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MID-WINTER CRUNCH FEB. 22, 2015

28/2/2015

 
Mid-winter Crunch

On a bright February afternoon, 15 Naturalists toured the wooded alluvial fan which was formed by the outwash from Matthew Creek. Luckily, some fresh snow had fallen on top of about a foot of very hard snow which had compacted due to a prolonged mild, dry spell.
We noted the species distribution of trees which varied according to the proximity of water. Logging during the past few decades, gave us an opportunity to recognize and understand natural regeneration and planting of mixed species. An old oxbow lake created a sunny opening with some slow moving water. Soon we walked into the chilly shade caused by the steep uplands just south of the St Mary River. Here we began to see many tracks. From the tiny, hopping Deer Mouse to the Canada Lynx with it’s large, round deliberate prints. Following some discussion, we identified the signs of Ruffed Grouse, Red Squirrel, Snowshoe Hare, Deer, Elk and Moose, Coyote and possibly a Timber Wolf. Winter Finches had been feeding on birch and alder catkins, dropping bits of debris, while three toed woodpeckers had flaked the bark from dying larches. Sapsuckers had made rows of ‘wells’ in deciduous stems.
The views along the river were particularly spectacular. Distant, sunlit, snowy peaks contrasted with the dark water, shadows and large trees. Judging by the abundance and variety of tracks, we shared this unique area with many forest dwellers. George provided some insight to the classified waters and fishing implications while Paula helped us to understand the American Dipper which conveniently appeared in the background.
Naturalists anticipate that we will return to this patch of woods in each of the seasons. It is an easily accessible chunk of crown land with a narrow right of way between private acreages.
Submitted by Daryl Calder, Photos by Helga Knote.

Helga's Photos from Mid-Winter Crunch

26/2/2015

 

Duck Nestbox Installation @ Elizabeth Lake

11/2/2015

 
On the morning of Sunday, February 8, the rain was falling as it had been for the past few days. However, as the morning began to fade and the afternoon steadily approached, the sun decided to grace us with its presence, which I was immensely grateful for as I was to help assist the RMNats in putting up duck boxes around Elizabeth Lake. We lucked out with this experience as the afternoon turned out to be beautiful. The sun was warm and the installation of the boxes allowed us to navigate across and enjoy the conservation area.

In addition to myself, the installation team consisted of Greg, Daryl, Paula, George, Lloyd, Audrey, Ed, and Tom. Eight boxes had been crafted by Tom to install along the shoreline. Based on insight and the research done by Daryl we identified locations for each box. The boxes were placed on a tree approximately 3 to 5 m above ground and with a slight forward slant to prevent the accumulation of rainwater and allow easy escape for the ducklings. They were also located a minimum of 30m apart and were visually isolated from one another to prevent dump nesting and predation. Paula and Greg recorded the GPS coordinates so that we may return to the locations to monitor and maintain the boxes in the future. The boxes were filled with approximately 10cm of wood shavings and a piece of wood placed over the entrance to prevent starlings from becoming established, which will later be removed upon arrival of the cavity nesting ducks.

Six of the eight boxes were placed on the east side of the lake and the remaining two were placed on the west side. To get to the west side we walked across the lake. A few of us were a bit tentative to journey on the ice as the warm weather made us skeptical of its strength. Nonetheless, we came away unscathed and we even managed to pull Audrey across on a wagon.

When we reached the west side we discovered two nest boxes had previously been installed. In one of them we were welcomed by a couple of flying squirrels. In another we uncovered a nest which contained 17 unhatched eggs. It was decided to replace that box with a new one which was the final installation. Initially our crew was unsure as to how many boxes we were going to install; however, as the afternoon progressed we became determined to install them all, which we successfully achieved. With the successful installation of the duck boxes we now patiently await the arrival of the ducks to nest within these fresh, new spaces. 

Article submitted by Myra Juckers, new member of RMN
Photos courtesy of Greg Ross

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