Wolf Howl February 2007

We look forward to our meeting on February 13; please join us. We welcome, our Presenter, our very own Jim Johnston whose subject will be Getting in Touch with Nature. Jim will talk about nature observation and animal tracking.

Congratulations to Norm Black, the new proud owner of an original Lindamood Red Breasted Nuthatch. Thank you to Jim and Joanie for donating their wonderful carving.

We will miss our long time friend and member Sheila Stiven who died on January 25, please remember Sheila and her friends in your thoughts and prayers.

A special thank you to Joyce MacKenzie and her team who raised $102 for our club in Bird Studies Canada’s Baillie Birdathon which took place last Spring.

Winter has finally arrived and Sherriff Creek has put on a new face. Our members have embraced our Saturday walks with a new vigour. Our numbers have tripled over the last few Saturdays. We also have had many enquiries about our Spring and Summer Tuesday evening walks and I can assure you that they will continue as planned. We are so fortunate to have so many tracking, plant, bird, and animal experts to enlighten us during our outings and walks. Thank you to our leaders who assisted with our outings in January, they were all a success. We look forward to our upcoming outings throughout the year.

Another item that deserves our attention is Global Warming. Now that some politicians are listening, it is important that we get them to act now rather than later. Actions speak louder than words.

We have a family of resident gray jays at Sherriff Creek which are fun to watch. Bird Studies Canada reported in September 2006 Global warming could be killing off North America’s Gray Jays. A 25 year study shows that Gray Jays that store frozen food to help survive icy winters are dying out in parts of North America because global warming is rotting their food. The jay's dependence on natural refrigeration – of food ranging from berries to insects – makes it an exception to the general rule that animals and plants survive better during milder winters. The hoards are turning into a bad investment because the food is rotting…The birds are getting less food and they may also suffer from food poisoning from eating rotten food.

Woodpecker Hike, Tuesday, January 16th. Twenty-seven people, in a combined Penokean Hills Field Naturalists and Coureurs de Bois group, took a nature hike conducted by Nancy-Jo Wannan and Terry Carr on the Woodpecker Trail which begins up behind the former All Nations apartment site. The temperature was a few degrees below –20 C at the start of the hike…which made it difficult to stop for any length of time. As we traveled the trail Terry introduced the group to a number of interesting facts regarding animal and bird evidence…like how to tell which species of woodpecker caused the holes in the trees and what kinds of mammals (e.g. Pine Marten, Red Squirrel, Snowshoe Hare) were active in the area, from the tracks in the fresh snow. A highlight of the morning was the appearance of a Pileated woodpecker which was busy excavating for carpenter ants in large tree very close to the trail. Besides the Pileated, we saw evidence of other woodpecker species….Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Downy, Hairy, and Black-backed Woodpecker. It was, despite the cold, a beautiful sunny morning and the two groups enjoyed the opportunity to walk this interesting trail together.

Upcoming Outings
Please note that the Penokean Hills Field Naturalists Club, its officers or agents will not be held responsible for any accident or liability whatsoever incurred as a result of participation in any meeting, activity, or field trip organized by them. Sign up sheets will be available at the PHFN general meeting, and any member interested in participating in any activities should obtain more specific information by calling the trip leader(s). For general outing information, call Hans Kamps at 461-7737.
Please bring binoculars, camera, and field guides if possible. Remember to dress for the weather and to wear appropriate footwear. Bring a snack or lunch and hot drink.

Every Saturday, walk through Sherriff Creek
Meet at the Sherriff Creek parking lot at 10:00 a.m. for the walk. Duration of walk: 2 hours.

Friday, February 16th, Winter Insects & other Winter Creatures
Leader: Terry Carr 461-9123 Meet at the Sherriff Creek Sanctuary parking lot at 1:30 p.m. Depending on a recent snowfall we can X country ski, snowshoe or walk to areas to be explored. Duration: 2 hrs.

Monday, February 19th, Snowshoe Mississagi Provincial Park with Tracking & Nature Observation
Leaders: David Young 848-9590 and Jim Johnston 848-7377 Meet at Brunswick Walk parking lot at 9 a.m. to carpool to the park. Dress for the weather, and don’t forget your snowshoes. Duration 4 - 5 hrs.

Friday, February 23rd, X Country Ski & Snowshoe to Sherriff Lake
Leader: Naomi Maggs 848-5656. Meet at Brunswick Walk parking lot at 10 a.m. to car pool to trail. Duration: 3 - 4 hrs.

Wood Duck & Saw-Whet Owl boxes to be checked and cleaned, during February & March
Signed up members will be contacted with a date, time and where to meet.

Whistling Woodcocks A Courting. This evening event can occur during February, March, and April
Leader: Jim Johnston 848-7377 Signed up members will be contacted with a date, time and where to meet.

Outings for March and beyond – more information in the next Wolf Howl
Monday, March 19th, Landfill Sites. Bird Sanctuaries of the North. (Snow date: March 23rd)
Monday, March 26th, Star Gazing with Hans Uhl (clear conditions)
Wednesday, March 28th, X Country Ski & Snowshoe Chutes Provincial Park.
Saturday, March 31st, Sugaring off time on St Joseph Island. (If the sap is running)
April: North Shore Spring Bird Migration
April 22: Earth Day
May: Wild Flowers and Medicinal Plants
May or June: Chutes Provincial Park Trillium Tour

THE SANCTUARY SPEAKS……………
In then snows of winter, who has not seen one straight row of animal tracks and immediately identified them as being made by a fox? Most of my visitors also know they are the footsteps of the red fox, and when Penokean sightings are recounted, and black, brown, and silver foxes are reported, they are simply talking about other colours of the red fox.

Because European settlers wanted to chase foxes, red foxes were imported who then bred with native ones. Native grey foxes, now found only in two small remote areas of Ontario, are the only foxes that can climb trees, not much fun for the tally-ho crowd! Although nocturnal and very shy, its tracks more often seen than the animal itself, red foxes are the most widespread carnivore on earth.

Sightings do occur in daytime however, especially if the female has a large litter and must hunt round the clock for them, or if it’s warm and sunny and the fox would just like to catch some rays. Red foxes have a very keen sense of hearing and smell, and eyes which are adapted to low light, making them effective hunters.

If you want to hear a fox, now is the best time. From late January to early February is breeding time, and howls, yaps and whines are part of the process of finding a mate. More on these excellent animals next month …….