Bruce Di Labio's Blog: September 24, 2010 Whooping Crane search a success!

Friday, September 24, 2010

September 24, 2010 Whooping Crane search a success!

I arrived in Saskatoon this morning and began my scouting for Whooping Cranes. There had been a group of cranes observed early during the week near Muskiki Lake. Driving around the area there was no sign of Whoopers but 1000's of Snow Geese and 100's of Sandhill Cranes. The rolling landscape made it more difficult to see any distance and any large white bird could hide easily. After an hour of scanning and driving back roads I stopped to view a small flock of Sandhills in flight and spotted a number of large white birds in a recently harvested field. I quickly assembled my scope which was still in my suitcase and watch 6 adult Whooping Cranes feeding. As I scanned the area more popped up and after a while I was up to 36 Whooping Cranes! Any amazing sight, 27 adult and 9 young.

A distant view of Whooping cranes near Muskiki Lake, SK

The cranes were very active feeding and interacting.

2 comments:

Nicole MacP said...: Awesome!! What a great experience that must have been!; September 24, 2010 at 10:53 PM
Wayne Vanwyck said...: After searching the backroads of Saskatchewan for 6 days, asking everyone we met if they knew where the whoopers were, finally, we met someone who knew what we were talking about and had heard of a sighting very close to where we were on our first day! It was 4:30 pm and they said it was about 2 hours drive to the north. Sunset was about 7:00 so that didn't leave much room for error, but we decided to go check it out. The directions were, go north on Highway 2 to Muskiki Lake. Just as you go over the hill and the lake comes in sight (about a mile off to the right) you'll see a small pull-off to the right that looks like a farm lane. Pull in there, scan the horizon with your binoculars and scope and you might get lucky.

Off we set with a sense of hope. When the lake came in sight, we weren't sure what constituted a "pull-off" or for that matter, whether or not we had the right lake in sight. Right now, because of the wet summer and fall, Saskatchewan is full of lakes and ponds - many of which shouldn't really be there. We stopped and looked. Nothing. We went back the road a bit and saw an abandoned farm house with a lane that looked to be used mostly by farm equipment. We went in hoping we wouldn't be charged with trespassing. The sun was beginning to set. We had about 15 minutes before it sunk below the horizon.

Once again I pulled out Carol's scope and set it up on the tripod. Dawna, Carol, Kathy and Marj scanned with their binoculars and I started to scan with the scope. Nothing. Then Dawna said, "Look at that little pond to the left of the hydro pole." I turned the scope in that direction and there they were. It was unmistakeable! Huge white birds with black wing-tips doing their hopping dance. At first I could only see a couple but in a twist of good luck, as the sun went down, the sky lit up with a diffused rather than harsh light and they were easier to see. They were too far away to get photos, but they were unmistakable. We counted at least 30!

Full story at www.thebusinesstransitioncrisis.com; October 2, 2010 at 2:42 PM

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Birding Ethics

Ontario Field Ornithologists' Ethical Birding Principles
As the number of birders increases, we must all make every effort to act in a positive and responsible way. We must also convey responsible image to non-birders who may be affected by our activities. Most people appreciate birds but this appreciation can be quickly destroyed by the irresponsible actions of a handful of birders.

In the past a code of ethics was not considered necessary, but times have changed and as more and more pressure is put on our environment it is essential to do whatever we can to lead by example. Each of us must show consideration to other birders, landowners, habitat, birds and other wildlife at all times. We are ambassadors of birding and our actions today will reflect the respect we receive in the future.

The welfare of the birds must come first.
Whatever your interest, from scientific study to listing, always consider the impact of your activity on the bird. Respect bird protection laws. We are all responsible to ensure we abide by them at all times.

Habitat protection.
Habitat is vital for the existence of birds and we must ensure that our activities cause minimum damage to our environment. Use trails to avoid trampling vegetation.

Keep disturbance to a minimum.
Although some birds can tolerate human activity, this varies from species to species and from season to season. Use common sense and extreme caution around nests. Migrants may be tired and hungry and should not be kept from resting or feeding. When photographing birds, study their reaction and if they become agitated, back off. Avoid the use of flash photography on owls. Tape recordings and similar methods of attracting birds may cause stress for territorial birds. They should be used sparingly and avoided in heavily birded areas. Do not deliberately flush birds. Patience is often rewarded.

Rare breeding birds.
If you discover a rare breeding bird, do not feel under any obligation to report your find to other birders. Record the details of your discovery. You may wish to file the nest with the Ontario Nest Records Scheme at the Royal Ontario Museum. Avoid visiting known sites of rare breeding birds unless they can be viewed from a distance without disturbance.

Rare birds.
Rare migrants or vagrants are the species most sought after by birders. If you discover a rarity, consider the circumstances carefully before releasing the information. You must take responsibility for the decision to release the find. You should consider whether an influx of birders will disturb the bird, people or other species in the area; whether habitat will be damaged; and where people will park. Inform the landowner of the find, explain what may happen and obtain permission to tell other birders. Ask the landowner for a list of dos and don'ts, for example, where birders may stand to get a good view and what restrictions there may be on time of day. Also ask which areas are off limit. If you decide to release the news, give precise directions and instructions. If possible include a phone number. At all times make as little noise as possible. Remember, most non-birders will be surprised by the number of visitors who wish to see a rare bird.

Respect the rights of landowners and occupiers of land.
Before entering an area, be aware of the rules about access such as by-laws of Conservation Authorities, National and Provincial Parks, and Regional Authorities. Many landowners and authorities allow birders access to areas normally off limits. Always act in a responsible way and if you are asked to leave, do so immediately. Do not block gateways or cause damage to fences, and leave gates as you find them. Do not obstruct people who may be working in these areas.

Have proper consideration for other birders.
When telephoning for information, do so at reasonable hours of the day. Try not to disrupt other birders’ activities or scare the birds they are watching. Many other people enjoy the outdoors; do not interfere with their activities. Be polite to other birders and helpful to beginners. If you see people obviously disturbing birds or significantly damaging habitat, explain to them the effect of their actions but be courteous, they may not be aware of the effect they are having.

Increase our knowledge about birds.
Keep notes of your sightings and send them to area compilers. Send rare bird reports to the Secretary, Ontario Bird Records Committee.

When birding in other countries, provinces or regions.
Find out if there is a local code of ethics or any special rules that should be respected.

|Other Birding Codes of Conduct|

Bruce Di Labio's Blog

Friday, September 24, 2010

September 24, 2010 Whooping Crane search a success!

2 comments:

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