The KestrelQuarterly Newsletter of the

Rocky Mountain Naturalists

Inside this Issue

Club Information

Executive

Committees

Field Trips

Upcoming Events

Meetings 1

Can you find a good kestrel picture[our local species, the AmericanKestrel] for the first page of thenewsletter? If so, please email it to thenewsletter.

2015 spring equinox

Field Trips

The Buttes 2

Ski Excursion with the Dogs 3

Matthew Creek 8

Winter Dinner 2

Duck Boxes 6

Tundra Swans 10

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2

The Buttes and Winter Dinner January 18

On the afternoon of Sunday 18 January a groupof RMNats met in the corner of the Staplesparking lot across from Husky. Small showers ofsnow were falling, and gusts of wind were

blowing the clouds around, letting the blue skyshow through now and then. We took off for theButtes and started out [most of us on snowshoesbut a couple with just boots] along the base ofPotato Butte. It's called that because the nativepeople who lived in the area used to collect thecorms of the flowers we know as spring beautiesto be used as food in the same way as cultivatedpotatoes are used, although the spring beautycorms are much smaller. You can go to PotatoButte in spring and find lots of these flowers.

Onegroupwent to

the top of PotatoButte, and the restcontinued toLone Pine Buttte.We drove homeseparately, andmany of us metother RMNats at arestaurant for our Winter Dinner later in the evening.

beginning of the snowshoe/hike

blustery weather over Potato Butte

on top of Potato Butte

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Skiing with Dogs at 10K January 24

We skied an old logging track through theclear-cuts off Gold Creek road at the 10k

sign.George and Greg on the warm-up climb

Gerry, Greg, George, Frank and Greg's dog,Chase, are ready to enjoy the 5k loop.

10:30 AM: we will have to hustle a bit tofinish before the snow starts getting sticky at

noon.

the final climb before the downhill runs

Chase leads the way as Gerry enjoys the firstrest break.

The Three Amigos approach the western endof the loop.

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We weren't the only ones leaving tracks.

At the top of longest downhill: Purcells ahead,Baker to our right

Are these Pine Marten tracks, Nats?

George admiring the view of Baker Mountain

We were overtaken by a dog sledder. . .

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. . . and her husband.

Only another klick and a half, "Go boys Go!"

Back at the vehicles, we meet some guys anddogs that are going to brave the noon-timesticky snow. However, we are heading forLinda's freshly baked banana bread. Yum!

the loop at 10K

pictures and captions by Frank Hastings

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Duck Boxes February 8

A crew of nine RMNats showed up at Elizabeth Lakeon a Sunday afternoon to put up eight duck nestboxes. These boxes had already been constructedand painted. They had to be installed three to five

metres above theground, and theyhad to be tiltedforward enoughthat rainwatercouldn'taccumulate andthat the ducklingscould get out easilywhen they wereold enough. Theseartificial nest siteshad to be hiddenfrom each otherand at least 30metres apart toavoid dump nesting[which is twowood ducks layingeggs in one nest.You can read about

it here: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/woodduck/wddump.htm]. Each box got a 10 cmlayer of wood shavings and a temporary closure for

the opening.

one of the duck nesting boxes

covering the opening

crossing Elizabeth Lake

passing the swallow nest box

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Six of the boxes went up on the east side of the lake. Thecrew then crossed the ice. Despite the previous week's warmweather nobody fell through the ice. The crew installed theother two boxes on the west side, where they found twoexisting boxes. One of these had some flying squirrels, andthe other had 17unhatched eggs. TheRMNats decided toreplace that last box,so now there are nineduck boxes up aroundElizabeth lake.

Information in this article is from Myra Juckers. You can seeher blog post and more pictures on the RMNats web site, athttp://www.rockymountainnaturalists.org/rmn-blog. Photosare by Greg.

Audrey and poplar buds

who's there?

box

box of unhatched eggs

flying squirrels

8

Confluence of Matthew Creek February 22

On a bright February afternoon, 15Naturalists toured the woodedalluvial fan which was formed by theoutwash from Matthew Creek whereit flows into the St. Mary River.Luckily, some fresh snow had fallenon top of about a foot of very hardsnow which had compacted due to a

prolonged mild, dry spell.

We noted the species distribution of trees, which varied according to theproximity of water. Logging during the past few decades gave us anopportunity to recognize and understand natural regeneration and

planting of mixedspecies. An old oxbowlake created a sunnyopening with some slowmoving water. Soon wewalked into the chillyshade caused by thesteep uplands just southof the St. Mary River.Here we began to see

many tracks,from the tiny,hopping DeerMouse to theCanada Lynxwith its large,rounddeliberateprints.Followingsome discussion, we

identified the signs of Ruffed Grouse, Red Squirrel,Snowshoe Hare, Deer, Elk and Moose, Coyote and possiblya Timber Wolf. Winter Finches had been feeding on birchand alder catkins, dropping bits of debris, while Three-toedWoodpeckers had flaked the bark from dying larches.Sapsuckers had made rows of ‘wells’ in deciduous stems.

The views along the river were particularly spectacular.

Deer Mouse HelgaRuffed Grouse Helga

another Ruffed Grouse Helga

calm oxbow waters HelgaDaryl

Even a tree with afrost crack deserves ahug. Helga

Daryl

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Distant, sunlit, snowy peakscontrasted with the dark water, shadows and large trees. Judging by theabundance and variety of tracks, we shared this unique area with manyforest dwellers. George provided some insight to the classified watersand fishing implications while Paula helped us to understand theAmerican Dipper which conveniently appeared in the background.Naturalists anticipate that we will return to this patch of woods in eachof the seasons. It is an easily accessible chunk of crown land with anarrow right of way between private acreages.

submitted by Daryl Calder

On the way back we measured several of the large trees for futuresubmission to the BC Big Tree Registry.

the confluence DarylSt. Mary River Daryl

measuring a big spruceGerry

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Here are two spectacular photographsof Tundra Swans, which have been at Wasasince the middle of February. Both shots werecaptured by Lyle Grisedale.

Helga Knote went out toWasa as well andcaptured this picture often tundra swans plusone mallard.

Tundra Swans

Club Information

ExecutivePresident George RogersVice President Virginia RaschSecretary Marianne NahmTreasurer Linda HastingsBC Nature Director Greg RossField Trips Paula Rogers

Other Committee and Club RepresentativesLittle Big Day Greg RossChristmas Bird Counts Greg RossElizabeth Lake Tara SzkorupaNewsletter Susan WalpPresentations Tara Szkorupa

Field TripsLeader responsibilities:

Find a replacement leader if necessary.Keep the group together.Make sure everybody leaves the parking area safely.Get someone to write an account of the field trip.

Carpoolers: Please offer to chip in for gas.No dogs on field trips, please, unless otherwise specified

Upcoming Events

Meetings

RMNats meetings - every two months, in odd-numbered months

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If you'd like to see your dog here, pleasesend its picture to the newsletter.

January 1-March 31 Tony Wideski Winter Seekers Challenge PeterMarch 21-22 Golden Eagle Migration VirginiaMarch 28 1:00 Bull River Hike HelgaApril 18 9:30 Memorial Hike Wasa RuthMay 4 - 10 Wings Over the Rockies Invermere

8 - 10 Creston Bird Festival Creston23 Litttle Big Day Greg27-28 Crowsnest Bird Count31 1:00 Big Tree Hike, Community Forest Susan

June 9 - 11 Club Camp Bull River Guest Ranch

May 20 Wednesday 7 pm COTR meeting and presentation

July 15 Wednesday 7 pm Reade Lake meeting and birdwatching

May 7-10 BC Nature AGM