Events of interest

Bird Surveys of the Northeast Swale and Chief Whitecap Park

The Saskatoon Nature Society is seeking volunteers to record observations of birds, plants and wildlife in the NE Swale (north of Sutherland) and Chief Whitecap Park (south of the Exhibition Park). The MVA has requested this data from us to support their work in these areas. If you wish to volunteer, please contact Stan Shadick by email to stan.shadick [at] usask.ca or by phone 652-5975 to receive more details about these 2 projects.

You can download instruction packages and survey forms here (documents will open in a new window):

Northeast Swale Survey Package (Adobe pdf, 1.4 MB)
Form - Northeast Swale Wildlife Survey (Adobe pdf, 45 kb)

Chief Whitecap Park Survey Package (Adobe pdf, 4.5 MB)
Form - Chief Whitecap Park Wildlife Survey (Adobe pdf, 52 kb)

In Memoriam Mary Gilliland (1940–2010)

We were saddened to learn of the passing of Mary Gilliland on April 19, 2010.

Mary was a friendly, dedicated naturalist and active member of our society. She was president of the Saskatoon Nature Society, then called the Saskatoon Natural History Society, in 1985–1986. She also acted as secretary, Newsletter editor and conservation director for many years between 1981 and 1993. She promoted the society by appearing on TV programs, by offering introductory birdwatching classes to the community, and as convenor of Faculty Wives' birdwatchers for 19 years. She compiled Saskatoon Christmas Bird Count records for the Blue Jay from 1987 to 1994.

Mary also served as the talented Special Publications Editor for Nature Saskatchewan from 1986 to 2005, giving meticulous attention to eight publications. For ten years, 1986 to 1996, she served on the board of the Canadian Nature Federation (Nature Canada), Vice-President 1988–90, President 1990–94, and Past President 1994–96. She received the Conservation Award from the Meewasin Valley Authority in 1987 and was elected as a Fellow of Nature Saskatchewan in 1993. She will be missed by all naturalists across Canada.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada's Saskatoon Prairie Bioblitz
July 27, 2010

The Nature Conservany of Canada, in partnership with Nature Saskatchewan is organizing a volunteer event at one of their properties near Asquith, west of Saskatoon. Led by experienced botanists and ecologists, volunteers will be looking for Hairy Prairie-clover, a threatened plant species as listed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Details on the event can be found on the NCC Conservation Volunteers web site

The data collected during this all day event will allow NCC to compile a multi-species inventory which will be used to develop a management plan to guide the long term protection of key species and habitats at this site. If you are interest in attending, you can register through the Conservation Volunteers web site, or by contacting Jennipher Karst at (306) 347-0447 ext. 229.

Rare Bird Records Committee

The Saskatoon Nature Society has set up a Records committee to review documented reports of rare bird sightings. The results of the committee's decisions will be used to update the status of future editions of the Saskatoon Area Bird checklist and any possible related future publications. During 2010, the committee will consider any submitted photographs or sound recordings of any bird species marked as irregular or hypothetical on the current version of the checklist plus any new bird species not listed on the checklist. The committee will not review written or verbal reports without documentation.

If you find a rare bird this year, please try to photograph it or record its song. If you do not have the equipment, please report the sighting to the society by phoning Stan Shadick at 652-5975. He will announce the report on the rare bird alert so that other birders with equipment may try to photograph it or record its song. If you wish to volunteer to serve on the Records committee, please contact Stan Shadick at 652-5975.

David Suzuki Foundation Photo Contest

In our busy urban lives we often forget that we are surrounded by nature. Naturalist organizations of course, are the exception!

This summer, the David Suzuki Foundation wants Canadians to grab their cameras, head out into their neighbourhoods, take a deep breath, and focus. We’d like your help to promote our contest as we ask citizens across the country to capture photos of the natural wonders in their city.

Our backyards, streets and precious green spaces are full of life; countless trees, plants and critters and more. As an organization that loves to spend time in nature, we know you have some excellent photographers in your midst.

We have prizes too! Twelve winning photos that best capture “Nature in the City” will be selected by David Suzuki and a panel of guest judges to adorn next year’s David Suzuki Foundation 20th Anniversary Calendar.

All twelve winners will also be eligible for the grand prize, the coveted calendar cover shot and a fabulous Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS camera with 18-55IS lens kit. Thank-you to Lens & Shutter Cameras in conjunction with Canon Canada Inc. for their donation!

Visit the David Suzuki Foundation and join our contest group on Flickr. Submission deadline is Tuesday, August 10th, 2010.

Nature Conservancy of Canada is calling for Conservation Volunteers

Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is calling for volunteers to help out with conservation work at their Saskatchewan properties. The events are designed to help NCC accomplish necessary stewardship work, and, at the same time, to engage people with the natural world and Saskatchewan's native plant and animal species. All events include an interpretive nature walk lead by NCC staff and/or experienced naturalists.

The NCC will be hosting volunteer events in a number of new areas this season. In addition to working in the beautiful Qu’Appelle Valley again, events are also planned at sites in Cypress Hills area (near Eastend), and in the sandy hills just southwest of Saskatoon. Volunteers will help planting trees and shrubs again at Echo Creek (this will be the third year of doing riparian restoration work), as well as going back to Old Man On His Back to continue upgrading a livestock handling facility and do some general site clean-up. Other events include weed scouting at Big Valley Property and a July long weekend botany blitz at Old Man on His Back. To see the list of events and to register, visit the Conservation Volunteers website a www.conservationvolunteers.ca Just click on "Volunteer" then on "Saskatchewan". You can also contact Jennipher Karst, directly at (306) 347 0447 ext. 229 or toll free at 1 866 622 7275 ext. 229 to register.

New Book on Saskatchewan Wildlife

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 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.

Saskatchewan Wild will be available in April, 2010 at better bookstores and gift shops, or directly from Parkland Publishing by calling 306-242-7731 (www.parklandpublishing.com). There is a 10% discount to Saskatoon Nature Society members who buy the book directly from the publisher.

Volunteers needed for Bird Banding

MAPS season is once again approaching and I would like to extend an invitation to participate as a volunteer. There are 6 bird-banding days that are spread out over the breeding season, beginning with Saturday June 12.

Volunteers are needed to help with all of the daily bird banding aspects: opening and closing of the nets, extracting birds from the nets, scribing, etc. I encourage individuals who do not have any experience working with birds to come out and initially observe the banding procedures as well as assist in activities that do not directly involve the handling of live birds. Net openings start at sunrise and last for 6 hours. Nets are checked every 30 minutes. Banding is planned for the following dates starting at the times indicated. In the event of rain, the banding will be postponed until the following day at the same time.

• Saturday, June 12, 4:50 a.m.
• Saturday June 26, 4:50 a.m.
• Wednesday July 7, 4:50 a.m.
• Wednesday July 14, 5:00 a.m.
• Saturday, July 24, 5:20a.m.
• Thursday, August 5, 5:30 a.m.

Your enthusiasm and participation are the keys to the success of MAPS. Please email or phone Brenda bkramarchuk [at] meewasin.com at Beaver Creek 374-2474 to volunteer.

Important Bird Area Caretakers Needed

Nature Saskatchewan is currently setting up an Important Bird Areas Caretakers Network in Saskatchewan. The Important Bird Areas program is an international effort to identify, conserve, and monitor a network of sites that provide essential habitat for bird populations. The goal for the Caretakers Network is to have a volunteer caretaker assigned to each Important Bird Area to 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.

We are seeking volunteer caretakers to be the eyes, ears and hands on the ground for the 53 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Saskatchewan. 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, Conservation and Education Manager, for more details or to express interest in becoming a caretaker: 306-780-9481 or email to kmciver [at] naturesask.ca.

Trash Dashers
Every Sunday, 10:30 a.m., various city parks

Each Sunday, the trash dashers meet in parks around Saskatoon and do a walking or jogging park clean-up until each piece of litter has found its way to a garbage can and recyclables have been collected.

Trash Dashers is a local initiative and is community fitness at its best: it is free, fun, interactive and helps maintain our health and the health of our community. People of all ages and fitness levels are encouraged to join us in rain, snow or shine.

Meet at the park signs (i.e. where it says the name of the Park) at 10:30 a.m. - look for the Trash Dashers logo. The schedule can be found at http://trashdashers.jimdo.com For more information, please contact Shannon at shandy30@hotmail.com or 880-0373.

Hort Week
July 17–23, 2010

Every year, the University of Saskatchewan hosts gardening enthusiasts for a week of horticulture workshops and social events. Gardeners of any experience level can find classes of interest and meet people who share their enthusiasm for gardening. In addition to core courses, a wide variety of specialized workshops, free tours, and social events are available.

For more information, visit http://ccde.usask.ca/mastergardener/hortweek

U of Sask. Ecology Tours

The University of Saskatchewan, Centre for Continuing and Distance Education, Ecological Education and Travel invites you to information nights to learn about our upcoming travel programs. All information nights are held in Room 224, Williams Bldg., 221 Cumberland Ave. North.

• Polar Bear Ecology Tours to Churchill, MB in Oct./Nov.: information night on Monday July 26, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
• Waterton Lakes National Park Tour for Seniors: information night on Wednesday July 28, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m..
• South Africa - 3 weeks in March 2011, an educational travel expedition specializing in wildlife in protected areas: information and images night Wednesday Sept 1, 7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

For more info or to have a trip brochure mailed to you, please phone Deb at 966-5539 or email debbie.matheson@usask.ca

SNS Members' Discount

SNS members can now get a discount of $20 off any purchase of $60 or more at Dutch Growers, but you will need a special coupon. The coupons will be available at membership meetings; one coupon per year per membership please. This discount may be used towards any items such as bedding plants, pots, fertilizer, jewelry, ladies' shoes, clothes, gift items, etc.

SNS members can also receive a discount at Don's Photo Shop, 1902 8th St. E. Show your membership card to get a discount on photo-finishing and certain other items in the store.

Members can also get a 10% discount at Early's Farm and Garden Centre on all regularly priced wild bird feeding products, bird houses, books, etc.

Canadian Tire Money

Our Society collects Canadian Tire money to purchase equipment for the Young Naturalists' program. You can donate Canadian Tire money at any monthly meeting. Look for the collection box in the coffee room.

Birds of Rosetown - Biggar District, a new publication from Nature Sask.

The latest publication from Nature Saskatchwan, the "Birds of Rosetown-Biggar District" (R. Wapple and W. Renaud 2008) does not contain an index to the bird species. SNS member Frank Roy has prepared an index to the list of species covered in the book. You can download a copy of the one-page Index he has created, trim it to fit the page size of the book, and attach it to the inside front cover or the facing page. It should help you find the desired bird species a little more quickly. Thank you Frank for preparing the index

Saskatoon Area Birds - A Seasonal Checklist

New and updated Seasonal Checklist for the Saskatoon area birds is now available for download (Adobe pdf, 800 KB).

This checklist contains 323 avian species reported in the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan district to April 2010 (3 species are extirpated) and an additional 26 hypothetical species. The area covered extends from 51° 30’ to 52° 30’ in latitude and 106° 00’ to 107° 30’ in longitude. The checklist was primarily compiled from records published in Birds of the Saskatoon Area (2002) and is maintained by the records committee of the Saskatoon Nature Society.

Among the best birding areas in the city are Cosmopolitan Park, Meewasin Valley Trail, Forestry Farm Park, and the old Sanatorium grounds. Beyond the city are Beaver Creek Conservation Area, Blackstrap Reservoir, Pike Lake, Radisson Lake and Brightwater Marsh. A Guide to Nature Viewing Sites in and around Saskatoon (Jonker & Gollop, 122 pp., revised edition 2000) describes the natural history of these and other nature areas in the district.

Understory and Bog Plants of the Southern Nisbet Forest - a Checklist

A useful list of the plants of the southern Nisbet forest is now available for download (Adobe PDF, 36 KB)

This list does not pretend to be a complete one, but will give you a good cross section of the plants you can find in that area.