Nature By Runtz

Nature By Runtz A naturalist since age 5, Michael is an award-winning retired university Associate Professor, author, and photographer. Britta Gerwin is a nature photographer.

Britta is a historian, photographer, radio host, producer, and partner of Nature By Runtz. A birder/naturalist since the age of five, Michael is an award-winning university lecturer, photographer, author, and keynote speaker who conducts natural history surveys and hosted the international television series Wild by Nature. Her work has been sold internationally and across Canada. Britta is a radio

show host and producer with Hunters Bay Radio. She speaks four languages fluently, is an avid traveller and gourmet cook. She is a partner in Nature By Runtz.

09/12/2026

cotton grass | 'kätn gras |
noun
producing tufts of long white silky hairs, which aid in the dispersal of the seeds



🎥 ©️ Britta Runtz

09/09/2026

One of the seven species of Bladderwort that exist in Algonquin Park.



🎥 ©️ Britta Runtz

09/07/2026

The environment six years after the tornado on the Eastern Side of Algonquin Park.

🎥©️Britta Runtz

There are so many layers to Nature but far too often we see only the more obvious larger members of the wild. But for e...
09/05/2026

There are so many layers to Nature but far too often we see only the more obvious larger members of the wild. But for every large organism there are myriad smaller ones, some so minute that a good hand or macro lens is required to view them properly. A few weeks ago I was photographing mushrooms along the Macnamara Field Naturalist Club Trail in Arnprior. Suddenly I saw a tiny wasp-like insect land on a dead red oak leaf near me. When I lay down to view it through my macro lens I was captivated by the sculptured beauty of its 10 mm-long body. It looked hairless so I thought it was wasp, not a bee. However, it turned out to be a Spotted Nomad Bee, which is indeed very wasp like.

It also has a fascinating life history. Females lay their eggs in the underground nests of Andrenid Bees, which store pollen for their young to eat. The first nomad bee to hatch kills its siblings and as welll as the host egg, eliminating the competition for the stored food.

09/02/2026

Pickerel W**d flourishing in the marsh at Sec Lake's crystal-clear, shallow waters.



🎥 ©️ Britta Runtz

09/01/2026

Bear sign, fall is coming.

🎥 ©️ Britta Runtz

08/30/2026

Carnivorous wildflowers found in Algonquin Park.



🎥 ©️ Britta Runtz

Join the Macnamara Field Naturalists’ Club for an exhilarating evening on Wednesday, September 2nd at 7 p.m. at Emmanuel...
08/29/2026

Join the Macnamara Field Naturalists’ Club for an exhilarating evening on Wednesday, September 2nd at 7 p.m. at Emmanuel Anglican Church, 287 Harrington St, Arnprior, Ontario.

Non-members are welcome to attend with a $5 donation to support the club.

Experience an incredible presentation by Barry Goodman on Shark Diving, exploring the thrilling world of sharks in the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

Discover fascinating facts and debunk myths about these magnificent creatures.

Don’t miss this exciting event—an unforgettable night of adventure and discovery.

08/28/2026

Bald Eagles were once listed as Endangered due to DDT poisoning. Today, they nest throughout Ontario and are becoming a common sight in Algonquin Park.

This is a young bald eagle; it takes five years to develop the characteristic white head, tail, and all dark body.



🎥 ©️Britta Runtz

08/27/2026

The beauty of spiderwebs in the early morning.



🎥©️Britta Runtz

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587 Nieman Drive
Arnprior, ON
K7S3G8

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