EcoSask News, October 5, 2021

Upcoming Events 

Find out about all-season composting at an online Regina Public Library presentation at 7 pm, Oct. 7. 

Join Meewasin staff in removing invasive European buckthorn from Saskatoon Natural Grasslands on Oct. 12 or 15 (morning and afternoon sessions). 

The Saskatchewan Association for Environmental Law is holding its annual general meeting online at 7 pm, Oct. 14. 

Library of Things, Saskatoon, will be open for pick-ups by reservation from the back door in the alley from 1-4 pm, Oct. 15. 

Looking Ahead 

The Saskatchewan Environmental Society is offering online training on Nov. 5 & 19 to help non-profits and small businesses operate their buildings more efficiently. 

Full details on all upcoming events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar

 

Local News 

Iain Phillips, Saskatchewan’s senior ecologist for aquatic macroinvertebrates, says that climate change and environmental degradation are playing havoc with aquatic insects. “And what happens to the insects he studies can be a valuable early warning sign of environmental problems.” [CBC News] 

The City of Regina is exploring noise reduction options in response to residents’ complaints about noise on the Ring Road. [Global News] 

Making Smart Choices 

“Pumped hydro has an important role to play in the renewable energy transition, but only where projects cause minimal harm to people and nature” [The Conversation] 

In the last 3 years, 10% of Vancouver’s building permits were in areas prone to flooding. Warmer temperatures will strain electrical distribution systems and transportation systems throughout the country. We need to publicize the risks, build for resilience, and take climate change into account [Canadian Institute for Climate Choices] 

Bad for us and bad for the planet – traces of 122 different pesticides in the 12 most polluted fruit and vegetable products, many with links to cancer and groundwater contamination [The Guardian] 

Canadians who purchase cheap fast fashion from online retailers may be exposing themselves to potentially toxic chemicals. For example, a jacket for toddlers contained almost 20 times the amount of lead that Health Canada says is safe for children [CBC Marketplace] 

An international review of the cruise ship industry “finds that cruising is a major source of environmental pollution and degradation, with air, water, soil, fragile habitats and areas and wildlife affected” [Science Daily]

 

Read, Watch, and Play 

A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching: Getting to Know the World’s Most Misunderstood Bird by Rosemary Mosco is “part field guide, part history, part ornithology primer, and altogether fun” [Saskatoon Public Library] 

You may also enjoy 10 Surprising Facts about Pigeons and Rita’s Re-Coop-eration 

11 new bird- and nature-themed books for kids – from hummingbird migration to dandelion seed travels and piping plover parents [Audubon] 

Orphaned, an hour-long documentary, examines Alberta’s ‘orphaned’ wells. “Thousands sit idle, ‘orphaned’ by companies that went bankrupt and left the pricey cleanup for taxpayers to take care of." A problem but also an opportunity for new purposes and new jobs [Calgary Herald]

In Season, a new video game, you’re invited to join a bicycle-riding woman as she travels around the world documenting plants, animals, and cultures before a mysterious cataclysm washes them away [Season]

Free! In honour of our 10th anniversary, we’re giving away individual or sets of our souvenir glasses. Email us if you’re interested. Supplies are limited, so act fast :-)

EcoFriendly Sask supports Saskatchewan environmental initiatives through an online publication, an events calendar, small grants, and the Nature Companion website/app. You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or subscribing by email (top right corner).

Community Highlight: Rita's Re-Coop-eration

Rita Schmidt rehabilitates orphaned or injured pigeons. Here is her story. 

1. How and when did you form your group? 

 I am an affiliated rehabilitation facility under the umbrella of Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation. So far I haven't come up with a name for myself . . . maybe "Rita's Re-Coop-eration? 

2. What are your principal activities and why do you believe they’re important? 

I rehabilitate pigeons that are either orphaned or injured. To me this is important because pigeons are lovely birds and they need every chance in life. I house, feed, and clean up after the birds. I encourage them when they're first learning to fly and when they learn to eat seed. Once a pigeon is ready to "graduate" (flying, eating seed, fully feathered, injury healed), they go on to their final home. This is a farm outside of the city with ready access to daily food, water, and shelter. They are kept penned up there for 2-3 weeks so that they come to recognize this as their home (so they don't just fly back to the city). 

3. What were your successes (big or small) in 2020? 

I took in over 100 pigeons between June and December 2020. A large proportion of these were able to "graduate." There was unfortunately some mortality, but it was minimal and is to be expected when you are dealing with very young and/or sick birds. 

4. What would you like to achieve in 2021? 

I would like to make improvements to the shed where the pigeons are housed (new paint, flooring, a window that opens). I would like to improve my "success" rate. 

5. If you could have 3 wishes for improving your community, what would they be? 

The banning of Avitrol, a type of poison that is used for pigeons (and doesn't work - actually causes a resulting increase in population). ***

6. Are there volunteer opportunities with your organization? If so, please describe them and indicate how people can contact you. 

There aren't really any volunteer opportunities, especially with COVID. However, Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation is always looking for volunteers. 

*** The Wildlife Rescue Society of Saskatchewan posted the following information on their Facebook page on March 21: “From April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020 our Wildlife 911 Hotline received a total of 317 calls about injured and sick pigeons. Tragically, many of these birds passed away due to being cruelly poisoned. Many people think that poisoning is an extremely effective way to kill pigeons – WRONG! Poisoning is a very short-term control strategy as they will simply reproduce at a faster rate. Also, it’s nearly impossible to be able to target just pigeons alone – what if you accidentally poison a different bird? What if someone’s cat or dog eats a poisoned pigeon carcass? Many non-target animals end up suffering the same terrible fate that the poor pigeon did. Poisons cause the animal to suffer from a brutal death - impaired nervous systems, erratic flight, tremors, and violent convulsions. The poor bird will suffer for hours before finally succumbing to the effects of the poison. We understand that many people consider pigeons to be “pests” but no animal deserves to suffer cruelly. Please seek alternative and humane options if you are attempting to do any sort of pest control.” 

Further Information 

10 Surprising Facts about Pigeons

Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation 

Wildlife Rescue Society of Saskatchewan 

We’re planning to highlight the work of volunteer organizations in our communities on a regular basis over the next year. Do email us if you would like your organization to be profiled on EcoFriendly Sask. 

EcoFriendly Sask supports Saskatchewan environmental initiatives through an online publication, an events calendar, small grants, and the Nature Companion website/app. You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).

A New Year's Chorus of Birds

Songs, snacks, glamour, and games – welcome in 2021 with a bevy of birds. 

The carol of the birds is performed by Nancy Rumbel and friends, including black-capped chickadees, red-winged blackbird, song sparrow, house finch, pine siskins, and mourning dove. 

Bird Bingo features 64 species of birds from around the world – mark them off on your card and bingo! 

“The ravens of Mount Seymour are well known for their lunch and snack stealing prowess. On almost every hiking or snowshoeing trip there we’ve witnessed a skilful heist of one sort or another, with prizes ranging from sandwiches to chocolate bars to full party-sized bags of chips.”

 

Just eat one chip when there are three? Not a chance, said the crow! 

“The strangest bird I’ve ever seen is called the Bokhara Trumpeter. Such a mass of feathers crowns its head that it looks disturbingly faceless, like a living tassel. Long plumes jut out from its ankles, like a second pair of wings. But for all its gaudiness, the Bokhara Trumpeter is, in fact, just a specialized breed of pigeon. It’s a frou-frou version of the same bird you might see choking down an entire Pop-Tart on the streets of any major city. 

“The Bokhara Trumpeter is one end-point of humanity’s long entanglement with pigeons, a relationship that began when the birds were first domesticated at least five thousand years ago. Since that time, pigeons have carried love-letters and military dispatches, assisted fortune-tellers, and inspired cutthroat bird-racing subcultures.” 

See also: 10 Surprising Facts about Pigeons 

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

Did you know? Evening Grosbeak's thick, cone-shaped beak is very strong and can crush large seeds, such as cherries and olives.