Nestled on the picturesque north shore of Lake St. Francis, the Cooper Marsh Conservation Area is the proud Legacy of the late Mr. William Cooper Sr., a past Chair of the Raisin Region Conservation Authority.
This cherished wetland is part of the larger Charlottenburgh Marsh - one of the most significant wetlands in all of Ontario. The Raisin Region Conservation Authority protects, enhances and restores this natural area.
Follow the wetland boardwalks to explore the treed swamp and isolated ponds. Climb the viewing tower and enter the camera blinds to enjoy the more than 130 species of birds that call Cooper Marsh their home.
Approximately 100 or so species can occasionally be sighted as they migrate through the area including the magnificent Osprey, the Great White Egret and Green Heron.
Solve the Puzzle and Find the Cache
This puzzle will be best solved at home. Cachers who are "Twitchers" (Bird Watchers) will have an easier time but the birds to be identified are fairly common and should be quite easy to identify. One word of caution - some birds could have similar names, and you will have to be specific. For example the word "sparrow" or "Hawk" is not specific enough, "song sparrow" or "Red tailed Hawk" will be required
You will require the TSN (Taxonomic Serial Number - not the Sports Network) for each pictured bird. These are 6 digit numbers. If your research has not found a 6 digit number look elsewhere.
In the bottom right hand side of each picture is the last digit of the TSN. This will ensure that you do not have a sub species, so ensure the last digit of your number agrees with the picture. The first five digits won't vary.
When you have each number, reduce that number to its digital root. You will end up with a single digit for each number and they will be ABC and DEF as per the photo ie. N XX.XX.ABC W XXX.XX.DEF
Add this to the dummy coordinates which are N 45.06.934 and W 074.29.975
The result is the location of the cache final
You can check your answers for this puzzle on Geochecker.com.