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durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, May 19, 2022 | 8 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 70 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the newspaper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca newsroom@durhamregion.com facebook.com/newsdurham @newsdurham WHO WE ARE Vice President Dana Robbins Regional General Manager Anne Beswick Director of Content Lee Ann Waterman Managing Editor Mike Lacey Director of Advertising Tanya Pacheco Director Distribution Jason Christie Director Creative Services Katherine Porcheron Durham Advisory Council Dan Carter; Esther Enyolu; Jake Farr; Dr. Vidal Chavannes; Cynthia Davis; Elaine Popp/Don Lovisa; John Henry; Sue McGovern; Kerri King; Steve Yamada; Kelly LaRocca; Peter Bethlenfalvy; Dr. Steven Murphy; Norah Marsh; Tracy Paterson; Chris Darling; Christina Curry CONTACT US This Week Phone: 905- 579-4407 Newsroom: 905-215-0462 Sales: 905-215-0424 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Fax: 905-579-2238 Web: www.durhamregion.com Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at durhamregion.com Delivery For all delivery inquiries, call 905- 579-4407 or visit the Contact Us page on durhamregion.com. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT DURHAMREGION.COM LETTERS & COMMENTARY The best of the best: birding the McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve at the height of spring migration. So many unique habitats right next to each other -- lakeshore, meadow, woods and wetlands -- support an amazing variety of birds, lots of which can be seen, heard, discovered in a single visit. With Darlington Provincial Park and Second Marsh as part of the mix, it's just about the top nature destination in all of Durham Region, and I love going there. Orchard orioles, northern mockingbirds and yellow warblers prefer the more open upland portions of the reserve, so be on the lookout as you head out on the trails from the parking lot at the east end of Colonel Sam Drive. Marsh wrens will be singing their rattling song from the cattails edging the marsh, and blue-grey gnatcatchers lisping in the willows of Cool Hollow as you near the lake. Second Marsh is famous for so many bird sightings, including the first nesting record of little gull in North America, discovered by George Scott in 1962. A visit any day in May could turn up four or five species of herons, half a dozen different ducks, four gulls, three terns and a whole bunch of shorebirds -- and you never know when a real rarity might show up. Be sure to keep scanning the skies for falcons, hawks and eagles that could be soaring by. Every year, the evergreens in Darlington grow taller and denser, exactly what migrating songbirds need to rest and recoup in after an exhausting overnight flight. Park entry is free to pedestrians, so wander through the woods there, listening for the twittery songs and calls of warblers, vireos, kinglets, catbirds, orioles and wrens. So many natural ecosystems so close together are not only of interest to visitors hungry for a dose of the out-of-doors, they provide a valuable opportunity for biological research, judging by the number of studies graduate students from various universities have carried out there. Perhaps that fact was the spark of inspiration for members of the Friends of Second Marsh, who came up with an "audacious" vision: creating a research and education centre right there on site, in the beautifully designed building overlooking the marsh, the wildlife reserve, the provincial park: GM Canada's former office headquarters, currently up for sale. The world sure could benefit from a Great Lakes centre as they envision it, with specialists working together to address everything from climate change to invasive species management. Just thinking about the possibilities sends a ripple of hope through the cloud of climate despair. Nature queries: mcarney1490@gmail.com or 905- 725-2116. Metroland columnist Margaret Carney finds so much to discover and marvel at exploring the great outdoors. OSHAWA RESERVE TOP NATURE SPOT WE NEED RECALL LEGISLATION To the editor: So here we go again, an election is around the corner and we are being promised a number of goodies by the incumbents, some already broken in the past, and they've added a new twist: "it will only come into affect after the election." Any bets on us really getting the offer? I think not in most cases. This needs to stop as it's unethical and morally disgusting and happening now in all levels of government. We need a bill for recall legislation to be brought forth to control the ethics of our present-day politicians, similar to the one they now have in B.C., where politicians are held accountable for such things as making big promises and not keeping them or passing unacceptable/ even harmful legislation in all manner of areas that go against our charter or laws or ordinary reasonableness for Canadians and taxpayers. Today's politicians are in the game to reward themselves first and us last, if at all. There surely must be a politician out there somewhere with the spirit and ethics to bring such a plan to fruition. If so they would certainly secure thousands if not millions of votes to back them up. Time for change! R.A. CAMERON WHITBY WHY DOESN'T DURHAM ACCEPT YARD WASTE AT FACILITIES? To the editor: I'm a longtime Bowmanville resident, and never has yard waste collection been so bad. I 100 per cent understand that Durham Waste Management is shortstaffed and is having trouble collecting all yard waste on time, but our waste sits outside in paper bags and once those bags get wet, all that happens is a huge mess on verges (boulevards) and roads. I don't understand why waste sites are no longer accepting yard waste, because some of us have yard waste that won't fit into the bags and we need to take it somewhere, and this is when people start fly tipping (dumping waste). We have removed several larger trees and have nowhere to take the branches. COLETTE GODFREY BOWMANVILLE MARGARET CARNEY Column SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT DURHAMREGION.COM