Fall, 2004
President’s Message
The
Friends of Gatineau Park is in its fourth year of existence. We need your
support to continue our work on behalf of the interpretation program of Gatineau
Park.
During the year we have been organizing some
interesting workshops that can enhance visitor appreciation of nature in the
park. In May, Josée Soucie, a broadcaster, teacher and illustrator of bird
guides conducted a workshop on bird migration in spring. In June, Justin Peter,
another gifted naturalist ,dealt with birds in the Lac Phillip area, a workshop
in which he stressed the importance of learning to identify birds by their
calls. On September 11 he conducted a session on tree identification that
includes an afternoon walk identifying trees in the park.. Another Friends
project is a new guide for the Lauriault Trail that we hope to publish this
fall.
If you haven’t renewed your membership this year, or would
like to make a donation, I am enclosing a form for your convenience. You can
also help us by encouraging others who enjoy the park to consider membership.
I look forward to meeting you at the annual general
meeting,
André Carrier
AGM November 5 includes wolf
presentation
The
annual general meeting of Friends of Gatineau Park will be held on Friday,
November 5, at the park visitor centre in Chelsea.
The meeting begins at 6.00 p.m.
and will be followed at 7.00 p.m.
by a presentation on the wolf by Rhonda O'Grady. Refreshments will be provided.
Rhonda's talk will be followed by a bus trip to a suitable location to call
wolves. Cost is $l5 members; $25 non-members. For more information and reservations
call (819) 827 2020 after September 30. Also check ourwebsite
http://www.rezoe.com/amicigatineau/
Let
Yours Ears Lead, and the Rest Will Follow
By
Justin Peter, Interpretive Naturalist
If there’s one thing that could
be said about Gatineau Park, it is that its songbirds can really put on a
musical show! This is the impression we got on the morning of June 12, as
participants assembled at the Breton Beach parking lot for the Friends’ Birds of
Philippe Lake bird walk. Intent as we were in beginning our walk, we really
could have stood in the parking lot all morning, just listening to the myriad
sounds around us.
What sense could we make of this sonic bonanza? With the advent of our short
summer, most birds were busy making nests, feeding young, and – especially if
one were a male bird – constantly defending its territory against the intrusions
of other males.
All songbird species use a number of distinct vocalizations that communicate
different moods to each other, from songs of territoriality (not always
musical!) to feverish cries of alarm. Active songbirds therefore equal lots of
vocalizations. We should be thankful, , because bird calls inadvertently assist
us in finding the callers, which are often. in dense vegetation, whether in
shrubbery or high in the forest canopy. . By quietly approaching the source of a
sound and waiting, we may catch a glimpse of the bird that made it.
This approach certainly worked for us on June 12th! Patience yields results; and
birds such as the Blackburnian Warbler and Indigo Bunting rewarded us with a
good long look, plus lively song. Such situations should, however, never be
taken for granted. Seeing a bird while it is calling presents a unique
opportunity; by concentrating on the quality of the call while watching the bird
, we can permanently associate the sound with the bird’s image.
With some practice, recognition of birds by their calls alone becomes second
nature. You can eventually find yourself interpreting the state of domestic
affairs among birds! If this sounds intimidating, try this exercise: starting
next spring, see how many different calls you can attribute to the American
Robins that live near you. As you proceed, see if you can associate specific
calls with different observed behaviours or moods. Above all, trust yourself.
You will be surprised at how this little exercise increases your enjoyment of
all birds and your memory too!
The Veery, a haunting song
New e-bulletin
To serve members
An e-mail news bulletin, developed by Graeme Roderick, our
treasurer, has been first used to inform 180 members, new and old, about our
tree identification workshop on September 11. Embedded in the e-mail was a link
to our flyer posted on our website,
http://www.rezoe.com/amicigatineau. This poster could be downloaded and
shared with others.
You would have received the e-mail as blind copy addressed
to Graeme. This was done to maintain confidentiality of your e-address and the
integrity of our e-list. If you did not receive this notice, (some of our
e-addresses proved not current) please consider sending us your e-address at
amicigatineau@myexcel.ca . If you do not wish to receive further mailings of
news, please let us know.
UK naturalists visit park
On Saturday, August 21,
the Friends of Gatineau Park played host to a group of naturalists from the
United Kingdom. The group was on a two-week whirlwind tour arranged by
Wildwings® a UK-based international outdoor excursion company. They observed
upwards of 60 species of bird in the park. The group was also interested in
most other wildlife! A Northern Water Snake shedding its skin was just one of
several highlights. The visitors were astonished by the diversity and size of
the Park, given its proximity to an urban area. In the end, all concluded that
the visit was too short but certainly worthwhile.
Mysteries of Migration!
By
Andrea H. Eberhardt-Gage
Hey JUNIOR FRIENDS, do you ever feel like going south for
the winter? There are quite a few birds living in Gatineau Park that leave our
cold winters behind and make a yearly trip south down one of North America’s
flyways. Each fall we say goodbye to Canada Geese, loons, many songbirds, ducks
and most hawks. Many of the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of migration are still a mystery
to scientists, and the great distance traveled by some of our avian friends is
incredible! Some of the reasons why birds migrate may be to find food, warmth
and suitable habitat. How birds travel these incredible distances and return to
the same locations year after year is also a puzzle. Scientists suggest day
fliers use landmarks, memory maps and the sun : and they think that night
fliers, like American Robins, Mallard ducks and many small songbirds recognize
the constellations! Scientists also believe some birds use the earth’s magnetic
field to guide them. Before any trip, preparations need to be made. Like
packing your suitcase, birds pack on the pounds. Some birds double their weight
before the trip!
SEE IT FOR YOURSELF!! Here are some ways you can
experience the fall migration.
Å In Gatineau
Park, try visiting the Eardley Escarpment with your family. On a warm, sunny
day you may see a broad-winged or sharp-shinned hawk riding the warm air
currents!
ÅLots of
small birds travel in a group and sometimes you will see a large flock at a
feeding stop. You may also hear migrants from home if you go outside at night
and listen.
Å A full moon
in the fall, may give you the opportunity to actually see some night fliers!
Set up a telescope if you have one or try looking at the moon with binoculars.
You may see some birds as they fly in front of the moon!
ÅEverywhere
you should watch for the familiar ‘V’ formation of Canada Geese and ducks.
TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE MISSING MIGRATION WORDS in each
sentence! (Some aren’t easy so you may need help from a good bird book or a good
friend!)
1. Flying in a ‘V’ saves __ __ __ __ __ __.
2. One reason night is good for flying is because the temperature is
__ __ __ __ __ __.
3. In fall, the shortening __ __ __ may signal the time for migration.
4. There are four North American __ __ __ __ __ __ __ which are like bird
highways.
5. Birds use fat as __ __ __ __ for their flight.
Answers : 1. energy 2. cooler 3. day 4.
flyways 5. fuel
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