1. Terrific News: $15,000 Grant from Pacific Salmon Foundation for the Wetland Project
The Club’s media release announcing this grant, which should allow phase one of the wetland project to be completed in 2014, read it in the Pacific Salmon Foundation Grant News Release.
2. Wetland Project Information Night, Thursday May 29 from 6:30 to 9:00 pm, Exploration Place
As you’ll see from the media release, this evening is for members only, though new members could sign up at the start of the meeting. The meeting will first provide an overview of the overall project in general and Phase One in particular, and describe what the Channel trail project might look like based on field visits and professional advice. This will be followed by a walk of the route to get feedback and any new insights. The goal is to get Phase 1 completed this year, so feedback from members is needed as soon as possible.
3. 26th Mount Robson Provincial Park Bird Blitz, June 6 – 8
A reminder about the annual weekend of birding by Prince Georgians in Mt Robson Provincial Park. For information call Nancy Krueger at 250-563-7896 or email Gail Ross at gailross1@telus.net.
We’re due to have an Annual General Meeting, and the Club Secretary notes that some important formal decisions have to be made, particularly as the Club will be moving forward on the Hudson’s Bay Wetland Project, which involves significant amounts of money. Amendments to the constitution are needed, and details will be forwarded in advance of the event, but to ensure that the meeting won’t be dull, note that it will be combined with the long-anticipated Gadgets Night.
2. Gadgets Night, 28 March, 2013, following the above
The plan here will be to show some of the products of the gadgets now available to naturalists. Trail cams have produced some amazing images, and a number of these are ready to be shown. If you have some, please let us now by return email. If you have some other gadgets that other naturalists should know about, please also let us know by return mail so they can be part of the presentation.
3. Club Snowshoe Trip to Troll Lake, Saturday, March 2, 9:30am
If you’ve ever wondered what American Marten tracks look like, you should be able to find that out (and a lot more besides) on this trip. Note the 9:30 start, which is a bit later than usual, meeting under the big sign at the Spruceland shopping centre, and bring lunch and dress warmly. Sandra Kinsey is again our fearless leader, and can be contacted for any additional information at sjkinsey@direct.ca .
4. Good News on the Hudson’s Bay Project
We’ve received an email from BC Nature President John Neville, and BC Naturalists’ Foundation President Bev Ramey, stating that the Club has been awarded the maximum Foundation grant – $2,000 – towards the Hudson’s Bay Wetland Project. Well done, the Project fundraising folks!
5. Travelling World Community Film Festival
Last year the Club sponsored some film showings for the Travelling World Community Film Festival which occurs in the city this year from 14-24 March. The film festival is a collaboration of many organizations in Prince George which each select a film or two relating to their interests, to host during the Festival time. If you are interested in helping to host a showing on behalf of the club (all the club’s officers are busy with the Wetland project) please contact Jovanka Djordjevich at 250-564-3859 or jovanka@netbistro.com.
Additional notes of likely interest to members:
1. The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)
GBBC took place last weekend (February 15-18), with spotters from 103 countries setting new records, counting more than 25.5 million birds on over 120,000 checklists – and recording 3,144 species, nearly a third of all the world’s bird species. Details are still being tallied, but preliminary results are available at http://www.bsc-eoc.org/ organization/ images/news/GBBC21Feb2013.pdf .
2. Protected Or In Peril, March 15-16
The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative and Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute are hosting a workshop entitled “Protected or in Peril?: Conservation in the Peace River Break and Muskwa-Kechika Regions” on Friday, March 15th and Saturday, March 16th. This will focus on the conservation values, challenges and opportunities in the greater Peace River Break and northern Canadian Rockies region. The Peace River Break is one of the most ecologically diverse landscapes in the Yellowstone to Yukon Region, yet there are few protected areas, decreasing intact habitat for wide-ranging wildlife species, and a rapidly expanding industrial footprint – including the prospect of a third hydroelectric dam on the Peace River. Advanced registration (no charge) is required. Contact Mike Gillingham (michael@unbc.ca) or Juri Peepre (<jpeepre@yahoo.ca>) to register or for details.
3. Celestial Matters
There’s an open house at the PG Observatory next Friday, March 1. See http://pgrasc.org/ for details. Those worried that the sky might someday fall should also be aware that we dodged a couple of nasty bullets recently. Bad_astonomy com is always rather entertaining on these themes. See http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy.html .
Hawk Owl
Photo: if you’re not on ncenbird you won’t have seen this magnificent shot of a Hawk Owl with its vole lunch, taken by Peter Zwiers on Lund Road last Sunday. In all, Pete saw two Snowy Owls and two Hawk Owls on Lund Road that day, and the capture of the vole took place right in front of him, showing that it was definitely the place to be.
Prince George Naturalists Club 