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 Return of the Swans Festival
Have you had enough of winter? Are you looking for signs of spring? Then mark your calendar! For many residents of Lambton County, the beginning of spring is always associated with the return of the tundra swans to local farm fields. From March 12, 2011 until April 3, 2011, residents and visitors to the North Lambton area, just south of Grand Bend, will be keeping an eye to the sky hoping to spot these majestic birds. Once the tundra swans start to arrive spring is not far behind.
The tundra swans come by the thousands to feed and rest in Southwestern Ontario. Their annual northward migration starts from their wintering grounds on Chesapeake Bay on the eastern seaboard, in the State of Delaware and ends at their breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic a journey of over 6500 km (4000 miles). Along the route they stop at ‘staging' areas - wetlands and fields where they can feed and rest. In a good year, there will be 15,000 individual birds resting on the bog, attracted by the melt water of spring and the remnants of the prior year’s corn crop. The first sound to be heard is the soft hoo-hoo-hoo, as the tundra swans glide effortlessly down to feed on flooded fields that mark the bottom of old Lake Smith.
The Lambton Shores area is fortunate to have a natural 'staging' place for the tundra swans as well as other waterfowl. Behind the Lambton Heritage Museum property is the land locally known as the Thedford Bog. Before it was drained for farming, this huge wetland was a stop-over for migrating birds. Each spring the fields continue to flood and the corn and bean stubble from the previous year's harvest provides food for the traveling waterfowl. Depending on weather and field conditions, visitors can sometimes see thousands of swans, ducks and geese in their natural habitat. It is always best to call ahead or check the website as the swans can arrive as early as mid-February or as late as mid-March. To find out how many tundra swans are in the area, connect via internet to www.returnoftheswans.com or call 1-800-265-0316.
This year's Return of the Swans Festival will offer much for the family to do, whether the swans co-operate or not. Your first stop should be the Lambton Heritage Museum, on Hwy. 21 south of Grand Bend. Visitors agree it's a 'hidden gem' - an enriching centre for children of all ages, with great exhibits and excellent family activities. Explore interpretive displays, discover the story behind the Thedford Bog, see a tundra swan and learn about its migration story, or watch the favourite video "The Return of The Swans".
While at the museum be sure to take time for the Paint Ontario Art Exhibition and Sale. This competition and show celebrates the work of representational artists and the beauty of the Province of Ontario, including the Great Lakes shorelines. This competition presents the spirit and beauty of this magnificent area as portrayed by some of our finest artists, with all submitted works for sale. For more information, contact Barry Richman at 519-238-6213 or email huronart@ezlink.on.ca.
Nearby, on March 19-20 and 26-27, is the annual Ipperwash Maple Syrup Festival. A tasty feature of this event is a pancake and sausage brunch, served up by the Forest Kiwanis at Silver Birches Campground, 9537 Army Camp Road. Visitors can see how the syrup is produced with a free tour of the Williamson Maple Sugar Shanty at 7739 Lakeshore Rd., Hwy. 21. For more information, call 1-866-692-4315.
Bring your binoculars and thrill to the sight of the tundra swans. To find out how many swans are in the area or for help in planning your visit to the Return of the Swans Festival, go to www.returnoftheswans.com. You may also phone Tourism Sarnia-Lambton toll-free at 1-800-265-0316, call the Lambton Heritage Museum at 519-243-2600, or email heritage.museum@county-lambton.on.ca
The Lambton Heritage Museum is open seven days a week in March from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $5. adults, $4. seniors/students, $3. children, $15. family. The museum is 8 km south of Grand Bend, on Highway 21. For more information about Lambton Heritage Museum, visit www.lclmg.org
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