Summer NV2010.pmd - Nature Saskatchewan

Nature Views

- a forum for environmental discussion - published by Nature Saskatchewan Issue 162

Table of Contents

Summer 2010

Saskatchewan’s Important Bird Areas Program: Caretakers Needed! Karen McIver, Conservation and Education Manager, Nature Saskatchewan

2

From Your President Nature Sask Welcomes Tara Gaudet

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From Your Editors Letters to the Editors Nature Sask 2010 Summer Students

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New Stewards of Saskatchewan Coordinators Do you hear what I hear... Watch for Turkey Vultures

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RPR - Plant Species of Interest for 2010 Living By Water

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Turning Leaves The Birds of Grass, Sky, Song Flight Plan Partner Report

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2010 Baille Birdathon Nature Sask 2010 Graduate Student Scholarship

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Spring Meet 2010

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Call for Nominations 2010 Fall Meet Spring Meet 2010 Registration Form

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Breeding Bird Surveys NatureWatch, PlantWatch, IceWatch, FrogWatch, WormWatch New Members

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PlantWatch Update Climate Myth: We Can’t Do Anything About Climate Change

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The Importance of Pollinators Wings Over Wascana Nature Festival

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Ecology and Economics of Riparian Areas on the Prairies Speaker Series Summary - Natural Gas Development & Grassland Songbirds

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Federal Government Sells Out Environment 22nd Annual Winter Bird Contest 2009-2010

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2010/11 U of S CCDE Programs Donors

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Upcoming Events

The Important Bird Areas program in Saskatchewan is back in full swing with a new initiative popping up as part of a national program. The Important Bird Areas Caretakers Network will establish caretakers in several provinces including British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. Caretakers will watch for changes in bird populations or conservation threats, conduct outreach and raise awareness about their site, and undertake on-the-ground stewardship if needed. Our goal in Saskatchewan is to find one volunteer caretaker for each of our 53 Important Bird Areas (IBAs). The Important Bird Areas program is an international effort headed by BirdLife International to identify, conserve, and monitor a network of sites that provide essential habitat for bird populations. IBAs are priority areas where threatened, restricted-range, biome-restricted and congretory birds occur. However, these sites must go through an extensive nomination and review process before they are identified as an IBA. In Canada, we have two national partners leading the way and supporting the Caretakers network in Saskatchewan – Nature Canada and Bird Studies Canada. Birds are often considered an environmental indicator. More than just being aesthetically pleasing and economically valuable, birds often provide us with evidence of a healthy or unhealthy ecosystem. A declining bird population in a particular region may indicate another problem present in the habitat, perhaps the disappearance of their food source or preferred nesting sites - the proverbial “Canary in the Coal Mine”. Thus, maintaining the health of Important Bird Areas will contribute to conservation of other biotic and abiotic factors beyond birds. IBAs are also important to humans. The Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario put together a research summary called, Reconnecting Children Through Outdoor Education. The summary recognized four key values of outdoor and experiential education (OEE) – the education that IBAs have the potential to convey. It says that OEE educates for curriculum and the community by providing hands-on links to school curricula in integrated ways that enable students to more readily transfer learning to their everyday lives. OEE educates for wellbeing by promoting lifelong physical, emotional and spiritual learning. OEE educates for character by helping to build self-confidence and a sense of responsibility for oneself and others. Finally, OEE educates for environment by reconnecting humans to the earth through direct contact with the life support systems of this planet. Being outdoors in an Important Bird Area and learning experientially can provide a foundation for ecological literacy and stewardship. To help conserve the bird habitat and to help reconnect people to nature, Nature Saskatchewan is seeking volunteer caretakers to be the eyes, ears and hands on the ground for the 53 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Saskatchewan. Caretakers will have four primary duties: · Review the Site Summary of their designated IBA on the website and submit revisions to Nature Saskatchewan. · Commit to at least one annual, seasonally appropriate visit to their site and provide a brief report (status of the site, habitat, and birds) back to Nature Saskatchewan. · Take opportunities to raise awareness about their IBA in the community. · Advise Nature Saskatchewan of any conservation threats to the site that might require actions such as letter writing campaigns, meetings with environmental agencies, etc. For more information about Important Bird Areas visit www.ibacanada.ca. This site lists the names of the 53 Important Bird Areas we are seeking caretakers for (look under “Explore IBAs” and “IBA site directory”). Please contact Karen McIver for more details or to express interest in becoming a caretaker by email [email protected] or phone 306-780-9481.

Publication Mail Agreement # 40063014 Postage Paid in Regina Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses To: Administration Centre Printing Services 111-2001 Cornwall St Regina, SK S4P 3X9 [email protected]

Nature Saskatchewan Room 206 1860 Lorne Street Regina, SK S4P 2L7

Humanity in Harmony with Nature

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Nature Views

Summer 2010

From Your President

NATURE VIEWS

I counted 93 crows today (April 1) the most I have seen in a single day this spring. One flock contained 34 birds. For several years I have noted a continued decline of crows during the spring migration. In checking back in my journals to the 1970’s I assume that crows were so plentiful that they were seldom mentioned. Indeed crows were much more common 30 to 40 years ago. I recall helping a neighbour put a roof on his barn in the spring of 1976. It was a mild late March day. A flock of crows consisting of thousands of birds flew over, for the better part of an hour, stretching from horizon to horizon. The importance of record keeping by naturalists, birdwatchers, and volunteers is extremely beneficial in documenting bird population shifts. Long running census such as Christmas Bird Counts and Breeding Bird Surveys convey clear population trends. Unfortunately, on a global scale 70% of our birds are declining, with a few species in serious trouble. In a presentation at the recent Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference in Winnipeg, it was revealed that of 24 grassland bird species monitored since 1966 on Breeding Bird Surveys, 21 species were declining and only 3 species showed positive trends. The average trend for the 24 species is -2.84% per year for the period of 19662007. This means that there is now (on average) less than half of the number of grassland birds than there was in 1966. Furthermore, one third of these grassland birds are Species at Risk. The plight of the Sage Grouse, Burrowing Owls and Loggerhead Shrikes is well known. The demise of more common species often comes as a surprise, but Western Meadowlarks, Horned Larks, Northern Harriers, Vesper and Clay-coloured Sparrows and many others are all disappearing. We are all familiar with the Barn Swallow. Bird Studies Canada has this to say: “While the North American population is still large, our research suggests over 50 million, it is less than half of what it was 20 years ago – a potential loss of 50 million birds! The Barn Swallow’s decline has accelerated so quickly in the last decade that it is now in danger of disappearing from large parts of its range.” What about the other 30% of birds that are not declining in numbers? Well some species are holding their own. From my personal observations (which are not scientific), I would include some duck species, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Black-billed Magpies and Red-tailed Hawks as being stable. The species that are increasing in numbers are those that have adapted to man made environments. American Robins thrive in our towns and cities, Black-capped Chickadees appear in greater numbers at bird feeders, and Tree Swallows are quick to occupy available nest boxes. Canada Geese, which were rare 60 years ago in southern Saskatchewan, can now be found in city parks, farmyards and most permanent water bodies. Similarly, Snow Geese were not a common site 50 years ago. In the spring of 1972 I noted hundreds of Tundra Swans, Canada Geese and a variety of ducks in the flooded fields along Wascana Creek East of Regina. I made no mention of Snow Geese! As I write this column, I have seen literally thousands of migratory Snow Geese. While Pelicans, Double-crested Cormorants, Ring billed Gulls, Common Ravens and Turkey Vultures appear to be increasing in numbers from my observations. While it is comforting to know that some species are able to survive in our highly altered environment, we must focus our attention on the 70% of bird species that are in serious trouble. Securing natural habitat is the number one priority in preserving our native flora and fauna. Through your ongoing support, Nature Saskatchewan will continue to be an active, strong and effective voice for conservation. Lorne Scott

Nature Saskatchewan Welcomes Tara Gaudet as Office Coordinator Tara will be filling in for Ellen while she is on maternity leave. Her love for nature and animals came early in life. Her family would go canoeing, fishing, and hiking in the summer months. She attended Lethbridge Community College, and received her diploma in Renewable Resource Management. Tara then met her husband, a Conservation Officer, while attending school. Their love for the outdoors and sharing the same values on conservation brought them close together. In her spare time, she loves to work in the garden, draw, travel and observe birds. She lives in Regina with her husband and their daughter.

Nature Views provides a forum for discussion, a means for the dissemination of information about environmental issues to the people of Saskatchewan and promotes the aims and objectives of Nature Saskatchewan. Nature Saskatchewan is also known as the Saskatchewan Natural History Society. Nature Views is published four times a year by Nature Saskatchewan. Receiving the newsletter is a benefit from membership in Nature Saskatchewan. Views expressed in Nature Views are not necessarily those of Nature Saskatchewan. Submissions and comments are invited. Send materials to this Nature Views editor: Rob Warnock, 3603 White Bay. Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 7C9. Phone: (306) 586-2492. Materials can be sent by email to: [email protected] Layout: Proof reading: Final proof approval:

Angela Dohms Angela Dohms and Rob Warnock Rob Warnock

Submission deadlines: Spring issue: January 15 Fall issue: July 15

Summer issue: April 1 Winter issue: October 15

Advertising Rates: Full page (14.5" X 10") .................... $400.00 1/2 p. (7" X 10") .............................. $200.00 1/4 p. (7" X 5") ................................. $115.00 1/8 p. (3.5 X 5") ............................... $ 65.00 1/16 p. (3.5" X 2.25") ....................... $ 40.00 Classified ads ................................. 50 cents/word Non-governmental organizations will receive a 10 percent discount on their ads in Nature Views. These rates DO NOT include GST or PST. The editors reserve the right to edit articles for clarity and space limitations. Materials preferably submitted in RTF format or as a text file with images submitted separately in .jpg or .tif format. More detailed submission guidelines are available on the Nature Saskatchewan website (www.naturesask.ca). All material printed in Nature Views may only be reprinted with permission from the author. This issue of Nature Views has been printed by the Weyburn Review, Weyburn. Circulation: 2200 ISSN: 1207-5450 OFFICE AND PROGRAM CONTACTS Acting General Manager Natural Heritage Programs Manager Conservation & Education Manager Office Coordinator Habitat Stewardship Coordinator (Rare Plant Rescue) Habitat Stewardship Coordinator (Oper. Burrowing Owl) Habitat Stewardship Coordinator (Shrubs for Shrikes) Habitat Stewardship Coordinator (Plovers on Shore) Saskatchewan PlantWatch Coordinator Living by Water Coodinator NatureQuest Coordinator Last Mountain Bird Observatory Turkey Vulture Tracking/Birds of Saskatchewan Book BOARD OF DIRECTORS Honourary President Dr. Jim Jowsey OFFICERS President Lorne Scott Treasurer Bill Mackenzie DIRECTORS Education Research Member Services

Yvonne Cuttle Robert Warnock Fraser Hunter

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE Mary Aird Suzanne Henry EDITORS Nature Views Blue Jay Special Publications

Gary Seib Margaret Skeel Karen McIver Ellen Bouvier/Tara Gaudet Sarah Vinge Andrea Kotylak/Lacey Weekes Carolyn Gaudet/ Rebecca Magnus Carolyn Gaudet/ Rebecca Magnus Deanna Trowsdale-Mutafov Margaret Skeel John Murray Alan Smith C. Stuart Houston

Past President

Bill Mackenzie

Vice-president Recording Secretary

Donna Bruce Jacqueline Bolton

Administration Conservation

Vacant Trevor Herriot

Arlene Karpan

Clem Millar

Rob Wilson

Rob Warnock and Angela Dohms Chris Somers and Vicky Kjoss Gary Seib

LOCAL SOCIETIES AND AFFILIATES PRESIDENTS Chaplin Tourism Committee Fort Qu’Appelle Natural History Society Indian Head Natural History Society Kelsey Ecological Society Meadow Lake Woodlanders (Junior Forest Wardens) Nature Moose Jaw Nature Prince Albert Nature Regina Saskatoon Nature Society Inc. Southwest Naturalists Weyburn Nature Society Yellowhead Flyway Birding Trail Association Yorkton Natural History Society

Clem Millar Ron Hooper Lorne Scott Michael Pitt Neil Marsh Dolly Mackin Carman Dodge Kathleen Donauer Robert Johanson Irene Stinson Val Thomas (Secretary) Rob Wilson (Secretary) Geoff Rushowick

For more information, please contact Nature Saskatchewan MAILING ADDRESS Room 206 1860 Lorne Street Regina, SK S4P 2L7 PHONE: 306-780-9273 OR 1-800-667-4668 (in SK only) FAX: 306-780-9263

Tara Gaudet. Photo by Ellen Bouvier.

Conservation Now...For The Future

E-MAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.naturesask.ca

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Nature Views

Summer 2010

From Your Editors President Lorne Scott had issued, in the last issue, an important challenge to all Society members to recruit as many new members as possible. Lorne has donated a stunning Wee Lee painting as the prize for the recruitment contest. Since we have not quite reached the recruitment goal, there is more time to participate in the recruitment contest. The more members you recruit, the more chances you have to win this beautiful prize. We hope to have a draw for the painting at the upcoming Spring Meet. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of David Chaskavich and all other Society members who have passed away recently. We congratulate Pat Fargey on his Prairie Conservation Award, April Sampson for receiving the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal on April 28 and John Sawkey on his nomination for the Lieutenant Governor’s Greenwing Conservation Award. Nature Saskatchewan continues to press governments for greater and more effective habitat conservation and environmental sustainability. Depending on the issue, Nature Saskatchewan and its members will continue to offer constructive criticism or praise. We continue to work with others in finding practical and effective solutions to emerging problems, and pursue opportunities that improve the environment. Some recent concerns and opportunities for the Society include the proposed sale of Wildlife Protection Habitat lands and other Crown lands with native cover, the provincial coyote bounty program and the development of new provincial parks. There are many others. Nature Saskatchewan also actively participated in the consultation processes that led to the development of Saskatchewan’s first provincial cultural policy, Pride of Saskatchewan: A Policy Where Culture, Community and Commerce Meet that was announced on March 17, 2010. It can be found online at: http:// www.tpcs.gov.sk.ca/cultural-policy. This issue is jam-packed with society news with articles about the upcoming Spring Meet in Saskatoon and Pike Lake Area, June 4-6, 2010, Stewards of Saskatchewan programs, NatureWatch, Important Bird Areas program, Vulture Tracking and the Last Mountain Bird Observatory and news from our partners. And of course, there is a large number of news items and notices of interest to Nature Saskatchewan members. Check them out! Please mark your calendar for the 2010 Fall Meet, October 1-3, 2010 in Indian Head. We encourage everyone to participate in the Baillie Birdathon, Breeding Bird Surveys, NatureWatch programs and other monitoring programs.

Letters to the Editors A Letter of Thanks from Brian Johns, 2009 Nature Saskatchewan Conservation Award Recipient Gary Seib General Manager Nature Saskatchewan 206 - 1860 Lorne Street Regina, SK S4P 2L7 February 5, 2010 Dear Gary; I would like to thank you and Nature Saskatchewan for the 2009 Conservation Award. The recognition was totally unexpected and truly appreciated. I have had the opportunity to fulfill a lifetime dream, which was to work with animals. I was lucky enough when I began my career to be employed by one of the premier wildlife agencies in the world, the Canadian Wildlife Service. I initially learned about their existence and work through their Hinterland Who’s Who television advertisements. During my career I was fortunate enough to learn from some great people. Lawson Sugden and Bernie Gollop were mentors to me in my early years and later Ernie Kuyt. I was also fortunate to work on a variety of species including sandhill and whooping cranes, canvasback, loggerhead shrike, grassland, parkland and boreal songbirds. All of those projects were fun and great learning experiences. At times I even felt guilty about how much I enjoyed my work. My wife commented to me many years ago that she did not know anyone else who enjoyed their work as much as I. One thing that I also appreciated was being able to work with a number of different individuals from a variety of agencies including both government and non-government. The dedication of those people was inspiring, most were not in it for glory, they were there because they were concerned about the resource. Everyone seemed to work long days and weekends with no compensation to make sure that projects and meetings were carried out and completed, even with sometimes meager resources. I would like to thank all of those people and congratulate Nature Saskatchewan for the work that you do. Thanks again. Sincerely,

On a final note, please note submission guidelines for photos and other graphic material. By following these guidelines, you will make our work easier and more efficient. We wish everyone a safe and wonderful spring and summer. Rob Warnock and Angela Dohms

Brian Johns 51 Beurling Crescent Saskatoon, Sask. S7H 4V6 A segment of Nature Views is designated for Letters to the Editors. Feel free to voice your opinion and inform members and the Nature Saskatchewan directors about issues relevant to our Society. Letters to the Editors provides valuable comments about Nature Views’ articles, programs and ensures we keep on track! Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

Nature Saskatchewan 2010 Summer Students Katherine Miller

April Sefton

Katherine has been a resident of the small town of Pilot Butte on the outskirts of Regina all her life. This combined the convenience of city-living with the peace of rural Saskatchewan. Waking up to meadowlarks in the summer and watching for migratory cedar waxwings at the mountain ash tree in the fall created a relationship with nature and conservation early on in her life. Perhaps her Katherine Miller. Photo courtesy of Katherine first realisation of a love for Miller. biology was an eighth grade science fair project with good friend and classmate April Sefton. Their experiment involving altered habitats of copepod microorganisms in water sources would have won first prize if not for a competing leaf-blower hovercraft gimmick. Despite the disappointment, she continues to question and learn about the natural world around her every day. Katherine’s family loves to travel to Montana to backpack around the Rockies, and go camping in the forests around Banff, Alberta. She is currently completing her second year of an environmental and ecological biology degree at the University of Regina, and looks forward to attaining a PhD in the area someday. Katherine is working this summer of 2010 as a Habitat Stewardship Summer Assistant for Nature Saskatchewan.

Having just completed her second year of the biology program at the University of Regina, April Sefton is excited to begin work as a habitat stewardship summer assistant. Throughout her studies thus far, she has enjoyed learning about everything from cell biology to ecology, although she feels most passionately about sharing this newly acquired knowledge with others and is interested in April Sefton. Photo courtesy of April Sefton. secondary science education. Frequent summer trips to Wee Too Beach on Last Mountain Lake while growing up gave her a deep appreciation for Saskatchewan’s wildlife and some of her favourite activities there include kayaking around the lake and walking along gravel roads. Her interest in conservation first arose in witnessing changes to the area including declining frog populations and continuous development. Experiences through alpine skiing, both at hills on the prairies and at mountain ski resorts, also worked to increase her awareness and love for nature. Since learning more about human impacts on population declines and losses in biodiversity through her classes, April’s enthusiasm for the protection of our natural world has increased substantially. While she is not in class, her activities include singing with the Halcyon Chamber Choir and the University of Regina Chamber Singers.

The Voice of Nature for Saskatchewan

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Nature Views

Summer 2010

New Stewards of Saskatchewan Coordinators

Do you hear what I hear … cooo-cooooo, shriek, peep-lo and zeer?

Sarah Vinge, Habitat Stewardship Coordinator, Nature Saskatchewan Andrea Kotylak, Habitat Stewardship Coordinator, Nature Saskatchewan

Lacey Weekes. Photo courtesy of Lacey Weekes.

Spring 2010 will see a number of familiar faces back at Nature Saskatchewan to take on new roles with the Stewards of Saskatchewan. Lacey Weekes is the new Habitat Stewardship Coordinator for the Operation Burrowing Owl program while Andrea Kotylak is away on maternity leave. Rebecca Magnus is replacing Carolyn Gaudet as the new Habitat Stewardship Coordinator for the Shrubs For Shrikes and Plovers On Shore. Melissa Ranalli will take over the Habitat Stewardship Coordinator position for the Rare Plant Rescue program when Sarah Vinge begins an educational leave in September 2010. Please join us in welcoming these three ladies, all of whom are former summer students, back to Nature Saskatchewan in their new roles!

Lacey Weekes I grew up on a farm east of Biggar where I spent most of my childhood outdoors. I have a diploma in resource management from SIAST in Prince Albert and I graduated last April with an environmental biology degree from the University of Regina. Since then I have been volunteering with Canada World Youth in Ontario and Honduras. For the last two summers I have worked for Nature Saskatchewan as the rare plant rescue summer assistant. I am very excited to be back with Nature Saskatchewan and look forward to facing the challenges ahead for prairie conservation. Rebecca Magnus I was born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan spending most of my childhood summers at Saskatchewan Beach, Last Mountain Lake. Whether it was because of the Pelicans passing by on the lake or the garter snake living next to the house, it was there that I gained my appreciation for nature and passion for conservation. I have been working with Nature Rebecca Magnus. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Saskatchewan for the Rumancik. past three summers; my first summer as a stewardship programs assistant and the following two as part of the Rare Plant Rescue search and monitoring staff. I have now completed my Bachelors Degree in Environmental Biology from the U of R with a diploma in Integrated Resource Management from SIAST. I am excited to be coming back this spring as the coordinator for Shrubs For Shrikes and Plovers On Shore programs. I look forward to meeting and visiting with all of you in the years ahead. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions or concerns, even if just to say hello, at our toll free number 1-800-667-4668. Melissa Ranalli I am returning to Nature Saskatchewan after working as the Education Coordinator with the Prairie Conservation Action Plan, and a Rare Plant Rescue crew member last summer. My diverse interests have led me to a wide variety of work and research streams, from Big Brown bat ecophysiology, to paleoecology, dendrochronology, green roof plant ecology, and most recently, education. I completed my Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Biology at Melissa Ranalli. Photo courtesy of the University of Regina and recently Melissa Ranalli. completed a Master’s degree in green roof plant ecology at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I am also currently completing a research assistantship with the Flora of Saskatchewan Association and am on the Friends of Wascana Marsh board. In my spare time, I enjoy many kinds of outdoor activities including camping, hiking, running, and gardening, as well as reading and cooking. I also love spending time with my family, especially my inquisitive nephews and niece.

Don’t forget to visit us online at http://www.naturesask.ca You’ll find news, program information, publications, and an extensive nature photography gallery!

The crocuses are blooming, the bugs are buzzing and the birds are singing - this must mean that spring has arrived on the prairies! And with spring comes the time to start sharpening our eyes and ears to the sights and sounds of the Stewards of Saskatchewan target bird species at risk, the Burrowing Owl, Loggerhead Shrike, Piping Plover and the newest addition, the Sprague’s Pipit. Once again we are on the lookout across southern Saskatchewan for these birds in efforts to increase awareness about their declining populations. The Burrowing Owl is one of the smallest owls found in Canada, and the only Canadian owl that nests in abandoned badger and ground squirrel burrows in the ground. Commonly called a ground owl, it stands about 9 inches tall, with mottled brown and white feathers, bushy white ‘eyebrows’, large yellow eyes, and long featherless legs. It is often seen perched on a fence post or dirt mound in pastures and the male can be heard cooo-cooooing early in the morning or evenings. The Loggerhead Shrike, also known as a butcherbird, is most readily recognized by its black eye mask that extends back from its hooked bill through and past the eyes, and distinctive high-pitched shriek given as an alarm call. It is slightly smaller than a robin and sports a gray back, white underparts that contrast with its black wings and tail, and white patches on the wings and tail that are best seen when it is flying. The Piping Plover is a small migratory shorebird that has a pale, sand-coloured back and head with a white breast and rump. The legs are orange and the bill is orange with a black tip. Distinguishing marks include a single black breast band, single black band on the forehead and its charming song, “peep-lo”. Sprague’s Pipit is a small ground-nesting songbird. It is 6 inches long and has brown and white streaked plumage with a thin bill and relatively large brown eyes. Its breast is composed of a necklace of short streaks, while the belly and sides are unmarked. It is very tough to spot a pipit on land, but when you hear its delicate tinkling, descending series of notes, “zeer, zeer, zeer, zeer zeer zeer zeer”, look to the sky as the male pipit performs the longest known flight display of any song bird, for as long as 3 hours at a time. Nature Saskatchewan is looking for producers who are interested in re-vegetating their cultivated land with native grass seed. We offer a 50-50 cost share program to landowners within three miles of a known and verified Burrowing Owl and/or Loggerhead Shrike current or past location. For more information or to report a sighting, please contact Nature Saskatchewan at 1-800-667-HOOT (4668).

Watch for Turkey Vultures C. Stuart Houston With increasing carrion along highways and the newly learned habit (in Saskatchewan since 1983) of laying eggs in deserted farm buildings, Turkey Vultures are spreading more widely, especially throughout the parkland and mixed forest areas of the province. Please do NOT phone in sightings of untagged vultures seen away from a farm building.

Anneke Donkers, White Fox, holding young Turkey Vulture nearly ready to fly. Photo by Brent Terry.

Scrutinize every Turkey Vulture carefully as 479 vultures have wingtags applied in the first seven years of the Saskatchewan wing-tagging study. There have been 62 successful readings or photographs of 50 wing-tags. If vultures are present on a deserted farm building, phone in the exact location. Do not check the building until July, for fear your visit will increase the risk of parents deserting their eggs, or attracting raccoons to eat the vulture eggs and thus destroy potential for the current year. In July, with half-grown young, there is no risk of nest desertion. Deserted buildings are dangerous, so do not visit them alone; be very careful. Presence of nestlings is confirmed by looking for excess excreta known as “whitewash” and by listening for the fire-engine hiss of the young. If a vulture carries a wing-tag, record the colour of the tag. Saskatchewan’s are dark green with large white numbers, preceded by an alphabetic letter. Please try to read the letter and number on the wing-tag — often easy when the vulture is sitting on a carcass near a road, but more difficult if the bird is flying overhead. Photographs taken with a digital camera can be magnified many times. The tag number or the photograph should be phoned in to: Stuart or Mary Houston, 306-244-0742 — but not after 9 p.m. please. A tagging team will visit active nests with young in early August. Thank you.

Conservation Now...For The Future

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Nature Views

Summer 2010

Rare Plant Rescue: Plant Species of Interest for 2010

Living by Water Spring and Summer Tips Reprinted from Nature Canada March 2010 E-newsletter

Sarah Vinge, Habitat Stewardship Coordinator, Nature Saskatchewan Rare Plant Rescue, launched by Nature Saskatchewan in 2002, aims to conserve rare plant habitat by building strong, respectful relationships with landowners and providing them with the information they need to make informed stewardship decisions. Rural landowners with habitat supporting endangered and threatened plants are informed of this natural heritage and invited to participate in the program. As of 2009, landowners participating in the Rare Plant Rescue program are conserving approximately 27,000 acres (10,900 hectares) of habitat for rare plant species. Plant species of interest in 2010 are:

§ Small White Lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium candidum) – believed extirpated in SK

§ Tiny Cryptanthe (Cryptantha minima) – endangered in SK § Hairy Prairie-clover (Dalea villosa var. villosa) – endangered in SK § Western Spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis) – endangered in SK

Spring High Water Prepare in the fall to manage spring runoff. Even in low snow areas, meltwater from upstream may add to runoff through your property. Septic Systems Conserve water to reduce the volume going into your septic leaching bed. High spring water tables and saturated ground may reduce the effectiveness of your system. If you suspect that the water table is higher than your septic leaching bed, contact a septic inspector. You could be contaminating surface water.

§ Small-flowered Sand-verbena (Tripterocalyx micranthus) – endangered in SK

§ Buffalograss (Buchloë dactyloides) – threatened in SK § Slender Mouse-ear-cress (Transberingia bursifolia) – threatened in SK

§ Smooth Goosefoot (Chenopodium subglabrum) – threatened in SK § *Dwarf Woolly-heads (Psilocarphus brevissimus) – of special concern in SK

§ Bur Ragweed (Ambrosia acanthicarpa) – rare in SK § Prickly Milk-vetch (Astragalus kentrophyta var. kentrophyta) – rare in SK

§ § § § §

Pump your tank late in the summer. If you pump when the water table is high, the empty tank could float up. Flood Preparedness You local Conservation Authority will likely have maps that can identify if you are in a flood risk area. If your home or property is at risk from imminent flooding contact your municipality or local emergency services for assistance. Spring Mud Avoid using a muddy driveway. Rake out ruts before they dry and harden. Use planks or boards to create temporary boardwalks. This saves compacting the soil and helps keep mud out of your house and car.

Powell’s Saltbush (Atriplex powellii) – rare in SK Plain’s Grape-fern (Botrychium campestre) – rare in SK Upland Evening-primrose (Camissonia andina) – rare in SK Small Lupine (Lupinus pusillus ssp. pusillus) – uncommon in SK Beaked Annual Skeletonweed (Shinnersoseris rostrata) – rare in SK

* new target species for 2010

Docks Hold off putting docks into the water until ground conditions have hardened to prevent damage to the shoreline. Spring Clean-up Remove human-made garbage; it can harm wildlife and their habitat, interfere with your recreation and it’s ugly! But leave nature’s debris; logs, branches and trees that have washed up on your shoreline or beach. Resist collecting them for firewood – they are essential to protecting your shoreline from erosion.

If you are one of the fortunate people owning land supporting a rare plant, we would like to hear from you! For more information about rare plants, our program, or to submit a rare plant location, contact Sarah Vinge, the Rare Plant Rescue Coordinator, at the Nature Saskatchewan office: 1-800-667-4668 (SK only) or in Regina at 780-9417, or by email at [email protected]. Visit the Nature Saskatchewan (www.naturesask.ca) or Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre (http://www.biodiversity.sk.ca) websites to view photos and obtain further information about these special plants.

Summer Drought If your well is at risk of failure during dry spells, minimize water use and supplement with other sources such as rainwater collection.

Attention Photographers - Nature Views Submission Guidelines!

Summer Recreation Mark where the water is safe for swimming, and be mindful of swift currents and undertows. Keep a reach pole and personal flotation devices handy for rescues.

To assist the Nature Views editors with managing photo submissions, please do the following: · · · · ·

Do NOT embed photos and other graphic material in text files as it creates extra work for the editors. Send photos and other graphic material as separate files. Use tiff or jpeg file format. Minimize file size while maintaining photo quality. This helps to keep overall file size down and speed up downloads. Use descriptive file names to ensure the photo is matched correctly to the article. Generic file names from photo software are not very helpful.

Supply captions and photo credit for all photos. Good captions include common names of species, names of people, locations, activities, behaviours and dates. Your submissions are greatly appreciated and always welcome. Rob Warnock and Angela Dohms, Co-editors, Nature Views

Install a drip irrigation or soaker hose system; it allows water to seep slowly into the ground, reducing evaporation and preventing runoff. Use a thick layer of mulch, like straw or shredded leaves, to reduce watering.

Keep fires small, avoid burning beach driftwood that may be protecting your shoreline from erosion, and don’t burn treated or painted wood. To avoid swimmer’s itch, apply waterproof suntan lotion and towel off vigorously immediately after swimming. Low Water If you draw from a water body, check to make sure that the intake pipe extends well past the low water mark or below the lowest stream flow level. Move a floating dock out as water levels drop, to avoid being suddenly stuck high and dry! Algal Blooms Nutrients from fertilizer runoff or septic leaching can make still waters more susceptible to algal growth. In hot, calm weather, blue-green algae can “bloom” in huge numbers and may be toxic to animals or people. Avoid water contaminated with blue-green algae. Do not drink it (boiling won’t remove the toxins), shower or do laundry with it, or swim in it. Keep you pets away from the water and do not eat fish caught in these waters. Stay away from the water until it’s been tested and declared safe to drink or swim in.

The Voice of Nature for Saskatchewan

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Nature Views

Summer 2010

Flight Plan Partner Report

Turning Leaves

Gary Seib, A/General Manager, Nature Saskatchewan

IN MEMORIAM – David Chaskavich 1953-2010 Don Weidl, 436-2nd St. E. Saskatoon, SK S7H 1P1 Lifetime Nature Saskatchewan member, David J. Chaskavich was born on March 23, 1953 in Broadview, Saskatchewan and passed away in Regina after a long battle with cancer. He was an avid birdwatcher and gardener who contributed to many bird surveys over 40 years and to the Birds of the Qu’Appelle, and set up hundreds of bluebird boxes in the Broadview area.

Nature Saskatchewan set up the Flight Plan Partner program to secure the future for the Last Mountain Bird Observatory and to make LMBO a leader in western Canada in bird monitoring and education. Our goal was to raise $250,000 over 5 years. After two years, we’ve raised almost $129,000, with 54 individual and 10 corporate partners, so we are on track. With a donation of $500 or more, you will become a Flight Plan Partner and receive an attractive frameable certificate featuring a photograph of the Black-and-white Warbler, LMBO’s signature species. This level of support can be made in one donation or pledged over 5 years. Either way, your support will have an ongoing impact on this crucial conservation program.

David Chaskavich at one of his favourite David said he was born 150 years birding spots at East Ekapo Lake, May 2008. too late as he often dreamed of Photo by Don Weidl. being a pioneer on the prairies and seeing the herds of bison and flocks of passenger pigeons. In his own way, David was a pioneer and had a big influence on people in the Broadview and Wolseley areas with regards to the environment and conservation. Lorrie, his daughter Stephanie and granddaughter Anika continue to plant trees on the acreage and his friends and family will miss him.

The family of Pat Barry chose to leave a legacy in her memory that would support the Last Mountain Bird Observatory. The family has always had a close connection to nature, and spent many years in Canada’s north where Pat’s husband, Tom, worked for the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) studying geese populations and her son, Sam, spent formative years giving a helping hand leading to his later working for CWS. Their strong interest in bird conservation, as well as the close connection LMBO had with the CWS and the timeliness of LMBO’s need for a financial base prompted them to set up this Fund. An annual contribution is made to LMBO as a percentage of dividends earned, and a tax receipt is provided to the family for the charitable giving. The support is greatly appreciated by Nature Saskatchewan. Another supporter has made a gift of shares, with the proceeds from these to go to LMBO. Gifting securities is a way of receiving enhanced tax benefits, so talk to your financial advisor.

Nature Saskatchewan extends its condolences to David’s family and friends. A full memorial will be published in Blue Jay.

Obituaries and Tributes Readers are welcome to submit memorials for family and friends who were involved in Nature Saskatchewan or one of the Local Societies. Memorials should be brief and photos are permitted.

The Birds of Grass, Sky, Song An invitation from Trevor Herriot I am looking for people to join me for a full day (and night) birdathon in the landscapes featured in my book, Grass, Sky, Song. The day, Saturday May 29, is open to anyone, regardless of birding skill, who commits to contributing a minimum of $100 dollars each, either through pledges collected via the Baillie Birdathon Program and/ or by making a personal contribution. All proceeds go to Bird Studies Canada’s Baillie Birdathon, a portion of which will be passed on to the Last Mountain Bird Observatory. I can take up to nine people in my Birdwatchers. Photo courtesy of Trevor group, but people are welcome to form Herriot. their own Birdathon group for the day, following maps I can provide of key birding spots in the region. If the weather is reasonable, we will almost certainly record more than 100 species of birds. The 24-hour birdathon will begin with night birds in the early hours of Saturday, May 29, at Cherry Lake, south of Indian Head. We will take a rest (people can either camp onsite or arrange for B&B or motel in Indian Head) and then resume at daybreak. We would end with a campfire and refreshments after dark back at the property. As well as birdathon participants, we are looking for sponsors—tax receipts are issued for all sponsorships of $10 or more. If you are interested in sponsoring us you can simply go to the Bird Studies Canada website at www.birdscanada.org, click on “Baillie Birdathon” on the right, and then on “sponsor a participant” from the menu on the left. Here you just enter our ID# (31229), the amount you wish to donate and complete the cardholder information fields as required. Or if you like, you can call toll-free to pledge to our Birdathon over the phone via credit card at a flat rate or even make a pledge per species if you wish, Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30 (Eastern time) at 888-448-2473 ext 121. If you are interested in joining us for the birdathon or would like more details, please contact me at 306-585-1674 or [email protected]

Every dollar you invest in LMBO will be used to further vital monitoring, research, and education projects that will result in the gathering of new knowledge on birds. With your support, LMBO will provide training for volunteers to develop the needed skills to engage in monitoring at the Observatory and in other bird survey programs. Here is your opportunity to invest in one of the most exciting initiatives in bird conservation in Saskatchewan…and make a difference!

Saskatchewan Wild – A Wildlife Photographic Journey Go wild with a new book by writers and photographers Robin and Arlene Karpan. Saskatchewan Wild – A Wildlife Photographic Journey takes you on an exciting visual discovery of our amazing birds, fascinating critters, dazzling wildflowers, and the splendour of fall. With over 180 stunning photographs, this hardcover coffee-table book gets you up close and personal with Saskatchewan’s wild creatures, many with magnificent colours, or strange and elaborate mating rituals. Saskatchewan abounds with wonderful opportunities to see and enjoy wildlife. Famous as “North America’s Duck Factory,” the province raises a quarter of the continent’s ducklings. Waterfowl stage here in the hundreds of thousands, giving us easy access to some of nature’s greatest spectacles each fall with birds almost blackening the sky as they lift off in unison. Saskatchewan is home to half of Canada’s pelicans, half of Canada’s designated sites in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, the world’s largest inland concentration of Bald Eagles, white-tailed deer with the largest antlers in North America, some of the last remaining sage-grouse in Canada, the only black-tailed prairie dogs in Canada, and a quarter of the world’s endangered Piping Plovers. Saskatchewan Wild is a taste of the many wildlife adventures possible in Saskatchewan. It is both a celebration of our wildlife and a reminder of what we might lose if we aren’t careful. One can see a one-minute video summarizing the book on our web site: www.parklandpublishing.com. Robin and Arlene Karpan are first place winners of the North American Travel Journalists Association 2009 Award in the “Landscape, Seascape” category for photography of Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Sand Dunes, published in the Spring 2009 issue of Canadian Geographic Travel magazine. The annual competition recognizes excellence in travel journalism throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Saskatchewan Wild will be available in April, 2010 at better bookstores and gift shops, or directly from Parkland Publishing at 306-242-7731 or www.parklandpublishing.com. Nature Saskatchewan members will receive a 10% discount for ordering Saskatchewan Wild directly from Parkland Publishing.

Conservation Now...For The Future

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Nature Views

Summer 2010

Nature Saskatchewan 2010 Graduate Student Scholarship

2010 Baillie Birdathon Come out to the Last Mountain Bird Observatory on Saturday, May 22, 2010 to participate in our annual Baillie Birdathon. It will be a day of fun to raise funds to support the operations of the Observatory. Our valiant birdathon leader this year is Jennipher Karst. Jenn has several years of birding experience and will share her knowledge with birdathoners as she leads a walk around the LMBO surroundings. Her goal will be to spot as many species of birds as possible in a 24hour period. When you come out to participate in the birdathon you will also get the opportunity to watch the banding and release of migrating Neotropical migrants by LMBO Manager, Alan Smith (a rare opportunity to see these birds up close!).

In the fields of ecology, wildlife management, biology, environmental studies including social science applied to marketing conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. A $1,500 scholarship will be awarded in 2010 to assist a graduate student attending a post-secondary institution in Saskatchewan. This scholarship must be applied to tuition and associated costs at the named institution.

Jennipher Karst, 2010 LMBO Baillie Birdathon leader. Photo courtesy of Jennipher Karst

There will be a BBQ lunch hosted by the Last Mountain Regional Park (free for participants) and in the afternoon an opportunity to continue birding on your own in the Last Mountain Migratory Bird Sanctuary and National Wildlife Area. Date: May 22, 2010 Time: 8:00-10:00am walk around LMBO, followed by a 10:00-11:30am drive to nearby grassland and wetland areas to spot grassland birds and waterfowl. Location: LMBO is located in Last Mountain Regional Park, 5km North and 14km West of Govan (highway 20). Help fundraise for the Last Mountain Bird Observatory and become a part of the 2010 Baillie Birdathon by registering & finding sponsors – you can be sponsored at a flat rate or on a per-species basis. You can sponsor yourself, a participant or our Birdathon leader, Jennipher Karst. A tax receipt is issued for all sponsorships of $10 or more. To register for the Baillie Birdathon contact: Nature Saskatchewan (1-800-6674668 or 306-780-9273), Bird Studies Canada (1-888-448-2473 ext.210), or visit BSC at www.bsc-eoc.org to download your Birdathon Participant kit – be sure to name “Nature Saskatchewan” as your sponsoring club on the registration form so that funds will go to LMBO (about 60-90%). The remainder supports bird conservation in Canada. Can’t make it to LMBO? Naturalists of all feathers can join in the Birdathon: sign up, find sponsors and get out in May to see as many species as possible in one day … at a location of your choice. Go alone or with a buddy. Check with your local nature club – a bird enthusiast may be leading a local Birdathon that you can join (consider sponsoring the leader if you are not planning to sign up for the Baillie Birdathon yourself).

The Nature Saskatchewan Scholarship is awarded to a student pursuing studies in a field that complements the goals of Nature Saskatchewan. Nature Saskatchewan promotes appreciation and understanding of our natural environment, and supports research to protect and conserve natural ecosystems and their biodiversity. We work for sustainable use of Saskatchewan’s natural heritage, ensuring survival of all native species and representative natural areas, as well as maintenance of healthy and diverse wildlife populations throughout the province. We aim to educate and to stimulate research to increase knowledge of all aspects of the natural world. Research that will contribute to resolving current conservation problems have a special priority. Visit www.naturesask.ca for application guidelines, or contact our office by email [email protected] or phone 780-9273 (in Regina) or 1-800-667-4668 (SK only). Application Deadline: June 1, 2010 Please submit your completed application to the Scholarship Committee: [email protected] or Nature Saskatchewan, 206-1860 Lorne Street, Regina, SK S4P 2L7 “Humanity in Harmony with Nature”

Call for Resolutions The resolutions presented each year at the fall meet are very important expressions of the membership’s concerns on environmental issues. If passed by the membership, these resolutions are sent directly to the responsible government ministries. In addition, they provide guidance to the conservation Director and the other Board members as they meet with the Ministers or other government officials and conduct other conservation activities throughout the year. Resolutions are best handled if they can be written in advance and distributed during the business meeting at the Meet. Therefore if you wish to submit a resolution to this year’s meet please send them to the Nature Saskatchewan Office no later than September 10th. If you require assistance with the content and wording of your resolution please don’t hesitate to contact the office or a Nature Saskatchewan board member for assistance.

The Voice of Nature for Saskatchewan

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Summer 2010

Nature Views

Spring Meet 2010, June 4 to 6, 2010 – Pike Lake Community Hall The Saskatoon Nature Society welcomes everyone to the Spring Meet of Nature Saskatchewan. We have an exciting weekend of field trips and speakers planned as we explore the country southwest of Saskatoon. Our featured speaker Jason Bantle will celebrate nature with his spectacular images. The venue for the meet is the Pike Lake Community Hall, which is just north of Pike Lake Provincial Park and about 30km south of Saskatoon. Friday Friday evening’s gathering at the Pike Lake Community Hall will be an opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones, and to get a good start to the weekend. Three of our society’s favourite photographers—May Haga, Branimir Gjetvaj and Nick Saunders—will help set the tone for the weekend with some of their best images. Nature Saskatchewan’s new Conservation and Education Manager, Karen McIver, will tell us about the Important Bird Areas Caretaker Program that she is developing for the province. We’ll also get an update on the Last Mountain Lake Bird Observatory from bander-in-charge and manager Alan Smith. A light buffet will be served. Saturday Field Trips The field trips will explore water and grassland habitat typical of the region southwest of Saskatoon. You have a choice between two morning field trips and a choice between two afternoon trips. All field trips include lunch. For participants of the morning field trips, lunch will be at the Pike Lake Community Hall following the tours. For those who only choose an afternoon field trip, a box lunch will be provided. Morning Field Trip 1: St. Volodymyr Park, Brown’s Lake We will hike through this wooded private park located on the edge of an oxbow lake. We will look for woodland songbirds and waterbirds. Bring insect repellent and appropriate footwear for hiking. This trip will return to the Pike Lake Community Hall for lunch. Leaders: Frank Roy and other naturalists. Morning Field Trip 2: Pike Lake Dam and Fen We will hike across private land to the Pike Lake Dam where we should see ducks, grebes and other waterbirds. The fen below the dam is home to marsh birds including Yellow and Virginia Rails, Sora, Bittern, Sedge Wren, and Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow. Shooting stars should be in bloom. Bring rubber boots for hiking through shallow water. Mosquitoes can be a problem in the fen so a mosquito head net is recommended. This trip will return to the Pike Lake Community Hall for lunch. Leaders: Stan Shadick, Melanie Elliott and other naturalists. Afternoon Field Trip 3: Goose Lake Grassland and Wetlands We will drive through the grassland district southwest of Delisle. We will make several stops to look for prairie birds and wetland birds. In recent years, this area has been home to rare birds including White-faced Ibis, Egrets, Black-necked Stilt, Long-billed Curlew, Ferruginous Hawk, Loggerhead Shrike, and Baird’s Sparrow. There is little walking involved on this tour. This trip will return to the Pike Lake Community Hall in the late afternoon. Leaders: Stan Shadick and other naturalists. Afternoon Field Trip 4: Chappell Marsh Conservation Area Ducks Unlimited has preserved the Chappell Marsh Conservation Area with additional support from the Saskatoon Nature Society. We will hike across this property located southwest of the city for about 1.5 hours. Good hiking shoes are recommended. Rubber Boots are optional. We hope to see an active Red-tailed Hawk nest, a coyote den plus waterbirds and wildflowers. Note that this trip will return late in the afternoon only to the pickup points in Saskatoon. It will NOT return directly to Pike Lake. Bus transportation back to Pike Lake for the banquet is available. Leaders: Melanie Elliott, University of Saskatchewan and Barb Hanbidge, Ducks Unlimited Canada. Bus Transportation To help reduce our carbon footprint, all field trips on Saturday, June 5 will use bus transportation. Buses will depart for the field trip locations from the Pike Lake Community Centre and those staying in the Pike Lake area should join the tours there. For those staying in Saskatoon, we are providing bus transportation to the Community Centre. There are three pickup locations: The Parktown Hotel, the Confederation Inn and the Mendel Art Gallery. Following the afternoon field trips there will be a bus returning to Saskatoon for those who wish to change clothes before the evening banquet. There will also be a shuttle bus service to and from the banquet in the evening for a small additional fee using the same pickup locations in the city. Important: In order to assist us in planning the bus schedule, we ask that you indicate on the registration form where you will meet the bus for each field trip you register for—either the Pike Lake Community Hall or one of the three Saskatoon locations.

Sunday Afternoon to Blackstrap Lake For those departing the area via highway 11 south, we will travel in a convoy to Blackstrap Lake and bird for part of the afternoon. Although there is no charge for the additional field trips, please indicate on the registration form which trips you intend to participate in. The information will help us with planning. Banquet Program The highlight of Saturday evening will be the banquet with an after-dinner program by Jason Bantle, Celebrating Canada’s Wildlife. Jason Bantle has been capturing the beauty of Canada’s nature on film for over ten years. This 45-minute presentation will be a journey through the lens of some of the most breath-taking images Jason has captured. All of Jason’s images are captured in the wild using 35mm film. No filters or digital enhancements are used on any of his prints. He hopes you enjoy them! Jason began his photography career while conducting biological research on several species of carnivore in Canada’s central Arctic. He completed his Master of Science degree with a research project on the Arctic Fox, meanwhile falling in love with the beauty that Northern Canada has to offer. This influenced him to want to share his amazing experiences with others through his photographs. Jason’s images are from across Canada and Alaska and are all captured in the wild. He went on to work as an eco-guide, leading people on trips to see and photograph polar, grizzly, and black bears as well as beluga and orca whales. Jason opened his first public art gallery at Christopher Lake in Northern Saskatchewan in the spring of 2005. He has since expanded and now has galleries in Waskesiu and Saskatoon in Saskatchewan as well as Canmore and Banff in the mountains of Alberta. Sunday Join us for breakfast and the Annual General Meeting of Nature Saskatchewan. Costs The registration fee for the conference is $30 which includes the Friday evening and Sunday morning activities. The field trips and the banquet are separate items. If you choose just a morning field trip or just an afternoon field trip the cost is $45. Both a morning and an afternoon field trip cost just $60. The fee includes bus transportation and lunch. The Saturday evening banquet costs $27. All costs are per person. The deadline for registration is May 15. Accommodations Hotels Rooms have been reserved at a special rate at two Saskatoon hotels, The Parktown and the Confederation Inn. The Parktown 924 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon, SK S7K 3H5 The group rate is $125.00 plus taxes per night. When reserving, use the confirmation number 001173. Rooms will be held at the special rate until May 4. Please call 1-800-667-3999 to make reservations. Visit the hotel’s website at www.parktownhotel.com. Confederation Inn 3330 Fairlight Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7L The group rate is $82.50 per night tax included, single or double occupancy. Rooms will be held at the special rate until April 30. Please call 1-306-384-2882 or send e-mail to [email protected] to make reservations and mention the Saskatoon Nature Society spring meet. Visit the hotel’s website at www.confederationinn.ca. There are many other hotels in Saskatoon. However, there will be bus pickup for the ride to Pike Lake at the above two hotels. Cabins There are a limited number of cabins for rent in the Pike Lake area. Please contact: Night Owl Camping Cabins Box 12, Site 317, R.R. #3 Saskatoon, Sask. S7K 3J6 Phone: 1-306-651-0879 or 1-877-651-0879 (toll-free) Fax: 1-306-651-2079 Website: www.nightowlcabins.com

Friday Evening Yellow Rail Hike Any keen birders who wish to listen for Yellow Rails at the Pike Lake fen may join a small car convoy that will drive to the area from the Pike Lake Community Hall on Friday evening. Bring rubber boots and a mosquito head net.

Camping Sites in the Pike Lake Provincial Park campground can be reserved on the Internet or by calling (306) 933-7777 (Reserve-A-Site). The main campground offers 210 electrified sites and two wheelchair-accessible, electrified sites. One of three service centres features a coin operated laundry facility in addition to the always-popular hot showers and modern conveniences. Three group camping areas can also be reserved. A store and fast-food outlet are located near the main beach.

Early Sunday Morning Bird Walk Get up with the birds to listen to the early morning chorus. There will be two walks: one along the riverbank in Saskatoon starting at the Mendel Art Gallery for those staying in the city and the other on the Pike Lake Park nature trail for those staying at Pike Lake.

For More Information Visit the Saskatoon Nature Society’s website at: saskatoonnaturesociety.sk.ca/ ns_spring_meet for more information. If you have questions about registration or the program, send an email to [email protected] or leave a message at 1-306-244-0189.

Additional Field Trips

Conservation Now...For The Future

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Nature Views

Summer 2010

Call for Nominations for Nature Saskatchewan Awards

Nature Saskatchewan Spring Meet June 4 - 6 , 2010 Pike Lake Community Hall

Each year at the Fall Meet Nature Saskatchewan honours those who, by their talents and efforts, have made important contributions to the society. These presentations will take place following the banquet at the Fall Meet. The awards include the Natural History Scholarship, the Cliff Shaw Award, The Larry Morgotch Memorial Award, The Conservation Award, The Fellows Award, The Long Time Service Award and the Volunteer of the Year Award.

Registration Form: (Please Print)

Cliff Shaw Award: One of the persons most active in the formation of the Saskatchewan Natural History Society was Cliff Shaw of Yorkton, who helped to carry on the publication of the Blue Jay after the death of its founder Mrs. Isabel Priestley. Following his death in 1959, the Society wished to honour his memory by an appropriate award, and at the Executive meeting in October 1959, a motion was made that “a Cliff Shaw Award” be presented each year at the Annual Meeting. This award will be presented for an article in the past four issues of the Blue Jay that merits special recognition as an individual contribution in any branch of natural history.

Postal Code:_________________________________

Conservation Award: In addition to advocacy and other forms of conservation action, it is important that Nature Saskatchewan recognize, as it has done since 1953, those both within and beyond the organization who have done “meritorious work in the interests of conservation in Saskatchewan.” Nature Saskatchewan’s Conservation Award will be presented to an individual or organization whose total contribution to conservation is outstanding, whether in relation to a particular project or in a number of roles over a period of years. Fellows Award: A motion was passed at the 1987 Annual General Meeting creating a new class of honorary membership, entitled “Fellows of the Saskatchewan Natural History Society.” This award recognizes an extensive and continuing contribution of time over many years to the Society and its objectives. Up to five recipients may be chosen annually. Once selected, Fellows hold that title as long as they remain members of the Society. Larry Morgotch Memorial Award: This award was initiated by the Yorkton Society in memory of Larry Morgotch, one of its former members whose photographs had appeared in many of the past issues of Blue Jay. This award for excellence in photography will be presented to the member showing the best photographs as the members’ presentation during the fall meet each year. Volunteer of the Year Award: This award was created in 1996 to acknowledge an individual was has devoted significant time and energy to promoting the objectives of the Society. Priority for this award will be given to a member whose volunteer work has helped to enhance the public awareness of the Society (this may include contributions to a Society conservation project or program). It may be appropriate in some years to have this award shared by more than one person, if they have worked together on the same project, or on closely related projects. Volunteer Service Award: This award will be given to volunteers after five and ten years of regular service. Volunteers serving for a longer period of time should be considered for the Fellows award. It will be presented to any volunteer that has completed five or ten years of regular service to the Society during that year.

Deadline for Nature Saskatchewan Award nominations is September 10th, 2010. Please send all award nominations to the Nature Saskatchewan Office.

Mark your Calendar for the 2010 Nature Saskatchewan Fall Meet! The 2010 Nature Saskatchewan Fall Meet will be held on October 1 to 3, 2010 in Indian Head. Details on the Fall Meet and the registration form will be available in the next issue of Nature Views. Watch for them.

Clear a Shelf; Share the Wealth: Used Book Sale at the Spring Meet! Donate your old books, and buy new ones at bargain prices! th

Saturday, June 5 from 6 pm to 10 pm at Nature Saskatchewan’s Spring Meet at the Pike Lake Community Hall. Saskatoon residents can donate before the sale by phoning Marten Stoffel at 9343769. He will pick up your books. Out-of-towners can bring books to the Hall on Friday night or Saturday morning. For more information, contact Anna Leighton at 665-6074 or [email protected].

Name:______________________________________

Address: ____________________________________

____________________________________________ Telephone:___________________________________ e-mail:______________________________________ Bus transportation from Saskatoon to the Pike Lake Community Hall will be provided as part of the Spring Meet on Saturday June 5th. Nature Saskatchewan Spring Meet Fees (see program description for more information)

Registration Fee: $30.00 per person $

Saturday Banquet $ ____ Ticket(s) at $27.00 each.  vegetarian option.  I will use the Shuttle Bus service from Saskatoon for the banquet. (Add $5.00) I will catch this bus from:  Park Town Hotel  Mendel Art Gallery  Confederation Inn

Saturday Field Trips

$

(please check appropriate boxes)  MORNING ONLY Includes lunch at the Pike Lake Community Hall.  Trip 1: Brown’s Lake OR  Trip 2: Pike Lake Fen #_____ @ $45.00 per person. I will catch the bus for this trip at:  Park Town Hotel  Mendel Art Gallery  Confederation Inn  Pike Lake Community Hall  AFTERNOON ONLY Includes a box lunch on the bus.  Trip 3: Goose Lake OR  Trip 4: Chappell Marsh #_____ @ $45.00 per person. I will catch the bus for this trip at:  Park Town Hotel  Mendel Art Gallery  Confederation Inn  Pike Lake Community Hall  ALL DAY (morning& afternoon combined) Includes lunch at the Pike Lake Community Hall. Please select your trips and bus service from the above morning and afternoon selections. #_____ @ $60.00 per person.

Other Field Trips:

There is no fee for these trips. Please indicate which field trips you plan to attend.

 Friday Evening Yellow Rail Hike (space is limited)  Trip 5: Early Sunday Morning Bird Walk

 Trip 6: Sunday Afternoon to Blackstrap Lake

TOTAL AMOUNT

Please make cheque payable to Saskatoon Nature Society

Mail before May 15, 2010 to: Nature Saskatchewan Spring Meet 2327 Lansdowne Avenue, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. S7J 1G8

The Voice of Nature for Saskatchewan

$

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Nature Views

Summer 2010

Breeding Bird Surveys – Training Opportunity!

NatureWatch PlantWatch, IceWatch, FrogWatch, WormWatch

Facilitator Brenda Dale, Wildlife Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service – Environment Canada will lead a Breeding Bird Survey Training Course on Friday May 14 and Saturday May 15, 2010 hosted by the Last Mountain Bird Observatory—Nature Saskatchewan. This course is FREE of charge.

Deanna Trowsdale-Mutafov, PlantWatch Saskatchewan Coordinator, Nature Saskatchewan

FRIDAY May 14, 2010 When: 7:30pm-9:30pm Where: Manitou Nu-Inn & Spa (Conference Room) at Manitou Beach, SK (5 minutes North of Watrous, SK) What: data collection and record keeping training SATURDAY May 15, 2010 (*Lunch provided) When: 5:00am—2:00pm (at the latest) Where: Last Mountain Bird Observatory at Last Mountain Regional Park (5km North and 12km West of Govan) What: Early morning birding, distance estimation and survey trials The Breeding Bird Survey is a long-term, large-scale, international avian monitoring program initiated in 1966 to track the status and trends of North American bird populations. Each year during the height of the avian breeding season, participants skilled in bird identification collect bird population data along roadside survey routes. The data is then used by the Canadian Wildlife Service to help assess bird conservation priorities. Strong bird identification skills (both sight and sound) is a prerequisite to the training. However, if you are unsure if you know your birds well enough, you can still train to become an assistant. Watch the Nature Saskatchewan website www.naturesask.ca for more details or contact Karen McIver at 780-9481 or [email protected] to sign up and be on a mailing list for updates. Please make note if you would like to be trained as an observer or as an assistant when signing up. *Manitou Nu-Inn & Spa can be reached at 1-877-343-5253 or 306-946-3350. Other accommodations can be found at: http://watrousmanitou.com/accom.htm

Breeding Bird Survey: Surveyors Needed Skilled birders are needed to run Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) routes at locations across Canada. Volunteers must have excellent ‘birding by ear’ skills, have a reliable vehicle, and be able to survey their route in June or early July for several years. If interested please contact one of the provincial BBS coordinators below: Manitoba: Ken De Smet, Phone: (204) 945-5439, Fax: (204) 945-3077 Alberta: Jack Park, Phone: (780) 469-8127 Saskatchewan: Alan Smith, (306) 868-4554, E-mail: [email protected] About the Breeding Bird Survey The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is an avian survey designed to collect long-term data on the population status and trends of breeding birds throughout North America. Chandler Robbins at the United States Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, initiated it in 1966 in the United States. Tony Erskine was the first Canadian coordinator. Today, the BBS is coordinated in Canada by the Canadian Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Research Centre, and in the United States by the U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. The BBS is a volunteer survey. In 2000, some 325 volunteers ran over 484 BBS routes in Canada, while over 2300 routes were run in the U.S. In Canada, participants run their routes between 28 May and 7 July. Volunteers are encouraged to run their routes during the peak of the breeding season, usually the first two weeks of June. The starting point and starting direction of routes are selected randomly in order to sample a range of habitats. Each participant runs his or her individual route for as many consecutive years as possible. Routes consist of 50 stops spaced 0.8 km apart along a 39.4-km route. Participants record the total number of individual bird species heard or seen within 0.4 km of each stop during a three-minute observation. Data on starting and finishing times, as well as weather conditions, are also recorded. For more information visit: http://www.ec.gc.ca/reom-mbs/default.asp?lang=en&n=416B57CA.

Are you Moving? Please let us Know! If you are planning on moving and wish to continue receiving Nature Views and Blue Jay, PLEASE notify the Nature Saskatchewan office in Regina at 306780-9273 or 1-800-667-4668 (in SK only) during regular business hours Monday to Friday or anytime by fax at 306-780-9263 or e-mail at [email protected]. It is a waste of money and resources when you don’t as it costs Nature Saskatchewan for all returned mail. Thank you.

PlantWatch (www.plantwatch.ca or www.naturesask.ca under Education and Monitoring) is just one of the NatureWatch volunteer monitoring programs that people participate in across Canada. NatureWatch is a series of programs that encourage you to become a citizen scientist. NatureWatch helps you to learn about the environment while gathering the information scientists need to monitor and protect it. Data collected through all of the NatureWatch programs is being used to add to our knowledge of the effects of climate change and other impacts on biodiversity. The key to the NatureWatch programs is to monitor the same location in the same way every year. What is IceWatch? Canada’s rivers and lakes are excellent indicators of climate change. Scientists learn a lot about climate change by looking at annual freeze and thaw dates – days of the year when ice completely covers, then completely disappears, from bodies of water. A water body should be chosen that you can easily monitor from a safe distance. Changes in this cycle over the years may be a sign that climate change is affecting our environment. People record ice on and ice off dates either on-line at www.icewatch.ca or can request an IceWatch reporting card. What is FrogWatch? A variety of factors make frogs more susceptible to environmental changes than many other groups of organisms. These include the fact that frogs spend part of their life on land and part in the water, so changes in either habitat may affect them. They also have permeable skin, which makes them prone to absorbing toxic chemicals or microorganisms through their skin as well. Frog eggs float in a jelly-like mass at or near the surface of the water, so they are prone to an increase in UV levels with the thinning of the ozone. Also, with the loss of wetlands and increased droughts, frogs may not be able to breed as successfully. People monitor frogs best in the spring when males are calling. Because of their distinctive calls, frogs are easy to survey. Participants should listen for calling of frogs over a number of evenings and record what frogs are calling, when they are calling, and if they still calling there next year. You can check out www.frogwatch.ca and listen to frog calls in Saskatchewan, then report your findings on-line. What is WormWatch? This is a science based education program that makes learning about soil ecosystem fun! The website www.wormwatch.ca has specific projects that invite people to collect data on earthworm species and habitats, and school activities for teachers and students. The purpose of WormWatch is to determine how many earthworm species are in Canada and where they live. Earthworms are very sensitive to soil disturbance, so learning more about the distribution of earthworm species can be used to improve soil health and reclaim degraded sites. The data is used to create a Canadian database of earthworm species and habitat distribution. Charles Darwin, who studied earthworms for 39 years, said “It may be doubted whether there are many other animals in the world which have played so important a part in the history of the world than the earthworm.”

Nature Saskatchewan Welcomes These New Members January 18, 2010 to April 1, 2010 Jan Beattie Belinda Bether Sheila Brayford Monty Burkhart Jason Burns John Crawford Barbara Crockford Ilse Dravnieks Tara Gaudet Georgette Gentner Elizabeth Gow Heritage Saskatchewan Walter Karau Denton Keating Allison Kydd Edna McCawley

Lila McDermaid Randall Nargang Dora Nichols Gordon Ogilvie Marg Ollett David Orban John Patterson Duane Phillippi Candace Piper Sharon & Bryan Roset Roy Schaeffer Paul Soron Rodney Soron Leslie Tuchek Ellen Varley Rob Wright Our apologies to Heidi Topham who we missed in the last issue.

INCOME TAX RECEIPTS Nature Saskatchewan issues an income tax receipt for each donation. This helps you to have your receipt handy when you need it. Your support is greatly appreciated! If you have made a donation and don’t receive a tax receipt make sure you contact our office.

Conservation Now...For The Future

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Summer 2010

Saskatchewan PlantWatch Spring 2010 Update Deanna Trowsdale-Mutafov, PlantWatch Saskatchewan Coordinator, Nature Saskatchewan Welcome back PlantWatchers! Spring is here and the first plants will be making an appearance before we know it!

Nature Views

Climate Myth: We Can’t Do Anything About Climate Change Reprinted from Saskatchewan PlantWatch April 2010 Newsletter and from: www.newscientist.com It is certainly too late to stop all climate change. It is already under way, much in line with model predictions. And there are dangerous time lags. There have already been several decades of warming. The lags in organizing effective initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are also long.

I hope you will be able to enjoy the outdoors and also watch a flower or two bloom for PlantWatch. When the same plants are watched every year, we start to see trends developing in bloom times. This is important in climate change research. How are plants responding to changes in our climate over the years? When blooming times are affected, how are other species affected that rely on those plants for food? These are questions that need answering, and ecological monitoring by “citizen scientists” will help a great deal. The timing of lifecycle events, known as phenology, is vitally important in a healthy ecosystem. But the “clock” that all of the plants and animals are listening to is running too fast. Scientists are now seeing this in every aspect of the natural world. Key pollinators, such as the honeybee, are disappearing, frog populations around the world are vanishing, and many bird and animal populations are declining dramatically. There are many reasons for these declines, but climate change is certainly one of the culprits. Scientific research has shown that spring, on average, is arriving roughly a week earlier than 50 years ago. That has caused ripple effects in natural ecosystems. For instance, if plants bloom earlier, insects and birds must adjust. Some species may respond better than others. Others will disappear. We can all make a difference in reducing our impact on the earth through daily actions and by practicing conservation in our homes and work places. Recently, the NatureWatch programs (PlantWatch, FrogWatch, IceWatch and WormWatch) have been mentioned in several magazines and newspapers as simple but effective ways that individuals or groups can participate in a climate change research project, and enjoy the natural world at the same time. Maybe this is one way to get in touch with the natural world again, and to get our youth outside and more interested in nature! Over the past few months, over 180 blooming records were entered on the PlantWatch website at www.plantwatch.ca. Have a look at this website and check out the maps of where specific plants were recorded under the sidebar heading View Results – there are many locations in Saskatchewan where blooming results have been mapped. Have a look at Educator Materials for interesting information, including the new PlantWatch Teacher’s Guide, a great guide for schools and youth groups. You can also review the plants that are watched in the program, under Plant Descriptions. Education is a large part of the PlantWatch Program, and three additional PlantWatch presenters are educating youth with the PlantWatch and Climate Change presentation in several areas of the province. I am also continuing to give presentations to schools and groups. Getting youth interested in plants, animals, and the environment is vital to the future health of our planet. Also, encouraging them to reduce their impact on the planet is equally important. When enthusiastic kids take up the cause – look out! PlantWatch continues to be a ‘growing’ program, in interest and in participation. Contact Deanna at 780-9273 (Regina) or 1-800-667-4668 (SK only) for more information or to request materials. A new Canada in Bloom booklet is available, so let me know if you are interested in having one. PlantWatch is always looking for more participants.

Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan Annual Summer Field Tour - Cypress Hills Provincial Park, July 2 and 3, 2010 The Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan is set to host its annual summer field tour on Friday, July 2, 2010 at Cypress Hills Provincial Park, SK. The tour will begin on Friday with a tour through parts of the park, taking in the fescue grasslands and forest understory plant community. There is plenty to see and it is an all ages event. The event is free for NPSS members; non-members can pay a small fee to participate. On Saturday, July 3 the tour will continue into the Alberta side of Cypress Hills, where parts of their provincial park will be explored, as well as local conservation easements. This day will be hosted by Botany Alberta. This is a great opportunity to meet new people, learn botany, have fun, explore some of our excellent wilderness and get some fresh air! As we are still confirming minor details such as routes and times, the best way to stay current is to check out our web site at www.npss.sk.ca closer to the date.

But climate change is not an on-off switch. It is a continuing process. The sooner we stabilize atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, the sooner we can reduce our impact on the climate and minimize the risk of reaching tipping points that will make preventing further warming even harder. Even if we only manage to slow warming rather than prevent it, societies will have more time to adjust to the changes. We all can do our part in many ways to slow the warming of our earth. Check out: www.stopglobalwarming.org/sgw_actionitems.asp; www.davidsuziki.org; www.worldwildlife.org/climate; www.pembina.org. It is true that the action taken so far, such as the Kyoto Protocol, will only have a marginal effect. The protocol’s authors have always described it as a first step. But even before it came into effect in 2005, the protocol has triggered some profound thinking among governments, corporations and citizens about their carbon footprint and how to reduce it. Industrialized countries such as the UK are planning for emissions reductions of 60% or more by mid-century. We may find that once the process has begun, the world will lose its addiction to carbon fuels surprisingly quickly. Natural scientists fear “tipping points” in the climate system. But there are also tipping points in social, economic and political systems. Once under way, things can happen fast. The great majority of the extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was put there by the developed world, with the US alone responsible for an estimated quarter of emissions since 1750. Future emissions may be dominated by large developing countries like China and India. While neither can be blamed for climate change so far, they clearly have to be part of the solution. That is probably the biggest challenge. The industrialized nations have already emitted enough carbon dioxide to trigger significant warming. Humanity cannot afford for the developing world to take the same path. So a deal has to be done to prevent that. But today the technology to develop on a low-carbon path is much further advanced. And costs are coming down fast. A new deal to save the world from climate change will probably involve large flows of technology and cash to the developing world. Developing countries are already being paid in cash and technology for not using ozone destroying chemicals in refrigerators and air-conditioning systems. The same must be done on a bigger scale to halt climate change. On a small scale, each of us must do our part in our own homes and communities – remember to “think globally, and act locally.” Good websites to use for the climate change sceptic: www.gristmill.grist.org/ sceptics, www.logicalscience.com, and www.tinyurl.com/ywtgpj; www.tinyurl.com/ 2onur8.

Notice with Respect to Temporary Possession of Migratory Birds Department of Environment, Government of Canada Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 In order to conduct a survey for avian viruses, the Canadian Minister of the Environment has issued a notice under the authority of section 36 of the Migratory Birds Regulations to vary the application of paragraph 6(b) of the Migratory Bird Regulations to allow for the temporary possession of found-dead migratory birds. A person is permitted to temporarily possess dead migratory birds to allow for “swift delivery” of such birds to provincial or territorial authorities for analysis. In all other circumstances, a prohibition against possessing the carcass of a migratory bird remains in effect. This notice comes into force for a period of one year from September 3, 2009. The Government of Canada is responsible, under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, to ensure that populations of migratory birds are maintained, protected and conserved. The Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre coordinates Canada’s Interagency Wild Bird Influenza Survey. Information on where to submit found dead migratory birds is available by contacting provincial or territorial governments at the offices indicated on the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre Web site at: www.ccwhc.ca/en/aiv/aiv_submit_birds.php or by telephoning 1-800-567-2033. Guidance on precautions for the handling of wild birds is available from the Public Health Agency of Canada from their Web site: www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/influenza/ fs-hwb-fr-mos-eng.php.

To register, please e-mail Chet Neufeld at [email protected].

The Voice of Nature for Saskatchewan

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Nature Views

Summer 2010

The Importance of Pollinators

“Wings Over Wascana: Creating Nature Awareness in Regina’s Own Backyard”

Reprinted from Saskatchewan PlantWatch April 2010 Newsletter “That’s the grossest thing I’ve ever seen! Let’s go find more!” With Excerpts from: “Fruitless Fall – the Collapse of the HoneyBee and the Coming Agriculture Crisis” by R. Jacobson; Diana Cox-Foster, a professor of entomology at Pennsylvania State University; & “The Incomparable Honeybee & the Economics of Pollination” by Dr. R. Halter.

And off she went; six year old Amy sprinted off to catch more critters to show her mom. The creepy crawlie in question was a mayfly larvae, scooped up in the net of this young adventurer at last year’s Wings Over Wascana Nature Festival. With big buggy eyes, six legs, and frills of gills, this little mayfly larvae opened up a whole new world for Amy.

Pollinators, such as butterflies, moths, flies, wasps and bees, are vitally important to plants of all kinds, including our PlantWatch species, and are an absolute necessity in guaranteeing the world’s food supply. Pollinators are critical for many agricultural crops like squash, watermelon, almonds, apples, onions, broccoli, carrots, sunflower and others too numerous to mention. One of out every three bites of food that we consume is due to the work of honeybees! Insect pollinators are like truckers on an invisible web of highways between flowery restaurants. The beautiful petals and markings of flowers advertise that they hold food, in the form of nectar and pollen, which provide proteins and sugars that insects need to survive. In the midst of dining, insects accidentally transfer pollen between plants and initiate fertilization - creating seeds for the next generation of plants. If there are not enough pollinators, fruit and vegetable crops will be reduced, and what of our native landscapes? If a complete collapse of the world’s pollinators occurred, Albert Einstein predicted that mankind would only continue to survive for about 4 to 5 years! Pollinators have been in the news of late, especially with the phenomenon of Colony Collapse Disorder (or CCD). CCD – a term coined in 2007, when bee hives started collapsing - is when honeybees have been dying out in mass numbers around the world (more than 50 billion in 3 years), and there has been no clear answer as to why. But it looks like the pieces of the colony collapse disorder puzzle are starting to fit together. There are many camps of thought: the virus camp, the fungus camp, the pesticide camp, the parasitic varroa mite camp, and the nutrition camp. It turns out that everybody is right. (Well, everybody except the cell-phone and microwave-tower camps.) Viruses compromise bees’ ability to manufacture proteins, and proteins are the tools bees use to fight off pathogens, to detoxify pesticides, to repair their cells, and to meet all the world’s other challenges. If bees lived in an utterly nonstressful world, they could go on despite the viruses. But of course they don’t live in a world anything like that. Stresses such as sub-lethal pesticide exposure and lack of adequate nutritional sources (pollen and nectar) may be affecting the bees. In hundreds of samples of incoming pollen, teams at American universities have found that over 99 percent have at least one pesticide contaminant, on average six different pesticides, and up to 35 different pesticides in a single sample. Over 100 different pesticides have been identified. Even if the root causes of colony collapse disorder have been identified, it shouldn’t give us any comfort, as identifying CCD will not make it go away. Honeybees are just one of the species we depend on that are struggling to withstand a steady stream of parasites and pathogens they have never encountered before, and have no tools to defend against. As the honeybee geneticist Tom Rinderer put it, “What has happened to our bees? Jet planes have happened.” Even if we miraculously come up with solutions for varroa mites, pesticide poisoning and other threats, there will simply be another “black swan” that nobody could have predicted.

Going into its 5th year, Wings Over Wascana Nature Festival (WOW) offers many ecoadventures like pond dipping, guided nature hikes, and bird watching for both young and old to experience. Together with the Friends of Wascana Marsh, Wings Over Wascana is cohosted by Ducks Unlimited Canada, Nature Regina, and the Saskatchewan Outdoor and Environmental Education Association. This year’s festivities kick off on Thursday, May 7th, 2010, with the Friends of Wascana Marsh’s Fundraising Dinner. In addition to being an important fundraiser for conservation and environmental education, this dinner also features a presentation by world renowned wildlife photographer, Dr. Wayne Lynch. Dr. Lynch will allow you to live vicariously through images of our untamed natural world while you enjoy a delicious meal at the Conexus Arts Centre. The silent auction and raffle always promises lovely art, gadgets galore, gift certificates to Regina’s best restaurants, and so much more. On Friday, May 7th, over 200 grade 4 – 6 students will descend upon Wascana Marsh to explore and learn about wetlands and wildlife through a variety of eco-fun activities. This year’s highlights include field sketching, guided hikes, pond dipping, eco-games, and many more. Both teachers and students return home tired after a chocked full day of nature awareness activities that take place in one of Regina’s most beautiful spaces. Friday evening, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm, presentations at the Bell Theatre at the Saskatchewan Science Centre are open to the public. The evening includes, in this order, musical performance by Dr. Glenn Sutter, Head Curator at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, and presentations from University of Regina professor Chris Somers and former Canadian Wildlife Service biologist Brian Johns. The theme of the evening is big white birds! Dr. Somers will be discussing his interesting work with the American White Pelican and Brian Johns will discuss his fascinating work with the endangered Whooping Crane. It should be an informative and enjoyable evening! Join us on Saturday, May 8th at WOW’s Public Day where everyone is welcome to participate in and enjoy the eco-activities. The festivities will include many live animal presentations, guided nature hikes, bird programs, face painting, nature scavenger hunts, and much more! Volunteer naturalists will be providing free programming to families and visitors from 10 am to 4 pm at the tent village just east of Candy Cane Park, in Wascana Centre.

Honeybee health is inextricably linked to the health of the entire environment. If we can create systems of domestic food production that take their cues from the cycles of nature, and let honeybees play the roles they evolved to play, then the system will take care of itself. But if we continue to push the system farther and farther out of equilibrium by relying on chemical shortcuts and fossil fuel intervention to fix the inevitable breakdowns, then we will never get off the crisis treadmill. Consumers can help by buying organic foods and cottons, and organic honey from local beekeepers. Avoid the use of herbicides & pesticides in your yard. Plant a wide variety of native yellow and blue flowers, and yes, participate in the PlantWatch Program.

Wascana Marsh is an outdoor classroom all year round and Wings Over Wascana is just one opportunity to highlight this natural beauty found in Regina. Through the WOW Nature Festival, the Friends of Wascana Marsh aim to connect youth and other Regina citizens with the natural wonders this impressive area has to offer! We hope you will join us at either the fundraiser dinner or the Wings Over Wascana Nature Festival Public Day.

*Pollinator websites of interest: www.pollinator.org; www.nicotinebees.com; www.wildlifegardeners.org; www.savenature.org/content/nature_academy/guides; www.savethebumblebees.com.

And for the record, mayfly larvae are nice little insects and not gross at all.

Fundraiser dinner tickets are $50.00/single ($40/student) or $375.00 for a table of eight. See a full schedule of eco-activities at Wings Over Wascana or to learn more about Friends of Wascana work, check out http://www.wascanamarsh.ca/.

New Program Engages Students in Nest Monitoring Reprinted from Bird Studies Canada E-newsletter, March 19, 2010 In collaboration with provincial and regional nest records schemes across Canada, Bird Studies Canada engages volunteers in long-term monitoring of nesting activity across Canada through our Project NestWatch program. Participants gather data that helps us follow the health of bird populations, providing valuable information on the state of the wider environment, as birds are good indicators of the health of the habitats and ecosystems in which they live. Project Nest Box is a new initiative that aims to involve school groups in nest monitoring. The program donates six nesting boxes to each interested school, to

be installed on the school grounds. The students monitor the boxes throughout the spring and early summer, and report their observations online through Bird Studies Canada’s Project NestWatch website at http://www.birdscanada.org/ dataentry/nw_register.jsp. Project Nest Box – School Nest Watch Program is a not-for-profit collaboration between the Aurora Environmental Advisory Committee Naturalization and Wildlife Working Group; Midpoint International Inc.; Bird Studies Canada; and the Royal Ontario Museum’s Ontario Nest Records Scheme. Follow this link http:// www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/pnw/schoolnestwatch.pdf to learn more. Schools interested in participating should contact Carolin Grandin at Midpoint International Inc., at 1-888-646-4246 or [email protected].

Conservation Now...For The Future

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Nature Views

Summer 2010

Ecology and Economics of Riparian Areas on the Prairies: What We Know and What We Don’t Know! Melissa Ranalli, PCAP Education Coordinator Reprinted from PCAP April 2010 Newsletter

Speaker Series Summary – Natural Gas Development & Grassland Songbird Abundance in Southwestern SK: The Impact of Gas Wells Melissa Ranalli, PCAP Education Coordinator Reprinted from PCAP March 2010 Newsletter

On March 16, 2010, Etienne Soulodre, Range Agrologist with the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, spoke about what is known and what is not so well known about the ecology and economics of riparian areas on the prairies. Etienne began by broadly defining riparian areas as the transition zones between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Riparian areas are associated with two main Riparian habitat assessment. Photo by types of aquatic ecosystems: Saskatchewan Watershed Authority. lotic systems which are flowing water systems (e.g., streams and lakes); and lentic systems which are still water systems (e.g., lakes and ponds). Etienne stated that approximately 17% of lotic riparian areas in Saskatchewan are healthy, 37% of lentic systems are healthy, and roughly 50% of both types of systems are considered healthy with problems. Compared to unhealthy riparian areas, it is relatively well known that healthy systems generally provide services such as slowing water flow, preventing erosion, and facilitating groundwater recharge. Basic descriptions of riparian plant communities, expected changes under different management practices, and how best to manage these areas (e.g., rest rotation and limiting creek access during wet periods) is also relatively well established. While agricultural Saskatchewan has approximately 80,000 km of stream, and Etienne estimated that riparian areas likely produce 20% of beef forage in these areas, there is still some basic information about these areas that is lacking. For example, basic production ecology, an extremely important agricultural topic, has not been well studied in riparian areas; however, based on a simple grazing exclusion study near Pipestone Creek, Etienne estimated that riparian areas can produce 4000 lb of forage per acre. The amount of riparian area in Saskatchewan is not known either, nor is it fully known how much these areas contribute to water quality, or the magnitude of impact. Similar to riparian area ecology, there are both economic knowns and unknowns. There is support for the idea that managing riparian systems well can be financially advantageous for producers. For example, a survey of 346 producers who had improved their riparian management practices showed that 80% of producers reported higher weight gains, 91% reported higher forage production, 88% reported higher forage quality, and 52% reported lower over-wintering costs. Similarly, the Western Beef Development Center found that by giving calves clean water in a trough (versus having them drink from a dugout), they gained approximately ½ lb more per day, equivalent to a gain of approximately $36 per animal (if beef is ~$1/ lb) over a 72 day summer growing season. Etienne highlighted how having 100 calves would result in a gain of approximately 3,600 lb and $3,600, equating the capital cost of implementing one of these systems. While the farm level economic benefits of healthy riparian areas are relatively well known, larger scale economic benefits are less clear. For example, it is difficult to pinpoint the public value of healthy riparian areas. A random survey of 300 Saskatchewan households found that the clean water and wildlife habitat provided by good riparian management is worth approximately $21,000,000 to the Saskatchewan public. Etienne outlined that the issue with these types of approaches is that there can be a lot of variation around estimates, but essentially the value is usually large and positive. Etienne suggested that other approaches like benefit cost indices might be more useful. Etienne concluded his presentation summarizing how there is a lot known about the types of plants in riparian areas, how they respond to management, and farm level economic benefits. What needs to be better quantified is how much riparian area there is in Saskatchewan and the public value of these areas.

Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre 10th Annual Fundraiser We hope you can join us on the evening of Saturday May 8th, 2010 for the 10th Annual Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre Fundraiser. The event will be held at the Convention Centre on the Moose Jaw Exhibition grounds. Tickets are $15 each and corporate tables are available for $120/table of eight. Cocktails are at 5:30pm, Supper at 6:30pm. The event will include a meal, silent and live auctions, and of course, an owl or two! If you might have an item to donate to the silent auction, please contact us and we would be happy to make arrangements to pick it up. Please contact the SBOIC office (692-8710) for more information.

On February 9, 2010, Holly Kalyn-Bogard, Master of Science student from the University of Regina, spoke to a Weyburn audience about her graduate work investigating the effects of natural gas development on grassland songbird abundance in southwestern Saskatchewan. Holly began by describing how Native grasslands once Natural gas development in prairie. Photo by: covered over 162,000,000 ha Holly Kalyn-Bogard on the Great Plains of North America. Today, approximately 22% of native prairie is remaining in Saskatchewan. Because many grassland songbirds rely on these habitats for foraging and breeding, these species are also in decline (approximately 70% of grassland species are in decline). However, Holly explained how even when the amount of habitat loss is accounted for, the observed species declines are greater than expected. One of the factors that might partly explain this phenomenon is oil and gas development and the associated disturbance features. The number of gas wells in Saskatchewan has tripled over the last ten years, but few studies have examined the effects of natural gas activity on songbirds. The few studies that have looked at natural gas impacts on songbirds have shown reductions in nest initiation, nest success and chick survival, and avoidance of well pads, roads and pipelines. The disturbance features associated with well pads that Holly suggested might impact songbird abundance are: 1) noisy generators that run throughout the day that may interfere with the males’ calls; 2) vegetation structure (e.g., crested wheat has been used to reclaim sites in the past); 3) perching sites for predators and brood parasites; 4) burrowing sites for ground predators; and 5) pipelines, roads and traffic which songbirds might avoid. Holly limited her Speaker Series presentation to one of her research objectives: to determine the magnitude in which density and proximity of gas wells influence the abundance and occurrence of grassland songbirds. Holly examined four species: Sprague’s Pipit, a threatened species that has been in decline since the 1970s, Baird’s Sparrow which is considered Not at Risk, McCown’s Longspur, a species of Special Concern, and the Chestnut-collared Longspur which is a threatened species. Holly studied five federal pastures in the southwestern corner of Saskatchewan: two pastures to the north of the TransCanada highway and three south of Consul, Saskatchewan. The north and south pastures differ in the amount of development they have supported (southern pastures have only seen approximately 16 years of development), in soil type, vegetation type, and the bird communities associated with each area is also different. Holly looked at two spatial scales: a landscape scale, relating well density to bird abundance, and a local scale, relating distance of bird locations to gas wells. Holly included sections without wells present, those with 1-4 wells were considered low density sites, sections with 5-9 wells were medium density sites, and those with more than 10 wells were considered high density sites. Because vegetation structure might also explain bird abundance, Holly conducted vegetation surveys, examining vegetation height, litter depth, percent live grass, percent dead grass, percent forbs, percent shrubs, percent bare ground, percent lichen, and percent club moss. Among the northern pastures, only the abundance of the Chestnut-collared Longspur increased with distance from the well and only in the medium well density sites. The abundance of Sprague’s Pipits and Baird’s Sparrows (McCown’s Longspur is not found in the north) showed no relationship to well density or distance. What was clear across species was that there was a minimum distance from the well before individuals were found. For example, Sprague’s Pipits were not found any closer than 35 m from a well and Baird’s Sparrows were not found any closer than 75 m from wells. On the southern pastures, which had lower well densities, the abundance of the McCown’s Longspur and the Sprague’s Pipit (although weakly so) was positively associated with distance from the well. Chestnut-collared Longspurs were not found any closer than 32 m from a well and Sprague’s Pipits and Baird’s Sparrows were not found closer than 60 m from wells. Holly hypothesized that these patterns might be due to a sound effect since generators are loud, possibly interfering with male songs, and she suggested that grassland songbird species abundance patterns might be better understood once vegetation characteristics and cumulative disturbance effects are included in her models.

Nature Saskatchewan Volunteers Nature Saskatchewan thanks Brian Jeffery for volunteering at the Nature Saskatchewan office.

The Voice of Nature for Saskatchewan

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Nature Views

Summer 2010

Federal Government Sells Out Our Environment

The Prairie Conservation Award Goes To Pat Fargey

Lorne Scott, President, Nature Saskatchewan At a time when clean air and water, and a healthy environment are ever increasing concerns to Canadians, the Federal Government is shirking their responsibilities by relaxing environmental assessment processes and handing off the responsibility to industry and the provinces. In the March Throne Speech it is stated, “To support responsible development of Canada’s energy and mineral resources, our Government will untangle the daunting maze of regulations that needlessly complicates project approval, replacing it with simpler, cleaner processes that offer improved environmental protection and greater certainty to industry.” It is hard to believe that simpler regulations will enhance environmental protection, but such a move will undoubtedly benefit developers. The April 1, 2010 edition of the Globe and Mail says, “The measure would remove the obligation for a federal environmental assessment to be conducted on projects funded through federal programs, including those that channel infrastructure money to municipalities and First Nations. They would also turn assessments of energy projects that are currently conducted by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency over to the National Energy Board and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.” Other assessments will be left up to the provinces, which are often proponents of development from roads to large industrial projects. Clearly the relaxing and transfer of environmental assessments to project developers is a case of the fox guarding the chicken coop. It is interesting that their reform follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that stated the federal government violated the law by conducting an incomplete review of a large copper and gold mine in northern British Columbia. The new environmental rules will see fewer federal assessments, industry responsibility for their own environmental reviews and off loading of assessments to the provinces, some of which may be proponents of developments and others that do not have adequate resources to conduct credible environmental assessments. Clearly the federal government’s actions are irresponsible and are a crushing blow to our environment. Environment Minister Jim Prentice said changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act will ensure “that we get good environmental outcomes” while “not delaying and frustrating projects through unnecessary red tape.” What Prentice is saying is let’s remove and circumvent environmental hurdles to expedite developments. To ensure the new environmental assessment legislation is a fait accompli the federal government has included the reforms inside the budget bill. This back door, heavy-handed approach means the opposition parties would have to defeat the budget to stop the reforms, which would trigger an election. With air quality issues, water contamination, irreparable landscape damage, growing lists of Species at Risk and high public concern over the well being of our environment, it is inexcusable in this day and age that a government could treat our precious natural environment with such callous contempt. The people of our great nation, which is noted for its abundance of clean and pristine natural resources, deserve better from our elected leaders. Our children and grandchildren will be dealing with this development-at-any-cost mentality for decades to come.

Michelle Yaskowich, PCAP Manager, Prairie Conservation Action Plan Reprinted from PCAP March 2010 Newsletter Nature Saskatchewan and PCAP would like to congratulate the winner of the 2010 Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Award, Mr. Pat Fargey! Pat received the award at this year’s Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba last February. The Prairie Conservation Award is granted to a deserving recipient from each of the three Prairie Provinces in recognition of significant long-term contributions to native habitat or species at risk conservation.

Michelle Yaskowich, PCAP Manager with Pat Fargey, the 2010 Prairie Conservation Award Recipient. Photo by Andrea Kotylak.

Pat has spearheaded and been involved with many provincial, national and international initiatives such as the Frenchman River Biodiversity Project, the South of the Divide Multispecies Action Plan, the Northern Mixed Grass Transboundary Conservation Initiative, the Crossing the Medicine Line Network, and the Prairie Conservation Action Plan. As the Species at Risk/Ecosystem Management Specialist with Parks Canada – Grasslands National Park, Pat has dedicated the last two decades to working towards both species and ecosystem conservation on many levels. Pat has lead and contributed to the recovery of some of Canada’s most iconic and endangered species at risk by yielding real solutions to recovery challenges of these imperiled species. His notable accomplishments include developing recovery strategies for the Greater Sage Grouse, Swift Fox, Black-footed Ferret and Black-tailed Prairie Dog species, fostering international research for Sage Grouse and Swift Foxes, assisting in the development of a North American Action Plan for prairie dogs, Burrowing Owls and Ferruginous Hawks through a tri-national workshop of the Commission for Environmental Conservation, the down listing of the Swift Fox from Endangered to Threatened at the end of 2009 by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, and after an absence of 70 years, the reintroduction of Blackfooted Ferrets to Canada in October 2009. He was also instrumental in the reintroduction of plains bison to Grasslands National Park through the development of a multi-jurisdictional research approach to grazing at the Park that included researchers, ranchers, and other government departments, students and environmental groups. Pat’s character was perhaps best described by Axel Moehrenschlager, the Head of the Centre for Conservation Research at the Calgary Zoo, who described Pat as being a “master of equality and balance: courageous yet careful, determined yet patient, intellectual yet pragmatic, a dreamer yet a realist. There is no one who is more respected by government leaders, managers, scientists and landowners alike. The respect does not just come from the actions he does, but truly through the sincere, honest and kind person that he is.” If you were unable to attend the award ceremony at the Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference in Winnipeg, but would like to see Pat receiving his award (as well as the Alberta and Manitoba award recipients), visit the PCAP homepage (www.pcap-sk.org) and click on the link under the “What’s New” column to watch the archived presentation.

22nd Annual Winter Bird Contest 2009-2010 Boyd Metzler, [email protected] The 22nd Annual Winter Birding Contest was held from December 1st, 2009 to February 28th, 2010. This year there were 2 entries. Guy Wapple of Saskatoon recorded 57 species and I, Boyd Metzler of Whitewood, found 44 species. Guy’s 57 species was down from his usual total in the mid 60’s. He says it wasn’t his best effort as he failed to get up north to Squaw Rapids, to Prince Albert National Park or down south to Estevan. His highlight of the year was his first ever winter American Dipper sighting. Guy’s all time winter bird list now numbers 139 – very impressive. For me, it was a very unusual winter. This year was only the second time in 20 years that I did not make the December 1st trip up the Qu’Appelle Valley to visit the 6 lakes. My wife, Pat, and I got as far as Round Lake and Crooked Lake but were discouraged by the lack of open water and birds, so we returned home. Some usual winter birds were not seen in our area of southeastern Saskatchewan – did they just not come this far south this year?? There were no Common

Redpolls, Hoary Redpolls, Pine or Evening Grosbeaks, Bohemian Waxwings, Northern Goshawks, and I also missed Dark-Eyed Juncos and Snowy Owls that were seen in the area. These have all been seen in this area in previous years. Guy saw them all in his area. But, there were American Robins, Northern Flickers (ys) and Pine Siskins that spent the entire winter here in the southeast. Cooper’s Hawk, American Goldfinches and Harris Sparrows were also present. I also saw wild turkeys and Ring-Necked Pheasants in our area. A new species for me in Saskatchewan was a Barred Owl. I have never kept an all time winter bird record but I don’t think it would be over 100. I have counted over 60 winter bird species on two separate occasions and now I don’t know how I did it. P.S. I just looked through all my winter bird count records and found my all time winter bird count list to be 114. It kind of pales next to Guy’s list. We sure hope we get a few more entries next year. Please remember it doesn’t really matter the number of species you see, we would appreciate you sharing your list from your area.

Conservation Now...For The Future

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Nature Views

Summer 2010

2010/11 Ecological Education Programs and Travel, CCDE, University of Saskatchewan January – June: Environmental Workshops in your classroom Bird nesting boxes, Bat roosting boxes, Worm composting, Papermaking, Waste free lunch skit, Endangered Species of SK presentation Fees: $100 ½ day, $65/hr. Summer Ecology Day Camp for Kids, 8-12 yrs, 1 Jr Leader per camp 1317yrs 1. July 5-9, Bird Banding Camp –sold out 2. July 12-16, Dinosaur Ecology –sold out 3. July 19-23, Marine Mammal Ecology –sold out 4. July 26-30, Insect Ecology 5. Aug 3-6, 4 day Ecology Camp – Wetland, Grassland, River and Forest ecology 6. Aug 9-13, Dinosaur Ecology –sold out 7. Aug 16-20, Marine Mammal Ecology 8. Aug 23-27, Wetland Insect Ecology Children participate in an enriched program of daily field trips and nature study in and around Saskatoon. Kids will visit scientists and learn about rocks, fossils, plants, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and focus on Saskatchewan’s Endangered Species. Instructors role model and teach living gently on the earth. Travel is in a 15 passenger van. Max 13 kids per camp, 2 Instructors Fee: $200, before or after care $25, 4 day camps $170, $20 before or after care. Jr Leaders ½ price Home School Ecology Club, 9am-12pm returning students study Insects, Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals 1pm-4pm new students study Environmental Workshops, Wetland and Grassland Ecology Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr / twice a month Fee: $240 Instructor: Dee Cole, Home school Mum and B of Env Sci Nov – Dec: Environmental Workshops in your classroom as above Ecological and Education Travel 2010 - 2011 July 14 – 22, 2010*: Churchill, MB Belugas, Birds and Botany. In the summer months Churchill, MB is the Beluga Capital of the World. About 3000 whales summer in Hudson Bay and Churchill River, feeding, moulting and calving. We will have 3 up close boat adventures as well as visiting local natural and historical sites. Fee: $1799 (includes GST) *dates may change one of 2 days according to Via Rail. Tour Leader: Leslie Tuchek, CERTEE July 29- August 8, 2010: Bay of Fundy Ecology – UNESCO Reserve, known for the highest tides in the world – as high as a four story building! Hosting 15 species of whales and a critical feeding ground for 95% of the world’s population of semipalmated sandpipers during their annual migration from the Arctic to South America. We will spend several days on Grand Manan Island and visit Machias Seal Island, a wildlife and seabird sanctuary for up close photo opportunities of Puffins, Razorbills and Arctic Terns. Other highlights are St Andrew’s, St John, the Irvin Eco-Centre, la Dune de Bouctouche, the Hopewell Rocks, and Mary’s Point Bird Sanctuary. Included are 3 boat tours to view whales, dolphins, seals and pelagic birds. Free Info session: Mar 20, 12pm-1:30pm, Room 224 Williams blg Tour Leader: Leslie Tuchek CERTEE Fee: $2365 plus air fare. Sept 13 - 19: Seniors Tour to Waterton Lakes National Park Gentle hiking – 1 to 2 km, touring, fall wildflowers and wildlife viewing in these spectacular National Parks. Tour Guides: Melanie Elliott, Leslie Tuchek and Bobbi Mumm Fee: to be announced October 28 – November 6, 2010 or November 2 – 11, 2010*, Polar Bear Ecology in Churchill, MB. Car pool to The Pas, Manitoba, then board the train for a 30 hour journey through boreal forest, taiga and tundra to the northern port of Churchill on Hudson Bay. Daily field trips to look for arctic wildlife, and visit local historic areas, and the Eskimo Museum. Accommodation is at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre (hostel type rooming: bedding supplied). A full day on our own private Tundra Buggy® in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area brings us safely to observe and learn about polar bears congregating on the shore, waiting to go out on the pack ice at freeze up. Register now—This trip sells out early! Free info Night: Tuesday May 4, 7pm, Room 224, Williams blg Tour Guides: Melanie Elliott or Leslie Tuchek *dates may change one of 2 days according to Via Rail January 17 – February 5, 2011 – 3 weeks in South Africa, Tour Guide; Melanie Elliott February 2011 – 12 days in Cuba, Tour Leader: Leslie Tuchek, CERTEE July 2011– 12 days in Newfoundland with Leslie Tuchek For Registration or Info: phone 966-5539 or check our web site for printable pdfs to book the workshops or field trips at www.ccde.usask.ca/go/ecoed.

Nature Saskatchewan Thanks These Supporters for their Generous Donations General Designation Donations Don G. Adams Edna Boan Bruce Brandell Lori Caron Lou Cormier Peter Cribb James Cummings Dr. Yvonne G Cuttle Teresa M. Dolman Kerry J. Finley Bob Gehlert Tom Gentles Gwen Gordon Joe Graumans Kaija Sanelma Harris Ina Hill Gary Howland Margaret Husak A. R. Iverson Johanna & Ken Jensen Olaf Jensen Ron & Julie Jensen Ken Kingdon Russell Knaus Rudolf F Koes Katie Krueger Tom Lawton Jane Leighton M. Ross Lein M. Ross Lein Dept Biol Science Rod MacDonald Irene Maddaford Noelene Martin A. J. Matley Edna McCawley Ardythe McMaster Marilyn Meyer Nora Mitchell Margaret Molloy R. Wayne Nelson Grace Norgard Marg Ollett John Parker Veronica Pasterfield Douglas W Pegg Wayne & Carolyn Pepper Alison Philips Lorrie Reed Robert J. Long

Julianna M. Robin Barbara Robinson Myrna Rolfes Doug & Irene Schmeiser Danna Schock Margaret Skeel Paul Soron Barbara Stewart Michael Stonhouse A. W. Tataryn Ralph J. Wang Guy Wapple Fred Whiley Pattie Wilkinson Lloyd Wilson Gustave J. Yaki Grasslands Trust Fund Leonard J. Hutchison Last Mountain Bird Observatory C. Stuart Houston Leith Knight Nora Mitchell Rob & Joan Wilson Operation Burrowing Owl Bernard De Vries Nature Savings Plan Patti Wilkinson Danna Schock Robert Long Julianna Robin Margaret Skeel Yvonne Cuttle Lori Caron Ken/Johanna Jensen Gary/Michelle Howland Ron Jensen Ina Hill Margaret Husak Arthur Iverson Bruce Brandell Alison Philips Thomas Lawton Olaf Jensen K R Kingdon Gwen Gordon Guy Wapple

Cypress Hills 2010, Biodiversity in Southwestern Saskatchewan Ecosystems: A National Biodiversity Education Field Workshop Monday, May 10th to Friday, May 14th, 2010 From the knowledge of the First Nations Elders to the grandeur of the scenery in the Cypress Hills, this workshop will delight the senses and challenge the mind. Participants will experience biodiversity in Saskatchewan’s southwest, at the landscape, species and in some examples, the genetic level, through extensive field study opportunities. The Canadian Wildlife Federation and their workshop partners are excited to present Cypress Hills 2010: A National Biodiversity Field Education Workshop for educators! For more information on the Cypress Hills 2010 National Biodiversity Education Field Workshop, or to send us your notification of interest, please fill out the form at: http://www.cwf-fcf.org/en/educate/updates-network/conferences/cypress-hills/ or contact: Lizabeth Nicholls CWF Education Specialist (Regina SK) 2010 Conference Co-ordinator (E-mail) [email protected] (Voice) 306-522-4443.

Golden Eagles with Wing Tags People on the Canadian prairies should watch for Golden Eagles with white alphanumeric’s (letters and numbers) on blue vinyl wing tags. These tags were placed on both wings of 107 Golden Eagles in west-central Montana. Please report all sightings with date, location, number of tag, and whether perched on pole, feeding on a road-killed animal, found dead, etc. Contact: Rob Domench, Raptor View Research Institute at: P.O. Box 4323, Missoula, MT 59806. Phone: 406-258-6813 or E-mail: [email protected].

The Voice of Nature for Saskatchewan

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Nature Views

Fall 2009

Upcoming Events Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips Saturday, May 8 Spring Migrant Drive-about We will search for early arriving shorebirds and songbirds southeast of the city. 8:00AM–4:30PM Meet at the NW corner of the parking lot for the Centre at Circle and 8th. Leader: Michael Williams (242-5383) Saturday, May 15 Brightwater Reservoir and District We will search for early arriving shorebirds and songbirds southeast of the city. 9:00AM–3:00PM Meet at the NW corner of the parking lot for the Centre at Circle and 8th. Leader: Gord Crockford (955-5028) Wednesday, May 26 Brown Bag Birding Join us for lunch as we watch the birds on the river. This outing is ideal for beginners. Noon–1:00PM Meet at the bench on the MVA trail along the riverbank adjacent to the Lutheran Theological Seminary on campus. Leader: Kathy Meeres (343-8590) Saturday, May 29 May Day Bird Count Join one of our groups to survey the Saskatoon District during this peak day for spring bird migration. Novice birders will be assigned to an experienced leader. Phone Michael Williams (242-5383) by May 27 for assignment to a group. Sunday, May 30 Butterflies I We will catch some butterflies in nets for a close view and then release them. Trip may be cancelled if weather is poor. Time: 1:30PM–4:30PM Meet: NW corner of the parking lot for the Centre at Circle and 8th. Leader: Anna Leighton (665-6074) MVA Trail Bird Walks 7:00AM–9:30AM (every Sunday in May) Meet at the Diefenbaker Centre parking lot on campus. These walks are ideal for ners.

Sunday, May 2 Leader: Michael Williams (242-5383) Sunday, May 9 Leader: Carol Blenkin (244-1927) Sunday, May 16 Leader: Mary Toews (653-1534) Sunday, May 23 Leader: Hilda Noton (374-0674) Sunday, May 30 Leader: Heather Wagg (652-7351) Young Naturalists The Young Naturalists is all about nature activities for kids and their families. Each program offers interesting activities geared for children aged 5 to 11 years. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Enrolment is limited on most programs, so register early. You can register by calling 975–3042 or by email at [email protected]. Visit the Young Naturalists’ website: www.saskatoonzoosociety.ca/natpack.htm Young Naturalists’ Great Horned Owl Field Trip Date to be announced (mid-May)—depends on the owls! We will join naturalist Martin Stoffel as he collects scientific information from wild Great Horned Owls. Time TBA (weekday evening: 2 hours) Meet: TBA Cost: Free (Donations always accepted. Registration is required.) Space is limited. Call 975-3042 to register or for more information. Advanced Notice Saturday, June 26 Outdoor and Nature Photography at the Beaver Creek Conservation Area The emphasis of the field trip will be on landscape and nature photography, with some plant macro photography. Bring a picnic dinner—we will take a break for a meal in the park. Pack your camera, tripod and mosquito repellent. A polarizing filter is optional but recommended. The park closes at 8:00PM. 4:00PM–8:30PM Meet at the Western Development Museum parking lot (on Lorne Avenue, south of Ruth Street). Leader: Branimir Gjetvaj (220-5703)

Nature Regina Field Trips Week of May 9 – Snakes Alive! A few people have gone to the snake hibernaculum north of Pelly each of the last two years. We are repeating the trip again for those have been unable to go and those who want to go again. At the Fort Livingstone den overlooking the Swan River Valley one can see the red-sided garter snakes as they emerge from their winter hibernation. The males wait at the den mouth and swarm the emerging females forming “mating balls”. The snakes are at their peak activity around Mother’s Day. If you like to go, call Lauren at 306-584-1171. This is to arrange carpooling given the considerable distance. The date chosen depends on the weather. The share of the gas would be about $15-20, assuming four people per vehicle. o Yes, I want to become a member of Nature Saskatchewan. o If referred by an existing Nature Saskatchewan member, please enter the following Nature Saskatchewan member for the draw for a Wee Lee painting valued at $3,800. ______________________________________________________ o Please renew my membership Name: __________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________ City/ Town: ______________________________________________ Province: ____________Postal Code: _________________________ Phone: ______________Email: ______________________________ Occupation/ Interests: ______________________________________ Category Individual Family Student Senior >64 Foreign Institutional Life

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Nature Saskatchewan’s Website www.naturesask.ca Humanity in Harmony with Nature