Finding a Pollution Solution

People explore Georgian Bay in many ways: sailing, kayaking, swimming, even scuba diving and more! 

We all want the water in Georgian Bay to be clean for people, animals and plants. But the Great Lakes now contain a type of pollution that is hard to see - tiny microplastics!

Plastic microbeads are tiny pieces of plastic found in products like hand soap, body wash, and even toothpaste! 

Microbeads scrub away dirt, but once their job is finished they are washed down the drain and into lakes. Fish, birds and other animals can become sick by eating plastic beads.

Microplastic beads (Image: Oregon State University)

On August 20th, a group called exxpedition is setting sail to learn how much plastic is in Georgian Bay and other Great Lakes. You can help out by signing up to collect a water sample, or by holding a beach clean-up. This will be the largest simultaneous sampling for microplastics in history! Check out their website  for more information, to sign up and help keep our Great Lakes clean: http://exxpedition.com/greatlakes2016/

Say Cheese! Tips for your Photo Scavenger Hunt

We love seeing the cool things you find on Georgian Bay when working on your Great Photo Scavenger Hunt. Here are some tips and tricks for taking that perfect picture!

Look down: Be creative when looking for wildlife to photograph - small animals and plants like butterflies, frogs, and wildflowers all make excellent subjects for a photo shoot. 

Hide and seek: Don’t be afraid to take pictures through the windows in your home or cottage. This keeps you out of sight, allowing you to get great shots of backyard visitors like birds. By turning off lights, you can reduce reflections on glass windows and take better photos.

Take only photographs, leave only footprints: Remember to always respect nature when taking pictures. While you may want to get as close as possible to your subject to get the perfect shot, always keep a respectful distance from wildlife.

We took this photo through a window - the chipmunk wasn’t afraid and we were able to take a great picture! (Image: Grace Hunter)

If you take a picture of a plant and animal and are unsure what it is, send it to us at kids@gbbr.ca and we’ll identify it! Happy picture-taking!

Three cheers for wildflowers and rain showers!

The Not So Early Birds

Have you ever seen a bird sitting on a nest in the summertime? We often associate birds building nests and laying eggs with spring - but some species will lay eggs right through summer. The American Robin and the Eastern phoebe raise young more than once throughout their breeding season. The American Goldfinch usually waits until June or July to build a nest and lay its eggs.

An Eastern phoebe - look close and you can see it's carrying building materials for a nest! (Image: Grace Hunter)

Summer is also the time for many baby birds to start stretching their wings and venturing out of the nest. If you come across a feathered baby bird on its own this summer it may be a fledgling; these babies may look a little lost but are still being cared for by their parents. So what should you do if you come across a baby bird and aren’t sure if needs help? It’s all explained in this comic made by a biologist named Rosemary Mosco. It provides all the info you need on what to do if you come across an injured bird, a fledgling, or even a dinosaur. Happy bird-watching and enjoy the Birds of the Biosphere!

Three cheers for deep lakes and blueberry pancakes!