Saturday, May 27, 2006:
Two NATS met in Castlegar for a tour of some of the area geology. The trip included a cross-section of the Salmo-Creston Pass through rocks of Lower Paleozoic age (former edge of North America) down
through the Precambrian, as well as stops at the Trail Gneiss between Trail and Castlegar, volcanic rocks of the Rossland Group near Montrose and several stops to see more recent effects of the Pleistocene glaciation in the area. The stop at the Toby Conglomerate, just east of Bridal Lake, is unusual in that it reflects TWO distinct periods of glaciation: the conglomerate itself is a Precambrian glacial till (tillite) from about 700 million years ago, while groves and striations on the same outcrop were caused by the much more recent Pleistocene glaciation of the past million years or so. Quite a variety of rocks were seen representing aspects of the diverse geologic history of our area. Lots of wildflowers and lichens were seen as well.
2006 Spring Bird Count -- June 3 & 4:
On a sunny Saturday, or a cool, wet Sunday, 97 Nats and friends counted 12,923 individuals comprising 151 species -- a very good count. Last year's count was 12,892 individuals comprising 146 species. The average of the last nine years for which I have records is 11,295 individuals and 142 species. The best, 2003, was 14,956 individuals and 153 species. We saw fewer grebes (no Horned, Eared or Red-necked) but more raptors, with all 3 local accipiters and 3 owl species (0 last year). Vanessa Johnson saw the Saw-whet family she has been studying at Zuckerberg Island (5 immature, 1 adult). While many species counts were similar, others showed the expected fluctuations. Ravens showed significant change -- double last year, and back to normal numbers. Unusual species seen were: 9 Sandhill Cranes seen flying over Slocan City June 3 by Jill and Knut Langballe, 2 Lark Sparrows at the Trail Industrial Park by Gwen Nicol, 1 Long-billed Curlew in the Beaver Valley by Betti Robison. Thanks to everyone who participated. I can send a copy of the count to interested people who email me: petermciver@hotmail.com, or phone 250-365-1191.
Sunday, June 11, 2006:
This was a joint trip between the Columbia Canoe Club and West Kootenay Naturalists, but with a 60% chance of precipitation forecast for this trip, I was surprised when nine canoes and three kayaks showed up to paddle the Creston Marshes. The two WK Nats, Webb and Margo, were introduced to the CCC members as good resource people if they had any wildlife questions. Webb quickly pulled me aside and asked how to tell a Robin from a Pelican ... After the nine am meeting and shuttle arrangements, we pushed off around 11 am and had a brief stop to view the drawdown process for one of the Corn Creek Management Area Units. The route was planned to include Six-mile Slough and a hike into the Leach Lake Management Areas, but a sick adult and five small toddlers pretty well dictated that we shorten the trip. In spite of that, we had a nice float past the noisy Double-crested Cormorant and Great Blue Heron rookery. There are now twenty +/- pairs of Cormorants nesting alongside the GBH's. Other less high profile species like Black-billed Magpies, Mourning Doves, Black Terns, Belted Kingfishers, Osprey, a nesting and defensive Red-tailed Hawk and Cliff, Violet-green, Bank, Rough-winged and Tree Swallows celebrated our passing. We found some examples of the dreaded but pretty Yellow Iris that is encroaching on the indigenous Cattail and Bullrush wetlands. When we cut the trip an hour short, some of the adults were ready to keep on paddling, which told me the trip was a success. [And since we had our Weather Wizard along, again no rain!]
Saturday, June 17, 2006:
It was a lovely early summer morning when 11 Nats met in Castlegar and carpooled to ramble the Blueberry Creek area. Plants were greening up nicely at this higher elevation. We saw green orchids, bane berry, yellow and white violets, and self heal in flower. Birds that we saw or heard were olive-side flycatcher, Hammond’s flycatcher, northern flicker, Oregon junco, black-capped chickadee, northern water thrush, red-tailed hawks with a robin in pursuit, Swainson’s thrush, plus yellow, Nashville, Townsend’s and Swilson’s warblers.
Saturday, June 24, 2006:
WK Nats Slocan Bird walk and Picnic
It turned out to be a beautiful day after a mostly cool and wet three weeks. Seven Nats met at Lemon Creek at 8am, left a car and drove to the Slocan City turnoff. The gorgeous Slocan Valley trail was hiked to Lemon Creek. Many flowers and 50 bird species were identified by the group. The trail was alive with flycatchers and warblers, with highlights being the 8 or so Bobolink ("Lifers" for some of the group), 5 circling Ospreys, unusual in the valley, and a family of Ruffed Grouse fiercely defended by a male, surprisingly, in full display plumage -- throat and tail feathers extended -- only 2 feet away. Eight more joined us for a relaxed picnic at Peter's place two km north of Lemon Creek, where we sat in the shade of a willow, observing Gladsheim, Dag and other Mulvey mountains, and socialising, followed by a short walk-around.