The Baillie is the oldest sponsored bird count in North America, raising money for bird research and conservation. Insectivores like swallows, swifts and flycatchers are in steep decline and the early warning signs of problems in the birding world. For more on this please read Plight of the bug eaters from Ontario Nature. The long cold winter will make this years sightings possibly quite unique. Certainly the foliage in the trees will be less and the sightings easier, hopefully.
Al Hurst is leading this clubs annual fundraiser. Please sign a pledge sheet at the May meeting and pay in cash or by cheque. When you pledge please include your email address to receive an income tax receipt for all donations of $10 or more. Thank you for all your support in funding bird research and hoping spring gets here shortly.
As unbelievable as it may seem a remote camera in Lazovsky State Nature Reserve in Eastern Russia caught a golden eagle attacking and killing a sika deer. These pictures were captured in December 2011 and only recently released. The Toronto Star has the story and other 2 pictures.
There is a eco-fest and hawkwatch plus meet and mingle with snakes and turtles at Long Point Eco-adventures this weekend. Here is the poster for event.
In today’s Times-Journal there was a QMI Agency story on using stingless Chinese wasps to attack the larvae of the emerald ash borer (eab), which are native in China. Here is a QMI link to the original article. The eab is a metallic green beetle about the size of a cooked grain of rice. The eab was first detected near Detroit over a decade ago. Emerald ash borers are believed to have arrived in North America in wooden packing crates from China in the 1990’s. This research has been going on in many states for years. Scientists are rearing the wasps at the EAB Biological Control Facility in Brighton, Michigan. Michigan released some wasps in parts of the state in 2007 and they are just starting to see healthy trees. The introduction of a foreign species to attack another exotic, invasive species problem is always a risk in ways we do not yet understand. Can the wasps survive Ontario’s cold winters is unknown although Michigan’s success is a good sign. Here’s hoping these wasps are successful at eradicating eab and doing no harm. Our ash trees are depending on it.
Adult Emerald ash borer eab larvae 1.5 to 2 inches
We had over 20 people for the potluck. The park road work was finished and the weather cooperated. Good food was enjoyed by all. A walk around Lake Margaret followed during which we saw spotted sandpiper, cedar waxwing, an osprey heading back to Doug Tarry Park and finally night hawks with their beep beep sound.
Attached are two more pictures by Geoffrey Pereira taken of the two osprey and one bringing food back to the nest. Thanks Geoff for sharing.
The decline of osprey due to the use of pesticides in the 1960’s is slowly correcting itself. The birds have developed a liking for light towers over ball diamonds. This picture was taken by Geoffrey Pereira, a casual with the city Parks Department and a hobbyist photograper on May 10th using a 200mm lens at the Doug Tarry ball complex. You can see the nesting material in the talons. Note the two toes pointing forward and two toes backward and the pale yellow eye. Very nice picture and thank you to Geoffrey for sharing it with us.
It is truly amazing times when a 12 year old can learn this much in such a short time. Liron Gertsman became interested in birds at 5 years of age. Here is his blog with amazing pictures. Oh, he was also the 100,000,000 poster on eBird. Here is a video of him on CBC’s Only in Canada. Enjoy his pictures when it is rainy outside. This really shows the need to get the young involved in the club.
This 12 page report concludes that most marsh breeding birds are in decline. No real surprise with loss of wetland habitat and human population growth surrounding coastal marshes. The population of frogs remains stable except for chorus frog which shows decline. The program helped to increase the public’s awareness of the importance of wetland conservation.
Two or our club members deserve special mention for being citizen scientists who volunteered their time to collect data. Diane and her mother Norma have been going to Corner’s Corners since 2006 to record their frog and bird sightings. They start in April with frogs and add the birds after May 20th. The survey runs till early July each year. They were able to see pied-billed grebe’s and hear Sora. They heard spring peepers, chorus frogs, American toads, bullfrogs and green frogs. The mosquitoes were never a issue at Pete’s place and their most memorable event was watching a raccoon try to squeeze its way out of a wood duck box. Thank you Diane for sharing this with us.
Big Day 2013The people that took Anna’s birding course in April will remember seeing the Inside Birding series with Jessie Barry and Chris Wood. These two made up part of the Team Sapsucker as they sighted 294 species, 30 more than before in 24 hours. This record will probably stand for a while. They must all be suffering from warbler neck and sleep deprivation. Nice job folks.
There is now a Flickr site for members to upload their pictures for all to see. It is www.flickr.com/groups/stfnaturalist/
If you have a Flickr account just join group and upload pictures that relate to things of interest to the club. If you are not a member I can send you an invite to the group. Let me know.
