Tuesday 27 October 2020

EcoSask News, October 27, 2020

Swainson's Hawk (?)

Upcoming Events 
Outdoor Kids’ Club, Oct. 27 (online) 
Get the inside scoop on how to organize an outdoor kids’ club at 7 pm, Oct. 27. 

Candid Canada, Oct. 28 (online) 
Nature Conservancy of Canada is offering tips on how to capture nature on camera at 11:30 am, Oct. 28. 

Household Hazardous Waste, Nov. 1(Saskatoon) 
You can dispose of household hazardous waste at City of Saskatoon’s Civic Operations Centre from 9 am-3:30 pm, Nov. 1. 

Advancing Water Resiliency, Nov. 3 (online) 
There will be an online panel discussion on advancing water resiliency: nature’s contribution to people and agriculture from 10-11:30 am, Nov. 3. 

Grassland Bird Research, Nov. 6 (online) 
Learn about grassland bird research in Arkansas at the WildEcol Seminar at 3:30 pm, Nov. 6.
 
lichen

“Lichens encrust as much as eight percent of the planet’s surface, an area larger than that covered by tropical rainforests.” Entangled Life, Merlin Sheldrake 

A full list of upcoming events (online and in person) can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

From Information to Action 
It’s time for conservationists to start investigating the ways in which fences shape ecosystems— so that we can make better decisions about where (and whether) to build them

Owning an electric vehicle isn’t a silver bullet in the fight against climate change. What we should also be focused on is whether anyone should use a private vehicle at all

If all wastepaper was recycled, emissions could increase by 10%. That’s because recycling paper uses more fossil fuel electricity than making new paper

Bottle-fed babies swallow millions of microplastics a day – the problem and a partial solution


The Bird-Friendly City by Timothy Beatley takes readers on a global tour of cities that are reducing the risks birds face in urban areas [paperback and ebook] 

Did you know that bats make up 21% of all mammals? Nature nerd bat trivia. 

“For nocturnal species the night has become a fearscape: a matrix of glow and glare that makes natural behaviour and navigation all but impossible.” 

 
lizard

EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner). 

Check out EcoFriendly Sask’s Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces





Thursday 22 October 2020

5 Amazing Facts about Owls

barred owl

Owls are outstanding hunters relying on both their eyes and ears to spot their prey: 
  • The circle of feathers surrounding many owls’ faces acts like a satellite dish, helping to collect the sound waves and channel them to their ears. In addition, their ears are often located at different heights on their head helping them to pinpoint where a sound originates. 
  • Owls’ eyes function like a pair of binoculars. They are cylindrical and immobile, which increases depth perception and helps them to focus on their prey. 
  • Owls can swivel their heads up to 270 degrees, giving them an amazing opportunity to see in all directions while remaining almost motionless. 
Owls swallow their prey whole, digesting what they can and storing the indigestible parts – teeth, bones, claws, feathers, and fur – in the second part of their stomach, the gizzard. The undigested parts are compressed into a pellet the shape of the gizzard and regurgitated several hours after they finish eating. By examining an owl pellet, you can discover what they have been eating. 

Burrowing owl

Owls use their feet to grab their prey. The bones are shorter and stronger than in other birds, helping them to withstand the shock when they make contact with their victim. The bottom of their feet has a rough, knobbly surface that improves their grip and helps them to hang on to the animal they have captured. Like other raptors, owls have 3 toes facing forward and one facing back. But owls are able to rotate one of their forward-facing toes to the back, giving them a better, more even grip on their prey as it struggles to escape. 

If a Canada Goose flies overhead, you can clearly hear its wings flapping. But that’s not the case with owls, particularly those that hunt at night. Their large wings (Snowy Owl have a wingspan of 4-5 feet) enable them to fly as slowly as 2 miles per hour with little flapping. A comb-like fringe on the wing feathers creates smaller streams of air, helping to muffle the sound of the air rushing over their wings. Silent flight means that their prey don’t hear them coming and the owls’ hearing isn’t masked by the sound of their own wings. 

Not all owls hunt by night. Some only hunt by night; others only hunt by day; while many are active both day and night. Northern Hawk Owl hunt by day, relying on their eyesight more than their hearing. Birds that usually hunt at night, such as the Great Horned Owl, are often after rodents, which are more active at night. 



Find out more about Saskatchewan wildlife on EcoFriendly Sask’s Nature Companion

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Tuesday 20 October 2020

EcoSask News, October 20, 2020

autumn leaves

Upcoming Events 
EnviroCollective, Oct. 22 (online) 
Regina’s EnviroCollective is hosting a virtual meeting at 7 pm, Oct. 22. 

Advancing a Circular Economy, Oct. 22 (online) 
The Recycling Councils of Alberta and British Columbia are hosting a webinar on national updates and provinces’ efforts to advance the circular economy at 10 am, Oct. 22. 

Household Hazardous Waste Days, Oct. 23/24 (Regina) 
The City of Regina is holding Household Hazardous Waste Days on Oct. 23 from 4-7 pm and on Oct. 24 from 9 am-4 pm

River Cleanup, Oct. 25 (Saskatoon) 
The Environmental Studies Students Association, U of S, is hosting a riverbank cleanup from 2-3:30 pm, Oct. 25. Everyone is welcome to assist.

Toads & Frogs, Oct. 29 (online) 
There will be a discussion about Great Plains Toads and Northern Leopard Frogs at noon, Oct. 29, as part of SK PCAP’s Native Prairie Speaker Series. 

Looking Ahead 
Early Childhood Education, Nov. 9-23 (online) 
SaskOutdoors is offering an online series on early childhood outdoor and environmental education resources from 7-8:30 pm, Nov. 9, 16, and 23. 

A full list of upcoming events (online and in person) can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

Local News 
Katie Suek, Restoring 71, shares her story of landowner-driven conservation, restoration, and education during a pandemic in a short video. 

Nature Saskatchewan has prepared 3 videos: 

Southern Saskatchewan residents hold conflicting opinions, caught between the need to address climate change and support for the oil and gas industry

A new Nature Conservancy property extends a wildlife corridor near Saskatoon. 

A Pike Lake bioblitz – “I learned lots and had fun!”
 
autumn leaves

From Information to Action
Secondhand jeans - Levi’s joins a select handful of fashion brands that have developed a ‘reverse supply chain’ to support secondhand sales. 

Canada’s hydroelectric power is a hot export commodity – but at what cost? 

There are over 24,000 orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells in Saskatchewan. The cost to clean them up continues to grow. 

“Bringing the buffalo, the black-footed ferret and now the swift fox back, bringing those family members back home, connects us to our history with this land. It gives us a lot of pride as Natives.” 




EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner). 


Check out EcoFriendly Sask’s Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces

Sunday 18 October 2020

Owls of Saskatchewan

Burrowing owls

There is something mysterious about owls. Their silence, intense gaze, and immobility lend a dignity not found in many other birds. Below are the owls you’re most likely to find in Saskatchewan. 

Boreal Owl 
As their name indicates, Boreal Owl live year-round in the spruce and fir forests of northern Canada. They are small birds (8-11 in) with a square-shaped head. They have white spots on a brown back and brown streaks on a white belly. The grayish white facial disc is surrounded by a dark border and there are tiny white spots on the top of their head. 

Boreal Owl hunt at night, sitting on a tree branch until they spot and pounce on their prey (small rodents and squirrels). They lay up to 19 eggs in tree cavities, such as those created by woodpeckers. They will also make use of nest boxes when they are provided. 

Did you know? The male’s low hooting call can be heard from mid-February to April as they entice the females with food and song. The males offer the females a choice of 1-5 nesting sites on their territory and feed them for up to 3 months prior to nesting. 

Burrowing Owl 
Burrowing Owl are tiny (7.5-10 in) with long legs and a short tail. They are a mottled brown with white eyebrows and throat. They can be found during the summer in southwestern Canada and the western United States. Northern birds migrate further south for the winter. They are found year-round in southern California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and the Florida Panhandle. 

Burrowing Owl live in treeless areas with an open view and plenty of holes for shelter. Look for them standing on the ground next to their burrow or perched on a nearby fence post. You may see them near a prairie dog colony as the owls use the abandoned burrows of prairie dogs and ground squirrels for nests. 

Burrowing Owl turn their head upside down when curious and bob up and down when threatened. They are active day and night. 

Could it be? Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, and Snowy Owl also live in grassland areas, but they're all much larger than the Burrowing Owl. Short-eared Owl (14-17 in) are the most similar, but they have shorter legs, an obvious facial disc, and fly low over the fields rather than walking on the ground. 

Did you know? Burrowing Owl often line the entrance to their burrows with animal dung to attract insects that they then catch and eat. 

Great Gray Owl 
Great Gray Owl are the tallest (24-33 in) North American owl with the largest wingspan (4.5-5 ft) but are mostly fluff and only half the weight of a Snowy Owl or a Great Horned Owl. They can be found year-round in the evergreen forests of Alaska and northern Canada as well as the western mountain region stretching from British Columbia through Washington, Idaho, Montana, and parts of California. They have silvery gray feathers, a round head with a large facial disc, a black and white bowtie across the neck, and yellow eyes and beak. 

Great Gray Owl hunt for rodents and other small mammals during the day. They prefer a mix of dense forest for nesting and open areas (meadows, clearings) for hunting. 

Could it be? Great Horned Owl hunt at night and have earlike tufts on their head. Northern Hawk Owl are also found in northern boreal forests, but they have a long tail and short pointed wings. Barred Owl are smaller with dark eyes and no black-and-white throat markings. 

Did you know? Great Gray Owl live in Scandinavia, Russia, Siberia, and Mongolia as well as North America. 

Great horned owl

Great Horned Owl 
Great Horned Owl can be found in forests from the Arctic all the way to South America where their short, wide wings allow them to manoeuvre between the trees. They are large (18-25 in) birds with long earlike tufts pointing out to the side, a white bib, a dark brown body with white markings, and bright yellow eyes. They have a deep hooting voice that is unlike any other North American owl. 

Could it be? Great Gray Owl are also forest dwellers, but they hunt during the day and don't have ear tufts. Long-eared Owl prefer open grasslands and are smaller and slender with ear tufts that point straight up rather than out at a slight angle. 

Did you know? Great Horned Owl are ferocious predators with prey ranging from birds or mammals larger than themselves to small insects, mice, and frogs. They use their large, strong talons to break the spine of large prey. 

Long-eared Owl 
Long-eared Owl are slender birds (13-16 in) with long ear tufts pointing straight up. Their dark mottled feathers and rusty-orange facial disc provide excellent camouflage when roosting during the day in thick stands of trees. They can be found in Canada during the summer breeding season and are found year-round and during the winter in the United States. They may be spotted in the far southern interior of British Columbia all year round. 

Long-eared Owl hunt in open grasslands at night, occasionally at dusk, flying low over the ground and searching for prey by sight or sound. They eat small mammals, particularly rodents. Long-eared Owl don't build their own nests. Instead, they use stick nests built by crow and magpie. 

Could it be? Great Horned Owl are larger than Long-eared Owl. Their ear tufts are shorter and point out at an angle rather than straight up and down. 

Did you know? If disturbed on their nest, Long-eared Owl raise their ear tufts and compress their feathers to disguise themselves as a broken branch. 

Northern Hawk Owl 
As their name indicates, Northern Hawk Owl bear similarities to hawks as well as owls. They are the only owl with a long hawk-like tail, but their head and body are wider than a hawk’s. They have a dark, medium-sized (14-17 in) body with white markings and a pale face surrounded by a black border. 

Northern Hawk Owl hunt during the day, pouncing on their prey from on high like a hawk. They can be found year-round in the boreal forests of Alaska and northern Canada. They move south in extreme weather or when there is a shortage of food. 

Did you know? Northern Hawk Owl can detect prey by sight at up to half a mile. 

Northern Hawk Owl

Northern Saw-whet Owl 
Northern Saw-whet Owl are small birds (7-8.5 in), close to the size of a Robin. They have a large round head, big yellow eyes surrounded by a white facial disc, and no ear tufts. They have a brown back and a white breast with dark brown streaks. They hunt at night for rodents, especially mice. Listen for their single shrill repeating call. 

Northern Saw-whet Owl are forest dwellers and can be found year-round in southern Canada, southern Alaska, as well as forested regions from Washington to California, from Montana to Arizona and New Mexico, and around the Great Lakes and the northeastern United States. They winter in the dense forests of central and southern United States. 

Could it be? Northern Saw-whet Owl are smaller than Boreal Owl with streaks instead of spots on their forehead. Screech Owl are also small, but they have ear tufts. 

Did you know? Young Northern Saw-whet Owl are very distinctive as they have a dark brown head, a white triangle on their forehead, and a rusty-colored breast. 

Short-eared Owl 
Short-eared Owl can be found in open grasslands from North and South America to Europe and Asia. In Canada, you will be most likely to spot them in the spring as they migrate north to breed, although some breed in Saskatchewan. 

Short-eared Owl are medium-sized owls (13-17 in). Their yellow eyes are rimmed in black within a pale facial disk. They have streaky brown feathers with broad, rounded wings. The small ear tufts can be hard to spot. A pale patch on their upper wings can be spotted when they are in flight. 

Short-eared Owl are most active at dawn or dusk. They fly low over open areas, ready to pounce on voles and other rodents and occasionally birds (especially in coastal areas). They are unusual among owls as they construct their own nest, a hollow in the ground lined with grass and feathers. Males bring food to the females who then feed the young. 

Did you know? Female Short-eared Owls are reluctant to leave the nest when they are breeding. If they have to, they defecate on the eggs, presumably hoping that the stink will deter predators and mask the smell of the nest. 

Snowy Owl

Snowy Owl 
Snowy Owl prefer treeless, wide-open spaces. The islands high above the Arctic Circle are their summer breeding grounds, but they can be seen in Saskatchewan during the winter flying over the fields or perched on a fence post or hay bale as they scan the area for small animal prey. Some years large numbers will appear south of the Canadian border in search of food. 

Snowy Owl (20-28 in, 50-57 in wingspan) have a round head and yellow eyes in a white facial disc. Males can be pure white, but females have mixed white and brown feathers. Their feet are covered with feathers to protect them from the cold. 

Did you know? Snowy Owl hunt both day and night, perhaps because they've adapted to almost day-long sunlight during the Arctic summer and day-long darkness in the winter. 



Find out more about Saskatchewan wildlife on EcoFriendly Sask’s Nature Companion, a free nature app covering Canada's four western provinces.

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner)

Tuesday 13 October 2020

EcoSask News, October 13, 2020

chipmunk

Upcoming Events 
Breeding Bird Atlas Update, Oct. 19 (Regina) 
Join Nature Regina for an update on the Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas from 7-8:30 pm, Oct. 19. RSVP as seating is limited

Sask Watersheds, Oct. 20 (online) 
Bob Halliday will describe Saskatchewan’s watersheds with particular emphasis on the southern half of the province in an online Sustainable Speakers series presentation from 7-8:30 pm, Oct. 20. 

Drones for Avian Research, Oct. 23 (online) 
Dr. Ann McKellar will discuss the use of drones for avian research and conservation at 3:30 pm, Oct. 23, as part of the WildEcol Seminar Series.
 
Chickadee

Saskatoon Nature Society 
Golden Eagles 
Oct. 22, 9 am – Pike Lake & area 
Retirees and partners who are interested in birds and the natural world are invited to participate. 

Other Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips 
Oct. 24, 9 am-12:30 pm – Waterfowl Viewing 
Field trips are currently for members only, so sign up now

A full list of upcoming events (online and in person) can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

Local News 
As the area affected by the Rabbit Creek fire in Prince Albert National Park regenerates, it’s attracting a wide variety of birds and animals

Fertilizer is dramatically over-applied worldwide and has a profound effect on climate change. Its effects are obvious in the blue-green algae covering southern Saskatchewan lakes. 

From Information to Action 
In a world that needs metals, how can we mine more responsibly? 

“New roads do little to reduce congestion, and they will usually result in increased emissions.” 


Alex Honnold compares addressing climate change to climbing: “Something that seems impossible must be broken down into smaller, more manageable pieces until you can find an appropriate way forward.” 

“They are designed like a jet fighter.” Bar-tailed Godwits migrate non-stop for over 12,000 km from Alaska to New Zealand.

EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner). 


Check out EcoFriendly Sask’s Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces

Thursday 8 October 2020

Educational Resources for Kids on Nature and the Environment

Banded Wooly Bear caterpillar

If your kids are homeschooling this year or if you’re a teacher eager to take your class outside, you may be searching for resources. We’re sure you’ve already checked out many of the local options, but here are some you may not have come across. 

Alberta Council for Environmental Education 
There are lots of teaching resources on the Alberta Council for Environmental Education’s website. Did you know you can sign up for a virtual field trip on Skype in the Classroom? Would you like to measure the heat loss from your home this winter? 

Climate Atlas of Canada 
The Climate Atlas of Canada website includes an interactive map as well as a large number of short videos on topics such as energy, emissions & agriculture, wind power on the prairies, and Indigenous climate action. 

Kids for the Bay, Earth Island Institute 
There’s a wealth of activity ideas on the Kids for the Bay website. If your kids are interested in nature, you can make a sound map, get active with play-yoga, or go on a seed hunt. If you’ve got some junior environmentalists, why not try making natural pesticides or logging how much water you use in a day? Or you can conduct an experiment to help your kids understand ocean currents or coastal erosion. There are accompanying videos and links that provide additional information. 
 
Grass Spider

Let’s Talk Science 
Let’s Talk Science offers a wealth of science projects. You can try your hand at cleaning up an oil spill, find out how walking on soil changes the way water soaks into the ground, or discover how dinosaur footprints turned into fossils

Nature’s Wild Neighbors 
Wild Neighbors, established by the Robert Bateman Foundation, has a creative arts contest for kids as well as educational resources. Activity sheets explain how to record a bird song playlist, grow fungus, or work out what is renewable and what isn’t

Resources for Rethinking 
Resources for Rethinking connects teachers to lesson plans, books, videos, and other materials that explore the environmental, social and economic dimensions of important issues and events unfolding in our world today. Activities include imagining the world kids want in 2030, redesigning plastic packaging, or role playing whether or not to destroy a salt marsh to build a highway. 

Science NetLinks 
Find out how passive solar design mitigates climate change, investigate sources of renewable energy, or find out how sedimentary rocks are formed using educational toolkits on Science Net Links, a project of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. 

Wild About Vancouver 
Wild About Vancouver is an outdoor nature festival similar to Saskatoon’s NatureCity Festival. Individuals and organizations are invited to submit lesson plans and there are lots to choose from. Discovering decomposers is a great fall activity – what actually happens to those leaves that fall to the ground? Is there a really tall tree in your neighbourhood? Why not measure it (with or without technology)?


Check out EcoFriendly Sask’s Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces.

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).

Tuesday 6 October 2020

EcoSask News, October 6, 2020

fall colors

Upcoming Events 
Bird Collisions, Oct. 5-11 (Regina) 
Nature Regina is looking for early risers to meet at 6:30 am from Oct. 5-11 to log bird-building collisions. 

Dark Skies at the Creek, Oct. 10, 17, 24 & 31 (Saskatoon) 
Saskatoon Nature Society is hosting a variety of presentations to celebrate Dark Skies at Beaver Creek Conservation Area on Oct. 10, 17, 24 & 31.

Canada Jay, Oct. 15 (online) 
Dan Strickland will talk about the triumph and downfall of the Canada Jay at the 7:30 pm, Oct. 15, online meeting of the Saskatoon Nature Society. Meetings are currently members-only so sign up now

Looking Ahead 
Outstanding Owls Camp-In, Oct. 23 (online) 
The Saskatchewan Science Centre is hosting a virtual camp-in at 7 pm, Oct. 23. An activity kit will be provided for creating a hand puppet, dissecting an owl pellet, and much more. 

Virtual Repair Café, Oct. 24 (online) 
The Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council is hosting a virtual repair café from 10 am-2 pm, Oct. 24. Register a broken item and you’ll receive a link to a Zoom meeting where knowledgeable volunteers will coach you through fixing your item. 

Project WET, Nov. 2-Feb. 12 (online) 
SaskOutdoors is hosting a distance Project WET workshop involving phone calls and opportunities to engage in activities with your class from Nov. 2 to Feb. 12. 

A full list of upcoming events (online and in person) can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

Local News 
A company is proposing to harvest peat south of La Ronge. For more information on the potential impact of this project, check out the Global Peatlands Initiative website and a petition opposing the project. A Facebook group has been set up - For Peat’s Sake - Protecting Northern Saskatchewan’s Muskegs.

Orion Morgan, Salt Box Studios, Saskatoon, builds passive houses. He’s also saving trees. SOS Trees Coalition reports that he is going out of his way to protect not only City trees but also other mature trees and shrubs on a construction site.

Do you have a bat box in your yard? If so, you’re invited to participate in a survey looking at which types of bats are using the boxes and what type of boxes work best in Canada

Wood frog

Housing 
“Instead of demolishing houses, Corneil's company deconstructs them and salvages the materials so they can be returned to the supply chain.” 

York plans to build Britain’s largest zero-carbon housing project. It will also be car-free with allotments, fruit trees, and shared cargo bikes. 

From Information to Action 
“Carsharing is an avoidance tactic that allows a privileged group to bypass the gaps in our transportation network.”

“Canada produces nine times more plastic waste per person than India, up to 3.6 times more than some countries in Southeast Asia, and up to twice that of some Scandinavian countries.” 

DataStream, an online open-access platform, allows users to share information about the health of waterways across Canada

Dual-flush toilets were expected to use less than half the amount of water per flush, but they are prone to leaks, wasting more water than they save

Read and Watch 
“Embracing of wildness calls on us to stop feeling annoyed, threatened and endangered by everything that escapes control and to resist the urge constantly to direct and dominate the world around us.” [book review] 

Check out these new environmental action books, including All We Can Save by women climate leaders, Tales from the Ant World by E O Wilson, and Earth AD: The Poisoning of the American Landscape and the Communities that Fought Back

Striking Balance Season 2 explores 9 of Canada’s biosphere reserves. It will be available to stream on TVO’s YouTube channel. 

EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner). 


Check out EcoFriendly Sask’s Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces