids flattened the snow in the area. Next the trees and branches were lined up to form a wall, which was then supported with snow banks.

Following a group photo demonstrating the team effort, we talked about different types of shelters and good locations for them if needed.

The participants were then released to the open field by the homestead, where they worked on building forts and snowmen and other snowy creations before returning to the drive shed for hot chocolate and other snacks.

The Friends of Murphys Point Park extend a big welcome to our Winter 2011 participants. Thanks also to our Skipper Judy, who looked after the woodstove in the drive shed and provided the snacks, as well as our program leader, Beth, and volunteers Heather, Nancy, Cathy and Steph.

Stay tuned for details of our winter survival program next week!

Register for the Winter 2011 SKIP Session!

2011-01-16T22:44:00.001-05:00

We are now accepting registrations for the Winter 2011 session of Super Kids In Parks - and we have a great line-up of activities!

SKIP is open to kids ages 7 to 10 and takes place on Sunday afternoons from 1 to 3 p.m. starting Feb. 6 to March 13. Our winter programs includes shelter building, winter survival (humans and critters), ice fishing, birds and seasonal ecology, snowshoeing and/or tree identification, and maple syrup history and ecology. Be prepared for lots of outdoor fun!

The cost is $50 and pre-registration is required. Registration forms are available by clicking here.

If you'd like to learn more about SKIP, click here for our brochure or check the archives for this blog to see the weekly updates for the Winter, Spring and Fall 2010 sessions.

Hurry - enrolment is limited! Questions? Please e-mail friendsofmurphyspointpark@yahoo.ca.

Hope to see you at SKIP!

Fall SKIP - Week 6 - Fall Ecology

2010-11-07T23:42:00.000-05:00

Wow - what a great day we had for the last SKIP program of the Fall session! Lots of sunshine and pleasant temperatures were an extra bonus!

Today's program was led by Heather Lunn, avid Friends Director/Volunteer and naturalist. We had great fun participating in a number of activities Heather had lined up to show us how plants and animals have to work really hard to get ready for winter. Despite the fact autumn can seem like a dreary and quite time of year, it's actually very busy.

We set off for a hike on the Lally Trail, where Heather had us take a good look around at the trees. A number of volunteers participated in an activity that demonstrated photosynthesis - how plants use their leaves and the sun to create sugar in the summer, which is stored in the trees for use in the winter even after their leaves have changed colour and fallen.

Next we stopped at Black Creek, where there is always something to see. The muskrats have been busy setting up for winter by creating their tell-tale push ups. We saw a beaver scent mound, too (which we learned about the previous week during our voyageur canoe trip).

Continuing along the trail we saw a chickadee (who stays here for the winter) and what would a SKIP program be without a nice fungus sighting!

The next segment of our program predominantly featured poop - uh, scat. First Heather noted deer scat, and explained how risky it was for this herbivore (plant eater) to be eating in the open field with the risk of predators about.

To emphasize the point, the next scat encountered appears to have been from a coyote - a well-known carnivore (meat eater) who has an taste for deer.

Finally, we came across what is believed to have been omnivore poop (plant and/or animal eater) - namely a bear! Betcha those three weren't all in the field at the same time.

We returned to the cosy drive shed where Heather was joined by volunteers Pat and Jane for a lively skit about migration.

Jane and Heather did a marvellous job as migrating thrushes, while Pat explained why she, as a chickadee, prefers to stay here.

Watch out for star-like objects that are actually lights on top of towers!

We headed back outside for a lively game of migration tag - always fun!

Then it was back to the drive shed where we made two different kinds of bird feeders from recyclable materials. The first one uses plastic bottles and a stick for a perch, and it can be filled with seed.

The second one uses toilet paper rolls covered in peanut butter and then rolled in bird seed. Yum!

And that all smelled so good that we were quite thrilled when Pat, today's Skipper, brought out caramel apples for us to enjoy along with peanuts in their shells and a helping of hot chocolate. Delicious!

We had enough time for another round of migration tag before it was time for our latest batch of SKIP participants to head home. Everyone received a commemorative workbook to take home with a page based on each week's theme.

A big thank you goes out to Heather for a great program, Pat for a wonderful snack, and to our volunteers Jane, Nancy and Steph. Stay tuned for news in January about the Winter 2011 session. Thanks to all our participants and volunteers this fall. We had a blast!

Fall SKIP Week 5 - Voyageur Canoes!

2010-11-03T23:34:00.000-04:00

Our SKIP kids had a big treat for Week 5 of the session - a tour in a pair of Rideau Roundtable voyageur canoes!
The Friends extended an invitation to members and previous SKIP participants and their families to join us for the excursion on what turned out to be a pretty chilly Halloween day. A group of about a dozen hardy folks set out in the morning for a tour of Hogg Bay, with a peek at the Big Rideau, and the SKIP crew set out during our usual afternoon program time, along with about a dozen family members.

The afternoon session started off with a lesson from Jim about the four basic strokes needed to manouevre the big 18-seat canoes and then we set out, with Jim, Stu and Andrea as our competent guides and pilots.

We made our way from the park's boat launch out to Big Rideau Lake, where we were treated to the sight of a large group of juveniles loons (along with a grebe and a couple of seagulls), biding their time before setting off for warmer southern climes.

Then we headed back into the quiet waters of Hogg Bay, where we observed lots of interesting wildlife and habitat, including ducks, evidence of beavers and a swimming mammal that may have been a beaver or a muskrat.

A bit more paddling and we encountered this nifty thing, which sparked some debate - is it a beaver potty (a scent mound - used to mark territory) or a muskrat pushup? Our money's on the potty since this was built on a rock, preventing underwater access for a muskrat.

We made our way down the length of beautiful Hogg Bay - full steam ahead - until we reached McParlan House and the ruins of the Burgess Mill, a historic site dating back to about 1820 and is the location for our annual Archaeo Apprentice program (archaeology for Grade 5 students).

We paused to learn a bit about how the voyageurs lived, complete with some artifacts that helped to tell the story.

Then it was back to the boat launch, admiring the scenery along the way. And what would a SKIP program be without a weekly fungus sighting!

A big thank you goes out to all our participants and for the donations they made. We're also grateful to Stu, Jim and Andrea for the great program, as well as our Skippers, Jane and Steph, and volunteers Beth, Linda, Heather and Pat and, of course, Tobi.

Next week it's back to the Lally Homestead for our final program of the fall session on autumn ecology.

Fall SKIP Week 4 - Geology!

2010-10-28T23:30:00.001-04:00

It was a cold and rainy day, but things were "rockin'" at Murphys Point on Sunday as the SKIP gang gathered for a hike to the Silver Queen Mine.

The program was led by the park's Natural Heritage Education Leader Tobi Kiesewalter, who gave us some great tricks for remembering important geology facts. For example, having trouble remembering rock terminology such as igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic? Well, Tobi remembers them as a rock band made up by members Iggy, Cedric and Morpheus, of course.

We started off in the drive shed at the Lally Homestead where a warm fire burned in the woodstove and Tobi showed us not only some nice crystal specimens, but also explained how we can make our own using regular table salt. He also demonstrated the result of a crystal-making kit. It's not as difficult as you might think!

Then we started off on our hike, stopping first at the barn foundation where Tobi explained the effect of erosion on rock. What water would take millions of years to do, our SKIP kids accomplished in a couple of minutes with a hammer - to make sand! We also learned about the types of rocks typically found in this area and how they were frequently used in building foundations.

Our next stop was devoted to learning about metamorphic rock - rock that changes through the effects of heat and pressure. What better way to demonstrate this than by stacking Starburst candies together and watching how they change after applying heat and pressure from our hands. It was a yummy demonstration.

Next, by looking at the landscape, we learned how different rocks have different levels of hardness. This was further demonstrated by attempting to scratch different specimens with various objects.
And look! We saw fungus, too!

We headed to the bunkhouse where we learned just how difficult it is to make money by mining. Tobi had us mine for chocolate chips in a cookie using toothpicks as drill bits. A cleanly recovered chocolate chip (mineral) could net $500, but if there was a lot of dough (waste rock) clinging to it, you would lose $100. Tobi assessed the results and tallied the earnings. It was yet another delicious activity!

And then it was time to go down into the Silver Queen, where we saw the real-life results of mining and caught a glimpse of the mica, feldspar and apatite that was mined here. A big thank you to Tobi for his excellent geology program, as well as to our intrepid volunteers for the day: Linda, Pat, Jane, Nancy, Steph and Maria.

Next week we're heading off in voyageur canoes to explore Hogg Bay!

Fall SKIP - Week 3 - Outdoor Cooking

2010-10-19T23:41:00.000-04:00

It was a beautiful day to be at Murphys Point, and our SKIP participants joined volunteers in the Hogg Bay campground for a program about outdoor cooking.

Of course to cook outdoors one needs a heat source, and our participants had a chance to learn about safely building a fire - with adult accompaniment, of course!

Led by volunteer Beth Peterkin, the kids were instructed on how to build a fire, with particular attention to safety. Keeping water nearby and a shovel, making sure clothing and hair is tucked in and away from flames, and being aware of wind conditions and the surrounding environment were among the factors discussed. Beth showed the group some of the basics of fire building, and before long we had two lovely campfires going in fire pits on two campsites.

Next it was time to prepare the goodies! First up, a modified version of s'mores - graham crackers and chocolate wrapped in foil - along with yummy baked apples - cored and filled with such things as brown sugar, cinnamon, chocolate chips and raisins and wrapped in foil.

Leaving some adults to tend the fires and wait for the treats to cook the water to boil for hot chocolate, Steph led the participants down to the beach. A pair of Canada geese honked as we approached, which was a good lead-in to our first game - the Migration Game. The kids played the part of birds on their way from Murphys Point to Florida and encountered all sorts of dilemmas along the way: predators, hunters, habitat destruction, bad weather, etc. It was quickly seen that getting to and from one's summer home is not always an easy feat! Next we took a breather and created the sound of a rainstorm with our hands. Then we played a modified version of the Biodiversity Tag we experienced at the Lally Homestead in Week 2.

Then we wandered down to the shoreline where we could see Canada geese and loons congregating, no doubt considering their own long journeys to their winter homes. We even saw some fungus along the way!

Everyone headed back to the campsites to enjoy the warm, toasty treats. Then we made sure the campfires were out cold before wandering to the playground for a few minutes of fun before it was time to go home.

A big thank you goes out to Beth and our volunteers Pat, Jane, Nancy and Steph. Next week Tobi will lead us all to the Silver Queen Mine as he tells us all about geology. SKIP rocks!

Fall SKIP - Week 2 - Biodiversity

2010-10-04T22:57:00.000-04:00

The second week of our Fall SKIP session taught us all a whole lot about biodiversity - the importance of the diversity of life and the challenges species face.

The program was led by Maria Fournier, who has worked summers at Murphys Point. She led us in a tag-like game that demonstrated that species rely on ecosystems. The kids were tasked with having to pick up coloured straws representing food, shelter, water and reproduction - all vital to species survival. In the first round, the kids raced to pick up all four straws without getting tagged by a "predator" or a "disease," and we evaluated the survival rate.

Round 2 kicked it up a notch with each colour located in a roped-off circle representing habitat. This showed how habitat sometimes gets fragmented, and species have to work harder to get what they need. The circles were considered "safe" zones, with the tagger lurking between the circles.

In the final round, we talked about edge habitats and how it can be hard for species to survive because they have to be aware of predators or diseases that are found in both types of habitat. The tagger was given the advantage of being able to reach across the "edge" of the circles to tag the prey. All of this showed the battles some species have to fight in order to avoid endangerment.

Next we broke into groups and went on a nature scavenger hunt. We looked for such things as evidence of animals, seeds, fall flowers, artifacts, rock formations, something related to species at risk, an example of human encroachment on habitat (such as roads), etc. We found lots of evidence of animal activity in the area!

Next Alida Lemieux, a park interpreter, visited us with the black ratsnake from the visitor centre and talked about the difficulties this species encounters. This large, gentle snake is a threatened species that is struggling against human encroachment and habitat destruction. Fragmentation makes it difficult for it to find all the things it needs to survive.

Finally we shared the results of our scavenger hunt over an excellent snack provided by our Skipper, Jane. A big thanks to all our other volunteers for the day: Robbie, Val, Pat and Steph.

Please note there will be no program on Thanksgiving weekend; the next one will be Oct. 17 when we will be cooking outdoors. Stay tuned for directions: this will be held at a location in the campground.

And look at the puffball Gareth found just down the road on his way home!

Fall 2010 SKIP - Mushrooms!

2010-09-26T22:14:00.000-04:00

Game show!

Super Kids In Parks returned on Sunday for a six-week Fall session. A big welcome back to everyone who joined us from previous sessions along with a host of new SKIPs!

Our first program, led by park naturalist Alida Lemieux, introduced us to the fabulously fun world of fungus at Murphys Point! Alida shared her knowledge of mushrooms - and we had a chance to find a whole bunch of great species during the afternoon.

The activities kicked off with a game show. The SKIP kids were divided into two groups and answered a series of questions to test their knowledge of the mushroom world. We figure it ended in a draw - what a smart group of kids!

Mushroom parts

Next it was time to learn a little about the parts of mushrooms, which isn't easy considering not all species of mushrooms have the same pieces. We did learn, however, some pretty fancy names for some of the most common parts, including the cap, ring, stalk and sock. We applied it to the "Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes" song and threw in teeth, gills and pores, too!

Sing it!

Then we played another game to demonstrate how mushrooms reproduce and spread. Having adequate sunlight and moisture plays a part in this, as Alida demonstrated!

Just add water....

Then we headed off to the Lally Trail to look for the objects of the day. Every time we encountered something of interest we hollered "Fuuuunguuuus!" like a foghorn, summoning Alida and some field guides to help us determine what we had found. Some great species were discovered amid the leaves, rotten logs and grass along the trail.

Discovery

The afternoon ended with a snack in the Lally Homestead and a chance to record some of our findings in a SKIP journal. A big thank you to Skipper Jane for the snacks and to Beth for the birthday cake (adorned with mushrooms) to celebrate volunteer Steph's birthday. Also thanks to Linda, Cathy and Nancy for helping out!

Jane with the mushroom birthday cake

There are still a few spaces left, so if you know a 7- to 10-year-old who would like to join us for the rest of the session, forms are available on the Friends website!

Register for the Fall 2010 SKIP Session!

2010-09-15T11:53:00.000-04:00

We are now accepting registrations for the Fall 2010 session of Super Kids In Parks - don't miss the fun!

SKIP is open to kids ages 7 to 10 and takes place on Sunday afternoons from 1 to 3 p.m. starting Sept. 26 until Nov. 7 (excluding Thanksgiving weekend). Our fall programs include mushrooms, a nature scavenger hunt and craft, games, geology (mine hike), a session with the big Voyageur canoes, and fall ecology. Be prepared for lots of outdoor fun!

The cost is $50 and pre-registration is required. Registration forms are available by clicking here.
If you'd like to learn more about SKIP, click here for our brochure or check the archives for this blog to see the weekly updates for the Winter and Spring sessions.

Hurry - enrolment is limited! Questions? Please e-mail friendsofmurphyspointpark@yahoo.ca.
Hope to see you at SKIP!

Happy Birthday, Friends!

2010-09-01T18:52:00.002-04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!

Please join us on Sunday, Sept. 5 between noon and 2 p.m. at the Park Store at Murphys Point for our 15th birthday celebration! The Friends of Murphys Point formed in 1995 and have been working hard on many wonderful cultural- and natural-history education projects ever since, and we want to celebrate our success! Come meet and greet Board members and volunteers. We'll have treats and displays and brochures and lots of knowledgeable folks will be on hand to talk about the many activities of the Friends. Who knows - maybe you'll want to get more involved with Super Kids In Parks or Archaeo Apprentice or special events such as our fantastic North Burgess Heritage Mica Festival or even share ideas of your own!

Don't forget to buy your 2010 raffle tickets, too - they're on sale until the draw at 2 p.m. that day! The grand prize is a Langford Cottager Canoe and second prize is a day-trip package of merchandise. Proceeds support our education programs, so don't miss out!

Hope to see you on the 5th!
Stephanie Gray
President

North Burgess Heritage Mica Festival a Big Success!

2010-08-02T23:21:00.000-04:00

More than 400 people made their way to Murphys Point to take in the North Burgess Heritage Mica Festival on Sunday, Aug. 1!

The festival, hosted by the Friends of Murphys Point Park, celebrated the 150th anniversary of the start of mica mining in North Burgess, which is now known as Tay Valley Township (where the park is located). The event was made possible thanks to a grant received by the Friends from the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage Funding Anniversaries program. Other partners include Tay Valley Township and Ontario Parks.

The day featured activities at the Lally Homestead site, including the Lally General Store where ginger beer, candy and a variety of merchandise was available throughout the day served up by volunteers in period costume.

There were crafts for children in the homestead and children's games on the lawn, such as a tug of war, bean bag toss, egg race, sack race and more.

Visitors tested their knowledge at the What Is It? table, where a variety of vintage implements were on display for folks to guess what their uses would have been a century or more ago.

Blacksmith Tony Walsh was on hand to demonstrate his trade with his portable forge, putting on a great show.

Archaeologists displayed finds from sites within Murphys Point, include the Lally Homestead area.

A spirit from the past led visitors on a walk around the homestead site, where they could learn more about pioneer life.

Don Green and his wife Lois spent the day demonstrating the ropemaking craft.

In the barn foundation, Bear the Tinker entertained with a variety of musical instruments and folk tales of days gone by.

Beyond the homestead site, park staff in period costume were stationed along the Silver Queen Mine trail to tell stories of bygone days.

The mine was open for visitors, with the foreman and a miner on hand to explain how mica and other minerals were extracted from the Shield rock that predominates North Burgess (now known as Tay Valley Township).

At the nearby bunkhouse, a troupe of musicians entertained as folks lined up for a delicious miners' lunch of corn on the cob, maple baked beans and lemonade.

A huge thank you goes out to all the volunteers and park staff who contributed to this wonderful event! Kudos to Friends volunteers Beth Peterkin and Jane Irwin who spearheaded the organization of the weekend.

David Archibald Kicks Off Festival

2010-08-02T22:07:00.001-04:00

A great crowd turned out on Friday night at the Park Amphitheatre to enjoy a terrific show by children's entertainer David Archibald!

The show kicked off the North Burgess Heritage Mica Festival, which celebrates the 150th anniversary of the start of mica mining in the area.

David is an interactive songwriter, composer and playwright who is a regular and popular feature at national and provincial parks. He has been commissioned to compose songs about natural and cultural history for various parks and has produced several CDs. His music is a regular feature on CBC radio programs. He has performed on children's television shows such as Sesame Street and he has toured across North America. He is also active in writing, directing and composing for musical theatre and has been musical director and composer for the Young Company for several years. Be sure to check out his new show, Up the River, at the Ganaoque Playhouse from Aug. 6 to Labour Day!

The Great Bear of Summer is found!

The show at Murphys Point featured laughter for kids and adults alike as we sat on the edge of our seats for the arrival of the Grrrrrreat Bear of Summer. Lots of great tunes! A big thank you goes out to David Archibald for getting our festival off to a great start!

Countdown to the North Burgess Heritage Mica Festival

2010-07-26T21:48:00.001-04:00

Join Us for North Burgess Heritage Mica Festival - August Long Weekend!

2010-07-13T21:20:00.002-04:00

Murphys Point Provincial Park is the place to be on the August long weekend for an exciting heritage celebration. The volunteers of the Friends of Murphys Point have planned a special event to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the beginning of mica mining in this area with activities available for all ages.

The Silver Queen Mine, located within Murphys Point Provincial Park, was one of 35 active mines in North Burgess (now part of Tay Valley Township) at the peak of mica mining activity. The first record of mica mining dates back to 1860, when sheets of mica were blasted out of the Pike Lake Mine and sold to the French navy to be used as windows in battleships. Initially, the farmers of the area worked in the mines on a part-time basis. The mica industry gradually built to its height in the early 1900's with the advent of General Electric and other such companies that used the mica for its insulating properties. The North Burgess Heritage Mica Festival will recreate many aspects of life in 1860 and during the mica mining boom when subsistence farming on the rocky Canadian Shield was supplemented by small-scale mining throughout our community.

Hosted by the Friends of Murphys Point Park, the North Burgess Heritage Mica Festival kicks off on Saturday, July 31 with an evening performance by David Archibald at the park amphitheatre at 8 p.m. Costumed volunteers and interpreters will welcome you to the park and help to set the festive mood.

The festival continues on Sunday, August 1 with activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lally Homestead and the Silver Queen Mine, both located at Murphys Point Park. The homestead will come alive with children’s olde-time games and crafts, demonstrations by traditional trades, music, a cultural hike as well as ginger beer and other merchandise for sale at the Lally Store. See a local blacksmith at work forging instruments as he would have done at the start of the mica industry 150 years ago. Test your skill at the “What Is It” box. Learn how rope was made or take a seat to listen to stories by Bear the Tinker. Volunteers in period dress will be on hand to share these activities with all our visitors.

Be sure to take some time to walk the Silver Queen Mine trail to the original mine site and the bunkhouse. “Cookie” will be hard at work preparing lunch for hungry visitors. Enjoy fresh corn on the cob, maple baked beans and old-fashioned lemonade either before or after your tour down into the mine. Imagine the life of the miners underground and sharing the bunkhouse with their mates.

The Friends of Murphys Point Park is a registered non-profit charity formed in 1995. The Friends is entirely volunteer run and members work to enhance the natural heritage education program at Murphys Point Provincial Park. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage Funding Anniversaries program. Other partners of the Friends for this initiative include Tay Valley Township and Ontario Parks.

Murphys Point Park is located about a half hour drive south of Perth via the Rideau Ferry Road (County Road 1). Watch for signs and turn right on the Elm Grove Road. Once you arrive at the main park entrance, continue on for about 2 km to the Lally Homestead site. Parking space is somewhat limited so car-pooling is a good idea. The North Burgess Heritage Mica Festival is a free admission event, although you will need to pay the daily use park entry fee of $14 per car or $11 for seniors. Donations to help cover the food costs at the bunkhouse will be greatly appreciated.

For additional information about the Friends or the North Burgess Heritage Mica Festival, please contact Beth at 613-267-5340 or Jane at 613-284-9839.

Heritage Mica Festival - Aug. 1!

2010-07-03T12:34:00.000-04:00

Mark Sunday, Aug. 1 on your calendar for a great day of celebrations at the Lally Homestead and Silver Queen Mine to mark the 150th anniversary of the beginning of mica mining in this area! There will be games, crafts, food, mine tours, demonstrations, music and much much more! Watch for details on the main Friends website!

Spring SKIP Week 6 - Pioneers and Early Industrialism

2010-06-06T22:24:00.001-04:00

Mother Nature smiled on us yet again for our final SKIP program of the Spring session. After a morning of much-needed rain, the sky faucet was turned off just before we began, so we didn't get soaked!

This meant we could carry on with Plan A for the day: a hike to the Silver Queen Mine site. Intrepid Interpreter Tim Wood returned to lead the program, kicking things off at the Lally Homestead by revving up our imaginations and taking us back in time. Millions of years ago this area was covered by a sea. Eventually the water gave way and huge mountains were eroded and changed over thousands of years. Glaciers came along and carved the land and mountains even more, scraping away most of the good soil around here and dumping it in other parts of Ontario, leaving behind lots of rock and boulders for the people who would eventually come to live in this part of the Canadian Shield known as the Frontenac Arch.

Next we moved on to the ruins of the barn foundation at the Lally Homestead, where he described how settlers were enticed to come here in the early 1800s with promises of a new life and free land and other wonderful things! How surprised they must have been when they left one hard life to make an unpleasant sea voyage to a wild land where they had to work and toil harder than ever to survive. In this land of rocks and trees, farms had to be cleared and the crops they grew were usually just enough for them to feed their families.

We headed down the mine trail, where we learned that one way farmers could supplement their income was through mining. Prospectors came to the area in the mid-1800s and when they found outcrops of gneiss, such as this one where Tim is standing, it was usually a good sign that there were profitable minerals below, such as feldspar, mica (which Tim is holding) and appatite. These minerals were all mined here up into the early 1900s.

Another major early industry was lumbering. One of the most sought after trees was the white pine, useful not only for buildings erected by the settlers, but also used in the masts of ships. This area once had forests of enormous trees. One of the earliest sawmills in the area was located a few kilometres away on Hogg Bay in the park - the Burgess Mill.

Soon we were at the Silver Queen Mine, where first we peered into the depths of a side drift to see how the miners had to drill by hand to make progress toward the minerals. Next Tim demonstrated (using some handy branch props) the process of "double jacking." Miners held onto a large drill while others wielding sledgehammers would hammer it into the rock - not an easy job!

We couldn't go down into the mine yet because it has not been opened for the season, but we urged everyone to come back this summer for a tour. (Once regular programming begins, schedules will be posted on the main Friends website.) We headed to the top of the mine, where we could peer down into the "glory hole," the main pit where the minerals were extracted using an ore bucket. At first horses would have been used to pull the bucket up, but eventually the Silver Queen acquired a steam engine, which would have made things a bit easier.

(As an interesting aside, we noted the enclosure that houses the steam engine was filled with a variety of plants, including lovely wild strawberries, that couldn't be seen outside of the fence. These plants are protected by the fence from animals, such as deer, coming along and nibbling them.)

The last stop on the trail was the bunkhouse. Tim took us inside and showed us how the miners would have lived. Then we stepped outside for a quick game of "Simon Says," and suddenly a cook from the past appeared! He took us back in and sat us down to explain the rules of the bunkhouse: no talking, no drinking, no playing cards, no fighting! He also enticed us (sort of!) with an explanation of his varied menu - oatmeal and potatoes for breakfast, potatoes and oatmeal for lunch, and oatmeal and potatoes (and beans if you're lucky) for supper.

We scooted back down the trail to the clubhouse where we enjoyed some delicious snacks from our own "cook," Beth, who was Skipper for the day. She treated us to a sampling of ginger beer (non-alcoholic, of course).

A big thank you to Tim for leading the program, along with our volunteers for the day: Beth, Jane, Judy and Steph. Of course we have to thank our great participants for joining in on the fun this spring! We enjoyed your company and hope to see you at the next session this fall! (If your friends are interested in being included on the notification list for SKIP, send an e-mail to friendsofmurphyspointpark@yahoo.ca.)

Spring SKIP Week 5: Thieves, Sneaks and Trickery!

2010-05-30T16:58:00.002-04:00

Park staff Alida and Morgan joined the SKIP crew again this week to tell us a whole lot of things about biodiversity, which is really just a fancy way of saying "a variety of living things." We quickly learned that adaptations and interesting ways that different organisms reproduce go a long way toward ensuring there are lots of different species on Earth, which is a very good thing.

Alida and Morgan started off by telling us about cowbirds and how they have a tricky way of reproducing. Basically, they observe the nests of other species of birds and then sneak in and lay an egg when the mama bird pops out for some food. Mama bird returns and ends up raising a cowbird with her own brood. Cowbirds are often bigger than the original nesters, so they tend to gobble up most of the mama's energy, putting her own babies at a disadvantage. This was all demonstrated using SKIP babies and a big cowbird baby (volunteer Jane), with Alida as a mama phoebe.

We also learned about pumpkinseed "sneaker" fish. Pumpkinseed males fan pebbles away on the bottom to make a nest. Then they work to attract females, who come along and lay their eggs. Since the bigger, stronger pumpkinseed males attract the most females, the smaller males don't often get a chance to reproduce. These smaller males will mimic females (not usually by wearing wigs, though!) and hang around until a real female comes along, then sneak in to fertilize her eggs while the bigger male isn't looking.

Next up we heard about the red trillium, which is pretty to look at but smells like rotten meat! This scent attracts flies that want to lay their eggs in the "meat." Instead they end up searching around on the smelly flower, indadvertently collecting pollen and spreading it to other smelly red trilliums as they continue to hunt for the source of the "delicious" smell. Camryn made an excellent fly in the demonstration with Alida and Morgan.

We learned about other creatures with interesting adaptations, too, such as fireflies and the underwing moth, which has brightly coloured underwings used to scare predators. Next we played a firefly murder mystery, which was a modified form of tag. Each player got a firefly card: some male, some female and some large (photuris) and some small (photinus).

When told to freeze, everyone found a partner and compared cards. Males and females that were the same size were safe, as were two males that were the same size or two females that were the same size. Photuris females, however, tend to devour smaller fireflies, though, so in that case there would be a "murder" and the smaller player would fall down in a heap!

After the game we divided into four groups and set out for different starting points around the Lally Homestead site for a scavenger hunt. Each team had lists of things to look for in different areas, such as a great blue heron, mushroom, woodpecker holes, dragonfly, yellow flowers, common mullein, elm tree, white pine tree, milkweed, ants and much more. Everyone had a great time discovering items from the list and also wrote down a number of interesting finds that weren't listed.

Afterwards we reconvened at the clubhouse for a great snack provided by Pat. A big thank you to Alida and Morgan for their interesting and informative program, along with Skipper Pat and volunteers Jane, Judy, Beth and Steph. Next week Tim will be back to take us on a tour into the past!

Spring SKIP Week 4 - Birding!

2010-05-24T08:58:00.001-04:00

This week at SKIP was literally for the birds!

On another sunny gorgeous day at Murphys Point, our participants met at the Lally Homestead to learn something about birding. The program was led by Park NHE Senior Interpreter Alida Lemieux, assisted by Friends NHE staffer Morgan Brown. Following a general overview of what makes birds special - with the help of the modelling abilities of one of our SKIP kids - Alida and Morgan talked about Brilliant Bird Adaptations. This featured four interesting birds common to the area: the great blue heron, pilleated woodpecker, ruby-throated hummingbird and turkey vulture.

First Alida and Morgan talked about how the great blue heron is specially equipped for hunting fish and frogs in the water thanks to its silent stalking, long legs and special beak. We played a freeze tag game in which the kids pretended to be fish and frogs in a pond that were being hunted by two herons (Alida and Morgan).

Next the special adaptations of the pilleated woodpecker were demonstrated, including its "internal helmet" that helps protect its brain against concussion from all the hammering it does on trees. Then, another model tried on the special beak of this woodpecker, which features a long, sticky, barbed tongue that's perfect for retrieving ants from the holes in the tree.

Next up was the ruby-throated hummingbird, which burns an enormous amount of energy with its extraordinarily rapid wing movement - which we all tried to duplicate. Three of the kids then tried their "beaks" at retrieving "nectar" from a jar. It was soon seen that the specially adapted beak and tongue of the hummingbird is unique for the job.

Finally we learned about the rather yucky adaptations of the turkey vulture, which make is specially equipped to find and eat dead animals (carrion) for food. This includes an enhanced sense of smell for finding the meal, and then some interesting methods of discouraging other predators from taking it away. We also learned why the turkey vulture has a bald red head. With one participant wearing a turkey vulture-type skull cap and another wearing a feathery sort of wig (like a "regular" bird), we quickly learned that carrion (or cotton balls) doesn't stick to a bald head.

Next we set off for a hike along the Lally Trail to do some birdwatching. We stopped and listened and observed and in less than half an hour we counted about a dozen species, including a red-eyed vireo, ovenbird, great crested flycatcher, phoebe, great blue herons, red-winged blackbirds, eastern bluebird, scarlet tanager, turkey vultures, yellow warbler and rose-breasted grosbeak.

We returned to the clubhouse where Judy helped us to make nifty little hummingbird feeders using glass jars with red lids and bright decorations. They should be dry and ready to go home for testing, along with the sugar-water recipe, next week.

We ended with a fantastic snack provided by Skipper Jane, who not only brought delicious mini muffins made from a variety of great fruits and vegetables, but also provided sticks of rhubarb and some sugar for us to try.

A big thanks to our program leaders Alida, Morgan and Judy, along with our many volunteers: Jane, Heather, Beth, Pat and Steph. Next week, Alida and Morgan will be back with "Thieves, Sneaks and Trickery" - a biodiversity program that talks about some of the sneaky things plants and animals do.

Spring SKIP Week 3 - Misunderstood at Murphys Point

2010-05-17T00:09:00.001-04:00

Our SKIP participants were treated to a beautiful sunny day at the Lally Homestead and no bugs to speak of for the third week of the spring session.

This week's program, led by intrepid interpreter Tim Wood, was called "Misunderstood at Murphys Point" and gave us all a great perspective on some area animals that have an undeserved bad reputation. Tim demonstrated how messages can get mixed up by playing the telephone game. He whispered a message to one of the kids, and we were all amused by how much it had changed by the time it had been whispered to each participant.

Tim had a wide range of props to show us. First we learned about the little brown bat. This flying mammal uses echolocation to find mosquitoes - so it is not "blind" as some might believe. We learned about its habitat and habits and some of the threats it faces, including a deadly fungus that is spreading into Ontario. He showed us skulls from a wolf, coyote and fox - all members of the canine family - and talked about some of the troubles they face as humans continue to encroach upon their territories, which means we haven't always gotten along.

We played a game of "Bat O Polo" to demonstrate echolocation. A few participants were blindfolded (the bats) and called out "bat!" while the rest of the kids (the bugs) responded "O Polo!" and tried to avoid being tagged. The game was interrupted by the surprise guest appearance of a young black ratsnake, another misunderstood creature, that proceeded to demonstrate its fantastic climbing abilities by scaling the side of the Lally Homestead. This led nicely into Tim's discussion about this threatened species and how roads, development and human fears have led to difficulties for the snake. He passed around snake skins and then showed us a live captured black ratsnake. Everyone had an opportunity to feel how a snake's skin is actually warm and dry - not cold and slimy!
The fisher, a mammal that has recently returned to this area thanks to improved habitat, was also discussed. Tim said this shy creature is an efficient hunter and is one of the only critters around that can effectively hunt a porcupine. This led to a game of porcupine versus fisher - another tag game designed to dispel the myth that porcupines throw their quills. Rather, they tend to swing their tails when threatened, and if you're too close - then ouch!

The program ended with a delicious snack organized by our Skipper Cindy. Big thanks to her, Tim and our volunteers Jane, Judy and Steph for another great day! Next week it's all about birds at the Lally Homestead or the SKIP kids. (For avid birders, check out the info about our annual bird count at the Friends website.)

Spring SKIP Week 2 - Campfires and Outdoor Cooking

2010-05-09T21:57:00.019-04:00

You can't argue that Mother Nature doesn't have our best interests in mind. In the winter, Super Kids In Parks had snow when we needed it for cross-country skiing, an icy crust for snowshoeing with crampons and bright sun for our hike and outdoor games on the last day.

We opened our spring session with a blazing sun and hot temperatures for our wetlands program last week and then Mother Nature gave us a nice cold day (with a few flurries - but no rain!) so we could warm up by cosy campfires and do some scrumptious outdoor cooking on Mothers' Day.

The program was led by Friends volunteer Pat, who started off with safety rules about lighting a campfire - everything from having an adult to supervise to what we should wear and how we should behave around a fire to keeping a shovel and water handy. (Some participant volunteers retrieved buckets of water from the beach.) We talked about safely establishing a fire site and how to set up the wood, tinder and kindling. Then divided into two groups and the adult volunteers and participants got busy lighting fires in pits located on campsites within the park.

After the campfires were established, it was time to let them burn down into good, toasty coals so we could do some cooking. One group set to work making banana boats: tasty treats made by peeling open one side of a banana, scooping out some of the fruit, filling the hole with marshmallows and chocolate chips, covering it up with the skin and wrapping it in tin foil. The second group made orange rind muffins, which are created by slicing oranges in half and scooping out the fruit, preparing packaged muffin mix (we chose oatmeal), half-filling the orange cups and placing them in a baking pan with a foil tent on top.

Adult volunteers placed the treats on the grills and while we waited for our snacks to cook Friends volunteer Heather led the gang to the beach area where we lined up and made rain. It's not that we wanted it to rain, but the rainmaker game is a nifty exercise where the kids at the start of the line rubbed their hands together, then snapped their fingers, then clapped and so on and as the sound moves along the line of participants it's as if a rainstorm is taking place.

After rainmaking, Heather introduced us to the Migration Game (which was observed by two Canada geese and a loon out on Hogg Bay). The kids become "birds," and they had to migrate from Murphys Point to faroff lands (a tree at the other end of the beach). Along the way, some of them ran into obstacles: their destination had been turned into condominiums, there was an oil spill, there were hunters, etc. and it was interesting to see how many make it back to Murphys Point "next season."

After a hearty round of migration we returned to the campsites and shared our banana boats and orange rind muffins with the whole group along with juice and hot chocolate. After those tasty treats, it was time to safely extinguish the fires and head for home.

A big thank you to program leader Pat, along with our Skipper Judy and volunteers Heather and Cindy. Next week we'll be back at the Lally Homestead with Tim, who is going to tell us all about some misunderstood creatures at Murphys Point.

Spring SKIP Session - Wetlands!

2010-05-02T18:42:00.010-04:00

The spring session of SKIP got off to a splashy start with a program on wetlands presented by interpreter Tim Wood - who really gets into his work!

We started with introductions and learned that the new bunch of SKIP kids had lots of great ideas about what they wanted to see as part of the program (snakes, frogs, turtles) and what they didn't want to see (bugs - specifically blackflies!). We did our best to deliver!

Tim started with a demonstration using a water bottle that helped to explain just exactly how much fresh, clean water we have on Earth when one considers factors such as ice, groundwater, clouds and pollution. It's not as much as you would think! He then showed us how wetlands play an important role in keeping our water fresh and clean while helping to protect against flooding and drought and providing food, shelter and breeding grounds for a huge range of species. What better way to demonstrate this then by using a frying pan, whisk, sponge, cushion, soap, baby picture and coffee filter, of course!

Then we set off for the marsh located behind the Lally Homestead at Black Creek, where we were lucky enough to see a whole bunch of critters and signs of critters: red-winged blackbirds, leopard frogs, a beaver lodge and muskrat push-ups, a garter snake, ducks, a great blue heron and a crow. We heard geese in the distance along with the banjo sound of a green frog and a variety of other birds. Oh, and, well, there were bugs - a whole fleet of beetles and some blackflies that weren't too interested in biting.

Tim had a bag of tricks with him, too, and was able to show us map turtle and snapping turtle shells and demonstrate different frog calls with his props. He scooped some water from the marsh in a jar and showed us the teeny tiny treasures inside. As we got ready to head back up to the clubhouse, Tim showed us just how wet marshes can be - he toppled in! Well, he mentioned that sometimes happens - wink wink!

Back at the clubhouse we sat on the grass and enjoyed a snack while learning a bit more about the creatures that call Murphys Point home, such as the porcupine that was such a fixture during SKIP over the winter. Then we played the wetlands version of the game "Duck Duck Goose" - "Frog Frog Turtle" before heading for home.

Thanks to our great volunteers this week: Judy (Skipper), Jane, Pat, Cindy and Beth. We had a fun time with Tim, too, who will be back for some of the other sessions. Next week we plan to explore building fires and cooking outdoors - stay tuned!

SKIP - Spring Session!

2010-04-20T13:55:00.002-04:00

Click on over to the Friends main website to see registration information for the Spring 2010 session of Super Kids in Parks. There are a few spaces left - register today! The fun runs on Sundays from 1 to 3 p.m. starting May 2 until June 6. Hurry!

SKIP - Week 6

2010-02-28T21:26:00.020-05:00

Beaming sun and fabulously sticky snow capped off the last session for the Winter 2010 SKIP program, making a wonderful playground for a Discovery Hike.

Volunteer Heather Lunn, representing our Rideau Valley Field Naturalists partner, led a hike around the new loop trail at the Lally Homestead and helped us to gain a better understanding of how animals and plants cope with winter. Migration, adaptation and hibernation were the themes.

The first stop focussed on migration. Each participant was given a card with a bird name on it and list of the food it eats. Everyone had to decide whether that bird was likely to migrate or stay here based on whether its primary food source would be readily available in the winter. Of those that migrated, Heather then demonstrated how difficult the journey is by handing out cards indicating what sorts of calamaties could befall the feathered travellers. Fortunately some of our "birds" made it safely to their destinations.

Next our participants explored the "3 Fs" for winter survival: fur, food and fat. We talked about different animals and how they adapt to winter conditions - preparing for the cold and snowy conditions.

Next we explored hibernation and talked about some typical animals that hibernate, such as bears, chipmunks and groundhogs. Frogs hibernate deep in the mud beneath ponds, rivers and lakes, and Heather (with her frozen froggy friend) told us about the amazing wood frog, which is well known for its astounding ability to freeze solid and survive thanks to a special sugar in its cells.

Plants, too, take a rest in the winter, but that doesn't mean we can't explore them in winter. Our next activity was to learn how to identify tree species by looking at their bark and buds.

With such fantastic snow for making forts and snowmen, how could we resist some playtime in the snow before our last snack in the clubhouse. The kids were given some tokens to take home, including a workbook to remind them of all the materials covered in the last six weeks. There was also a survey enclosed for the kids and their parents or guardians to return to us so that we can evaluate the program and make plans for future sessions. Stay tuned!

A big thank you to this week's volunteers: Judy Fletcher, Jane Irwin, Judy Buehler (from the Rideau Valley Field Naturalists), Beth Peterkin and Pat Batchelor. A big thank you as well to all our partners and funders: the Ministry of Health Promotion, the Community Stewardship Council of Lanark County, ecoPerth, the Rideau Valley Field Naturalists, the Tay Valley Cross Country Ski Club and Murphys Point Provincial Park.

And, above all, thanks to our 20 participants and their parents for taking part in this exciting pilot project that we think has been a positive and fun experience!

SKIP - Week 5

2010-02-21T17:07:00.010-05:00

What a fun day!

On Sunday our SKIP gang enjoyed a fantastic session at the Lally Homestead that featured learning about two great outdoor skills: building a shelter and cooking bannock on a campfire.

Our participants were divided into two groups. The first group hauled the discarded Christmas trees and branches that had been brought from outside of the provincial park (since we don't cut or destroy natural features in the park) to the shelter-building location. It was a good spot because it featured a fallen tree and some shrubbery that made for additional protection. We talked about how to use the trees as the main supports and the cut boughs for the walls, roof and floor. We also learned about considering things like wind direction, natural features (trees, rocks, hillsides) and terrain or elevation in choosing a shelter location. Then the crew got busy, working together to make a nice cosy shelter.

After a while the teams switched, with the shelter builders heading to another location where SKIP volunteers were tending a campfire that had developed some lovely coals for cooking the bannock. The group had learned that bannock is a kind of unleavened bread - a bit like a pancake or even a beaver tail. The kids were given bowls containing all the ingredients except the water (the recipe will be sent home with the kids next week) and mixed it up with their hands, flattened it like a pancake, wrapped it around a stick and cooked it over the fire.

Towards the end of the session we all congregated in the clubhouse where we enjoyed the bannock with local maple syrup, hot chocolate and apple juice while looking over the results from our previous photography and craft sessions. Great stuff!

Special thanks to our knowledgeable session leader Beth Peterkin, along with volunteers Jane Irwin, Heather Lunn, Pat Batchelor and Judy Fletcher for a great day!

Next week is our final SKIP program for the winter session and will feature a Discovery Hike. Don't worry, though, we're busy planning activities for the spring!

SKIP - Week 4

2010-02-14T18:51:00.011-05:00

Today the SKIP kids made some tracks!

In a session led by Friends' volunteer Judy Fletcher, our participants spent some time in the clubhouse making nature crafts related to the tracks we have seen around the Lally Homestead. We talked about some of the different animals that have left tracks in the snow, and Judy passed around a "mystery photo" - can you guess who left these tracks (top photo)?

Next, some of the kids worked to make stencils of tracks of a number of common species found at Murphys Point Provincial Park and other parts of Ontario. Meanwhile, others worked with Judy to make plaster casts of some of those same creatures' footprints.

Judy brought great posters of all the animals that match the plaster casts. Our SKIP kids made some super stencils to take home. The plaster casts weren't quite dry enough to take home today, but will be ready to go next week.

After finishing the crafts, Steph and Pat led the troops on a short hike around the homestead where we could get a really good look at a number of tracks thanks to the thin coating of fresh snow we ordered up for the occasion. We saw lots of deer prints, along with mouse, squirrel and rabbit tracks. Naturally we also spotted signs of humans, dogs and vehicles in the neighbourhood! Some animals left other signs that they had been there, such as scat, and we observed beaver and muskrat lodges, too! (Our sleepy porcupine friend was still snoozing in the vicinity, too!)

We ended the session with a chat over Valentine's snacks in the Clubhouse, where we heard lots of stories about encounters with animals and their interesting habits at home, when camping and while out and about. It was another great day for SKIP and we look forward to next week's session! (Unfortunately the photographer neglected to get pictures of the kids in action, but we have lots of evidence of the "tracks" they left behind!)

PS - That mystery picture? It's otter tracks!

SKIP - Week 3

2010-02-07T21:42:00.008-05:00

Again this week the Super Kids In Parks were favoured with beautiful weather as we enjoyed the great outdoors at Murphys Point in beaming sunshine and tolerable temperatures! This week's session was packed with all sorts of great information and activity!

Jeff Ward and Sarah O'Grady of the Community Stewardship Council of Lanark County, one of our SKIP partners, were on hand to lead the fun. Jeff kicked it off with an introduction to orienteering. He showed the participants topographical maps of the Perth area and satellite imagery of the Lally Homestead site to put everything into perpective. Next we had some instruction (and a bit of a reminder for some of us adult volunteers!) on how to use a compass. After some handy information about safety in the wilds, we set out into the field at the homestead to try our skills. Teams worked together to follow coordinates to make a triangle - and we were all quite pleased when we ended up where we were supposed to be!

In the last half of the session, Sarah gave an overview of the history of snowshoeing in Canada, which tied in nicely to some of our discussions about how animals adapt to travelling over snow in winter. Next the kids had the chance to strap on some nifty state-of-the-art snowshoes (thanks to the Stewardship Council and Mississippi Valley Conservation) and explore the fields. Deep snow isn't a problem currently, but the snowshoes had great crampons that helped to dig into the icy layer, making movement a breeze! For some of the kids, this was their first time on snowshoes.

Finally we retired to the clubhouse for snacks and chat about our Weekly Wander homework. The great adventures continue!

SKIP - Week 2

2010-01-31T21:59:00.008-05:00

This week our intrepid SKIP participants learned a little something about nature photography in a session led by volunteers Ian Gray (photographer) and Heather Lunn (naturalist). The kids were supplied with disposable cameras and some tips on such photography techniques as lighting and composition, along with some information on some of the natural elements they would be encountering and some features and creatures to watch for.

The kids were divided into groups of four, each led by an adult volunteer, and they were provided with a list for a photography scavenger hunt. Some of the items the groups had to find included buds on trees, rock formations, habitat examples, animal tracks, animal scat (yes, that's poop!), winter weeds, milkweed, a place where animals might hibernate, an example of human encroachment on habitat, something related to species at risk, and a mystery photo!

Everyone found something different to photograph as they explored the Lally Homestead site and nearby trails. We saw some great examples of habitat, including beaver and muskrat lodges, as well as lots of tracks and scat, and even a sleeping porcupine!

The SKIP volunteers will be getting the film processed and returning the prints to the participants by or before the last session and we look forward to seeing the results - especially those mystery photos!

It was another great session that ended with snacks and discussions and then some free play in the field and on an icy puddle. Good times outside in winter!

Special thanks also to volunteers Jane Irwin and John Strachan for their capable assistance!

SKIP - Week 1

2010-01-25T21:48:00.018-05:00

SKIP is off to a great start!

Super Kids In Parks kicked off with a session on cross-country skiing led by volunteer Phill Brackenbury along with Tobi Kiesewalter and Alfred von Mirbach. A number of the SKIP kids experienced this activity for the very first time. Phill provided the equipment for the session and after boots and skis were matched to the right-sized feet, our SKIP kids set off to a big open field at the Lally Homestead to take part in some great warm-up activities, which got the new ones used to the feel of having super long feet! They played an alphabet game (you never want to make an X with your skis!), as well as tag and a fox-and-hare game - all without the use of poles. It was amazing how quickly the kids got used to the groove of cross-country skiing.

Next they grabbed their poles and set out on a short trek down the Silver Queen Mine trail, where they saw a number of interesting natural sites. The group returned for some snacks in the drive shed and a chat about the activity. We had an opportunity to talk about deer and their predators as Tobi brought along a deer bone the kids had discovered in the field. Each week the SKIP kids will take home an activity that they can work on with their families and report back the following week. This is all part of the program's goal to connect with nature while encouraging active and healthy living.

We look forward to more fun times next week when SKIP reconvenes for a session on nature photography - with a scavenger hunt!

Super Kids In Parks

2010-01-25T21:37:00.003-05:00

The Friends of Murphys Point and a number of community partners have launched a new children’s outdoor learning program at Murphys Point Provincial Park. Super Kids In Parks (SKIP) is a six-week program aiming to help kids ages 7 to 12 connect with nature through a range of exciting sessions promoting active and healthy living.

“We are very excited to be able to offer this free pilot program in January and February,” explained Stephanie Gray, Friends of Murphys Point Park president. “Studies show there are big benefits for kids who are connected with nature. SKIP is designed to get them outside and moving, and while they’re having fun they’re learning things, too.”

The Friends, a non-profit, registered charity, have created a volunteer steering committee made up by members from local partners: the Community Stewardship Council of Lanark County, ecoPerth, the Rideau Valley Field Naturalists, Murphys Point Provincial Park and the Tay Valley Cross Country Ski Club.

The winter session runs on Sundays from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Lally Homestead at Murphys Point. Children register for the full six weeks, which begin Jan. 24 and end Feb. 28. In that time, volunteers with a range of experience and expertise will lead sessions on such activities as cross-country skiing (for various skill levels), nature photography, nature crafts/outdoor stories, winter shelters/cooking snacks outside, snowshoeing/orienteering and a discovery hike with field naturalists.

“There is an outdoor component to each session along with a specific educational theme,” explained Judy Fletcher, SKIP steering committee chair. “We want this to be a fun experience for everyone – kids and volunteers – that gets children thinking about how they can lead healthy lifestyles.”

Equipment is provided for the sessions. An educational workbook and reward program will be part of the experience, and the Lally Homestead site offers a warm shelter if required, as well as privies. A healthy snack will be offered each week.

“We have been able to proceed with the winter pilot session thanks to generous funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion’s Healthy Communities Fund,” Ms. Gray explains. “Based on the success of this session we plan to seek new funding to expand the program into the spring and fall and offer it long term.”

Enrolment is full and has been limited to 20 spaces and there is a waiting list. Anyone wishing to be notified of future sessions should e-mail friendsofmurphyspointpark@yahoo.ca. Stay tuned for weekly updates regarding the winter session activities!

Small and Smelly Wins the Race: Life as a Stinkpot

2009-11-09T21:57:00.000-05:00

By Heather Lunn, Senior Interpreter
(Photo by Simon Lunn)

Murphys Point has five species of turtles that call the park home. The smallest of the five, and most elusive, is the stinkpot turtle (also known as musk turtle or Sternotherus odoratus). Unless you are in a canoe and looking very carefully at the muddy bottom or amongst the aquatic vegetation, you are very unlikely to ever see a stinkpot turtle. These turtles are mainly nocturnal and rarely come out of water to bask like other turtles. Basking is usually done while partially submerged in shallow water. The only time you may find a stinkpot on land is when females come out to lay eggs in the spring. Even then, however, female stinkpots tend to lay their 3 to 6 eggs close to the water’s edge in debris or in a shallowly excavated nest.

Stinkpots are aptly named because when agitated they do, in fact, stink. They have four glands underneath their shell that will emit a fluid that smells vaguely similar to the spray of a skunk. Comparable to a snapping turtle, stinkpots have a very small plastron and are not able to pull their legs or head inside their shell. Therefore they have developed their stinky defence to deter predators from eating them. Like a snapping turtle, these small turtles can stretch out their long necks and bite if not handled with care.

Although they are highly aquatic turtles, stinkpots are not very fast swimmers. Instead, they are often found walking along the muddy bottoms of lakes and marshes. One must look carefully when searching for this tiny turtle because when holding still they appear very similar to an algae covered rock. They are also often confused with young snapping turtles, but are distinguishable by their pointy snout and yellow lines running from the tip of their nose to behind their eye.

As an aquatic turtle, the stinkpot’s source of food lies mainly in the water. The stinkpot feeds on a range of invertebrates and other things, including leeches, aquatic insects, crustaceans, molluscs, small fish, tadpoles, aquatic plants, and even carrion if it is not overly decayed.

Stinkpots can live a long life of up to 50 years if they are in a productive environment. However, many stinkpot turtles are in trouble. Listed as a threatened species both provincially and federally, the main factors leading to their population decline are shoreline development and drainage of wetland habitats. Stinkpots use shoreline vegetation and adjacent aquatic plants for shelter, food, and nesting habitat. When plant life is removed, or the shoreline is “cleaned up,” there is less habitat to support stinkpot populations. If wetlands that contain stinkpot turtles are drained, the majority of the stinkpots will perish. This is because unlike other turtles, stinkpots lose the water in their body quickly if they are on dry land for too long. Therefore, if the wetland they live in is drained, they are not able to travel great distances over land to find a new one.

At Murphys Point it is our responsibility to protect our stinkpot turtles to ensure their place in the park’s fragile ecosystems. At home you too can help stinkpots by conserving wetlands on your property or maintaining natural shorelines. These secretive little turtles will thank you!

References
Harding, James H. (2006). Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region. The University of Michigan Press: United States of America.

MacCulloch, Ross D. (2002). The ROM Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Ontario. Royal Ontario Museum: Toronto.

Martin, A. Stinkpot Turtle. Retrieved September 13, 2009, from http://www.nipissing-naturalist.com/SAR/stinkpot.htm

Parks Canada. (2009). Stinkpot Turtle. Retrieved September 13, 2009, from http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/nature/eep-sar/itm3/eep-sar3z.aspx

The Three Lives of the Eastern Newt

2009-10-14T22:56:00.001-04:00

By Heather Lunn, Senior Interpreter
(Photo by Simon Lunn )

Like many other species of salamanders, eastern newts begin their lives as eggs laid in springtime in small forest ponds. They hatch in late spring and spend the first two or three months of their lives in the water as a larval newt with finned tails and gills. Around August and September, however, many of these baby newts have developed lungs, lost their gills, their tails have become rounded, and they have had their slimy brown skin change to rough, bright red or orange in colouration! They emerge from the water onto land into their next stage of life where they are known as a “red eft.” The eft stage for a newt makes them unique among salamanders. For other salamanders, once they emerge onto land from their pool of origin they are ready to begin their adult lives. However, for the eastern newt, their land-loving, red-eft stage is their time to be a teenager, and they will eventually return to the water permanently as an adult newt.

As a prepubescent newt, the terrestrial red eft will wander around in daylight, in rainy weather, more often than other salamanders. This may seem unwise given the eft’s bright red- and orange-coloured skin, which stands out against the brown of the forest floor. Their colouration is an advertisement, however, to any would-be predators that the eft is to some degree toxic and would not be very palatable to eat. At 3 to 10 cm in length, red efts often evade our eyes, even with their bright colouration. They spend much of their time under rotting logs during the day and wander around mainly at night hunting for insects, larvae, snails, and worms.

Newts will stay in their red-eft stage from two to seven years. While in this form, they over-winter in similar haunts as other salamanders, such as under rocks, logs, and banks below the frost line. Finally one spring the red eft will receive the calling to go back to the water. As they become a sexually mature adult eastern newt, their skin loses its rough feeling and becomes soft and moist again. The bright orange and red colouration changes to a more easily camouflaged olive green. Lastly, as they head back to the water, their tails become keeled again. Unlike frogs, toads, and some other salamanders, newts are not drawn back to their ancestral pond to mate. The efts will travel overland to new ponds, which promotes cross-breeding between different populations. Their entire lifespan, from egg to larva to eft to newt, can take up to 15 years. After changing into their final adult newt form, they rarely ever set foot on land again, except occasionally to hibernate. If their water pool dries up, newts will sometimes change colour to brown, loose their keeling on their tail and go in search of a new watery home.

References
Harding, James H. (2006). Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region. The University of Michigan Press: United States of America.

MacCulloch, Ross D. (2002). The ROM Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Ontario. Royal Ontario Museum: Toronto.

Shedd, Warner (2000). Owls Aren’t Wise and Bats Aren’t Blind. Three Rivers Press: New York.

Bennet, Doug; Tiner, Tim (1993). Up North. Reed Books Canada: Toronto.

A Prospector’s Story: Rinaldo McConnell (1852-1931)

2009-10-12T21:44:00.001-04:00

By NHE student Tessa Inwood

The name Rinaldo McConnell may be familiar to local history buffs as well as those who have taken part in the guided Silver Queen Mine hike at Murphys Point Provincial Park. To others, he is just another name along the timeline of history. However, he played an integral part in Ontario mining history.

Rinaldo McConnell was born to a family of lumbermen in the Ottawa-Hull region and continued this career path as a young man, travelling throughout Ontario. While cruising for lumber through Vankleek Hill, Rinaldo met his future wife Emma Vogen, who he married in 1878. He and his wife Emma had ten children together. The McConnell family lived in Ottawa for fourteen years and later relocated to Toronto around 1914.

McConnell’s years spent in the lumber industry led him to a natural fascination with the art of prospecting Canadian minerals. D.M. LeBourdais, author of The Story of Nickel, had this to say about Rinaldo: “Every mining camp seems to produce at least one colourful figure and in Sudbury that was undoubtedly Rinaldo McConnell. Formerly a timber cruiser, the stained rocks of the Sudbury basin so stained his imagination that prospecting came to occupy more and more of his time and his attention” (1). This passion for mineral prospecting eventually led to a full-time occupation and a determined faith in the rocks he scoured. In the 79 years McConnell lived, he discovered, operated, and sold numerous mining sites from Sudbury to Port Elmsley where minerals such as mica and nickel were mined.

The following timeline illustrates the contribution Rinaldo McConnell made to both small-scale and large-scale mining in Ontario:

1884: Rinaldo discovered “The Lady McDonald” nickel deposit –the second nickel property to be purchased by prospectors in Snider Township.
Circa 1884-1900: Rinaldo and prospecting partners discovered 12 or more nickel-rich sites in the Sudbury region.
1902: Rinaldo opened the Globe Refining Co. in Port Elmsley, Ontario. This company mined and refined graphite and feldspar minerals.
1903: Rinaldo opened the Silver Queen Mine in North Burgess Township near Perth, Ontario which mined mica, feldspar, and apatite.
1905: Rinaldo purchased the recently closed Black Donald Graphite Mine in Calabogie, which he operated successfully for several years.
1908: Rinaldo McConnell purchased several Iron Ore properties in the Port Arthur region (present-day Thunder Bay).

Rinaldo McConnell did much throughout his lifetime as a father, a husband, and a mineral prospector in Ontario. At his time of retirement he still exemplified his enthusiasm for finding “rocks” in these words: “It has not been an easy life, but like all prospectors I had to be an optimist. The prospector must wait throughout the long winters for the vanishing of the snow to continue his search in the wilderness where he knows full well a famous gold mine awaits his coming just over the crest of the next hill. If it is not on the first, it must certainly be on the next, and soon throughout the years with his faith unshaken he goes down the long pathway of life.(2)

References:
1. Rinaldo McConnell Biography by Malcolm Rinaldo Sabiston: sent to Murphy’s Point Provincial Park in January 1996.
2. Friends of Murphys Point, Silver Queen Mine Trail Guide: Published by Lithosphere Press.

Raffle Winners!

2009-10-05T21:05:00.008-04:00

The prizes have been collected by our 2009 raffle winners! Congratulations to all and thanks to everyone for their support of the raffle. Stay tuned for info about the 2010 raffle!

The grand prize (MEC Prospector Canoe, two paddles, two PFDs), from left: Assistant Park Superintendent Lynette Whan, Friends Secretary Cathy Lamport, Grand Prize Winner Florence McGuire of Westport, Friends Vice-President Judy Fletcher and Park Superintendent Dean Noonan.

Second prize (SuperCycle 1800 18-speed mountain bike from Canadian Tire): Friends Vice-President Judy Fletcher, Winner John Stacey of Carleton Place and Friends Secretary Cathy Lamport.

Third prize (Camping package: Coleman Propane Fold N Go 2-burner stove, MEC carry-all day pack, Tilley Endurables hemp hat, Eureka sleeping bag, 2 SC Johnson Deep Woods Off mosquito lanterns): Winner Amy Patterson of Perth, seated. From left: Park Warden Chad Stein, Friends Volunteer Beth Peterkin, Park Superintendent Dean Noonan, Friends President Stephanie Gray, Friends Secretary Cathy Lamport.

The Beaver: An elusive figure, a Canadian symbol

2009-09-30T19:05:00.000-04:00

By NHE student Tessa Inwood
(Photo by Simon Lunn)

The North American beaver is a familiar animal to most Canadian families as it can be seen anywhere from on T-shirts to hats to even on the five cent nickel! But have Canadians really seen the living, breathing, lodge building beaver? Chances are many have not as beavers are primarily nocturnal and most often observed in the evening repairing dams, gathering food or splashing around in the water.

Beavers are a member of the rodent family and are the largest found in Murphys Point Provincial Park. The beaver is covered in dark brown fur with a paddle-shaped, scaly tail. The beaver possesses two long orange front teeth that allow for cutting and carrying large pieces of wood. Fact: beavers have rust-coloured teeth because of high concentrations of iron, which allow their teeth to withstand constant gnawing and eating of wood. Wood is important as it provides both diet and dwelling for this aquatic creature.

Beavers inhabit any small body of water and are well adapted to do so. Their tail is used as a rudder while valvular flaps close off the ears, nose and mouth when submerged. Interestingly their front incisors do remain exposed to carry wood. Even the beaver’s eyes are protected by a thin layer of clear skin membrane!

Though the beaver may remain out of sight his home is certainly visible along river and stream banks. The home of a beaver is constructed from sticks, reeds, branches, saplings, and mud. This dome-shaped habitat is equipped with underwater entrances offering further escape from human notice. A beaver lodge can accommodate a whole clan of beavers and provides a safe haven from predators such as the coyote, red fox, black bear and river otter. Though the beaver is preyed upon by a variety of mammals his acute sense of hearing and strong sense of smell provide a warning if danger approaches. Furthermore beavers will loudly slap their tails against the water to alert others of potential danger.

Beavers form a hierarchical society based on the family unit with the female or mother beaver at the head. Beavers are believed to be monogamous, pairing for life. The family functions as a cooperative group in performing daily activities and chores (not so different from most Canadian families)! The beaver may be an oversized rodent but he will remain an integral symbol to the Canadian past, present and future.

References
Novak, Milan. The Beaver in Ontario. Published: Ministry of Natural Resources, 1972, revised 1976

Burt, William and Grossenheider, Richard. A Field Guide to the Mammals. Published: Houghton Mifflin Company Boston, 1976

Banfield, A.W.F. The Mammals of Canada. Published: University of Toronto Press, 1974

Fall Programs!

2009-09-29T10:20:00.000-04:00

Click here to discover what's happening at Murphys Point up to Thanksgiving! There is still lots to do (such as an interpretive hike to the Silver Queen Mine)!

2009 Raffle Winners

2009-09-29T09:55:00.000-04:00

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2009 RAFFLE WINNERS!

GRAND PRIZE: MEC Prospector Canoe (16', 69 lbs., fibreglass), two paddles, two PFDs WON BY FLORENCE McGUIRE OF WESTPORT, ONTARIO

2nd PRIZE: SuperCycle 1800 18-speed mountain bike from Canadian Tire WON BY JOHN STACEY OF CARLETON PLACE, ONTARIO

3rd PRIZE: Camping package (Coleman Propane Fold N Go 2-burner stove, MEC carry-all day pack, Tilley Endurables hemp hat, Eureka sleeping bag, 2 SC Johnson Deep Woods Off mosquito lanterns) WON BY AMY PATTERSON OF PERTH, ONTARIO

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED THE RAFFLE. PROCEEDS GO TO NATURAL HERITAGE EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT THE PARK.

Message from the President

2009-09-20T21:26:00.003-04:00

Hello Friends!

Welcome to our new adventure in cyberspace! In our continuing (paperless) effort to keep our members and others up to speed on the latest happenings with the Friends, we are taking our annual journal, Among Friends, live and online! Now you will get the news as it happens.

Visit this space often, become a "Follower" (see the tab on the right) or add this blog to your Google Reader so you can find out quickly when something new has been posted. Instead of issuing one large journal each year that is filled with articles about Friends' activities, park happenings and our popular natural and cultural history features, we'll be posting them here year round. Our 2009 summer students and the senior park naturalists have been busy writing informative articles to share with you about the fascinating resources at Murphys Point Provincial Park - and you can read them here!

Occasionally we will open an "Ask a Park Naturalist" forum to give people a chance to ask questions about the park's natural and cultural history, too. Stay tuned!

We hope you enjoy Among Friends online and thank you for your support!
Stephanie Gray
President