George Langman Wildlife Sanctuary

Just a few minutes outside of the city proper (Bass Lake Sideroad) lies a wonderful area for local wildlife education. The George Langman Wildlife Sanctuary is roughly 65 acres of pond, swamp, marsh, trails and, of course, wildlife. The sanctuary is maintined by the Orillia Fish and Game Conservation Club, and they give generously of their time (and money) to help maintain this. The gates are open 365 days a year - which I find incredible. Many provincial parks in Ontario are not open all year long (Bass Lake Provincial Park, just 'across the way' from the sanctuary is closed through winter). If you visit the sanctuary there is a donation box - donations help to keep the wildlife fed and healthy.

I must admit that while I spend a lot of time here photographing the geese and swans (the ducks are very unco-operative) I have yet to capture any other birds, but I know they are there. I've seen them, but at a distance too far for my 70-300mm lens. When they do come close enough, they flit away so quickly that you haven't time to focus.

Considering the amount of time I spend here during the spring-fall seasons, I know precious little about the sanctuary. I know that nearly all the property in this particular area(the sanctuary and surrounding areas) were settled by the Langmans - there are still many living 'right next door' to the sanctuary. When and how the property came to be a wildlife sanctuary, I don't know (and all of this is leading me to believe I need to find out more).

There are 'boardwalks' and trails through the sanctuary, most of which I haven't explored fully - in summer the bugs are a deterrent; some of it goes through a very wet area which makes exploring difficult if you aren't properly prepared; there's an area in the bush/forest where the bees (or are they wasps?) seem to congregate, and I am allergic to bee stings so I always have some tripidation in passing this area. Most of the time, except for chatter of geese and the call of smaller birds, it's quiet here. Many times we've been through a weekday and seen no one at all.

There also is a "bird house" - not a birdhouse (though there are also plenty of those), but a larger shed with open 'cages' fenced off and covered at the top where other birds are housed through the summer months - where they go in winter I have no idea. Last summer there were three (I think) different kinds of pheasants as well as peacocks, including baby peacocks (what do you call those anyway?), which I've never seen before. I was fascinated by them - ugly little critters, but ugly enough to be sort of cute, and the longer I looked at them, the cuter they seemed. I guess a "baby anything" has it's own sort of cuteness. There were also some baby turkeys (as well as adults).

Last year they also had a couple of bunny rabbits in the end cage. I don't know why this wildlife is in cages unless it's for recovery from injury or to keep them from injury - another thing to find out.

One thing you seldom see here is rubbish and litter - I don't know, but I hope that's because the people that frequent the conservation area respect it enough to keep their trash in the right place.

As I write this, I'm just realizing how little I know about the sanctuary. I searched the internet for information and there's not a heck of a lot. Maybe it's time to find out something more - and find a way to let people know more about the Sanctuary.

Geese Poster

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