Galwegians September 2021
As of mid-August, the Galway Hall was allowed to be open to the public. However, there are safety plan requirements and size limitations to be followed before any group or organization is permitted to enter the building. Check with the Municipality for all the details before attempting to book a date at the Galway Hall.
The Galway Hall has been selected to be a polling station for the Peterborough-Kawartha riding. The federal election date is Monday, September 20. Exercise your democratic rights and cast your ballot!
The wish is that September will allow us to continue to move forward- schools will be open for ‘in-person’ learning, groups will be allow to hold ‘in-person’ meetings and events, and sport activities, with spectators, may once again resume. The Galway Hall Board, the Kinmount and District Bursary Committee, and the Friends of Galway are optimistically hoping to have ‘in-person’ meetings in September. Local students are reminded that the Bursary deadline for the winter semester is coming up- Monday, November 15th, 2021. All the details may be found at: www.kinmount.ca or www.galwayhall.ca
Maybe with more time for reflection (also known as getting older), have you noted certain sounds in nature that you rarely or no longer hear? One of these sounds is the song of the Eastern Whip-poor-will. On the hot, humid nights of summers past, these birds seemed to be able to sing throughout the evening and nighttime without stopping. As a kid on the lake, I remember one of our neighbours, Mr. William Hall, firing his shotgun into the night sky, hoping the noise of the blast would stop their calls. Alas, his solution to get some sleep did not work for him.
The Whip-poor-will populations have declined over the past 25 years. This species is now designated as a Threatened species in Ontario and Canada. Major factors for this decline include changes in habitat and food supply. As an example, here in Galway, many of the pioneer homestead fields have been reclaimed by the surrounding forests.
Do you want to volunteer to help monitor Ontario’s Whip-poor-will populations? Citizen scientists can register and participate in the “Canadian Nightjar Survey”. For more information, contact Kathy Jones: volunteer@birdscanada.org or 1 888 448-2473 x 124.
The night skies over Galway in mid-August co-operated for the viewing of the Perseid meteor shower and the warm, evening temperatures made this event more comfortable. The crescent moon was also helpful, keeping the skies overhead dark. The full moon on August 22nd has been called a “Full Sturgeon Moon” and, this year, a “Full Blue Corn Moon”. The last summer Blue Moon was five years ago and the next one will not be until 2024. In this case, the term “Blue Moon” refers to the fact that there are four full moons in one season, of which, the third one is designated the Blue Moon.
The selected word from the University of Alberta’s 2020 list for the month of September is “awesomesauce”. It is an adjective. It means extremely good; excellent.
Another close encounter with nature happened at our cottage in August. Our daughter was visiting and found a baby bird on the ground. It was still alive after its fall from its nest. After holding it for awhile, we went into our recycle bin and found a ‘Cool Whip’ container. Our seven-year old granddaughter put some grass into the tub. The baby bird was then placed in the container. An hour or so later, the bird started to move around some and then started to chirp. The next thing it did was hop up onto the edge of the tub. So, our next move was to place a piece of wire mesh over the container. The baby kept chirping and then we heard an American Goldfinch calling and then we saw a male goldfinch flitting above the container.
The decision was made to secure the container on a branch of a small cedar tree. Shortly after placing the baby goldfinch back into its makeshift nest, both adults were observed to be in and around the cedar. Wishing for the best, we figured that we had done what we could do.
That was until our granddaughter found another baby bird on the ground, alive, near the location of the first bird a couple of hours later. So, baby bird number two went into the tub as well. We continued to monitor the goldfinch family until it got dark.
The next morning, one baby goldfinch was on the branch above the ‘nest’. Its parents were coming and going, feeding it often. The hopeful thought is that the one baby bird had already flown from the cedar. Shortly after lunch, the goldfinch family had vacated the cedar tree and the Cool Whip nest!
Here is a brief loon update from Crystal Lake. The family on Clear Bay continues to do well as does the family at the head of the lake. The young loons are diving and are being left on their own for longer periods of time. By mid-September, these young loons will be providing almost all of their own food. They may even be attempting to or able to fly. Young loons linger after the adults head south as these immature loons continue to eat fish for protein which gives them the strength needed to fly south for the first time.
Here is a friendly reminder to everyone that has a Galway (purple) shamrock. Although they are hardy plants, these shamrocks cannot survive the frosts and cold of Galway Township. So, if your shamrocks are still outside, bring them indoors so that you can enjoy them again in 2022.