QUBS Open House

This was on Sunday, June 25th, when we were in the area to check out the voyageur canoes for

#Canada150

We stayed over at Jones Falls, and after we sent them off along the canal...

we were at South Wind Brigade PART 4 – Chaffeys Locks, to welcome the canoes, but also to go to the QUBS open house.

Queen's University Biological Station
As we attended the open house, there was a shocking crack of thunder and lightning. All was well, though. We learned some of the latest information about birds, ticks.

Bluebird boxes were featured. I like the baffles.

There was a wonderful display featuring the Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre.

The Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre (ELEEC) is the result of an agreement between the Queen’s University Biological Station (QUBS) and the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). 

Nest box built by @OpeongoHS students. Obviously occupied! pic.twitter.com/CpSexgn4XE

— Stephen Lougheed (@QUBS_Director) May 15, 2017

The skies were amazing, as we left for home.

We went for a drive

–in the rain. What the heck. I needed to get out of the house. First, gassing up in Rideau Ferry, off we went. I had a mind to see the rivers and lakes. The flooding has been awful across the country, in water logged spots. (Read more here.) I'd forgotten about cottage country roads. The powerful water creates huge gullies. The vegetation is a startling, brilliant green.


Chaffeys Locks: we've been here before: Chaffeys Lock Cemetery and Clear Lake Cemetery



Opinicon Rd., where the culverts were blocked with debris. The road was covered earlier in the morning, thankfully crews opened the culvert.

QUBS

We must remember to go back to this spot. There are several birding spots, as well as the Queens U. Biological Station (QUBS). this location. You must stand on the side of the road, manage the bugs, and listen, as they are on private property.

We must attend:

2017 QUBS Opinicon Open House

06/25/2017 - 12:00 

–

15:00

Kingston Field naturalists recommend it.

"Since the early 1970’s QUBS has been a one of the most important sites of ornithological research in Canada. Hundreds of peer-reviewed papers about the ecology, behaviour and evolution of birds have been published over the decades, and important conservation work on Cerulean Warblers, Golden-winged Warblers and Eastern Whip-Poor-Wills has been done here."

The Opinicon had a private event. It's been renovated after being closed for a time. It's been bought and is running again. It is 80 years old, and has gone through a variety of iterations. Chaffey's residence in the early days, then a boarding house in the 1890s, men's fishing club in 1900s. A family bought it in 1921 to run as a resort.



The culverts are simply mad rapids.


My drive-by shootings of the trout lily and trillium are just about ready to bloom.


There are tons and tons of farm lands, now giant ponds, where ducks and geese float.


For some reason, I asked if we could go to Lyndhurst. I'd forgotten, but there are some fun stores. The Green Gecko, for one, where I bought a new umbrella.


Big Rideau docks are flooded.