Welcome to the September 2019 edition of Saskatoon NatureKids Buzz, the electronic newsletter of the Saskatoon Young Naturalists. The Saskatoon Young Naturalists is a joint program of the Saskatoon Nature Society and the Saskatoon Zoo Society.
Saskatoon NatureKids Buzz is local nature news that may be of interest to kids interested in nature. You are receiving this because you enrolled in a Saskatoon Young Naturalists nature activity program. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please send me a reply e-mail (saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com) with the word “unsubscribe”.
Please do not print this newsletter. It is designed to be read on an electronic screen. Links are highlighted and are active.
Crane Spotting
If you missed the Sandhill Crane field trip or the weather doesn’t co-operate on field trip day you can still look for Sandhill Cranes on your own! Here is a a backgrounder for Sandhill Cranes around Saskatoon.
Not all birds migrate. But the ones that do migrate follow the ancient bird super-highways. Scientists call these migration super-highways ‘Flyways’. There are several important flyways in North America. (http://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/feature-stories/migratory-birds.html). One of the neat things about Saskatoon is that we are smack-dab in the middle of the Central Flyway. We are perfectly positioned to see large numbers of birds moving from Canada’s north to their southern overwintering grounds. But birds don’t usually fly thousands of kilometers in a single go. They need safe places along the route to stop and rest. They also need to eat so that they will have the energy to compete their flight. These safe habitats are call “staging areas”. Without safe staging areas the birds cannot complete their migration. This is the reason why it is so important to protect habitat along the entire migration route and not just the areas where the birds breed in the north or overwinter in south.
Sandhill Cranes (Antigone Canadensis) and their larger cousin the Whooping Crane (Grus Americana) follow the Central Flyway and have staging areas around Saskatoon. There are not that many Whooping Cranes, so they are much more difficult to spot compared to Sandhill Cranes. The number of Whooping Cranes has increased in recent years; however they are still considered a species at risk. Sandhill! Cranes, on the other hand, number in the hundreds of thousands (thanks to habitat conservation throughout the Central Flyway). That may sound impressive, but it is nothing compared to the number of Snow Geese and ducks which pass by each fall (and spring!)
Sandhill Cranes are big birds. They stand an average 1.2 meters in height (Whooping Cranes are even larger). Adult Sandhills are a drab grey colour with a splash of red above the eye. Young cranes are more rusty coloured than the adults. One of their distinguishing features is their call. (https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandhill_Crane/sounds). Sandhill Cranes have a loud, rolling, “gronk” sound. Sandhill Cranes have long tracheas (windpipes) that coil into the sternum (chest area) and help the sound develop a deep, rich, and very loud sound. Their call is so loud it can be heard from several kilometers away. Sandhill Cranes fly very high, usually a kilometer or more above the ground, so even if you can’t spot them, you can still hear them.
In the fall Sandhill Cranes start to arrive in the Saskatoon area around the beginning of September. By mid-October most will have departed for their overwintering areas in the southern United States and Mexico. They stop over for food and rest. The sandbars in the South Saskatchewan River provide a resting area that is relatively safe from predators.
Although Sandhill Cranes eat just about anything edible (seeds, grasses, berries, lichens, pondweed, fish, frogs, snails, salamanders, and even mice and small birds!), it is the spilled grain in our harvested fields that attracts them in large flocks.
Great places to look for Sandhill Cranes near Saskatoon are on the harvested grain (not canola) fields south of Saskatoon. The fields along Valley Road on the west side of the South Saskatchewan River are good places to look. So are the fields along Highway 219 as far as the Beaver Creek Conservation Area. Along highway 219 there are some good a few roads that parallel the highway to check out as well. Look for groups of large birds feeding on the grain. There will be geese as well, but Sandhill Cranes are unmistakeable because of their large size. Be sure to pull well off the highway when you stop to watch the birds. And always respect the private property where the cranes are feeding. If you enjoy a fall walk in the country you can check out the sandbars in the river from public access points like Cranberry Flats, Chief Whitecap, Poplar Bluffs, and Beaver Creek Conservation Areas.
Sandhill Cranes are nervous and restless birds and are easily spooked. It is difficult to get close to a group of cranes. You will need binoculars (or a spotting scope) to observe them. You can tell when you are getting to close as the cranes will start to do a nervous walk away from you. If they get too spooked, they will take to flight. Be patient and move slowly. You can use your car as a “bird blind”. The cranes get nervous when they identify something (with legs) that might be a predator. They don’t recognize a car as a threat unless it gets close. If you have a good view from your car, then stay in your car for a while. Have Fun!
Events of Interest for Nature Kids
Sheep grazing at Beaver Creek Conservation Area Conservation Grazing Demonstrations
October 1-4
Don’t be sheepish! Join the interpreters at Beaver Creek at their demonstrations of conservation grazing! Each day there will be a sheep stock dog demonstration at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM; the shepherd, Jared, will be using his border collies to move the sheep around on site for grazing. The demonstration sessions will be to show the use of dogs as a tool in managing livestock including sheep for grazing operations and will explain the benefits of grazing on prairie ecosystems.
Visit www.meewasin.com for more information.
Want more nature?
Check out Ecofriendly Sask.
It is a weekly round-up of everything enviromental in Saskatchewan (including kid-friendly activities), and small action grants as well.
Upcoming Young Naturalists Programs
Young Naturalists’ Northern Saw-whet Owl Field Trip
Space is limited. Advanced registration is required.
Friday, October 4, 2019
Evening (7:30 – 10:00 p.m.)
Free (Donations are appreciated).
(Some travel is involved. 80 km round trip)
Naturalists at Night! We will join naturalist Martin Stoffel as he collects scientific information from migrating Saw-whet Owls. Saw-whets are an extremely cute owl so this program fills up quickly.
Enrolment is limited. Advanced registration is required.
Please note this is a “past the usual bedtime” late evening/night program and may not be suitable for all children
E-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com to register or for more information.
At least one parent/guardian must accompany your child/children on all Young Naturalists activities.
Young Naturalists’ Bird Feeder Workshop
Saturday, November 16, 2019
1:00 p.m. (to 2:30 p.m.)
Location: St. Martin’s United Church
Cost: $10.00 / children members: $5.00 / child. Space is limited. Pre-registration required.
To register: e-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com
Learn about how a bird feeder can be used for winter bird watching and how you can become a Citizen Scientist to track bird populations! Bring a hammer and build your own bird feeder to take home. Enrolment is limited. Pre-registration is required. E-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com to register or for more information.
Nut Allergy Alert: the materials used in this program may have been in contact with peanuts, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, and other seeds and tree nuts. This program is not suitable for persons with severe contact (not ingestion) nut allergies.
At least one parent/guardian must accompany your child/children on all Young Naturalists activities.
Watch the Zoo Society and/or the Nature Society web sites for program updates.Check out our Facebook Page
Welcome to the (late) fall edition of Saskatoon NatureKids Buzz. Fall in Saskatchewan can be unpredictable with the weather resembling summer one day and winter the next. This year is no exception and the Young Naturalists found themselves looking for Sandhill Cranes in a driving snowstorm.
By the way, the Sandhill Cranes usually stick around until mid to late October. If you take a drive out Valley Road keep your eyes open for loose flocks of Sandhill Cranes feeding in the grain fields.
Sandhill Cranes are just one of the bird species on the move southward. Saskatoon is located smack-dab in the middle of the Central Flyway. This is a traditional migratory route over the great plains of North America. It runs roughly parallel to the Rocky Mountains and runs from the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico. At this time of year billions (yes, billions) of birds are winging their way south. Sadly, hundreds of millions of birds will be killed by cats or die from window strikes. You can learn and help prevent these needless deaths by learning more about what to do. Check out FLAP (Fatal Light Awareness Program) and Keeping Cats Indoors.
For nature lovers the fall migration is spectacular. Everything from tiny hummingbirds and warblers passing through from the boreal forest to pelicans and cranes are on the move. Watch the skies each morning as the flocks of geese pass overhead from the South Saskatchewan River to local grain fields to feed. It is hard to believe that most of those geese were just tennis ball-sized gosling only a few months ago. As I watch them fly in their “V” formations I wonder if they know instinctively to fly in a ‘V’ to reduce drag or if it is something they just learn playing and trying out their wings with their brothers and sisters. If you take a drive in the country the fields surrounding Saskatoon are full of Snow Geese this time of year. Snow Geese migrate at night, so before going to bed, stick your head outside your door and listen to the sound of the geese migrating overhead.
I recently spent some time checking out the Snow Geese and swans while looking for Whooping Cranes. With the Saskatoon Nature Society we spotted a spectacular flock of 70 to 80 Whooping Cranes. Former Young Naturalists leader Guy Wapple, who has much more patience and expertise in bird watching, visited the flock later that week and counted an amazing 152 Whooping Cranes (including 7 juveniles). This is wonderful news to see this critically endangered species continuing to make advances in population numbers.
Fall is a great time to get out into nature. Of course there are more than just birds on the move right now. Look for chip- munks harvesting buffalo berries, or brave garter snakes leaving the safety of their winter hibernaculum to bask in the sun one last time before hibernating for the winter. See if you can spot some hares changing colour for the season or beavers working overtime to get food cached underwater before it freezes. Happy nature spotting!
The Farley Mowat Connection
Saskatoon Junior Naturalists (as we were known back in 1968) were not the first youth nature program in Saskatoon. As Margaret Belcher (sister of Mary Houston) recounts in her book The Isabel Priestly Legacy: Saskatchewan Natural History Society 1949-1990. There was a junior club organized by Farley Mowat which operated in the winter of 1934-35. Here is a section from her book:
In the autumn of 1934, 13-year-old Farley Mowat, who was acquir- ing a reputation at school as an eccentric with his strange collection of natural history objects, was able to organize The Beaver Club of Amateur Naturalists. Its members were students who did not belong to the hockey and baseball crowd, initially four boys and three girls. There was a rigorous initiation – candidates had to be able to list from memory 100 species of birds, 25 mammals, and 50 fish, reptiles or insects; take a 10-mile nature hike each month; and write and read a four-page essay at one the regular weekly meetings. Each also had to donate a natural history object of value to the “Saskatchewan National Animal Museum” that Farley had set up.
When the museum project fell through because it was discovered occupying the shelves in a base- ment room which the Club members had cleared of academic tomes by removing them to the Mowat garage, Farely engaged his band in a new enterprise –the publication of Nature Lore – The Official Organ of the Beaver Club or Amateur Naturalists. Mowat of course became editor-in-chief and wrote much of the copy. The other members went door to door in Saskatoon hawking copies; within a week the press run of 50 copies had been sold, at a price set as variable – 5 or 10 cents a copy. The money from sales went to projects such as buying grain to feed ducks and geese over- wintering on the open water at the City’s generating plant. Enthusiasm for the Beaver Club waned sharply with the arrival of spring baseball season, and the Club and Nature Lore quietly expired.
Save the Date!
Saskatoon Christmas Bird Count for Kids
Thursday, December 27
Beaver Creek Conservation Area 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Everyone Welcome
The Young Naturalists bird feeder workshop (Saturday, November 3) is timed to coincide with the start of Project FeederWatch.
Project FeederWatch is a survey of birds that visit from November 10 through early April. FeederWatch data help scientists understand winter bird populations and long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance.
Anyone interested in birds can participate. FeederWatch is conducted by people of all skill levels and backgrounds, including children, families, individuals, classrooms, retired persons, youth groups, nature centers, and bird clubs. You can count birds as often as every week, or as infre- quently as you like: the schedule is completely flexible. All you need is a bird feeder, bird bath, or plantings that attract birds. There is an annual fee of $35.00 to join Bird Studies Canada to participate in
Project FeederWatch.
For more information visit https://feederwatch.org/
The Reflections of Nature Art Show & Sale showcases over 500 pieces of art from around 200 North American artists, carvers, sculptors and photographers who enjoy expressing their love of nature through their art. The show encompass- es all ages and skill levels. This all happens at Prairieland Park, (Hall C) on the weekend of October 26 – 28. Reflec- tions is open to the public on Saturday, October 27 from 9:00 and 5:00 and on Sunday, October 28 from 9:00 and 4:00. Admission is $5.00. It is a great show which includes presentations, workshops, demonstrations and the Saskatoon Nature Society display booth as well! For more information visit http://reflections-art.blogspot.com/
BOOK SALE
Proceeds go to feeding injured and orphaned wildlife at:
Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation
100 Rayner Ave.
Saskatoon
Donations of used books may be dropped off at:
903 Temperance Street Saskatoon, SK
Phone: 306-281-0554
Celebrate International Bat Week with Meewasin at Beaver Creek Conservation Area on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Visit the centre during either our day or evening events to learn about our night sky, nocturnal wild- life, and how light pollution affects the natural world around us! This event is sponsored by the Saskatoon Nature Society and the Saskatoon Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society.
To arrive on site, take highway #219 13 km south of Saskatoon and turn right at the Beaver Creek Conservation Area sign.
FREE TICKETS are for the evening event only. Due to a site capacity, please arrive on site by 7:00 p.m. in
order to guarantee your spot for the event.
To register for the Bat Box Building click here.
Upcoming Young Naturalists Programs:
Enrolment is limited on Young Naturalists programs.
Early registration is encouraged to avoid disappointment.
Registration is taken on a first-come basis. To register e-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com and indicate the program for which you would like to register. You must register for each activity separately.
(You can register for more than one activity at a time). Most programs are free unless otherwise indicated. At least one parent/guardian must accompany your child/children on all Young Naturalists activities
Young Naturalists’ Bird Feeder Workshop
Saturday, November 3, 2018
1:00 p.m.
St. Martin’s United Church
Cost: $10.00 ($5.00 for members of the Saskatoon Nature Society or the Saskatoon Zoo Society) Space is limited. Advanced Registration is required.
Learn about winter bird watching with a bird feeder. Bring a hammer and build your own bird feeder to take home. Enrolment is limited. Pre-registration is required.
Young Naturalists’ Paper Making Workshop
Saturday, December 1, 2018
1:00 p.m.
Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park Zoo (Affinity Learning Centre)
Paper Making is back for another fun and messy year! Learn how paper is made and create your very own paper from
recycled materials. It’s a great project for gift tags and cards. Wear old clothes as this program can get messy!
Young Naturalists’ Tracks and Scats
Saturday, January 19, 2019
1:00 p.m.
Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park Zoo (Affinity Learning Centre)
We’ll look at the basic animal track patterns for some of the common animals found around Saskatoon. If weather permits we’ll do a little exploring for animal tracks in the snow. And we’ll also make a plaster track craft you can take home. Enrol- ment is limited.
Young Naturalists’ Chickadee Pishing
Saturday, February 2, 2019
1:00 p.m.
Pike Lake Provincial Park
Pishing is the time-honoured technique of attracting birds for a closer look. The chickadees at Pike Lake are well accus- tomed to pishers, so it is a great place to practice the technique. Dress warmly and give it a try. Cost is free. Bird snacks are provided (feel tree to bring one for yourself). Bring your binoculars if you have some.
Click here for more upcoming Young Naturalists Programs
Young Naturalists’ Owl Pellet Dissection Saturday, March 16, 2019
Young Naturalists Birdhouse Workshop Saturday, April 13, 2109
Young Naturalists’ Crocus Hike Sunday, April 21, 2019 at the Northeast Swale Young Naturalists’ Pike Lake Field Trip Saturday, May 4, 2019 at Pike Lake Provincial Park Young Naturalists’ Great Horned Owl Field Trip May (Date to be announced)
Want more nature?
Attention Nature Kids Teachers
Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation Outreach Program: Engaging Students with a live animal
Wildlife Educators from Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation will visit your classroom with live animals including bats, birds and their Thirteen-line Ground Squirrel for a wild 45 minute presentation. Because Living Sky is a wildlife rehab centre, they have a unique perspective on the connections between humans and animals. Topics are curriculum based for each grade level and focus on habitat, community, animal characteristics, animal growth, and what to do if you encounter an injured or orphaned animal. Basic fee is $50.00 per class ($75.00 for bat presentation) and funds raised from the presentations support animal rehabilitation.
Call Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation for more information and available dates at 306-281-0554 or e-mail LSWR@sasktel.net to book your presentation.
NEW: Thanks to a grant from Nutrien and the Saskatoon Foundation the Living Sky Wildlife Outreach program can now be offered to
10 community school classrooms at no charge. This is a first-come-first-served offer.
Saskatoon Zoo Society On-site and Outreach Education Programs
Learn about biodiversity, species at risk, climate change, and Saskatchewan’s wildlife with the Saskatoon Zoo Society and their curriculum-based education programs. Programs take place at Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm Park Zoo or through their outreach program in your classroom. Visit the Saskatoon Zoo Society website for more information on educational critters, programs, and fees.
More Nature….
Check out EcoFriendly Sask.
The Saskatoon NatureKids Buzz is only a small sampling of nature and environment happenings. A great source of information is the EcoFriendly Sask. You can also subscribe to their weekly newsletter, EcoFriendly Sask News, and have a weekly round-up of every- thing environmental in Saskatchewan delivered right to your electronic mailbox. Plus check out their website for information on small grants for environmental projects.
Prairie Naturalist
The Prairie Naturalist is back for a new season! Jared Clarke hosts this live weekly radio show every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. on 91.3 FM, CJTR, Regina Community Radio. But you can also listen on channel 806 on SaskTel Max, or download the CJTR Smartphone App. Host Jared Clarke covers a variety of nature related topics from the prairies. Podcasts can also be found at https://soundcloud. com/theprairienaturalist or http://cjtr.ca/podcasts/
Saskatoon Nature Society
Lots of field trips (open to all ages) and other information
You can even download the latest newsletter from the Saskatoon Nature Society.
“Kids in Nature” Grant Program
In November and December the Saskatoon Nature Society will take applications for the Kids in Nature Grant. This grant was es- tablished to strengthen existing programs and encourage new initiatives that connect youth in the Saskatoon area with nature. The Saskatoon Nature Society has set aside approximately $2000.00 for this year’s Kids in Nature grant. Application deadline is December 31, 2018. Information and application available in November on the Saskatoon Nature Society website at http://www.saskatoonnature- society.sk.ca/kids-in-nature.html
Pete Thayer is an enthusiastic birder whose hobby got WAY out of hand! To celebrate his 70th
birthday, Thayer Birding is giving away the Thayer Birding Software to kids all over North America!
Young Birder Program
For Kids 18 and Under
Thayer would like one million kids to download our birding software, use it and get excited about nature and conservation.
Any young birder in pre-K, grade school, middle school or high school is now able to download the new version 7.7 of Thayer’s Birds of North America at NO COST.
Just have them visit www.ThayerBirding.com and select either the Windows or the Mac download. Then enter a special code, and within a few seconds the links will appear that will let them download the software for free.
The special code is available now at hundreds of Nature Centers, Audubon Society web sites, conservation organiza- tions, Wild Birds Unlimited stores and more. To get a unique code for your organization, e-mail Pete@ThayerBirding.com.
Teachers across the country have been especially interested in our Young Birder Program. So we created “generic” codes for every state and province. Tell teachers in your area to use a code such as CaliforniaSchoolsYoungBirder or NewYorkSchoolsYoungBirder. (No spaces in these codes.)
We also created the codes HomeschoolYoungBirder and CatholicSchoolsYoungBirder. Please pass these along to any- one who may be interested!
This free software, for Windows or Mac computers, features the 1007 birds that have been seen in the continental U.S. and Canada. The software includes 6,586 color photos, 1,506 songs and calls, 552 video clips of the birds in action, 700 quizzes, an Identification Wizard, The Birder’s Handbook and much, much more, as shown here:
http://www.thayerbirding.com/v7-Features or check out the YouTube Video.
Why are we doing this? Because the company founder, Peter W. Thayer, decided that this would be the perfect way to
celebrate his 70th birthday.
“Over the past 24 years I have heard from thousands of folks who told me how much this birding program meant to them. I have been overwhelmed by the kind words and feedback we have received from people who are now profes- sional bird guides, ornithologists, college professors and wildlife managers. They told me they used our program when they were growing up to learn more about the birds around them…and they still use it today!”
Now it is time to give back something to the birding community and to the millions of young birders (and potential young birders) who just need a spark to get them started on a life-long quest for knowledge about our natural world and the importance of preserving the habitat we still have. What better way than this to celebrate the year of the bird?
It’s summer! The summer solstice (our longest hours of daylight) was in June, so that means the days are get- ting shorter. But don’t panic, there is still lots of warm, summer weather ahead. You may have already noticed that it is getting darker earlier each day. Perfect timing to take in the Perseids meteorite shower without having to stay up late into the night. The Perseids is one of my favourite meteorite showers. We actually get 10 to 12 good annual meteorite showers each year. The Perseids in August and the Geminids in December are some of the best. I like the Perseids because the weather is usually perfect for spreading out a blanket and lying on your back in the dark. This year the Perseids will take place from August 11 to 13.
Meteorite showers get their names from the constellation from which they appear to be coming. But the shoot- ing stars or meteorites do not originate in those constellations. The Perseids meteors originate from the Comet Swift-Tuttle which orbits our Sun every 130 years or so. (Earthlings will get a chance to see it again when it passes 23 million kilometers from Earth in 2126). Each year the Earth’s orbit passes through the dust trail of the comet. Most of the dust particles are only about the size of a grain of sand, but they are spectacular when they enter Earth’s atmosphere. If you rub your hands together quickly you create friction, and your hands feel the heat caused by the friction. According to meteor experts, the dust particles of Comet Swift-Tuttle are moving at 59 km per second. At that speed the friction caused when the dust particles rub up against our atmosphere is incredible. It causes the dust particles (and the air around them) to become very, very hot, creating a brilliant streak of light that we call a shooting star or meteorite.
To best place to observe a meteorite shower is someplace dark. Get away from the lights of the city if you can. Places like Cranberry Flats or the Northeast Swale are good places as you have a wide open view of the night sky. (Cypress Hills Provincial Park and Grasslands National Park in southern Saskatchewan are designated Dark Sky Preserves, so those places will be ideal). This year should be an especially good one for the Perseids meteor shower as the moon will just be a small crescent, making the sky much darker than a full moon. Find a comfortable place to sit or lay down and watch the night sky. It will actually take your eyes a while (15 minutes or longer) to become adjusted to the night sky. But once you’re comfortable, sit or lay back and enjoy the show. The meteor experts say the Earth will pass through Comet Swift-Tuttle’s dust trail from August 11 to 13, with the Earth passing through the dustiest part of the comet trail on August 12. I sure hope it is cloudless night on August 12. (Graphic from www.skyandtelescope.com)
Butterflies at the Northeast Swale
The Young Naturalists is about getting kids interested in nature. It’s not that hard: kids love nature. In July we are looking at butterflies (and other insects) and the Northeast Swale. Here is a quick beginners’ look at some of the more common butterflies we might expect to encounter.
Butterflies and moths belong to the group of insects called the lepidopterans. It is a special word used by scientists that means ‘scaly wings’. Both butterflies and moths have scales on their wings. (A butterfly is actually a type of moth.
You can tell the difference by shape of their antennae). The scales are quite delicate and loosely attached, which is why we need to know how handle
butterflies without damaging their scales. You can check out the scales for yourself. Carefully look for dead butterflies or moths on the front grill of parked cars or around an unplugged ‘bug zapper’.
If you rub their wings the scales will come off on your fingers in the form of a dust.
Butterfly wings are covered in thousands of these dusty scales. The scales help the butterfly warm up its body by catching heat from the sun. The scales are also what gives the butterfly its beautiful colours. Take a close look at the scales. Some are colourful, some are transparent, and some are iridescent giving off shiny colours when the light hits them.
If you are walking at the Northeast Swale or other natural area around Saskatoon you will see butterflies fluttering by. Here is quick looks at some of the more common ones.
Common Wood Nymphs are probably the most common brown coloured butterfly at the Northeast Swale in July. These are brownish-coloured butterflies with large eye spots on their wings. You can tell the boys from the girls because the girls are bigger and have bigger eye spots. If we do catch a male, be sure to check out its upperwing for a purple iridescence. (Photo from www.bugguide.net)
Yellow Butterflies will most likely belong to the group of butterflies known as ‘Sulphurs’. The most common Sulphur at the Northeast Swale is the Clouded Sulphur. The upper- wing will give you a clue as to who is a boy and who is a girl. The beautiful yellow upper- wing has a thin black border. On the males the black border is solid, on the females there will be yellow spots on the border. (Photo from www.butterfliesandmoths.org)
The White Butterflies we encounter will most likely be Cabbage Butterfly (or Cabbage White). These are a European species that was accidentally introduced into North America over 150 years ago. Today, they can be almost everywhere. Gardeners don’t like them as their caterpillars can damage garden plants. Up close, these are beautiful little butterflies with a greenish tinge to the underwing. (Photo from www.butterfliesandmoths.org)
The small blue butterflies will belong to the group of butterflies appropriately known as ‘Blues’ and they have great names like Spring Azure, Silvery Blue, Greenish Blue, Arctic Blue, and Melissa Blue. The Spring Azure is the most common Blue on the Northeast Swale, as they are fond of Saskatoon and Chokecherry blooms. (Photo from www.butterfliesandmoths.org)
There are always surprises when looking for butterflies. We will be keeping our eyes open for the butterfly with the cool sounding name: Great Spangled Fritillary. Their underwings are fairly dull, but when flying they are a beautiful orange and black. (Photo from www.butterfliesandmoths.org)
There are a lot more butterflies to be found. Butterflies love the nectar from flowers. It makes them important pollinators for the wildflowers growing in our natural areas. As you notice the butterflies, take note of which flowers each type seems to prefer.
Young Naturalists Report
Once June rolls around the Young Naturalists take on their premier environmental education project: the Bluebird Trail. Saskatoon’s Bluebird Trail was started in 1969 by the Young Naturalists (called the Junior Naturalists back then) led by Mary Houston. At the time, bluebirds were a species in decline. This was mainly to due habitat destruction and competition for nesting sites by introduced species like the European House Sparrow and the European Starling. Bluebirds are cavity nesters, which means they nest inside cavities in old trees. Usually an old woodpecker’s nest. One of the solutions to help bluebirds across North America was to create artificial tree cavities; better known as a birdhouse. (Although Bluebird Trail people prefer the term ‘nestbox’).
Adult Mountain Bluebird watches the Young Naturalists at a nest box.
T. Jackson photo.
There are Bluebird Trails all over North America. Ours is part of a trail running from Edmonton to Winnipeg. (Our section of the trail runs from Langham to Hanely). Each year volunteers check the nestboxes and record the species of bird and the number of eggs or young bird in the box. Mary Houston was interested in more than just the productivity of the birds (how many eggs and babies), she wanted to know things like where bluebirds went for the winter, how long do they live, and do they return to the same nest each year? To understand this you need to track the bird with a numbered leg band. Mary obtained a scientific permit from Environment Canada’s Bird Banding Office to band birds. This made Saskatoon’s Bluebird Trail something special, as the Young Naturalists not only monitored the productivity of the birds, we
also studied their survivorship and other factors with leg bands. Forty nine years later and the Young Naturalists are still banding birds on our bluebird trail.
This was very busy June checking all the nest boxes on the bluebird trail. Most were occupied by Tree Swallows and quite a few had House Wrens (and one chickadee family!). But the exciting news was the Mountain Bluebirds. We knew it was going to be a good year when the first nestbox we checked had bluebirds! This year we are happy to report we managed to band 36 juvenile Mountain Bluebirds – up from 20 last year. We wish all our birds a safe journey south and we hope to see many of them return to their nestboxes again next year for our 50th year of banding on the bluebird trail.
Upcoming Young Naturalists Programs:
Enrolment is limited on Young Naturalists programs.
Early registration is encouraged to avoid disappointment.
Registration is taken on a first-come basis. To register e-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com and indicate the program for which you would like to register. You must register for each activity separately.
(You can register for more than one activity at a time). Most programs are free unless otherwise indicated. At least one parent/guardian must accompany your child/children on all Young Naturalists activities
Young Naturalists’ Butterflies and other insects ‘SOLD OUT’
Thursday, July 19 at 1:30 p.m.
Northeast Swale
Space is limited. Advanced registration is required. Cost: Free (Donations accepted)
We will be exploring the area around the Northeast Swale in search of butterflies and their favourite wild flowers. On this field trip we learn the proper techniques for catching and observing butterflies. We hope to catch a variety of butterflies and other insects to learn about their ecology – including some of the native plants they love. We will be using butterfly nets, but we only have a limited supply. Be prepared to share.
Space is limited. E-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com to register or for more information.
Young Naturalists’ Sandhill Crane Field Trip
Saturday, September 22
9:30 a.m.
Space is limited. Advanced registration is required. Cost: Free (donations accepted)
A field trip south of Saskatoon to look for migrating Sandhill Cranes and other wildlife. We’ll have binoculars and a spotting scope along to demonstrate how these tools can improve your wildlife watching experience. Parent Advisory: we will be walking along the shoreline of the South Saskatchewan River on this field trip.
Space is limited. E-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com to register or for more information.
At least one parent/guardian must accompany your child/children on all Young Naturalists activities.
Young Naturalists’ Saw-whet Owl Field Trip October 2018 – the date will be determined by the owls! 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Cost: Free (donations accepted).
Some travel is involved. 80 km round trip
Space is limited. Advanced registration is required.
We will join naturalist Martin Stoffel as he collects scientific information from migrating Saw-whet Owls. Saw-whets are an extremely cute owl so this program fills up quickly. Enrolment is limited. Advanced registration is required.
The date for this program has not been set. The actual date is set by the owls and when they decide to migrate. E-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com to register or for more information.
Young Naturalists’ Bird Feeder Workshop
Saturday, November 3
1:00 p.m.
Cost: $10.00 ($5.00 for members of the Saskatoon Nature Society or the Saskatoon Zoo Society) Space is limited. Advanced Registration is required.
Learn about winter bird watching with a bird feeder. Bring a hammer and build your own bird feeder to take home.
Enrolment is limited. Pre-registration is required. e-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com to register
or for more information. At least one parent/guardian must accompany your child/children on all Young Naturalists activities.
Click here for more upcoming Young Naturalists Programs
Want more nature?
Attention Nature Kids Teachers
Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation Outreach Program: Engaging Students with a live animal
Wildlife Educators from Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation will visit your classroom with live animals including bats, birds and their Thirteen-line Ground Squirrel for a wild 45 minute presentation. Because Living Sky is a wildlife rehab centre, they have a unique perspective on the connections between humans and animals. Topics are curriculum based for each grade level and focus on habitat, community, animal characteristics, animal growth, and what to do if you encounter an injured or orphaned animal. Basic fee is $50.00 per class ($75.00 for bat presentation) and funds raised from the presentations support animal rehabilitation.
Call Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation for more information and available dates at 306-281-0554 or e-mail LSWR@sasktel.net to book your presentation.
NEW: Thanks to a grant from Nutrien and the Saskatoon Foundation the Living Sky Wildlife Outreach program can now be offered to
10 community school classrooms at no charge. This is a first-come-first-served offer.
Saskatoon Zoo Society On-site and Outreach Education Programs
Learn about biodiversity, species at risk, climate change, and Saskatchewan’s wildlife with the Saskatoon Zoo Society and their curriculum-based education programs. Programs take place at Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm Park Zoo or through their outreach program in your classroom. Visit the Saskatoon Zoo Society website for more information on educational critters, programs, and fees.
More Nature….
Check out EcoFriendly Sask.
The Saskatoon NatureKids Buzz is only a small sampling of nature and environment happenings. A great source of information is the EcoFriendly Sask. You can also subscribe to their weekly newsletter, EcoFriendly Sask News, and have a weekly round-up of every- thing environmental in Saskatchewan delivered right to your electronic mailbox. Plus check out their website for information on small grants for environmental projects.
Prairie Naturalist
The Prairie Naturalist is a live weekly radio show every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. on 91.3 FM, CJTR, Regina Community Radio. But you can also listen on channel 806 on SaskTel Max, or download the CJTR Smartphone App. Host Jared Clarke covers a variety of nature related topics from the prairies. Podcasts can also be found at https://soundcloud.com/theprairienaturalist or http://cjtr.ca/podcasts/
Saskatoon Nature Society
Lots of field trips (open to all ages) and other information
You can even download the latest newsletter from the Saskatoon Nature Society.
Check out these free events from
Wild Birds Unlimited
330A 2600 8th Street East
The Amazing World Of Falconry Sunday, July 22nd (6:30 – 8:00 p.m.)
The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest bird on earth. Lynn Oliphant has been training his 2018 brood of falcons and you’re invited to meet them. Lynn is professor emeritus from the Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences (Univ. of Sask.), founding member of the Prairie Institute for Human Ecology, Award-winning Environmentalist and raptor expert. Be at WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED Nature Shop at 6:30pm to drive to Lynn & Rhonda’s place (about 20 km). We will be carpooling for those interested. This is FREE to anyone interested.
When Sleeping Birds Fly: 365 Amazing Facts Aboiut the Animal Kingdom Wed. July 25th (6:00 – 8:00 p.m.)
Please join award-winning Saskatoon author Sally Meadows (MSc, BEd) for the launch of her new book ‘When Sleeping Birds Fly: 365 Amazing Facts About The Animal Kingdom’. With hands-on activities for kids ages 5-12, this event (and book) is perfect for anyone who enjoys amusing animal trivia. This is a come-and-go event with a short introduction at the beginning. As a former scientist, children’s entertainer (Sal the Science Gal, Nuts About Science! ), and educator, thousands of students have enjoyed and benefitted from Sally’s innovative programs that increase science literacy in fun and unique ways. Find out more about Sally at https://sallymeadows.com; sign up for her newsletter to keep up with all her latest news. A FREE event at Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop.
Welcome to the May and June edition of Saskatoon NatureKids Buzz. This edition is a little late as I’ve been busy cleaning and installing new birdhouses along the Mary Houston Bluebird Trail instead of writing a news- letter. I had a late start this year with the spring weather, so a lot of the Tree Swallows and Mountain Bluebirds have already arrived. They had decided which nestbox to inhabit and were waiting for the boxes to be cleaned for them. I would like to say they were waiting patiently, but seeing their watchful eyes as they sat next to the nestbox, I had the feeling I was being scolded for being tardy. A big thank you to Ron Wick for the donation of front-opening nestboxes. They were installed along the Pike Lake section of the trail.
Everyday brings new changes along the bluebird trail. The Prairie Crocus are finished blooming for the season. Now the grasslands comes alive with an explosion of yellow flowers, soon to be followed by the white blossoms of the yarrow and bedstraw. One of the most abundant yellow flowers this time of year is the Golden Bean (Thermopsis rhombifolia). Also known as Buffalo Bean, the Golden Bean blooms in mid-May to mid-June. This is great news for hungry pollinators like bees and butterflies looking for food. The flowers are bright yellow and resemble the flowers of the pea. The Golden Bean is in the pea family and produces little curled pods of beans. However you cannot eat the ‘beans’ produced by this plant. They contain poisonous alkaloids which can cause illness. The plant is thought to have killed livestock, although grazing animals generally don’t eat the Golden Bean because of its bad taste. First Nations would use the bright yellow flowers to create a colourful dye.
Spring also means new babies. Keep your eyes open for – and keep your distance from – baby hares, foxes, deer, robins and ground squirrels. These animals are quite common in our city. Mother animals are very protective of their young, so please do your wildlife watching from a respective distance. The Canada Goose goslings will also be hatching mid-May followed by various ducklings in early to mid-June. This is the time of year when wildlife rehabilitators get flooded with “orphaned” babies. Many of these babies were not orphaned, but “rescued” by well-meaning people who did not understand the natural history of our wild animals. Animals such as hares and deer leave their young unattended for long-periods of time. It is easy to mistake these animals for orphans. If you do spot an injured or orphaned animal the best thing to do is call the Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Saskatchewan (WRSOS) hotline at 306-242-7177. They have trained volunteers who can safely rescue injured wildlife and determine if an orphan is really an orphan.
Most events are free. Some events have a fee. Some events require advanced registration.
For more information on each event please visit www.wildaboutsaskatoon.org
Tuesday, May 22
NatureCity Festival May 22 to 27, 2018
Our city is a living network of rivers and streets, trees and office towers,
prairies and yards. We are a city of contrasts unified by the natural networks that
hold our ecosystem together.
NatureCity Festival 2018 uses the Cree concept Âniskopicikêwin (pronounced an-scope-chi-ke-win) which means everything is linked together to describe these vital connections.
From May 22nd to 27th is your opportunity to explore the trails, the rivers, the
sidewalks, and the flyways. Let’s celebrate Saskatoon’s wild side!
NatureCity Festival is a de-centralized festival, consisting of 50+ nature inspired events spread across Saskatoon held over a week-long period,
hosted in collaboration with countless individuals and community organizations.
10:00 am Into the Aspen Grove
10:30 am Family Storytime at Frances Morrison Central Library 12:15 pm Mendel Riverbank Bird Walk
6:00 pm Reclaim Our Prairie! At the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre Garden Patch
7:00 pm Bison in Agriculture at the Alice Turner Library.
7:00 pm Lakewood Park Pop-up Naturalist at Lakewood Park
7:00 pm Pop-up Clothing Swap at the YWCA Gymnasium
7:30 pm Nature photography with smartphones at Heritage and Lakewood Parks
Wednesday, May 23
10:30 am NatureCity Baby & Toddlers Together Mayfair Library 12:00 pm MVA Trail Pop-Up Naturalist Event on the riverbank
near the U of S Lutheran Seminary
12:30 pm Free Wetland Field trips at Chappell Marsh 6:30 pm SOS Elms’ Walking Tour of Woodlawn Cemetery
7:00 pm Keeping Saskatoon Wild at the Underground Cafe 7:00 pm Plant the Saskatoon Seed Library 7:00 pm Wildflower Identification Workshop.
Thursday, May 24
10:00 am 4 Elements at Churchill Park
10:30 am Storytime at the Frances Morrison Central Library 10:30 am NatureCity Family Storytime at the Cliff Wright Library 12:00 pm Grow where you’ve never grown before
12:00 pm Watersheds and You at the River Landing Spray Park 4:30 pm All about honey bees, urban beekeeping and pollination.
At the Saskatoon Food Bank Garden Patch
6:00 pm An Intro to Canoeing at the Erindale Lake
6:00 pm The Story of Soil: how soil biology supports life on
Earth. At the Saskatoon Food BankGarden Patch 7:00 pm Mindfulness Outdoors at Gabriel Dumont Park 7:00 pm Sleepy Time Stories at the J.S. Wood Library 7:00 pm Survive Outside. At Cabela’s.
7:30 pm Acres to Ales at 9 Mile Legacy Brewing
7:30 pm The Fabulist at the River Landing at the River Landing
Friday, May 25
ALL DAY Saskatoon Cache and Release
at Floral Community Centre 9:30 am Path to Wild Food for Schools
at Wanuskewin Heritage Park (Sold out)
at the Children’s Discovery Museum
10:30 am Family Storytime at the Alice Turner Branch Library 10:30 am Path to Wild Food at Wanuskewin Heritage Park 12:30 pm Tuwanassina – “The place we belong”
at Gabriel Dumont Park
1:30 pm Tour of Hyde Park & Wetland at Hyde Park
7:00 pm Nature Needs Half at Aden Bowman Castle Theatre
9:00 pm Green Drinks at Nino’s on Broadway
Saturday, May 26
9:00 am Labour and Learn at Forestry Farm Park & Zoo
9:00 am Stick and Stone: Friends Forever at Holy Family School 12:15 pm Hyde Park Naturalized Area Shoreline
1:00 pm Misaskwatomina
at the south parking lot of Riverside Pool 1:00 pm The Library of Things YXE
in the basement of the Better Good
3:00 pm Reclaim our Prairie
at St. Joseph High School Grassland Demonstration Site 5:00 pm Bike the Moveable Feast at the Gabriel Dumont Statue at the base of the Broadway Bridge
6:00 pm Permaculture: all things connected at Amigos Cantina
8:00 pm Dancing in the Street on 20th street between Ave B & C
Sunday, May 27
9:00 am Spring Wildflower Walk
at Cranberry Flats Conservation Area
1:00 pm Scotiabank Something on Sundays at Remai Modern 1:30 pm Forestry Farm House Interpretive Centre opening 2:00 pm Chief Whitecap Waterway Voyageur
(Location provided at registration) 4:00 pm Agriculture Roundtable
at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market 4:00 pm Living Together at The Prairie Lily
7:00 pm B.I.R.D.S. (Birds in Real Danger Saskatoon)–Saving
Birds, One Window at a time.At Wild Birds Unlimited
9:00 pm Firefly Night Walk at NE Swale at the Northeast Swale
Mallard Ducks, Ducklings, & Backyard Nests
Mallard Ducks do not normally nest on the edge of a pond or lake. I assume by hiding the nest away from water she can avoid predators looking for eggs. It is not unusual in Saskatoon to find a Mallard nesting in your backyard or local park. The big problem comes when it is time to march the babies to the closest pond.
Mallards will lay their eggs over a two-week period, but they do not start to incubate until all the eggs have been laid. This way all the eggs will hatch at the same time (usually around mid-June). If you find a nest in the city, please do not disturb it. Call the Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Saskatchewan (WRSOS) at 306- 242-7177 and let them know you have a Mallard nest in your yard. A nesting Mallard will quickly adjust to your presence in the yard. The trick is to move calmly and quietly. Avoid disturbing the nest and keep your pets away. If you do not want the nest in your yard, call the WRSOS for information on moving a nest.
About a month after incubation starts the ducklings hatch. Now comes the dangerous part for the duck- lings as they follow mom to water. In the city this may mean crossing busy streets and negotiating obstacles like fences, curbs, people, and pets. This is where the WRSOS comes in. They have duck specialists that will assist the mother get her ducklings to water.
You can help, but it important not to get too close as
mom will get frightened and fly away. (She will come back when she feels it is safe). You can stop traffic to al- low the duck family to safely cross streets. Make sure all the ducklings cross safely; there is always one or two slow ones at the back! If you have a duck nest in your yard or spot a family of ducks marching through your neighbourhood towards water, call the WRSOS hotline at 306-242-7177 to make sure they make it safely.
Young Naturalists Activity Report
The Crocus field trip was postponed until April 29 due to the late spring weather. April 29 turned out to be a cool and windy day. Although it was not great weather for our field trip, the crocus were very abundant on the grasslands. The crocus is the first flower to bloom on the grasslands and it has special adaptations, like a thick woolly coat, to help it survive the cold temperatures of spring.
Fortunately, the provincial fire ban had not been announced and the Pike Lake field trip was held on Saturday, May 5, with beautiful weather for our campfire lunch. Following lunch we visited the lake to look for underwater insects and invertebrates (animals without back- bones). We also found a few vertebrates like the Wood Frog. There were a few dead fish on the shore. They were most likely the victims of winterkill. Winterkill occurs when fish suffocated from lack of dissolved oxygen. Winterkill occurs during especially long, harsh winters. Lakes like Pike Lake that are shallow and have a lot of aquatic vegetation and mucky bottoms are prone to this problem. We found some pretty cool underwater creatures including caddisfly larva, damselfly larva, fairy shrimp, leeches, and phantom midge larva. We also found a lot of mosquito larva. The mosquito larva were smaller than ones we have seen in the past. Sure enough next weekend the mosquitoes were out. I noticed they were smaller that the usual ones, so there maybe a relationship between the size of the larva and the size of the adult. On our hike we noticed lots of interesting plants that were leafing out for the season. We also learned how to identify poisonous plants like poison ivy and marsh marigold.
Caddisfly left, Damselfly right.
Upcoming Young Naturalists Programs:
Enrolment is limited on Young Naturalists programs.
Early registration is encouraged to avoid disappointment.
Registration is taken on a first-come basis. To register e-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com and indicate the program for which you would like to register. You must register for each activity separately.
(You can register for more than one activity at a time). Most programs are free unless otherwise indicated. At least one parent/guardian must accompany your child/children on all Young Naturalists activities
Young Naturalist Great Horned Owl Banding Field Trip “SOLD OUT”
Wedneday, May 23 6:30 to 9:00
Cost: Free. Donations always accepted. Advanced registration is required.
We will join naturalists’ Marten Stoffel and Martin Gerard as they band and collect scientific information from wild Great
Horned Owls. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required.
Young Naturalists’ Bluebird Trail
Starts May 30 and runs into early July – evenings and some weekends.
Watch for a schedule on our web page comng soon!
Did you know the Young Naturalists’ have be monitoring bluebird populations around Saskatoon since 1969?
Join naturalist Greg Fenty as he works with bluebirds and Tree Swallows along the Bluebird Trail. Space is limited.
E-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com to register or for more information.
At least one parent/guardian must accompany your child/children on all Young Naturalists activities.
Young Naturalists Butterflies and other insects
Thursday, July 19 at 1:30 p.m.
Northeast Swale
Space is limited. Advanced registration is required.
Cost: Free (Donations accepted)
We will be exploring the area around the Northeast Swale in search of butterflies and their favourite wild flowers. On this field trip we learn the proper techniques for catching and observing butterflies. We hope to catch a variety of butterflies and other insects to learn about their ecology – including some of the native plants they love. We will be using butterfly nets, but we only have a limited supply. Be prepared to share.
Space is limited. E-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com to register or for more information.
Young Naturalists Sandhill Crane Field Trip
Saturday, September 22
9:30 a.m.
Space is limited. Advanced registration is required. Cost: Free (donations accepted)
A field trip south of Saskatoon to look for migrating Sandhill Cranes and other wildlife. We’ll have binoculars and a spotting scope along to demonstrate how these tools can improve your wildlife watching experience. Parent Advisory: we will be walking along the shoreline of the South Saskatchewan River on this field trip.
Space is limited. E-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com to register or for more information.
At least one parent/guardian must accompany your child/children on all Young Naturalists activities.
Click here for more upcoming Young Naturalists Programs
(some of the fall programs have been posted)
Want more nature?
Attention Nature Kids Teachers
Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation Outreach Program: Engaging Students with a live animal
Wildlife Educators from Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation will visit your classroom with live animals including bats, birds and their Thirteen-line Ground Squirrel for a wild 45 minute presentation. Because Living Sky is a wildlife rehab centre, they have a unique perspective on the connections between humans and animals. Topics are curriculum based for each grade level and focus on habitat, community, animal characteristics, animal growth, and what to do if you encounter an injured or orphaned animal. Basic fee is $50.00 per class ($75.00 for bat presentation) and funds raised from the presentations support animal rehabilitation.
Call Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation for more information and available dates at 306-281-0554 or e-mail info@livingskywildliferehabilitation.org to book your presentation.
NEW: Thanks to a grant from Nutrien and the Saskatoon Foundation the Living Sky Wildlife Outreach program can now be offered to
10 community school classrooms at no charge. This is a first-come-first-served offer.
Saskatoon Zoo Society On-site and Outreach Education Programs
Learn about biodiversity, species at risk, climate change, and Saskatchewan’s wildlife with the Saskatoon Zoo Society and their curriculum-based education programs. Programs take place at Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm Park Zoo or through their outreach program in your classroom. Visit the Saskatoon Zoo Society website for more information on educational critters, programs, and fees.
More Nature….
Check out EcoFriendly Sask.
A weekly round-up of everything environmental in Saskatchewan, and small action grants as well.
Prairie Naturalist
The Prairie Naturalist is a live weekly radio show every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. on 91.3 FM, CJTR, Re- gina Community Radio. But you can also listen on channel 806 on SaskTel Max, or download the CJTR Smartphone App. Host Jared Clarke covers a variety of nature related topics from the prairies. Pod- casts can also be found at https://soundcloud.com/theprairienaturalist or http://cjtr.ca/podcasts/
Lots of field trips (open to all ages) and other information
You can even download the latest newsletter from the Saskatoon Nature Society.
Copyright © 2018 Saskatoon Young Naturalists, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this newsletter because you have enrolled in a Saskatoon Young Naturalists program. To unsubscribe please send a reply e-mail (saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com) with the word “unsubscribe”.
Our mailing address is: Saskatoon Young Naturalists PO Box 448
RPO University Saskatoon, SK S7N 4J8
Welcome to the April edition of Saskatoon NatureKids Buzz. April means we should be keeping our eyes open for pussy willows, crocus, and geese and pelicans returning from their winter migration. Instead, I’m look-
ing at the snow falling outside my window. We always get a few robins and Canada Geese that overwinter in Saskatoon, but the ones we are seeing now are just arriving from their winter migration and are searching out nesting sites. I wonder what goes through their mind when they get back to the prairies and find we are still in the grip of winter? Even more amazing is that many of the birds have delayed their migration because of our poor spring weather. How do they know? What kind of bird communication happens to let birds thousands of kilometers away know what is happening in Saskatchewan?
This late spring will be tough on our hibernating critters as well. I’ve seen a few ground squirrels running about, but I think they’ve all gone back underground to wait for warmer weather. Good thing many of them stored some extra seeds in the fall just in case there was a late spring. Great Horned Owlets have begun hatching. I wonder how they make it through the cold weather. The Young Naturalists learned a little about Great Horned Owl ecology in March with our owl pellet workshop. Check out the pictures. We found some pretty neat bones in our owl pellets.
The late spring will most likely mean that some of our programs, like the Crocus Hike and the Pike Lake Field Trip, may need to be rescheduled. Watch for e-mail updates if you are registered in these programs.
In March the Young Naturalists’ learned about using owl pellets to study biodiversity. Owls cannot digest bones, so the bones of their prey are coughed up in the form of a pellet which can be dissected to see what the owls have been eating. Photos by Marianne Maiboll and Greg Fenty.
Prairie Crocus Signals Approach of Summer
By Judy Toews
At the first breath of spring the “ears of the Earth”, as they are called by some First Nations people, push their way up from the half-frozen prairie. As Prairie Crocus buds strain to hear the approach of summer, they may well be covered in a late snow. The delicate appearance of our earliest spring flower is deceiving. It is well adapted to survive our perilous prairie condi- tions. A dry fall and little snow cover will be a real test for this little fur-coated gem this year.
Prairie Crocus in full bloom.
Photo by Tara Sample / Alberta Plant Watch http://plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/
For many, the Prairie Crocus is the first true sign of spring. Because the carpets of pale blue blooms reminded the English settlers of the similar shaped crocus at home, they named our spring jewel “Prairie Crocus”. Other Europeans called it Pasque Flower, an old French reference to Easter. In fact, dye made from the flowers was used to colour Easter eggs.
Botanists include Prairie Crocus in the Buttercup family and call it Anemone patens. Greek tradition tells of Amenos, the wind who engaged little flowers to announce his coming in spring. Hence another common name, Prairie Anemone, translates as “flower of the prairie wind.”
The pale blue, mauve or occasionally white flowers usually grow in ground-hugging bunches with a single bloom on each stem. Each flower has five to seven petal-like parts called sepals, but no true petals. The sepals can vary in length from two to four centimetres across. Like the rest of the plant, silky hairs cover the outer surfaces of the sepals. The furry coat acts as a deterrent to insects and grazing animals.
As the plants mature the flower stalks lengthen. The multi-segmented leaves under each bloom become more prominent and the longer leaves at the base of the plant expand. Like the upper foliage, the basal leaves are much divided, grey-green in colour and covered in hairs. Sepals on the flowerheads fall away and replaced by silver-haired plumes attached to seed-like fruit. The spherical fruit heads, dubbed “lion’s beard” or “prairie smoke” eventually lose their feathery fruits to the wind.
“Prairie Smoke” A Praire Crocus seed pod ready to disperse its seeds into the wind.
Photo by Kirk Harrold / Alberta Plant Watch http://plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/
Since Prairie Crocus prefer dry prairie grasslands and sand hillsides, we don’t have to travel to far to see them. They are often spotted along the riverbank.
Those searching at Beaver Creek, Cranberry Flats, the Strawberry Hills, Pike Lake, and Wanuskewin will good displays. Our pocket of prairie, the Saskatoon Natural Grasslands and the adjacent Peturrson’s Ravine will be rich with spring blooms.
If you like wildflowers a little closer to home, grow them in your garden. A rock garden is an ideal spot. Prairie Crocus need well drained soil and a sunny location. With the growing of wildflowers becoming increasingly popular more nurseries are offering native species. Some nurseries and seed stores sell Prairie Crocus seeds. Taking plants from the wild is not an alternative.
Judy Toews is a member of the Saskatoon Nature Society. This article was originally published in 2002.
Farewell to Spirit the Great Horned Owl
The Young Naturalists lost a great friend and animal ambassador with the death of Spirit the Great Horned Owl in March. Spirit began life as a hatchling owlet at Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm Park Zoo in the spring of 2002. Unfortunately, she suffered an eye injury when she was about three weeks old. The injury to her eye required constant care, so Spirit was moved to an indoor space where we could care for her and tend to her eye. This is where the adventure begins for Spirit and her human helpers.
A four week old Spirit hangs out with Joyce Messer at Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm.
Wild animals have a natural fear of humans, so working with wild animals can be very challenging. But occasionally the animal you are working with begins to bond with you. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, it is wonderful. It is also a wonderful opportunity for education. In Spirit’s case, she began to bond with the people caring for her.
the importance of the biodiversity of Saskatchewan and the ecology of the Great Horned Owl. She was a big part of the Young Naturalists owl ecology programs, and she tied in so nicely with our local schools study of Farley Mowat’s Owls in the Family. Where ever Spirit went she quickly became the centre of attention. People left their encounter with Spirit in awe of her size, her amazing plumage, her gentle hooting, and her bright yellow eye. People left with a new respect for Great Horned Owls.
Owlets grow up very quickly. In a few months she was now an adult-sized owl, complete with power- ful legs and long, sharp talons. We were continuing to treat her eye, but it had become obvious that the treatments were not working. The veterinarians made the decision to surgically remove Spirit’s right eye.
Spirit came through the operation with flying colours. The loss of her eye did not seem to bother her much, and she had no trouble flying and landing on a branch. She also really enjoyed getting outside with her handlers. On our trips outdoors we would meet visitors to the zoo and introduce them to Spirit (or Spirt – Spirit without the ‘I’) and tell them her story and a little about the ecology of the Great Horned Owl. Spirit was very comfortable around people and we realized we had a great educational opportunity sitting on our hand.
Over the next 15 years of her life, Spirit visited thousands of students in and around Saskatoon. She became an important part of the Saskatoon Zoo Society’s outreach team and was instrumental in teaching about
Spirit was right at home being centre of attention in any classroom.
Spirit “retired” in the spring of 2017 and passed away in March 2018.
Upcoming Young Naturalists Programs:
Enrolment is limited on Young Naturalists programs.
Early registration is encouraged to avoid disappointment.
Registration is taken on a first-come basis. To register e-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com and indicate the program for which you would like to register. You must register for each activity separately.
(You can register for more than one activity at a time). Most programs are free unless otherwise indicated. At least one parent/guardian must accompany your child/children on all Young Naturalists activities
Young Naturalists Crocus Hike – only a few spots left!
Postponed to Sunday, April 29 at 1:00 p.m. Northeast Swale
Cost: Free
Celebrate Earth Week with the Young Naturalists as we walk on the native prairie and look for Prairie Crocus and other signs of spring. Watch our web and Facebook page as this field trip date might change depending upon the blooming time for the crocus.
Young Naturalists Pike Lake Field Trip “SOLD OUT”
Saturday, May 5 from 12:00 noon to 3:30 p.m.
(Although this date may change if spring does not arrive soon) Pike Lake Provincial Park
Cost: Free – donations accepted. Advanced registration is required.
Join the Young Naturalists for lunch around the campfire followed by nature activities including our search for wild dragons, damsels, fairies, and frogs*. (*Dragonflies, damselflies, fairy shrimp, and frogs). Space is limited on this very popular program so register early!
Young Naturalist Great Horned Owl Banding Field Trip “SOLD OUT”
May 2018 – date to be announced.
This is an evening program usually from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Cost: Free. Donations always accepted. Advanced registration is required.
We will join naturalists’ Marten Stoffel and Martin Gerard as they band and collect scientific information from wild Great
Horned Owls. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required.
Young Naturalists’ Bluebird Trail
Starts May 30 and runs into early July – evenings and weekends. Watch for a schedule on our web page around mid-May
Summer programs:
I am still working on dates and leaders for programs such as the butterfly field tirp, peregrine falcon field trip, pruple martin field trip, and grassland field trip. Watch the website, Facebook, and future newsletters for updates.
Click here for more upcoming Young Naturalists Programs
(some of the fall programs have been posted)
Copyright © 2018 Saskatoon Young Naturalists, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this newsletter because you have enrolled in a Saskatoon Young Naturalists program. To unsubscribe please send a reply e-mail (saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com) with the word “unsubscribe”.
Our mailing address is: Saskatoon Young Naturalists PO Box 448
RPO University Saskatoon, SK S7N 4J8
Want more nature?
Earth Day is April 22 (on a Sunday this year). There are many things you can do to protect our planet and conserve resources. Earth Day is a single day to remind us of how wonderful the Earth actually is, and how we depend upon a healthy planet to survive. Earth Day is your day to get out and explore our planet and do more to use resources wisely. And not just on Earth Day. Make every day Earth Day.
Attention Nature Kids Teachers
Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation Outreach Program: Engaging Students with a live animal
Wildlife Educators from Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation will visit your classroom with live animals including bats, birds and their Thirteen-line Ground Squirrel for a wild 45 minute presentation. Because Living Sky is a wildlife rehab centre, they have a unique perspective on the connections between humans and animals. Topics are curriculum based for each grade level and focus on habitat, community, animal characteristics, animal growth, and what to do if you encounter an injured or orphaned animal. Basic fee is $50.00 per class ($75.00 for bat presentation) and funds raised from the presentations support animal rehabilitation.
Call Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation for more information and available dates at 306-281-0554 or e-mail info@livingskywildliferehabilitation.org to book your presentation.
NEW: Thanks to a grant from Nutrien and the Saskatoon Foundation the Living Sky Wildlife Outreach program can now be offered to
10 community school classrooms at no charge. This is a first-come-first-served offer.
Saskatoon Zoo Society On-site and Outreach Education Programs
Learn about biodiversity, species at risk, climate change, and Saskatchewan’s wildlife with the Saskatoon Zoo Society and their curriculum-based education programs. Programs take place at Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm Park Zoo or through their outreach program in your classroom. Visit the Saskatoon Zoo Society website for more information on educational critters, programs, and fees.
More Nature….
Check out EcoFriendly Sask.
A weekly round-up of everything environmental in Saskatchewan, and small action grants as well.
Prairie Naturalist
The Prairie Naturalist is a live weekly radio show every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. on 91.3 FM, CJTR, Regina Community Radio. But you can also listen on channel 806 on SaskTel Max, or download the CJTR Smartphone App. Host Jared Clarke covers a variety of nature related topics from the prairies. Podcasts can also be found at https://soundcloud.com/theprairienaturalist or http://cjtr.ca/podcasts/
Saskatoon Nature Society
Lots of field trips (open to all ages) and other information
You can even download the latest newsletter from the Saskatoon Nature Society.
The next meeting of the Saskatoon Nature Society is Thursday, April 19
Thursday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Room 106 Biology (W.P. Thompson) Building on the U of S Campus
Admission is free and everyone is invited. Visit www.saskatoonnaturesociety.sk.ca for more information.
COMING IN MAY: The NatureCity Festival May 22 -27
NatureCity Festival offers 6 days of adventures, discoveries, and family fun (most of it free!) to help you fall in love with the wild side of Saskatoon.
Explore the nature of our city. Attend an evening of conversation with keynote speaker Harvey Locke, founder of Nature Needs Half. There is something for everyone at NatureCity Festival. Enjoy over 50 nature-inspired events to help you discover, appreciate an enjoy nature in Saskatoon.
Visit wildaboutsaskatoon.org for more information.
March started off with lots of snow. It is too bad we didn’t have snow like this in January for our snow- shoeing activity. March is also the Spring (or Vernal) Equinox (on Tuesday, March 20 this year). The days are starting to get longer and the Equinox marks the date when the length of the day equals the length of the night (and the sun’s energy is equal in both north and south of the equator). The changing day length all has to do with the tilt of the Earth as it orbits around the sun. Our orbit, however, in not circular. It is shaped like an oval, or what scientists call an elliptical orbit. In March our elliptical path will take us out to the far ends of the oval. We are actually moving away from the sun. But the tilt of the Earth makes up for it by exposing the northern part of the planet to more direct energy from the sun. In other words, it’s going to get warmer.
Spring is arriving!
It is very easy for our government to monitor how much electricity we use from hour to hour on each and every day. We can use this technology to show our government we care about climate change.
The World Wildlife Fund-Canada (WWF) calls on people across the country to join others around the world to send a strong global message and show your commitment to the planet. You can switch on your social power by simply switching off your lights. You can learn more and sign up at https://www.earthhour.org
The 12th annual Earth Hour takes place at 8:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, March 24, 2018.
Six continents, over 170 countries, and 24 time zones will be united as a global community, making our voices heard through individual action. Turn off as much power as you can and focus on your commitment to climate action for the rest of this year.
Butterflies when there is snow?
The arrival of spring, marked by the Spring (or Vernal) Equinox, will mean temperatures will start to warm and our snow will start to melt. One of the most fascinating things I find about the warmer temperatures is the waking of our hibernating butterflies. In Saskatchewan we have several types
of butterflies that hibernate over the winter months as adults. Mourning Cloaks, anglewings, and tortoiseshells are the only Saskatchewan butterflies that hibernate as adults. (Other butterflies and moths usually survive the winter in the egg stage, although some will overwinter in the, caterpillar or pupae/ chrysalis stages). The amazing part is they freeze completely solid in the winter and come back to life when they thaw out. Watch the daily temperatures in March. If we get a day that is 12 degrees or warmer be sure to keep your eyes open for brown-coloured butterflies fluttering about. These brown butterflies are the Mourning Cloaks or Nymphalis antiopa.
You would think that a butterfly with a name like Mourning Cloak would be somewhat depressing; but it is hard to get depressed on the first warm, sunny day after a long, cold winter! These large, dark butterflies (with light upperwing edges) pop onto the scene on the first warm sunny day when the temperature hits 12 degrees or warmer. They will often appear on a very warm day in March even when there is still snow on the ground. Don’t worry; they go back into hibernation until the willows bloom in April. Mourning Cloaks have a long life span for a butterfly. The adult life span is about 10 months to a year (most adult butterflies in only live a week or so). The adult Mourning Cloak will usually come out of hibernation in April and lives until June. In early April, willow catkins are about the only flower available, so look for Mourning Cloaks around the ‘pussy willows’.
They will also feed on sap and mud (for moisture and minerals). The males are also anxious to find a mate at this time of year, so you will often see the males chasing after every female that visits a willow tree. The spiky caterpillars of Mourning Cloaks hatch in June. They feed in groups, spinning webs around
the twigs and leaves of host tree (usually a willow or poplar). Sometimes they can be considered a pest when large groups of caterpillars feed on our local elm trees. The group feeding is actually to scare predators. If you get close to a group of feeding Mourning Cloak caterpillars, they will shake in unison, giving the appearance of a larger animal.
These guys are all about avoiding predators. It is thought that the light border on the adult wing resembles a worm or caterpillar, and helps lure attacks from predators away from the butterfly’s fat, furry body. The adults emerge from metamorphosis in July, but they don’t seem to like the really hot days of summer. August is usually spent in aestivation (a state of dormancy similar to hibernation). The under- wings of the Mourning Cloak resemble dead leaves, so they can be well camouflaged during their aestivation period. Once the weather cools in the fall, the Mourning Cloaks once again make an appearance. During the fall they feed voraciously on flower nectar, decaying fruit, and sap. A good place to look for Mourning Cloaks is around tree trunks that have been drilled by the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. They overwinter as unmated adults and the cycle begins once again on the first warm days of spring.
Photos by Marcie O’Conner (Prairie Haven- Native Habitat Restoration in Wisconsin. www.prairiehaven.com)
There are some great kid-friendly event in March to get your in the spring mind-set.
Seedy Saturday – Saturday, March 10
This year, the 20th annual Seedy Saturday will take place on Saturday March 10th, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Station 20 West (1120 20th St. West).
Admission will be $2.00 (free for students/children). The event features the annual seed exchange, environmental and horticultural exhibitors and vendors, workshops, musical entertainment and children’s activities. For more information visit the CHEP Good Food Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CHEPGoodFood/
GardenScape – March 23 to 25
The annual GardenScape event runs for three days from Friday, March 23 to Sunday, March 25.
This annual gardening show attracts thousands of people to Prairieland Park to learn everything about backyard and outdoor living from Super Dogs to the latest gardening and plant products. The Saskatoon Nature Society will be there with two displays: one promoting the Saskatoon Nature Society and one promoting the importance of wetlands.
Daily General Admission: $12.50
(Two-Day Admission: $18.00/Three-Day Admission: $26.00)
Student (15 & under): FREE
For more information on GardenScape visit http://www.gardenscapeshow.ca/
Thank you for your donations
Thank you to everyone who has tossed a few coins into our donation jar at Young Naturalists’ events. We use those donations to help finance our activities. Some of those donations have been larger amounts. The Saskatoon Young Naturalists can give you a tax receipt for donations of $10.00 or larger. If you are going to donate a larger amount and would like a tax receipt, please let me know.
We also take other kinds of donations:
-Canadian Tire Money
-Used blenders and irons
-Old playpens (our friends over at Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation can use them for some of their orphaned critters).
Stand Up for Meewasin
If you want the provincial government to support the Meewasin Valley Authority, please e-mail the Premier and your Saskatoon MLA. A single line will do: “Please restore provincial funding to the MVA.” The provincial budget is being finalized right now. We may only have days to get this right. A sample letter and e-mail addresses can be found on the Stand Up for Meewasin Facebook page
Upcoming Young Naturalists Programs:
Enrolment is limited on Young Naturalists programs.
Early registration is encouraged to avoid disappointment.
Registration is taken on a first-come basis. To register e-mail saskatoonnaturekids@gmail.com and indicate the program for which you would like to register. You must register for each activity separately.
(You can register for more than one activity at a time). Most programs are free unless otherwise indicated. At least one parent/guardian must accompany your child/children on all Young Naturalists activities
Young Naturalists Owl Pellet Dissection –SOLD OUT– (I am still taking names for the wait list)
Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 1:00 p.m.
Cost: Free – donations accepted. Advanced registration is required.
In this indoor session we’ll take a look at the ecology of the Great Horned Owl in Saskatchewan and learn all about owl pellets. What’s an owl pellet? More importantly, what’s inside an owl pellet? Find out at this exciting presentation.
Space is limited, so advanced registration is required.
Young Naturalists Birdhouse Workshop –Space still available–
Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 1:00 p.m.
Cost: $10.00 per child. ($5.00 for members of the Saskatoon Nature Society or the Saskatoon Zoo Society) Join the Young Naturalists for this National Wildlife Week program. Spring is just around the corner so it is time to prepare for the bluebirds and Tree swallows return from their winter migration. These cavity-nesting birds will be looking for suitable nesting sites. We can help them out by making your own birdhouse. Space is limited in this workshop so advanced registration is required.
Young Naturalists Crocus Hike
Sunday, April 22 at 1:00 p.m. Northeast Swale
Cost: Free
Celebrate Earth Week with the Young Naturalists as we walk on the native prairie and look for Prairie Crocus and other signs of spring. Watch our web and Facebook page as this field trip date might change depending upon the blooming time for the crocus.
Young Naturalists Pike Lake Field Trip –only 1 spot left–
Saturday, May 5 from 12:00 noon to 3:30 p.m. Pike Lake Provincial Park
Cost: Free – donations accepted. Advanced registration is required.
Join the Young Naturalists for lunch around the campfire followed by nature activities including our search for wild dragons, damsels, fairies, and frogs*. (*Dragonflies, damselflies, fairy shrimp, and frogs). Space is limited on this very popular program so register early!
Young Naturalist Great Horned Owl Banding Field Trip –only 2 spots left–
May 2018 – date to be announced.
This is an evening program usually from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Cost: Free. Donations always accepted. Advanced registration is required.
We will join naturalists’ Marten Stoffel and Martin Gerard as they band and collect scientific information from wild Great
Horned Owls. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required.
Young Naturalists’ Bluebird Trail
Starts May 30 and runs into early July – evenings and weekends. Watch for a schedule on our web page around mid-May
Click here for more upcoming Young Naturalists Programs
Attention Nature Kids Teachers
Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation Outreach Program: Engaging Students with a live animal
Wildlife Educators from Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation will visit your classroom with live animals including bats, birds and their Thirteen-line Ground Squirrel for a wild 45 minute presentation. Because Living Sky is a wildlife rehab centre, they have a unique perspective on the connections between humans and animals. Topics are curriculum based for each grade level and focus on habitat, community, animal characteristics, animal growth, and what to do if you encounter an injured or orphaned animal. Fee is $50.00 per class and funds raised from the presentations support animal rehabilitation.
Call Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation for more information and available dates at 306-281-0554 or e-mail info@livingskywildliferehabilitation.org to book your presentation.
NEW: Thanks to a grant from Nutrien and the Saskatoon Foundation the Living Sky Wildlife Outreach program can now be offered to
10 community school classrooms at no charge. This is a first-come-first-served offer.
Saskatoon Zoo Society On-site and Outreach Education Programs
The only reliable education at Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm Park Zoo is the Saskatoon Zoo Society curriculum-based
education programs. Programs take place at the Forestry Farm or through their outreach program in your classroom. Visit the
Saskatoon Zoo Society website for more information on educational critters, programs, and fees.
Want more nature?
Check out EcoFriendly Sask.
A weekly round-up of everything environmental in Saskatchewan, and small action grants as well.
Prairie Naturalist
The Prairie Naturalist is a live weekly radio show every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. on 91.3 FM, CJTR, Regina Community Radio. But you
can also listen on channel 806 on SaskTel Max, or download the CJTR Smartphone App. Host Jared Clarke covers a variety of nature related topics from the prairies. Podcasts can also be found at https://soundcloud.com/theprairienaturalist or http://cjtr.ca/podcasts/
Saskatoon Nature Society
Lots of field trips (open to all ages) and other information
You can even download the latest newsletter from the Saskatoon Nature Society.
The next meeting of the Saskatoon Nature Society is Thursday, March 15 Saskatoon Nature Society Annual General Meeting and Members’ Slide Night Thursday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Room 106 Biology (W.P. Thompson) Building on the U of S Campus
Following a short annual general meeting it’s time for the always popular photographic presentation from the members of the Saskatoon Nature Society. Admission is free and everyone is invited. Visit www.saskatoonnaturesociety.sk.ca for more information.
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