Knox Waterloo and the Waterloo Concert Band present:

Tutti 2026: All Together Now
a short, accessible concert for everyone

Sunday April 12, 2pm
Knox Waterloo (Erb and Caroline Streets)

Free admission

https://waterlooband.com for details

#WRawesome #KWawesome #WaterlooRegion #Waterloo #Music

This past Monday, marked the 2nd anniversary of my first food column for CBC-KW! Celebrated by getting breakfast at Poppy’s after today’s column.

#WaterlooRegion #Food #HappyAnniversary

This Wilmot water taking issue is a lot more serious than I thought!

#WaterlooRegion #WilmotTownship #WaterTaking #Water

FOR THE BIRDING BEGINNER

Given that birding is one of the world’s fastest-growing leisure activities, it is safe to assume that a few of you out there are toying with the idea of lacing up the Timberlands and heading to the nearest nature trail in search of our feathered friends. Like any journey into the unknown, those first few steps are often the hardest. Fortunately, as someone who recently embraced the birding life, I am uniquely qualified to address some of the questions you may have.  

What do I need to start my new life as a birder? 

I began with a borrowed pair of binoculars, an old camera and a guidebook found in a used bookstore. Just be sure that, when you go looking for your first guidebook, it’s a recent edition. Our ongoing demolition of the natural world means older versions may have outdated information regarding things like migration ranges and the status of certain species—if your guidebook describes the Whooping Crane as ‘common’, for example, keep shopping. Should you eventually reach the hardcore birder stage, you can invest in a big-ass scope that lets you count the spots on a Spotted Sandpiper from a kilometre away.  

Can I just use my camera for starters? 

Absolutely: as long as it has a decent zoom lens. A Google search of your photo usually provides an accurate identification, though I find it much more fun and rewarding to cross-reference shots with my guidebook to solve each new mystery. Even to spot birds, I relied heavily on my idiot-proof SLR camera for the first few years while mastering the skill of seeing through my binoculars. 

What about fancy tech tools? 

There are plenty of online resources and apps available to accelerate your birding learning curve. Being somewhat old school, however, the only two I use are the eBird website and the Merlin app. The former allows you to save lists and check out what others are spotting at countless birding ‘hotspots’. The Merlin app makes identifying species far easier with tools like sound ID that instantly identifies all the birds within earshot. I’ve always used Merlin sparingly, however, as I enjoy putting in the hard work of learning how to identify species without any shortcuts.  

What’s been your most valuable birding resource? 

That one’s easy: other, smarter birders. And when you’re a novice, every other birder is smarter. Fortunately, you won’t find a nicer, more helpful community than the bird crowd. My opening line when approaching other birders has always been ‘Seen anything interesting?’ It gets the conversation started, while also allowing me to gather valuable information without sounding like a moron.  

Do I need a Tilley hat? 

My filthy Blue Jay cap worked fine until I upgraded to my cheap Tilley rip-off. The key is to slather sunblock on all your exposed skin like you’re buttering toast. A good pair of water-resistant hiking boots and a few UV-resistant shirts are also worth looking into. 

Is Waterloo Region good for birding? 

While not necessarily the sexiest of Ontario’s birding destinations—that would be Point Pelee in May—our own backyard has plenty to offer. In just the last few years of poking about natural escapes within the Tri-Cities, I’ve spotted 145 different species. Next month I’ll be sharing some of my favourite local birding haunts. Until then, I urge you to set up your free eBird account, click the ‘Explore’ button, type in ‘Waterloo Region’ and voila! You’ll have lots of local hotspots to check out now. 

What can I expect to see? 

The list is too long to cover here, but our region’s combination of forested trails and wetlands makes it ideal for a wide variety of species that stay here year-round or migrate through during spring and fall. In a brief visit to Columbia Lake last June, I spotted two Bald Eagles, a Great Egret and a Great Blue Heron, a Solitary Sandpiper, a Belted Kingfisher hunting for its breakfast, several Red-winged Blackbirds, plus an entire assortment of sparrows, flycatchers and other smaller birds. 

Now that I’ve answered enough of your questions to get you started on that first birding adventure, it’s all up to you. So, get off your butt, pull on your boots and go find yourself a Pileated! (Look it up; it’s in the woodpecker section of your almost-new guidebook.) 

Film Screening: My Friend Omar at KW Little Theatre at 6:30pm Thursday 9 April 2026

• What: Film Screening: My Friend Omar: The Struggles of a Seasonal Worker
• Presented by: Amnesty Canada Group Nine
• When: 6:30pm to 8:30pm, Thursday 9 April 2026
• Where: KW Little Theatre
• Location: 9 Princess Street East, Waterloo, Ontario Map
• Online: https://www.amnestywaterlooregion.org/2026/03/film-screening-discussion-my-friend.html
• Contact: [email protected]

On Thursday 9 April 2026 Amnesty Group 9 will be screening the documentary film My Friend Omar: The Struggles of a Seasonal Worker at KW Little Theatre. The event will begin at 6:30pm and will include a discussion of the film’s topic: Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The film is 60 minutes long. The screening will be free to attend and snacks will be provided.

Following the screening there will be an opportunity to sign a relevant petition and letter to your local MP.

Synopsis of the film: “My Friend Omar: The struggles of a Seasonal Worker” follows Québécois-Chilean actor Christian de la Cortina, who, while preparing for his role as Sandro in “5e rang,” forms a friendship with Omar, a seasonal Guatemalan worker. This documentary unveils the persistent abuses some workers experience, exposing the shortcomings of the system. It also highlights Omar’s solidarity and fight for justice, representing the voice of often invisible workers.

Please share this event with your networks and join us Thursday April 9 for the screening of My Friend Omar. There are two posters attached below to assist in promoting the event. Any questions regarding the event should be sent to [email protected].

PIKNIK.SPOT PROVIDES LOCAL FOOD MAP

Piknik.spot is an online resource for those in Waterloo Region who want to eat locally and support small farmers, restaurants and other businesses. It provides a directory and map view of sources for locally grown or produced food. There are also listings of Community Supported Agriculture programs that help you support local farms.  

The website was created by Laurie Varga and Geoff Whittington, a married couple based in Waterloo Region. Varga said they were inspired on a drive down Northfield Drive in Waterloo, where they saw many Mennonite-owned farms with little social media presence.   

“We were both kind of excited, and I think that’s what kicked it off initially,” Varga said.   

“[W]e want people who either produce, resell or incorporate local food in their activities. For example, they got Eby Manor, they produce cheese and milk and what have you,” Whittington said.  “So, we’re going to include [businesses] that produce locally. Then we have businesses like the EcoCafe—they use the milk that Eby Manor produces…,” he said. New listings through the site are mostly acquired from Varga and Whittington driving around the region to look for new farms, finding businesses online and talking to people. However, users of the site can add their own listings that will be submitted for approval to be listed on the site.   

“Businesses can claim their locations. They can add more relevant details and manage their own location, things like products they offer, and they can also communicate with [followers]…,” Varga said.   

Varga is also a member of the advisory circle for a research project, Towards a Sustainable Food System for All, which focuses on food security and sovereignty in the region. Piknik.spot hopes that providing this directory will address these issues while also contributing to the local economy.   

“We are so lucky here in Waterloo to have this rich environment for food production and so many small local farms contributing to our economy,” Whittington said.