Echo Bay deluged with furry, scaly, slimy thingies

Echo Bay's Lake George Marsh will be crawling on Saturday with furry, scaly and slimy creatures.

No, it's not a political convention.

These critters are even furrier, scalier and slimier than that.

Here's the notice we received from Ducks Unlimited:

************************** 2nd Annual Lake George Marshfest to host Science North on Saturday, September 11th

Echo Bay, ON – Ducks will not be the only thing 'flocking' to the Lake George Marsh this Saturday.

Ducks Unlimited Canada in cooperation with the Township of MacDonald, Meredith and Aberdeen Additional is proud to present the Second Annual Lake George Marshfest on Saturday, September 11, 2004.

Natural Resources Canada will be sponsoring Science North's 'Live Animals of Northern Ontario Display' at the event, and visitors can get up close and personal with a variety of furry, scaly and slimy creatures that represent different animal phylum.

Learn what they eat, where they live and how they survive in their particular habitat.

Other events taking place at the Marshfest will include guided voyageur canoe tours of the Lake George Marsh, a retriever demonstration, face painting, a marsh insect hunt, kids activities, a clown and magician, a live fish pond, silent auction, live entertainment from Mark Tarantini and the Texas Street Band and much more for all ages!

The 647-acre Lake George wetland is one of nine known Provincially Significant Wetlands within the St. Marys River Area of Concern and is part of the area designated as a Living Legacy Heritage site by the Ontario government.

Coastal wetlands such as the Lake George wetland are areas of high biological productivity and provide habitat for many provincially significant and provincially rare species of flora and fauna.

One hundred and eighty-six species of waterfowl, colonial waterbirds, shorebirds, passerines and raptors inhabit the area, as residents or as temporary inhabitants.

As well, the river is an important staging and migration corridor for dabbling ducks, diving ducks and geese.

The Lake George Marshfest gets underway at 11 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m.

All events will take place beside the loon dollar monument on Highway 17E at the Lake George Marsh (rain location, Echo Bay Arena).

Admission by stamp for adults is $4.

Children under 12 are $2, and children under 5 are FREE!

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