The Kawartha Land Trust (KLT) invited members of the Peterborough Field Naturalists (PFN) to start making visits to Big Island on Pigeon Lake. The goals were to consider the Island for future outings and to contribute toward an inventory of species. The initial invitation was to board members and some regular outing leaders for a first visit to the Island.

Access to Big Island requires boat travel during spring, summer and fall. During safe ice conditions in winter, it would be possible to walk across from the mainland. Most of the PFN members travelled by boats organized through KLT. Kim Zippel paddled with me across the back channel from Bear Creek Road. We did this to explore opporunities to access the Island without needing a power boat.

During the short time that we had, 36 species of birds were identified along with several species of plants, butterflies and dragonflies. I looked for mammal sign and found some as shown in the photographs. We covered a small part of the north east quadrant of the Island.

Exploring the Island can be done on trails. However, the trails are currently fragmented. The staff at KLT are busy planning which trails to maintain and where to expand them.

Big Island is an exceptional property and everyone really enjoyed the opportunity to visit. It will take many days (years) to see all of the Island. We look forward to that opportunity. For more information on Big Island and KLT, please visit their website: http://www.kawarthalandtrust.org
(Photographed June 21, 2016 on Big Island, Pigeon Lake, Ontario, Canada)