One-Tank Trip for
March 23/13
(c) By Jim Fox
Swans waddling to
the Avon River, hawks and eagles soaring across Niagara and the sap flowing in
Elmira – those are sure signs that spring has sprung across Ontario.
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| Elmira Maple Syrup Festival |
Making a splash
Swans star as the
curtain rises in the “Festival City” as the flat-footed waddlers march to the
Avon River.
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| The musical march of the swans to the Avon River in Stratford. (Stratford Tourism Alliance photo) |
The annual
pilgrimage on April 7 at 2 p.m. is accompanied by much pomp and circumstance as
they are led by the Stratford Police Pipes and Drums.
Crowds gather to
watch the Grand Parade, a musical march by some 28 swans leaving their winter quarters
at William Allman Arena en route to the freedom of the river.
Onlookers cheer on
the noisy procession that includes white and black swans, Chinese geese, an
emperor goose and bar-headed goose.
Cathy Rehberg of
the Stratford Tourism Alliance said the salute to spring involves a weekend of
family fun.
Activities on April
6 include the Swan Quest, a search for decorated topiary swans in Stratford's
heritage district; free horse-drawn carriage tours; photos with mascot BJ the
Swan; swan walks; and family brunches.
The Swan
Celebration on April 7 along Lakeside Drive, between Waterloo Street and Morenz
Drive, is from noon to 3 p.m.
Along with the
parade, there will be a barbecue, performance by the Other Hand Puppet Troupe, children's
entertainer Madame Buskerfly on stilts, ventriloquist show, Festival City
Twirlers, street performers, face painting, a bouncy castle, swan hats and
crafts for children.
There’s free
parking at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival lot at Lakeside Drive and Queen
Street, and along Lakeside Drive, east of Front Street. visitstratford.ca/swans;
1-800-561-7926
Your Niagara raptors
The annual
migration of the birds of prey is called “one of the great rites of spring” in
Niagara Region.
More than 15,000
raptors – a diverse gathering of hawks and eagles – are sighted soaring and
circling through the airshafts above the escarpment.
 |
| Bald eagles have been making a comeback in migrating in the Great Lakes area. |
The migration also
attracts thousands of people to the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in
Grimsby.
The last two weeks
of March and April are the best times to see these magnificent birds of prey,
said Mike Street of Hawkwatch that has monitored the migration since 1975.
It recorded its
500,000th raptor in 2010 as the birds make their way north to nesting
territories from South and Central America, the Caribbean and U.S.
The regal bald eagle
has been making a comeback in the Great Lakes area while last year saw an “unusual
visit” by a Mississippi kite, a graceful southern species rarely seen in
Ontario.
There is also an
abundance of broad-winged hawks, turkey vultures, peregrine falcons and golden
eagles.
The Niagara
Peninsula Conservation Authority along with Hawkwatch invite spectators to view
the birds at the park daily through May 15from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hawkwatch holds its
annual open house at Beamer next Friday (March 29) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Activities include live
hawk demonstrations, migration information and a children’s program led by
Carla Carlson of Niagara Nature Tours.
There is also RaptorFest,
a free event featuring the birds, on April 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the
Peach King Centre in Grimsby. npca.ca; niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org;
raptorfest.ca
Getting sappy
The town of Elmira,
north of Kitchener-Waterloo, is getting ready to serve visitors some 15,000
plates of flapjacks washed down by 750 litres of maple syrup.
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| A young visitor learns about sap collecting |
It’s time again for
the “largest maple syrup festival in the world,” expected to attract about
70,000 people on April 6 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In its 49th year,
visitors from Australia, Europe, Mexico, the U.S. and across Canada including
the North Pole have joined the rite of spring party, said festival publicist
Sabina Voisin.
It takes the work
of 2,000 volunteers through the year to celebrate the town’s history as a
maple-syrup producing community, said Ken Jessop, event chair.
There are trips to
the sugar bush, a pancake-flipping contest, birds of prey show, petting zoo and
toys, quilts, crafts, antiques and collectibles, plus lots of great food.
For children, there
are midway and pony rides, inflatables and musical entertainment.
It's free to attend,
while pancakes are $4 a single serving and $5 for a double along with a small
fee for events. elmiramaplesyrup.com;
1-877-969-0094
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com
For more One-Tank Trips: http://1tanktrips.blogspot.ca
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