Even swarming mosquitoes might not moisten the interest of more than 30 individuals who went to the Horse Lake Community Farm Cooperative Bird and Botany Walk on June 4.
The music of birds filled the air as the group began down the roadway towards the pond.
Chubby chubby cheek, chubby chubby cheek
‘That’s a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet,” said biologist, Ken Makenzie, noting it is one the loudest birds.
“There’s a Wilson’s Warbler there too,” he said, showing its call.
MacKenzie and Kristi Iverson lead the yearly walk which provides a detailed check out the birds and plants of the Southern Cariboo. While he focuses on bird calls, Iverson informs individuals on the range of plant life in the location.
“Big aspens are so good for cavity nesters,” said Mackenzie. “The woodpeckers, the wood is relatively soft and the woodpeckers can get into them easily and the big trees have rotten centres very often so it’s perfect for cavity nesters.”
As the group left the roadway he indicated what he calls a fungal fruiting body on among the trees. He said the tree would be rotten on the within and typically have cavities. Woodpeckers will acknowledge the tree appropriates for nesting once they go through the tough external rings that makes it a perfect area for a nest. Other cavity nesters such as ducks, chickadees and even some owls will use an old woodpecker cavity in these trees.
At the pond, Iverson showed 3 various types of willow branches: Bebbs, McCallas and Drummond willow. Some leaves like Bebbs are green on the top and whitish below. Some leaves have smooth edges while others have little teeth along the edge.
”Plants grow in various methods too. Saskatoon, the aspen, they’re all growing with underground stems linking them. So what we may consider one aspen is simply a stem of a nest of all one organism linked underground.”
MacKenzie unexpectedly mentions a Calliope hummingbird set down on a dead willow. “I’ll get him in the scope, might stick around long enough.”
The walk advanced with Iverson and MacKenzie sharing realities of interest to a devoted audience.
“Betty Place is my aunt’s property that she sold to CEEDS,” said Maureen Nelson, a devoted birder.
“A couple weeks ago we saw a Great Grey Owl on the post at the corner of Dolman Road and Horse Lake Road. He was huge.”
Nelson said she utilized to believe the birds were all simply sparrows and songbirds. When you go out there and really hear them it is absolutely various. – one has a call and one has a tune.
“It’s nice to be out in nature.”
One of the most amazing minutes of the early morning was enjoying an American Robin feeding its children.
“Oh, there’s a baby poking its head up right now,” exclaimed Mackenzie. “They have such big mouths. They look kind of prehistoric when they’re little, till they get feathers. All eye.”
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100 Mile Housebirds
Biologist Ken Mackenzie suggests a fungal fruiting body on the tree next to him. He said the tree would be rotten on the within and typically have cavities inside. Woodpeckers will acknowledge the tree appropriates for nesting tree once they go through the tough external rings. (Fiona Grisswell picture – 100 Mile Free Press)
Kristi Iverson talk with a few of the group about the different plants in the location. (Fiona Grisswell picture – 100 Mile Free Press)
