A Day in the Life of an IBA Caretaker

Transcription

by Charlie McPherson
I
lose its birds. Over 11,000 sites in over 200 countries have
was lucky. I had gotten in on a bit of Sharp-shinned
been identified to date. Canada has nearly 600 IBAs. Manitoba
Hawk migration. I suspected, previously, that the hawks
has 38. For the scientists, IBA sites are identified using rigorwere following the Red River through the centre of the
ous, standardized criteria. For the birds, IBAs are literally the
Netley-Libau Marsh but after Tuesday, I now suspect they
most important places on earth.
are migrating up the Libau side of the marsh to Stoney
Point, along the west shore of Pruden Bay
So what is it like to be an IBA caretaker?
to the beach ridge separating the marsh
Here is a taste of “a day in the life”…
or the birds, IBAs
from Lake Winnipeg, and then west to
are literally the most
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Warner Road at the northwest corner of
important
places on earth.”
the marsh.
Fran (my wife) and I birded, by boat, 22 km
“F
of Lake Winnipeg’s lakeshore today doing
the counts for the Netley-Libau Marsh IBA. The lakeshore is a
strewn mess of fallen and falling trees, eroded by years of Lake
Winnipeg watershed inflows and wind tides plus the holding
back of some of that water within Lake Winnipeg Regulation
(711–715 ft above sea level).
It’s not a pretty picture!
I am the caretaker for the Netley-Libau
Marsh (NLM) Important Bird Area (IBA). Caretaking involves
doing bird counts in their breeding and migrating seasons,
entering the data into ebird.org, advocating and outreach (if I
want to) and the usual administrative stuff such as reporting
my time spent on all of the above
and my travel to and fro and
within. The NLM IBA northern
boundary includes 25 km of Lake
Winnipeg’s southern shoreline
and reaches one km into the
lake. It extends all the way from
Warner Road on the Netley side
of the marsh to the west side of
Beaconia Lake at Patricia Beach
on the Libau side of the marsh.
Charlie McPherson
The IBA Program is a global
program started in Europe in the
1980s. It was felt that if something wasn’t done to save the
world’s birds, the world would
NLM’s six channel mouths and
the mouths of Pruden Bay and
the Brokenhead River are where
most of the birding activity is,
although the bays along the
lakeshore and the beach ridge
itself hold scatterings of water
birds, gulls, eagles, herons,
ravens, and crows, and such.
Although some of the birds are
still in migration and some are
still to come, some will remain
(continued on page 6...)
I n T h i s Is s u e ...
A Day in the Life of an IBA Caretaker..........................p. 1 & 6
President’s Corner: Reflections on our AGM...................... p. 2
Member Profile: Joe Leven................................................ p. 3
Why the Raven is Black: A Natural History Observation.... p. 4
Our Natural Garden Tour: Sat. July 4, 2015...................... p. 5
Mantario Summer Program 2015...................................... p. 7
Parks and Protected Areas News................................... p. 8-9
Outdoor Activities...................................................... p. 10-11
Bird News: Winter 2014-2015 Highlights........................ p. 12
Manitoba CSI – Chimney Swift Sleuths Wanted.......... p. 13-14
The Birds of Manitoba at reduced price.......................... p. 14
Manitoba Bluebird Fund Tree Planting Campaign............ p. 15
AGM 2015 Awards.................................................... p. 16-17
Roger’s Rant: After nine years of Stephen Harper..... p. 18-19
President’s Corner
by Donald Himbeault
Canada Post Publications Mail Sales
Product Agreement No. 0040069231.
Issued 4 times a year as the official
publication of Nature Manitoba.
Subscriptions are a benefit of membership.
See backpage for membership details.
Opinions are those of the writers and not
necessarily the organization as a whole.
Office and Library
401 - 63 Albert St.
Winnipeg, R3B 1G4
Phone/Fax:.......................... 204-943-9029
Email:[email protected]
Website:............. www.naturemanitoba.ca
Office Administrator............. Susan McLarty
Office Assistant.............. Deanna Dodgson
Hours: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Mon/Tue and Thu/Fri
Nature Manitoba News
Newsletter Editor.................... Tommy Allen
Email:[email protected]
Editorial Committee:
Tommy Allen
Donna Danyluk
Roger Turenne
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Classifieds are also available for 15$.
Submission deadline is the first day of the
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Deadline for the Fall 2015 (Sep / Oct /
Nov) issue is August 1st, 2015.
This newsletter is printed on Enviro 100
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2015 / 2016 Executive
President........................ Donald Himbeault
Exec. Vice-President..................Jack Dubois
Vice-President................... James Whitelaw
Treasurer................................... Nikolas Cyr
Secretary...................................Alain Louer
Past President...................... Roger Turenne
2015 / 2016 Board Members
Christian Artuso, Scott Falkingham,
Michele Kading, Eric Melvin,
Les McCann, Shauna McQuarrie,
Rommel Molod, Tracey Seida
and Roger Sutherland
Page 2
Reflections on our AGM
I
was very happy to see such a good turnout of members,
79 in fact, at our most recent Annual General Meeting.
(Although I suspect that Christian Artuso’s presentation
on the Breeding Bird Atlas was the real draw for the
evening!) To be able to report at the meeting that our
organization had a financially strong year was also very gratifying. Another source of
happiness was that our director positions on the board are once again full to capacity,
with the addition of a new board member. Then, closing the meeting with the handing
out of awards (see page 16-17) made for a very satisfying event.
In the President’s report that I presented at the meeting, I shared my assessment of
how I thought our organization was performing with regards to achieving its mission.
After all, it is the responsibility of the Board of Directors and the President to see that
everything the organization does is related in some way to achieving its goals. Focusing on the day-to-day aspects of the operation of our organization can make it all too
easy to lose sight of the bigger picture of our purpose. But it is also important to
periodically review the mission statement itself and assess whether it remains relevant
and is reflective of the desires of the membership.
Our official mission statement is on the home page of our website and is actually made
up of several statements, some of which are rather specific, and some which are very
broad. Most of these statements date back to the very beginning of our organization,
and throughout our near-century of existence, some elements have been added and
others removed. As we go forward, further fine tuning may be required to these
statements, to remove those things that are not relevant, or to emphasize those that
now have more importance. Or, it may be worthwhile to adopt a simplified version
more along the lines of what appears on the back page of this newsletter. Some of our
sister organizations in the province have adopted very terse yet comprehensive mission
statements; this seems to be a trend in many other organizations.
Our mission statement has always started with the phrase that currently reads:
To foster an awareness and appreciation of the natural environment and an understanding of humanity’s place therein. This forms the foundation of all the activities we do, as
it is about connecting people with nature. This is also what I believe distinguishes
Nature Manitoba from many of our counterparts in the province. While many organizations engage in conservation, education, and outdoor activities, it is our emphasis on
linking people with Nature in our activities that sets us apart. I expect that this part of
our mission – connecting people with nature – will be an enduring one.
In closing, I look forward to serving another term as your President, and as always, I am
interested in hearing from you on how well you think our organization is performing.
Late Breaking News:
Victoria Beach Cabin to be sold!
As this issue goes to press, we have just learned we were successful in
removing the legal caveat that impeded our ability to sell our property at
Victoria Beach. As has been reported over the last year or two, Nature
Manitoba was faced with the need to undertake significant renovations if it
was to continue operating the cabin. After considering many options, and
assessing the relevance of the cabin to our organization’s goals, the Board
decided to sell the cabin but learned there was a caveat on the property that
prevented this. With the caveat now gone, the Board will proceed with the
sale of the property, with the first steps being selecting an agent and preparing the property to looks its best for the sale. If you are interested in helping
out in any way such as with a work party to spruce the place up, or want to
be advised of the real estate listing once it is on the market, please contact
the Nature Manitoba office.
Vol. 7, Issue 3 - Summer 2015
a
ssio
P
e
l
n
p
o
e
at
Pe
by Tommy Allen
J
e.
A
bo
..
JOE
LEVEN
ut N atur
oe was only
a few days
old when his
family had to be evacuated
from their North End home, along
with 100,000 other residents during the
1950 flood. Joe’s dad, who owned the
Crosstown Pharmacy, stayed behind to bail
the basement. Although too young to
remember, this sense of adventure has stuck
with Joe. He is retired now but has not
slowed down. He makes annual trips to
China with his wife to study Tai Chi with his
Tai Chi Master, and has become a poster
child for volunteerism.
computer
programming in
order to provide for his
family. He graduated from
the University of Manitoba, and
became a systems engineer at IBM. He was
disappointed that the job was more about
marketing than problem solving, and after
four years he left. A couple of jobs later, he
ended up at Manitoba Hydro, and worked
there as a supervisor until his retirement
nearly ten years ago. Raising his family and
tending the garden at their River Heights
home kept Joe busy while he worked, but
once retired he really wanted to
help people and give back to the
...he has
community as a volunteer.
“
Joe’s parents had a cottage at
Winnipeg Beach, and his dad
become a
would attempt to fish off the
Joe has delivered tens of
poster child for
Gimli pier, but they were city
thousands of meals for Meals on
volunteerism.”
parents. Joe developed a love
Wheels, where he realized the
for the outdoors on his own,
simple interaction of delivering
although his passion is more focused on
a meal can have a profound effect on
horticulture than venturing off on backrecipients, and he now sits on their Board.
country trips. After completing a degree at
His interest in gardening got him involved
the University of Toronto, where he made a
with the Friends of the Assiniboine Park
mid-degree switch from politics and
Conservatory (now Gardens Manitoba),
economics to religion and philosophy, he
where he was on the Board, edited their
went to Israel with his to-be wife, Dorie, to
newsletter, and helped coordinate events
spend time on a Kibbutz. There, he was
including the Festival of Trees & Lights. He
introduced to the challenges of growing
has been on the transportation crew of the
food, namely bananas. A few years later, he
Jazz Festival, volunteered at a food bank for
and his wife purchased their own property
the First Unitarian Church, and recorded
in Israel with the goal of growing and
many audiobooks for the CNIB. He is an
selling vegetables. Joe admits now that he
active turtle stamp collector (hosting the
was naive to think he could pull that off,
website sites.google.com/site/turtlestampand Dorie was the one who kept them
collecting), and still makes time for two
going by working in a science lab. Aside
daily practices of Tai Chi (practicing
from the fluke of one ill-timed tomato crop
through Zen Tao Chi-Kung Tai Chi). He’s
that reaped a high return, his farming
known about Nature Manitoba for many
efforts were often a failure. He and Dorie,
years, and has attended Discovery Evenings
now with a daughter, left the farm to move
and Workshops. With a growing interest in
back to their hometown of Winnipeg.
birding, he has just recently joined and,
guess what... he is now an active volunteer!
Upon their return, Joe decided to study
Welcome New Members!
Feb. 10 to May 14, 2015
Tannis, Rob, Hope & Frankie Appelmans
Martha Bueckert
Margaret Campbell
Bryan Desrochers & Angie Desrochers-Emond
Dasha Dorofeeva
Dwayne Dosch
J. Roy Essery
Jonathan, Kimberly, Joshua,
Jakob & Adam Fast
Kerry Fraser
Colleen French
Zigor Apraiz Garteiz, Amaia Zenon
Goldaraz, Unai & Elene Apraiz Zenon
Cathy Guttek
Ryan Heinrichs
Corinne Kennedy
Sam Klippenstien
William Kocay
Gabrielle Lint
Cathy Lovatt
Aaron & Sefton Marshall,
Christine & Genevieve Strike
Veronica, Patrick
& Rachel Miltenburg
Patricia Rudolph
Alleson Sandwell
Raven Sharma
Marsha Steeds
Crystal Stevens
Jane Thiesen
Pat Wally
Jan Zonneveld
Board Meetings
Open to All Members
Nature Manitoba board meetings
are open for members to attend
and hear about the latest issues,
as well as learn about opportunities
for becoming more involved in our
organization. The next meeting of the
board will be held Thursday, June
11 at 7:00 PM in the second floor
meeting room of the St. Boniface
Library, 131 Provencher Boulevard.
GIANT Garage Sale
Saturday, September 19th 2015
Nature Manitoba’s next Giant Garage
Sale will be in the fall, on Saturday,
September 19 at Holy Cross School
in St. Boniface. Volunteers will be
needed, you can contact the office at
204-943-9029 to offer your help.
Page 3
Encounters of the
NATURAL Kind
Please send us
your short stories
(approx. 300-500
words) of interesting
encounters with
Manitoba nature.
Why the Raven is Black: A Natural History Observation
by Michael J. Waddell
I
n spring of 1993 I was fortunate
enough to find myself in Thompson, Manitoba. Snow was still on
the ground but the sun was gaining
power and the thaw had begun.
Majestic Pisew Falls was flowing freely
with wonderful ice works still in
evidence. I had come to visit a friend
and had a week ay my disposal.
I soon encountered the ubiquitous and
renowned “Thompson Turkey”. They
were everywhere. Perched on dumpsters. On trees. Walking happily down
the sidewalk. Soaring overhead.
Calling out pleasures and displeasures. I refer, of course, to an icon of
the great Northern Boreal Forest: the
Common Raven.
They are anything but common,
except maybe for their occurrence at
these latitudes. They seemed to me
like citizens of this northern Manitoba
city. Yet they drifted off to the wilds of
the forest with ease and grace after
extracting what was needed from
town. Where did they go? Why come
so boldly into town? I asked a local
Aboriginal woman where do the
ravens go at night and she smiled as
she replied: “They go into the woods
to perform ceremonies.”
in a landscape covered in snow for
nine months of the year. They stood
out on the snow-white fields like
beacons. I had thought animals were
supposed to be equipped with camouflage of some sort to blend in with
their environment. Or did ravens not
care to do this? They are very bold
birds; indeed Lakehead University
naturalist Scott Kyle says “Ravens are
the bikers of the bird world.”
As I continued watching them, now
captivated and determined, I noticed
something. A raven picked at a scrap
on an open white field, visible to all.
Then, apparently satisfied, the bird
took flight. It flew, not far, up to a row
of evergreens bordering the clearing
and…disappeared. I could not make
out where it flew to perch. It was then
I noticed not the green of the ever-
I became spellbound watching these
large birds seamlessly enmeshing
themselves into the day-to-day
business of Thompson. I began to
listen for their calls, not exactly like
a crow’s, huskier yet melodic with
a wide variety of tones. One raven
perched above me, called, and I
tried mimicking a “caw” sound. It
responded with an indescribable
bell-ring sound.
So black would seem to be a perfect
color for this year-round denizen of
northern Manitoba, a land wrapped
in white snow for much of the year.
But I still believe that the raven wants
to be seen. By me, by you and by all
other creatures it shares its environment with.
Mike Waddell is a former curator of the
Morden Museum, now the Canadian
Fossil Discovery Centre.
Michael
Waddell
I then began to wonder why a big,
jet-black bird would live and flourish
Page 4
green trees but rather the dark black
shadows contained therein. I could
hear other raven calls close by but I
could not see them. It would seem
that the ravens wrapped in their
black feathered coats had found a
perfect spot to conceal themselves.
Day or night, summer or winter. A
perfect camouflage.
All you need is
a little space!
Naturescape Manitoba
now available for $20
Want to bring the natural world
back to your surroundings,
attract more birds and butterflies,
create a healthier habitat, or
simply do something different in
your yard? Then this book is for
you! With a host of information
about native plants, lawn care,
composting, water conservation,
dealing with pests, project ideas
and much more, this 200-page
full-colour book is on sale for
$20 (regular price $24.95) and
is available from the Nature
Manitoba office (204-943-9029;
tax included, shipping within
Manitoba is approx. $13).
A beautiful riverside stop
on the 2014 Garden Tour.
Only One Month until
Our Natural Garden Tour
July 4, 2015
Gardening season is in full swing, and if you’re in search of
some inspiration, join us for Our Natural Garden Tour 2015!
The date is July 4 and the price is still $15.00, one of the best
garden tour deals around! We’re doing something a little
different this year – all of the gardens are in one area of the city:
Whyte Ridge. There are eight private gardens with styles
ranging from formal to quiet and cozy; two are Naturescapecertified with a focus on habitat for attracting birds and butterflies; another boasts a spectacular vegetable garden. This
year’s community garden is a butterfly garden under development at the Whyte Ridge Community Centre, and will be the
cornerstone of a new interpretive trail project.
As usual, information about each garden, including addresses
and directions, are on the ticket. This is a self-directed tour, and
we encourage carpooling; better yet, given the proximity of the
gardens to each other this year, consider cycling or walking
between gardens. Tickets are available at the following vendors:
Lacoste Garden Centre
St. Mary’s Nursery & Garden Centre
Sage Garden Herbs
Shelmerdine Nurseries & Garden Centre
Schreimer’s Home & Garden Showplace
Jensen’s Nursery & Garden Centre
Calabria Market & Wine Store
Preferred Perch
McNally Robinson Booksellers
and from the Nature Manitoba office
(call 204-943-9029 or email [email protected]).
Tommy Allen
»»
»»
»»
»»
»»
»»
»»
»»
»»
»»
Join us for Our Natural Garden
Tour on SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015.
Support Nature Manitoba and enjoy
a day of flora, friends and fun!
Page 5
Charlie McPherson
by Charlie McPherson
(...continued from page 1)
here to breed – Western Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, American
Coot, Forster’s Tern and Franklin’s Gull, among others. Several
hundred (each) American White Pelicans and Double-crested
Cormorants (non-breeding individuals) will make NLM their
summer home too, as will several species of duck: Mallard,
Wood Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Redhead.
We concentrated our counts on the lakeside of the beach ridge
but on our way back took a ‘churn us to butter’ spin, bumping
over the waves up the wind-assaulted East Channel to the
centre of the marsh. The interior marsh lakes and channels are
flooded, having only the occasional duck here and there, the
occasional Great Blue Heron, a few Bald Eagles, an occasional
Raven and a few Red-winged Blackbirds at this time of year.
Yellow Warbler and Song Sparrow are the most common
songbirds that nest in the treed channel shorelines that can
reach a kilometre into the marsh; Red-winged Blackbird,
Yellow-headed Blackbird, Common Yellowthroat and Marsh
Wren are the most common species in the
un-treed portions of the marsh.
motor down and it was too windy to row in, so after bumping
over a school of carp (thump, thunk, thump) we turned around
and headed back north to Lake Winnipeg and across the lake…
west along the beach ridge to Pruden Bay where the Western
Grebes like to feed…up the East Channel (which the army that
was sent to take out Louis Riel paddled up) to the Cross
Channel…west across to the Main (the shipping channel)…
south up the Main to the Hughes Channel at the centre of the
marsh (the channel that fur traders coming from the west
would use, and the one with the ever-sosuccessful breeding pair of Bald Eagles,
he Netley-Libau
seven years in a row now)…north down
It’s an all-grey, drizzly kind of day today,
Marsh is an entire
the Hughes past a “demo channel” (to be
Wednesday, May 6, as I sit here with the
ecosystem in upheaval in
used by Lake Winnipeg Foundation scienheater on, typing up Tuesday’s trip report.
need of serious mitigation.” tists as a test site for phosphorous uptake as
I’m on Chalet Beach Road at the northwest
part of the effort to save the lake from
corner of the NLM next to what used to be
nutrient
overloading)
to its mouth where we stopped for lunch
Moore’s Creek, looking out over a 1–2 km ring of cattails into
and witnessed a most marvelous migration of Sharp-shinned
what is now the gigantic, 60+ sq km Netley Lake. On a clear
Hawks. We watched as a few of them drifted over the beach
day, I can see the Netley Cut about 10 km to the south-southridge on their way west to Warner Road earlier in the day and
east. Prior to the drought of 2003, there were no cattails here;
now, again, a bunch (35 in one hour) over the ridge (about
they were drowned out by preceding flood years. There’s a
100 yards wide here) at the mouth of the Hughes and, after
few Red-winged Blackbirds establishing territories, a pair of
clearing the trees, some bombing down over the Hughes to
Mallard cupping in for a landing, another four laying on the
within just metres of us.
road eating yummy gravel and taking showers, and a Canada
Goose sitting on a nest in an open area of winter-flattened
In the afternoon light, the Hughes was a warm tint of grey
cattails about half a kilometre out. There’s a goofy Sora Rail
draining into and sprawling out over Lake Winnipeg, reaching
laughing its hyena laugh just behind me. On a good day, one
all the way across the lake to the distant northern horizon,
might be able to see a few other bird species, but only a few.
becoming a dark shade of grey with a touch of cobalt blue to
“T
Two bird species in migration on Tuesday were Northern
Harrier and Sharp-shinned Hawk. After scooting across the
lake from Warner Road in the northwest to the Brokenhead
River in the northeast, Fran and I travelled upstream (south)
on the Brokenhead to the channel that both feeds and drains
Folster’s Lake. There’s usually some evidence of breeding birds
in and around this lake – more so than any of the other inner
marsh lakes. You can see the casino on Hwy. 59 from this lake.
The casino ended up with the controversial palm trees that
Winnipeg Beach had ordered a few years ago.
Folster’s Lake was bird-less and too shallow to enter with the
Page 6
keep it fresh and alive. Climbing out of the shade, the sky on
the horizon was a light tint of cerulean blue advancing overhead to deep, deep cerulean behind strings of thin white
clouds. Nothing dazzling to write home about; kind of plain,
actually. But then there were those hawks…
You can read more of Charlie’s Netley-Libau Marsh adventures
and observations at importantbirdareasmb.ca/blog/. The
above article was adapted from
his May 8 posting, which also
contains his May 5 species list, a
map of Netley Lake and images
of shoreline erosion.
Jan Cote
The NLM is an entire ecosystem in upheaval in need of serious
mitigation. A marsh needs both drown-out years (to kill off
vegetation) and drought years (to rejuvenate it). The controversial science behind Lake Winnipeg Regulation (the storing
of the lake’s one million sq km watershed inflows for winter
power production) keeps the marsh perpetually flooded. A
perpetually flooded marsh is a dying marsh, but that is a topic
for another time...
Charlie
McPherson
2015 RATES
includes food & t-shirt
Adult (non-members)................................................. $415* (weekend: $332*)
Members of Nature Manitoba (also full-time students, seniors 65+,
and youth aged 14-17 with parent) ............................ $380* (weekend: $305*)
Under 18 (only for Family Weeks/Weekends).............. $140 (weekend: $112)
*Early-bird Rates: Deduct $35 for registrations before June 1st.
You can register and pay your deposit on our website:
www.MantarioCabin.ca
5 day canoe adventures
MANTARIO
SUMMER
in July and August
PROGRAM 2015
The
is looking
forward
to another exciting Summer Program. If you’ve never been out to our
all-inclusive guided
tripMantario
to MantarioCommittee
cabin in Manitoba’s
pristine
wilderness
wonderful
Mantario
Cabin,
make
it
part
of
your
summer this year with the guided five day summer programs. Food,
ils and dates at
204-943-9029 or at www.MantarioCabin.ca
canoes and much more is included. If you’re a Mantario regular, this is a great chance to share the experience
with someone new. Get your name in as soon as possible for the following weeks to avoid disappointment.
Members who would like to experience the Mantario Cabin for the first time outside of the Mantario
Summer Program are welcome to inquire at the office about private or member-led trips as they arise.
Family Weekend
Family Week
with Brian Hydesmith
July 2 - 5, 2015
with Pat Nowicki
July 27 - 31, 2015
The first week of the summer program will be a shorter version of the
family week, in response to the school year ending June 30th. We’ll
stay just four days. We already have three families and a mix of ages,
with a few more spots available, and look forward to a great time.
Come out and enjoy Mantario with Pat and learn to appreciate
the beauty of the area. The Mantario Cabin will give you great
memories of different activities on or off the island. Whether it’s
jumping off the dock, discovering the forest trails, or enjoying
seeing one of the many creatures who share the island,
Mantario will keep you and your kids coming back for more.
Nature Manitoba publication
4.9375” wideFishing,
by 4.9167”Relaxation
high
and Blueberry Fun
Astronomy Week
I have been leading trips to Mantario for many years; my experience is
Enjoy some of the darkest skies in southern Manitoba during the
week of the Perseid meteor shower. We will experience beautiful
sunsets, learn to navigate the stars, be amazed at the majesty
of the Milky Way, and possibly enjoy some Northern Lights.
Whether you stay up all night or head to bed early, you can spend
your days paddling, hiking, fishing, swimming, or relaxing.
Nature Manitoba -
with Heather Matheson
August 10 - 14, 2015
with Marc Leclair
July
13 - 17,committee)
2015
(Mantario Cabin
in fishing and exploration of the area. If you would like to learn how to
for technical
concerns, contact Brian Hydesmith
filet a fish I can teach you, if you want to explore the area by foot I can
[email protected]
487
0067I can race you. We will
take you, if you want to swim 204
around
the cabin
spend our days fishing, blueberry picking and relaxing in Mantario while
breathing fresh air the whole time. Another great adventure awaits you.
Women’s Weekend Retreat
The Garden of Boreas
with Katrina Froese
August 14 - 17, 2015
with Charles Burchill
July 20 - 24, 2015
For more information on this trip, visit this
woman’s weekend retreat facebook event:
www.facebook.com/events/1612161625667020/
Mycelium Canoeing
with Donna Kurt
August 17 - 21, 2015
This week will expand your awareness of fungi and mushrooms in
the wonder of the Mantario wilderness. Donna’s website has a full
description of what to expect on this week, as well as many other
videos and resources: www.wilds.mb.ca/myceliumcanoeing/
Brian Hydesmith
The Boreal, meaning “of the North”, is a place of awe and wonder.
The word comes from the Greek boreas meaning “god of the north
wind”. Mantario is right on the edge of the Boreal forest in the Mantario
Wilderness Zone; it is wild in every sense of the word. The area also
represents some of the best accessible canoe country in Manitoba.
Come and explore the Garden of Boreas by canoe and on foot. For
lots more information on this trip, and some general canoeing and plant
information, please go to Charles Burchill’s website:
home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~burchil/mantario
Page 7
Parks and Protected Areas News
Compiled by Donna Danyluk
The following has been taken from the Manitoba Conservation website. Although the public consultation period for these
initiatives is over, more information on these areas can be obtained from www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/parks/consult.
New Ecological Reserves
Manitoba Conservation has completed a public review of
6 new ecological reserves: Woodridge (515 hectares), St.
Labre Bog (3,840 hectares), St. Anne Bog (415 hectares),
Piney (780 hectares), Cedar Bog in the Sandilands Provincial Forest (105 hectares), and an expansion of Lewis Bog
Ecological Reserve (4,670 hectares). Ecological reserves
preserve unique and rare species, natural features or
ecosystems.
Proposed Addition to Moose Lake Provincial Park.
Approximately 93 hectares of land is proposed for addition
under the Recreation Development Land Use Category, bringing the park to a total of 1,049 hectares. Moose Lake has been
used as a recreation area since the 1930s, the campground
was developed in 1954 and the area designated a provincial
park in 1961. The proposed additions include various areas
of existing park infrastructure such as campsites and a 3 km
hiking trail that currently fall outside the park boundary.
Page 8
MB Conservation
MB Conservation
Manitoba Conservation is also proposing to designate
Park Reserves to become Provincial Parks
Pelican Islands Park Reserve as an Ecological Reserve
Earlier this year, Manitoba Conservation proposed that five
rather than a provincial park. This area is comprised of six
park reserves be designated as provincial parks: two along
small islands (totalling 130 hectares) west of Commissioner
the west shore of Lake Winnipeg and three island parks in
Island on Lake Winnipeg about 225 km
Lake Winnipegosis.
north of Winnipeg (see map below).
The islands are home to various
Kinwow Bay and Sturgeon Bay Park
Did you know?
shorebirds including the endangered
Reserves will be permanently protected
Piping Plover as well as the largest
as wilderness provincial parks, with all
The 76-hectare Holmgren Pines
colonies of American White Pelicans
Ecological Reserve, 30 km northeast
lands classified under the Wilderness
of Sprague and adjacent to Moose
and Common Terns on Lake Winnipeg.
Land Use Category. They are located
Lake Provincial Park, is the only
Fishermen familiar with the islands
in the central Interlake region along
known site in Manitoba where
have reported that pelicans have
the west shore of Lake Winnipeg
all three native pine species —
shifted their preferred nesting sites
about 225 km north of Winnipeg (see
eastern white pine, red pine and
from island to island in the group over
map below). Both park reserves were
Jack pine — grow together.
the past couple of decades. Other
designated in 2001 in order to provide
noteworthy colonial nesting bird
interim protection to lands in the
species have been observed on the
Manitoba Lowlands Natural Region, and
islands including Herring Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, and
are the result of a First Nations nomination. Kinwow Bay
Double-crested Cormorants, as well as numerous Bald Eagles. Park Reserve (8,400 hectares) features stands of birch and
The islands are largely sandy, but many have significant
willow and marshlands along the shore of Lake Winnipeg,
vegetative cover with some patches of trees and shrubs as
with inland areas of black spruce bogs, stands of tamarack
well as expanses of grasses and other plants. The designation
and isolated areas of treeless muskeg. Sturgeon Bay Park
of ecological reserve will provide Pelican Islands with the
Reserve (14,490 hectares) features alder, willow and birch
highest level of protection within Manitoba’s network of
stands in the riparian area along the Mantagao River. Inland
protected areas.
areas include black spruce forests and marsh lands.
Goose Islands, Grand Island, and Pemmican Island
Park Reserves are located in the north basin of Lake Winnipegosis, about 175 km north of Dauphin (see map at right).
All three park reserves were designated in 2001 to provide
interim protection to lands in the Manitoba Lowlands Natural
Region. All three proposed parks will be natural provincial
parks with lands classified under the Backcountry Land Use
Category. Goose Islands Park Reserve (145 hectares) includes
five separate islands comprised of boulders, gravel, mud flats,
marshes and sand beaches. Inland areas include small stands
of willow and alder and the occasional white birch. The
proposed provincial park will protect the nesting grounds of
the Double-crested Cormorant, Caspian and Common Tern,
and Ring-billed and Herring Gull. Grand Island Park Reserve
(1,035 hectares) includes Grand Island itself and two smaller
adjacent islands comprised of dolomite bedrock outcrops and
cliffs, gravel ridges, marshes and mud flats, and containing
mixed-wood forests and stands of willow. The proposed park
will protect habitat for wildlife including white-tailed deer,
moose, fox, coyote, numerous songbirds, cormorants, pelicans, Ring-billed and Herring Gulls, and Common Tern.
Pemmican Island Park Reserve (22 hectares) is comprised of
limestone outcrops and cliffs, boulders, gravel, and sand.
Inland areas contain forest stands of trembling aspen, Manitoba maple, and American elm. The proposed provincial park
will protect the nesting ground of various colonial waterbirds,
especially Double-crested Cormorants.
What the People Said…
Non-motorized areas in Nopiming…no hunting in the
park…remove boat caches with their unsightly garbage
and derelict boats…restrictions on ATV use…overcrowding and garbage in the backcountry…more
campsites along canoe routes…remove mining …no
additional roads… a long distance hiking trail along the
Manigotagan river?... these are just some of the topics
addressed in the Report on Public Comments for the
management planning process for Nopiming and
Manigotagan River Provincial Parks.
The majority of comments make it clear that most people
value Nopiming for its solitude and underdeveloped feel,
and the Manigotagan for its high-quality backcountry
canoe experience and one of the few accessible wilderness opportunities in southern Manitoba. Draft management plans and a second phase of public review will be
next; visit www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/parks/consult
to read the full Report on Public Comments, and for
updates on the next steps.
MB Conservation
C. Artuso
American White
Pelicans and other
colonial-nesting
waterbirds
Native Orchid Conservation Inc. Notices
W
ith the great success of their field guide Orchids of Manitoba (the first edition is
sold out), Native Orchid Conservation Inc. (NOCI) is pleased to announce the
planned production of a second edition with many updates and additions. The intent is
the same as the first edition, to provide information about Manitoba’s 37 orchid species
and the need to conserve their habitat, but this book will be even better. Species
accounts will include updated range maps and a write-up on Manitoba’s newest native
orchid (Epipactis helleborine), expanded sections on orchid biology and conservation,
and more beautiful photos of native orchids. This book will also highlight NOCI’s work
and past successes with native orchid conservation and discuss future challenges
related to climate change and loss of habitat. If you are reading this notice before May
31, you can place an advance order for this book – see www.nativeorchid.org.
The official opening of the Brokenhead Wetland Ecological Preserve boardwalk
has been tentatively set for Friday June 26, but please check www.nativeorchid.org in
early June for confirmation of the date and more details. This fen/bog is home to 23
species of rare and uncommon plants, and 28 of Manitoba’s 37 native orchid species.
The day will include an opening ceremony, festivities, lunch, and free guided tours.
Page 9
Trips are not always planned far enough ahead to be listed here. See the Outdoor Activities section at
www.naturemanitoba.ca for the most up-to-date listing, or sign-up there to receive a weekly list by email.
Mud Turtle Adventure
Canoe the Whiteshell
Botany Walk at Henteleff Park
Join Jerry for a canoeing day trip to Mud
Turtle Lake. We may see some monster
clay chelydra serpentina. Involves about
12 km of paddling and doing a portage
of 500m twice. The launch is at Brereton
Lake in the Whiteshell. While classified
as intermediate, novice paddlers who are
ready to try some portaging are welcome.
Contact Jerry Ameis at 204-284-1902
or [email protected]. [Int]
Celebrate the start of summer with a
canoeing day trip from Big Whiteshell
Lake to Lone Island Lake. Join Jerry in
this celebratory venture. Involves about
12 km of paddling. If water levels are high
enough we might try a side adventure
up Indian Creek. The launch is at Big
Whiteshell (the Mantario launch site).
Contact Jerry Ameis at 204-284-1902
or [email protected]. [Nvc]
Join Marilyn Latta for an evening stroll
through Henteleff Park in south St. Vital.
Although primarily a plant walk, we will
look at birds, butterflies and anything else
that runs, flies or crawls by. Meet at the
parking lot (1964 St. Mary’s Rd.) at 7pm.
Contact Marilyn Latta at
204-253-9245. [Nvc]
Hecla Provincial Park
Spurge Purge & Plant Walk
Join Roger to visit the historical Hecla
Village and then the Hecla Provincial
Park where we shall visit a marsh and
Lake Winnipeg’s shoreline. Departure
time will be at 9 am and more details
to be provided closer to date.
Contact Roger Sutherland at
204-451-1219. [Nvc]
Join the Habitat Committee on their
annual mission to count and pull out
leafy spurge in study plots on one of our
prairies. The plan is to meet at 9 am at
the Loewen Prairie (4 km east of Tolstoi
on PR 209) and work for 2-3 hours,
then eat lunch at the interpretive trail
and go for a plant walk. It’s a great way
to help preserve the tall grass prairie
and learn more about prairie plants
like the Western Prairie Fringed Orchid,
which may be blooming at this time.
Please register with Marilyn Latta at 204253-9245 ahead of time so that you can be
notified of any changes in scheduling. Car
pooling will be arranged as needed. [Nvc]
Please join me on a hike in the picturesque
Pembina Hills Provincial Park in southern
Manitoba. Please bring lunch and water.
We can stop for ice cream on the way back.
Contact Alain Louer at 204-235-1790
Sun. May 31st
Sun. May 31st
Riverview Foundation Cycle
Sun. June 7th
I have created a team for the Riverview
Foundation cycle. I plan on doing the 25
km route. The team name I have used is
Nature Manitoba Tree Huggers. If you
want to join, you are most welcome.
Cycle River Road to Lockport
Sat. June 13th
Join Al for a cycle from Main St. at
River Rd. (close to Larters Golf Course)
to Lockport and back. For the energetic ones we may consider cycling up
to Prairie Originals native plant nursery
(location north of Lockport) then have
lunch at the St. Andrews Docks.
Whither the Whiteshell
Sat. June 20th
Hike the northern part of Whiteshell
Provincial Park around Nutimik Lake and
other trails as we discover sections of the
still-being-completed TransCanada Trail
(ca. 14 km). Register after June 12.
Contact Rose Kuzina at
[email protected]. [Int]
Page 10
Sun. June 21st
Sun. June 28th
Photo Hike at Brokenhead
Wetland Ecological Reserve
Thu. July 2nd
28 native orchids, 23 rare plants, 10
carnivorous plants, 1,240 hectares, a
calcareous fen, camera and macro lenses.
Stroll along the new 1.5 km boardwalk
through this fen for some evening photography during the full moon. Meet-up time
will be 5:30pm. Register after June 24.
[email protected]. [Nvc]
Centennial Hike in
Whiteshell Provincial Park
Sun. July 5th
Please join me in the beautiful
Whiteshell Provincial Park where I
plan on hiking the Centennial Trail.
Tue. July 7th
Hike the Pembina Valley
Sat. July 25th
Prairie Day at The Manitoba
Tall Grass Prairie Preserve
Sat. August 8th
Prairie Day celebrates the plants and
animals of the tall grass prairie ecosystem. From 10am to 4pm, guided walks,
presentations and displays highlight
different aspects of prairie wildlife and
this unique natural area. Face painting,
bannock baking and a bug hunt are
perennial favourites with the kids. This
outdoor event takes place rain or shine
at the Prairie Shore Trail located 3 km
east of Tolstoi on Provincial Road 209.
Contact Preserve staff at 204-425-3229
Hike Roseisle & Miami Area
Sun. August 9th
Please join me in a hike in the Roseisle
and Miami area. Bring lunch and water.
Rocks ’n Dams Along the
Winnipeg River System
Sat. August 15th
Hike up and down Blueberry Rock Hill in
the Lac du Bonnet area, then north to Coca
Cola Falls across from the Great Falls Dam
(ca. 10-12 km). The terrain and condition
of the trails call for experienced hikers
only. No pets. Register after August 7.
Free on Wednesdays?
Join the Grey Hares for interesting trips and activities and good company.
More Grey Hares trips will be scheduled for August. Trips are not always
planned far enough ahead to be listed
here. See our website’s Grey Hares
page in our “Outdoor Activity” section
for the most up-to-date listing.
West End Murals Walking Tour
Wed. June 3rd
A great way to discover the unique history
and culture of the area. Tour information:
www.mts.net/~4bmiller/GreyHares_West
EndMuralsWalkingTour.html
Kevin/Anita Miller at 204-224-3628
Cycle St. Vital/St. Boniface Trails
Wed. June 10th
Sharron Bettess at 204-256-2248. [Int]
Paddle or Cycle in St. Andrews
Wed. June 17th
Paddle downstream from Parks Creek to
the Red River if the water is high. Paddle
downstream on the Red to Lockport if the
water is low. Approx. 10 kms one way.
Two kayaks and one canoe available for
our use, if required. Alternate activity
option for a bike ride along River Road
to Skinner’s overlooking the locks at
Lockport. Meet at Judith’s house for
coffee/shuttle placement before launch.
Judith Campbell at 204-334-1365. [Int]
The following trips are major trips
planned for the summer of 2015. Visit our
website for details and possible additional
trips. For the trips below, contact Jerry
Ameis, the leader of all four trips, at
204-284-1902 or [email protected]
HawkCliff Lake Canoe Camping
Sat. July 11th - Fri. July 17th
Porcus Lake Camping
Sat. Aug. 1st - Wed. Aug. 5th
Kilvert Lake Area Canoe Camping
Sun. Aug. 16th - Sun. Aug. 23rd
Riding Mountain Cycle Camping
Tue. Sep. 1st - Mon. Sep. 7th
Brokenhead Wetland
Ecological Reserve Tour
Wed. June 24th
A spectacular wetland (with boardwalk)
with orchids, pitcher plants, etc.
Located just off Hwy 59, north of
Brokenhead. Option of Native Orchid
Society Tour @ $15.00 per person.
Doris Orchyk at 204-837-6166. [Nvc]
Cycle South of Winnipeg
Wed. July 8th
Cycle from South St. Vital to St.
Adolphe, with lunch in St. Adolphe.
Francy Wheadon at 204-256-0101
GENERAL RATING
GUIDELINES APPLICABLE
TO ALL ACTIVITIES
Novice (Nvc): Typically 2-3 hr duration.
Little or no experience required. Easy
terrain or calm water. Limited physical
fitness acceptable. Weather not normally
severe (shelter usually available).
Intermediate (Int): Typically a 4-6 hr day trip.
Some previous experience and skill desirable.
Some steep or difficult terrain or waves
possible. Moderate physical fitness required.
Weather not normally severe (shelter likely
not available). For multi-day trips: A fairly
easy 2-5 day camping trip requiring medium/
heavy packs, some specialized equipment
and skills. Effects of inclement weather and
injuries more severe than for a day trip.
Cycle a quiet, winding country
road (Lido Plage Rd.) from South
Headingley and along the Assiniboine
River through St. Francois Xavier.
Daniela Rempel at 204-633-0668 or
Wed. July 15th
Advanced (Adv): A full day trip. Previous
experience, significant skill and good physical
condition required. Must be able to carry
a heavy pack. Steep or difficult terrain or
waves to be expected. Sustained strenuous
activity required. For multi-day trips: A
strenuous camping trip of many days duration
requiring medium/heavy packs, specialized
equipment and skills. Long portages over
difficult terrain may occur. Severe weather
conditions may halt trip and require use of
skilled survival techniques. Accidents such
as capsizing or physical injuries may be life
threatening. Wilderness or remote location
may make rescue or aid difficult to obtain.
Garden/Cycle Tour
For detailed Trip Rating Guidelines, see
www.naturemanitoba.ca/?q=trip-ratings
Cycle from Headingley
Wed. July 22nd
Cycle to various home gardens in Fort
Richmond, lunch at John & Pat Gray’s
home, followed by a guided tour of
the Leith Museum at the U of M.
Julia Schoen at 204-269-8004. [Int]
Wanted: Outdoor
Trip Video Footage
Nature Manitoba is planning to
produce a brief video to promote our
organization in various venues such
as YouTube. We are seeking good
quality video clips of various Nature
Manitoba activities for inclusion in
that production. If you have footage
which you believe might be suitable,
please get in touch with us. We are
also interested in winter activities.
Now if we could get a hi-def clip of
someone jumping into a hole in the ice
at Mantario! You won’t get paid but,
hey, what’s 15 seconds of fame worth?
Please contact the chair of the
Communications and Promotions
Committee, Roger Turenne, at
[email protected]. Thanks!
PLEASE NOTE:
All those planning to participate in a trip
must register with the leader beforehand,
unless otherwise indicated. Space is often
limited, so call early. If the leader cannot be
reached, call the office at 204-943-9029.
As a member of Nature Manitoba you have
the right to participate in all of our activities
and programs, but you must provide a
valid membership card. Trips are led by
unpaid, non-professional volunteers.
Trip leaders may exercise discretion and
decline to include any person. When
registering you must rely on your own
assessment of your ability to participate,
based on the requirements of the trip
as described in the detailed trip rating
guidelines on our website (see above).
By showing up it is understood that
you acknowledged and are prepared
and able to participate at the level
indicated. You will be required to sign an
Informed Consent and Liability Release
Agreement in order to participate.
Participants must be prepared for
inclement weather. Participants must have
adequate clothing, water, food, must carry
their own gear, and are responsible for
ensuring it is in good working condition.
Page 11
C. Artuso
Winter 2014-2015 Highlights
by Rudolf Koes
T
he winter season of 2014 – 2015 was not a memorable one in terms of bird sightings. In his article on
page 16 of the spring issue, Rob Parsons summarized
many of the highlights of the Christmas Bird Counts. Here I
will mention a few more and include the broader context of
the entire winter season.
A bitterly cold November had ensured that almost all water
was frozen at the start of December, resulting in a dearth of
lingering waterbirds. For example, only a few species of
waterfowl and not a single gull were reported in the first
few days of December, a time when many birders are active
and start their winter lists. A Mallard at Fisher Branch
throughout the winter was unexpected (Joanne Smith). A
Ruddy Duck found by Bob Shettler and Barry Creran on the
Winnipeg Christmas Bird Count (CBC) 14 December was
the only rare duck this season.
A tally of seventy-eight Wild Turkeys on the GlenboroSpruce Woods CBC was high. Turkey Vultures are extremely
rare in Manitoba in winter, so two noted during the Cypress
River-Spruce Woods CBC Count Week were notable. Virtually every CBC had Bald Eagles, the highest count being five
at Cypress River-Spruce Woods, while there were at least
seven Sharp-shinned Hawks and three Cooper’s Hawks. A
Red-tailed Hawk at Winnipeg 5 February (Gene Walz) was
out-of-season.
Fair numbers of Snowy Owls were found, especially in their
traditional winter haunts south and west of Winnipeg. Of
the few Northern Hawk Owls present, surely the most
photographed was a bird at the Winnipeg Assiniboine Park
Zoo. Only a handful of Great Gray Owls appeared, the only
reliable bird being one which showed up late in the season
north of Peguis. Millie Reid and Margaret Yorke had the
good fortune to find a Northern Saw-whet Owl along the
Little Souris River near Brandon on 19 February. Others
were seen at Burwalde Woods in the Pembina Valley on 15
February (later found dead – fide Paul Goossen), and in
Winnipeg in late February (C. Salki).
Red-bellied Woodpeckers continued to be seen in many
locations, including Cypress River, Delta, Morden, Oak
Hammock Marsh, Winnipeg and Winnipeg Beach. Several
CBCs had high counts of American Crows and Common
Page 12
Hermit Thrush
Ravens. The former species was a winter rarity even a few
decades ago, while the latter has made tremendous inroads
into the agricultural part of the province during the same
time period. Red-breasted Nuthatches had a poor fall flight,
with most birds apparently remaining in the Boreal Forest.
A tally of 11 Brown Creepers at the Cypress River-Spruce
Woods CBC was remarkably high, as were the 25 Goldencrowned Kinglets on the same count.
In addition to the Townsend Solitaire sightings from the
CBCs at Cypress River-Spruce Woods (three), and PinawaLac du Bonnet (one), one was seen in the Churchill Drive
area of Winnipeg around New Year. This bird may have
made it through the winter, as a solitaire was seen in the
same area in mid-March. One of the most noteworthy sightings involved a Hermit Thrush that was a daily visitor to Red
Clarke’s Winnipeg home until last seen on 3 February. Varied
Thrushes attracted numerous observers to Traverse Bay
and Fort Garry; two others were seen on CBCs at Brandon
and Morden. Bohemian Waxwing numbers were low.
The Cypress River-Spruce Woods CBC had 85 Red Crossbills; elsewhere they were thin on the ground. Whitewinged Crossbills were somewhat more common and more
widespread. Redpolls were the only winter finches present
in good numbers, with a fairly high proportion of Hoaries.
Pine Siskins were generally scarce, although the 311 found
on the Cypress River-Spruce Woods CBC bucked this trend.
THE bird of the season was undoubtedly the Eurasian Tree
Sparrow found by Garry Budyk and John Weier during the
Winnipeg CBC (see photo in the Spring 2015 issue), in the
northwest corner of the city. Representing only the second
confirmed occurrence in the province, it survived until at
least into February, in the company of a flock of House
Sparrows and a few whitethroats.
Manitoba CSI – Chimney Swift Sleuths Wanted
by Barb Stewart
(Excerpts from an article published in the Spring 2015 newsletter of the Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas)
C. Artuso
Thereafter, MCSI monitors Chimney Swifts by counting
entries and exits of birds at various chimneys to distinguish
nest versus roost sites, monitor nesting events, and estimate
breeding success. New active sites are being identified as
well. In 2014, Chimney Swift sleuths found two new
chimneys in Selkirk, one in Wasagaming, and five in Winnipeg. With the opportunistic discovery of Chimney Swifts
at the Visitor Centre in Riding Mountain comes the lure of
“roving” to find natural tree cavity users nearby.
Chimney Swift composite
photo by C. Artuso
T
hrough the dedicated efforts of volunteers, the Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas database has improved our
knowledge of the distribution of Chimney Swifts.
Chimney Swifts were documented in 36 atlas survey squares.
Nearly all sightings were in towns or suburbs and new sites
were identified; e.g., a nest chimney in the St. Norbert
neighbourhood of Winnipeg in 2014. However, there still is
much to learn about Chimney Swifts in Manitoba, where the
birds are at the northern periphery of their range.
You can become involved in two monitoring programs. In
2015, Manitoba Chimney Swift Initiative (MCSI) monitors
will be supporting the third consecutive year of a national
roost monitoring program and collecting the ninth season
of provincial monitoring data. To start the season, we help
organize volunteers for The Four Night National Roost
Monitoring Program in late May and early June (see contact
information at end of article to find out dates and details).
This tracks spring arrival and dispersal of migrating swifts
and records peak counts for subsequent trend analysis.
Once associated with old growth forests and large diameter
hollow trees, Chimney Swifts are urban dwellers now. Prime
Chimney Swift habitat includes unlined, open, old brick
chimneys with rough interior surfaces. Look for structures
with a minimum diameter of 14” (the minimum size to
accommodate outstretched wings) or ~ 3 x 3 bricks, on old
structures such as homes, churches, and post offices. Watch
for low level aerial activity of small numbers of birds during
the daytime – this indicates that nest sites are close by. An
ideal nest site will be close to feeding areas which support
many airborne insects, usually within two km of water.
During the roosting hour (a half hour before and after
sunset), watch for increasing numbers of Chimney Swifts
swirling around a chimney before they drop into their
nighttime resting place. In 2014, the Assiniboine School in
Winnipeg hosted over 100 swifts for a night – a remarkable
sight as the flock funnelled into the chimney.
Sleuthing conditions do not have to be rugged or time
consuming. Walking about historic areas of towns to find
old brick chimneys is a leisurely activity. If you prefer a
sit-stay approach, monitoring Chimney Swifts can be
(continued on page 14...)
Just the Facts, please…
Thanks to a grant from Environment
Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program
for Species at Risk, MCSI has produced
a set of 3 factsheets that highlight the
continued plight of our friendly neighbourhood chimney dwellers and highlight the importance of continued
conservation management.
Factsheet #1: Chimney Swift: Manitoba’s Flying Cigar. This describes the
ecology, life-cycle, Manitoba range and
conservation of the Chimney Swift.
Factsheet #2: Are Chimney Swifts
Using My Chimney? A pertinent
question! Descriptions and illustrations
tell home and business owners how
they might discover if their chimney
is a home for Chimney Swifts.
Factsheet #3: Become a Chimney
Swift Champion. This gives people
some ideas for how they might champion the conservation of Chimney
Swifts as home and business owners
and/or volunteers.
The factsheets are available in both
French and English versions, and
either as paper copies or as PDFs
downloadable from our website. There
are links to the documents on the
home and resources pages of
the MCSI website mbchimneyswift.
ca. We intend that these be given to
landlords, property owners, school
boards, church councils, in fact anyone
with a building with Chimney Swifts!
Page 13
downright comfortable once your
neck muscles are strengthened.
Positioned in a favourite chair, MCSI
monitors make a 1 to 1.5 hour
commitment to stare at a chimney
rim and record entries and exits. Nest
site status is confirmed by daytime
use outside of the roosting hour, so
an extra half hour of observations
preceding the roost can determine
if a site is being used for breeding
purposes. Chimney Swifts will arrive in Manitoba in mid to
late-May, depending on weather conditions, and depart in
mid to late-August. In between, breeding pairs will be active
at nest sites and non-breeding juveniles/adults will gather.
or rove into suspected Chimney Swift
territory to find new urban sites. Or
we can match you up with known
sites that need “eyes” for a few hours
of monitoring. Chimney Swifts are
listed as a Threatened species
(COSEWIC, 2007) and habitat loss is
associated with the significant decline
in their populations. Once active
roost and nest sites are identified,
MCSI can move forward with habitat
stewardship projects such as the
restoration and repair of deteriorating chimneys. Significant
efforts are required to secure a future for Chimney Swifts in
Manitoba and you can help us achieve that goal. We would
welcome your participation in any of our initiatives!
Your continued efforts to search for and monitor Chimney
Swifts in Manitoba would be appreciated. You can head off
on field expeditions to locate elusive natural cavity dwellers
For more information, email [email protected] or
check our website at mbchimneyswift.ca and our blog at
swift-notes.blogspot.ca.
(...continued from page 13)
Bruce Di Labio
Swifts cling to vertical walls
with short legs and long claws,
propping their spine-tipped tails
against the wall below them.
The Birds of Manitoba at reduced price!
Although many Nature Manitoba members already have a copy of The Birds
of Manitoba, there is now a chance to buy another copy at the reduced price
of $40.00 (regular price was $63.95). The stock has slowly dwindled to about
50 copies and it is time to clear out the remaining books. This offer will be
available to Nature Manitoba members only for about a month, after which it
will be extended to others.
Books can be obtained at the office during regular office hours.
“Whenever I have a question about the status of a bird species in
Manitoba in any season, their habitat, where they nest, etc., I always
turn to my copy of The Birds of Manitoba. It never fails to give me the
information I’m looking for!”
– Donna Danyluk
Dennis Swayze
Dennis Swayze
A young Great Horned
owlet that had recently
fledged the nest site
White-breasted Nuthatch
visiting an Eastern Screech Owl
Page 14
Manitoba Bluebird Fund
TREE PLANTING
CAMPAIGN 2015
Get a “free” tree for the birds
The Manitoba Bluebird Fund (MBF) was set up by Nature Manitoba
with the goal of stopping the continuing decline in the number of
songbirds in Manitoba, and hopefully, even see their numbers
increase. One of the activities sponsored by the fund is to offer a
financial incentive to homeowners in order to encourage the planting
of certain trees and/or shrubs on their property that will provide food
and habitat for Manitoba songbirds.
Under this program, we are offering a financial incentive for home owners to plant on their property fruiting trees or
shrubs that will retain their fruit for the birds during the winter, and also provide habitat in the summer. The offer
consists of the MBF paying the nursery for one half of the price for one tree per household, to a maximum of $55. As an
additional incentive for the homeowner to care for the tree or shrub once planted, the MBF will reimburse the owner for
the remaining half (again to a max. of $55) if the tree is still alive after 3 years. As most trees in this program retail for
$90 plus tax, this in effect gives the owner a free tree.
The trees eligible under this offer are:
»» Ornamental crabapples (Rosyblooms): Thunderchild, Pink Spire, Royal Beauty, Selkirk, Red Splendor, Starlite.
»» Mountain-ash: Russian, Blackhawk, Showy, Oakleaf.
The trees must also be purchased from the participating garden centre below:
Ron Paul Greenhouses and Garden Centre
2641 St. Mary's Road
Winnipeg, MB
In summary, the total maximum cost per tree or shrub to be reimbursed by this offer is limited to $110.00 (i.e. $55
at purchase, $55 after 3 years). A higher-priced eligible tree may be purchased, however the homeowner would be
responsible for paying the difference.
To participate in this program, an application form can be obtained by contacting the Nature Manitoba office at
204-943-9029 or [email protected] (note: offer will be limited to first 50 applicants).
P.S. Donations to the Manitoba Bluebird Fund gratefully and happily accepted; tax receipts would be issued by
Nature Manitoba.
Small red/orange fruit
on a Showy mountain-ash
Clayton Ditzler
Ornamental crabapple
blooming in the spring
Page 15
Nature Manitoba’s
A.G.M. AWARDS
Monday, March 16 th 2015
Les McCann
S
Service Award
Sean Worden
ean Worden joined Nature Manitoba in 2006, and served
as our Treasurer from 2007 to 2013. In his day-job life,
he is a Certified Management Accountant with over 23 years
of experience, but in his real life, he is an avid outdoor
enthusiast, especially when it comes to canoeing, camping,
hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. (This includes winter camping, where the prospect of sleeping
outside at temperatures below -30 C does not deter him!)
Sean has put his talents from both sides of his life to good
use for the Society.
Sean’s recent 6-year service as Treasurer was greatly
appreciated. Being treasurer for Nature Manitoba is a
demanding job, as our finances are rather complicated and
somewhat different from conventional business accounting.
In his financial reports to the board, Sean was able to
explain them so the other non-accountant board members
could understand, and we always waited for the concluding
passage of his reports that affirmed “all remittances to
Revenue Canada have been paid”. This assured us the
government would not be coming to put us in jail.
minutes and historical records (most of which are on paper,
not digital, as the cabin dates from the 1920’s). This included reading other court decisions for snippets of information that could be relevant to our case. We owe a great
debt of gratitude to Sean for this alone.
Beyond the boardroom, Sean is also an active trip leader
and more recently is now a Workshop presenter. Sean has
lead canoe trips ranging from day trips by canoe down
Hansen’s Creek in the Whiteshell to organizing a 6-day
canoe excursion through Quetico Provincial Park. More
recently, he led a hiking trip on the Mantario trail, as well as
some winter camping outings. His most recent mission is to
pass on backcountry camping skills to the novice (and
perhaps not-so-novice) members through both classroom
and practical sessions so they can fully enjoy the full range
of trips offered by our trip leaders. Sean truly embraces the
values of Nature Manitoba.
Les McCann
One of Sean’s most remarkable contributions has been his
championing of the case surrounding the Victoria Beach
Cabin. This has been a complex issue from the very beginning. Sean took charge of the committee that first explored
potential options for the property, including consultation
with the membership. He has spent countless hours in
meetings with municipal councilors, lawyers, Land Titles
officials, and many more hours searching through archived
Sean Worden (left) receving
award from Don Himbeault.
W
Roger Turenne (left) receving
Page 16
President’s Award
Roger Turenne
ith his extensive experience and knowledge of both
the organization, and of the landscape in which we
operate, Roger Turenne has given me much needed help
over the past few years. Whenever I am uncertain of a
particular action that I should take, or if I need more
background relating to a particular issue, Roger is there to
support me. This has ranged from the simple, yet important,
things, such as knowing the difference between the Manitoba Wildlife Federation and the Manitoba Wildlife Society,
or for more complex issues such as what to be prepared for
when meeting with a Provincial Minister.
Additionally, Roger’s wealth of knowledge and experience,
particularly as it relates to the political aspects of environmentalism, is a great resource at board meetings. In this
aspect, Roger ne garde pas sa langue dans sa poche, which
roughly translated means, Roger does not keep his tongue
in his pocket. This is, of course, a sought-after quality in a
board member, as Roger’s enthusiasm for the verb has led to
many animated board discussions, sparking an exchange
among our Directors that brings out the different viewpoints
on a subject or action. Bringing out these different opinions
that would be representative of those of our members is,
after all, one of the important aspects of running our
organization.
Roger is also well-versed in the official protocols for the
running of a board, and he keeps us on track in both our
decision-making process and with respect to our bylaws,
particularly when it comes to the timing of specific actions
that we must complete according to a specific schedule.
While I might not always be compliant with Robert’s Rules
of Order in order to keep the meetings a bit more informal
and open, Roger has been very helpful in guiding me to find
that balance between chaos and strict regimen that keeps us
functional as a board.
I suspect that perhaps Roger was responsible for me taking
on this role, when he approached me and asked if I would
be interested in taking over as President. Rather than hold
that against him, I am thankful that he considered me for
this role, as it is certainly an interesting and personally
rewarding position.
And finally, Roger also demonstrates much patience, as he
must remain Past President for as long as I remain President. To him I say: I promise one day you will soon be free
from that role!
Nature Manitoba board meetings are open for
members to attend and hear about the latest issues,
as well as learn about opportunities for becoming
more involved in our organization. The next meeting
of the board will be held Thursday, June 11 at
7:00 PM in the second floor meeting room of the
St. Boniface Library, 131 Provencher Boulevard.
Ralph Bird Award
Awarded to an amateur naturalist (can be a member or
non-member) for outstanding contributions to natural
history conservation in Western Canada in two or more
of the following areas:
(a)superior observation, recording or research accomplishments
(b)contributions to natural history or environmental
literature
(c)rare species observation
(d)contributions to herbaria and/or collections
(e)environmental enhancement and the creation of
new reserves, preserves or sanctuaries and maintenance of landscape diversity
(f) other natural history contributions within the spirit of
intent of this award
Ralph Bird Award
Paula Grieef
Les McCann
P
Board Meetings
Open to All Members
aula Grieef has been the Resident Naturalist at the Oak
Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre, Manitoba for 17
years. She coordinates the management of the leased land
on which the Centre is located, in collaboration with Ducks
Unlimited Canada and the Province of Manitoba. She
manages all employee training, and delivers Natural History
workshops to staff and general public. She also coordinates
all wildlife surveys including bird counts as well as the
songbird banding program offered at Oak Hammock.
During this time, she has shown exceptional observational
and recording skills. As well, her ability to educate and train
others (staff, students and general public) as to the importance of this research widens the scope.
Outside of Oak Hammock, Paula is also the co-ordinator for
Region 3 (Red River Valley) for the Manitoba Breeding Bird
Atlas. She helped get the atlas project up and running,
co-ordinated volunteers for five years and is part of the data
review committee.
Paula Grieef receving
Paula also sits on the steering committee for the Manitoba
Important Bird Area program and has volunteered for both
Christmas Bird Counts and Breeding Bird Surveys for over
20 years. She started the Delta Marsh Bird Observatory in
1995 and has been involved with that organization since
then. She currently sits on the board of directors.
All of these accomplishments make Paula a deserving
recipient of the Ralph Bird award.
Page 17
»» It has killed funding for a program that helps keep more
than a dozen Arctic science research stations operational. After nine years of
Stephen Harper
by Roger Turenne
I
n 2002, when Stephen Harper was
Leader of the Opposition, he wrote the
following to party members: “Kyoto
is essentially a socialist scheme to suck
money out of wealth-producing nations.” Mr. Harper has now
been prime minister for nine years and, while he has been
careful not to repeat such statements, and has even reluctantly
acknowledged that man-made climate change is real, his
actions over the years suggest that he is not convinced that the
problem is all that serious. Consider:
»» Located just 1,000 kilometres from the North Pole, the
world-renowned Polar Environment Atmospheric
Research Laboratory, or PEARL, was a one-of-a-kind
facility that provided scientific data on ozone depletion
and climate change for scientists around the world. Its
budget was drastically cut. »» It closed the Department of Fisheries contaminants
program, which studied the increasing levels of toxins in
oceans and in animals like the killer whale, dismissing
Canada’s only marine mammal toxicologist and 55 of his
colleagues across the country.
The most systematic and wide-ranging attack on the environment came in the infamous 2012 omnibus bill. Under this bill,
the criteria that used to trigger environmental assessments
were eliminated, leaving such reviews to the discretion of the
Canada is the only country in the world to have ratified the
Minister of the Environment and other political appointees. The
Kyoto accord, did nothing to meet its obligations (the Liberals
Fisheries Act will no longer be focused on habitat protection;
have their share of the blame for that as well), and got out of
instead, it will restrict itself largely to the commercial aspects
the accord before sanctions could be imposed. It now does
of resource harvesting. Ocean dumping rules have been
whatever it can to weaken international efforts to come up
changed to allow the Minister of the Environment to make
with a post-Kyoto international treaty. It
decisions on permitting. And Parks
“committed” itself to drastically reduced
Canada is no longer required to conduct
n its 518 pages, Budget
targets for greenhouse gas emissions in
environmental audits or review manage2015 contains zero mention ment plans every ten years. 2009 only to make no serious effort at
of climate change compared
meeting even those watered-down targets.
While some national parks have been
to 106 references to oil.”
The National Roundtable on Environment
created or expanded, especially in the far
and Economy, a model for convening
North, Parks Canada’s budget has been
diverse and competing interests to create consensus ideas and
drastically reduced. This has led to cutbacks in some services
viable suggestions for sustainable development, was summarily and the privatization of others, and reduced support for
abolished by the Harper government. It suffered the fate of
biodiversity and ecological integrity.
many other groups providing fact-based advice the government
In addition, budget cuts will eliminate the jobs of hundreds of
does not wish to hear. Which leads us to the war on science.
scientists working for various government departments that
More than 800 scientists from outside of Canada have signed
focus on the environment and wildlife. Funds for wildlife and
an open letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper calling for
water programs are being cut by 19.2% between 2014 and
an end to funding cuts to the country’s science programs.
2017, including a 35% reduction to biodiversity programs, and
For example,
nearly 10% reductions for water programs, ecosystem sustainability and enforcement. By 2017, funding for climate change
»» the Harper government has ended funding for the Canaand clean air programs will fall to $55 million from $118
dian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences. million, while the enforcement budget drops to $29 million
from $41 million.
“I
Germanwatch 2013
After nine years in office Mr.
Harper remains unrepentant.
Finance Minister Joe Oliver
tabled details of the government’s long-awaited Budget
2015 in April. In its 518
pages, there’s zero mention
of climate change compared
to 106 references to oil.
While the budget mentions
continued funding for
implementation of the
Species at Risk Act, the list of
environmental priorities not
funded in Budget 2015 is
long, including needed
investments in climate
Page 18
change mitigation and adaptation, clean energy, air quality,
nature conservation and marine protection.
Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq has stated “no federal
budget has ever done more for the environment.” The sad part
is not that she would make such a statement with a straight
face, but rather that at least a third of Canadians are likely to
believe her and probably an equal number are too ill-informed
to appreciate how delusional it is. Part of the explanation lies
in the government’s muzzling of scientists, at least those who
still have jobs. According to an Environment Canada document,
as reported by the Montreal Gazette, “Media coverage of
climate change science, our most high-profile issue, has been
reduced by over 80 per cent” since 2007. Hard to write a story
about climate change when no one is allowed to talk to you
about it As a result, claims Green Party leader Elizabeth May,
“As a gathering consensus builds internationally, Canada,
embarrassingly, appears to be a backwater of ignorance.” In 2009 in Copenhagen, Canada agreed that all countries
should table their planned emission and adaptation targets
with the UN by March 31, 2015 in preparation for the December summit meeting in Paris. The goal is to achieve a binding
comprehensive treaty on climate change. All Western countries
and most of the rest of the world met this deadline…except
Canada. When we finally got around to tabling our plan on
May 15, it contained the lofty goal of reducing greenhouse
gases by 30% by 2030. Except it’s more of a fantasy than a
plan. A plan would contain measures to achieve the goal. The
measures announced, including regulation of the chemical
industry and power generation using coal and gas, while
important, come nowhere near what is required to achieve it.
Tellingly, the biggest polluter of all, the oil sands, is exempt.
Canada has a consistent record of announcing targets in
international fora but with no intention of following through.
The world is wise to our posturing, but are Canadians? How
many Canadians know that Canada ranks dead last among the
58 OECD countries in terms of environmental performance?
We appear to be in no danger of losing this exalted position.
Food for thought as a federal election approaches.
The 2015 Workshop season was excellent, with enthusiastic
presenters sharing their various passions with keen
audiences. Thank you, once again, to all those speakers and
participants for another successful Workshop Season.
– Julia Schoen, Workshop Co-ordinator
Bonsai Basics
Julia Schoen
Julia Schoen
We had a full house for our March 17 Bonsai Workshop. (I guess third
time’s a charm, as the first two times this workshop was held in years
past, we had much smaller groups.) It was fascinating – the presenter,
Stu Innes, brought great samples as well as a plant which he pruned
and transformed in front of the group.
Identifying Insects
Pat MacKay (left), co-presenter of the Insect Identification
Workshop on May 5 at the University of Manitoba, and Les
McCann discuss insects at the final workshop of the 2015
season. The rest of the class were hunched over their own
microscopes, examining the great variety of insects organized
by Pat and Bob Lamb at this very informative program.
Bob Talbot, UofM
What does it take to become a fossil?
On Feb. 17, twenty keen naturalists braved the cold and snow to
attend a topnotch workshop on Fossils at the University of Manitoba.
The workshop was facilitated by Bob Elias, and included slides,
specimens, discussion, constant Q&A and as a special treat, a visit to
“The Ed Leith Cretaceous Menagerie”. The Menagerie contains
enormous casts of actual fossils of wondrous creatures which have
been reconstructed as skeletons in life-like poses (such as the the
world’s largest turtle Archelon, and the vicious fish Xiphactinus).
The Menagerie (photo left) and other displays of fossils, minerals and
rocks in the Wallace Building at the University of Manitoba are open
and free to the public from Mon-Fri, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (except
University holidays). The Menagerie has a website with lots of
information: umanitoba.ca/geoscience/cretaceousmenagerie/
Page 19
Publications Mail Agreement Number 40069231
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
401-63 Albert Street
Winnipeg, MB R3B 1G4
Phone: 204-943-9029
[email protected]
About Nature Manitoba
Become a Member
of Nature Manitoba!
Individual $40, Family $55, Student $20, Senior $35
Join online at www.naturemanitoba.ca.
Nature Manitoba is people sharing a passion for nature.
Since its foundation in 1920, Nature Manitoba’s mission has
been to promote awareness, appreciation and understanding of nature, and to preserve and enjoy it. In support of this
mission, Nature Manitoba offers a wide variety of educational programs and publications, supports Moving
research into
Water Canoe C
Manitoba’s biological and geophysical diversity, organizes
Learn the Art and Skill of
Paddling Moving Water / Whitewate
field trips and outdoor activities year-round, and advocates
Manitoba's Most Experienced Instruc
for the protection of our natural environment. Dwayne Dosch, Gerry Hirose, & Brian
Making the Leap to River Canoeing o
Sign up for a 2-Day Introduction to Mo
Tommy Allen
Introduction to Moving Water
Tandem or Solo
Class
Intermediate M
Length: 2 days
Join us for Our Natural Garden Tour on
Saturday, July 4, 2015. Support Nature Manitoba
and enjoy a day of flora, friends and fun!
Len
Da
Dates: May 23/24 or June 6/7 or 13/14
Manitoba Whitewater Club Shindig
Solo-Rama & Tandem-Mania River Run
A Fun Filled Day of River Running
Date: May 30th (Saturday)
Tickets are $15; see page 5 for more
Moving Water
Canoe Safety and Rescue Clinic
informationand list of ticket vendors.
For Recreational Canoeists
Moving Wat
Get ready for y
with a guid
Date: M
White
Nation
Learn
Learn Safety Skills & Practice Rescues
Date: June 20th (Saturday)
Don’t see what you want?
Custom Courses & Clinics are Available.
BIRD AND WILDLIFE TOUR IN ARGENTINA
November 18 – December 1, 2015
Worldwide Ecotours is offering an exciting nature
and photography tour this fall in Argentina.
November is 'baby season' and you have an
opportunity to tango with young penguins,
Capybara, Rhea, and other South American
wildlife.Your tour host, Leslie Tuchek is an
ecological educator who has guided tours for
the University of Saskatchewan Distance
Education for eight years. Leslie is an avid birder,
nature lover and wildlife photographer.
For information on Paddle Canada
Canoe Courses in May and June,
contact Brian Johnston at [email protected]
or 1-204-754-2651 (home) / 1-204-482-2121 (work).
For more information and
detailed itinerary contact:
Leslie Tuchek
[email protected]
Tel: 306.982.2466
Ruth MacRae
[email protected]
Tel: 1-888-778-2378
Page 20
Date: Ju
For Info or T
Bria
1-204-7
1-204-4
Brian@Jo

A Day in the Life of an IBA Caretaker

Transcription

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