Blue Jay, vol.50, issue 2

76 Pages·1992·7.5 MB·English

by  Saskatchewan Natural History Society

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in 2019 with funding from
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Blue Jay, founded in 1942 by Isabel M. Priestly, is a journal of natural history and con¬
servation for Saskatchewan and adjacent regions. It is published quarterly by the
Saskatchewan Natural History Society, Box 4348, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4P
3W6.
CN ISSN 0006-5099.
Editor: J. Lynn Brown
Associate Editors: Margaret Belcher, J. Bernard Gollop, Wayne C. Harris, Ronald
Hooper, John H. Hudson, Bruce A. McCorquodale, Robert W. Nero, Carol A. Scott
Editorial Assistant: Carman Dodge
EDITORIAL INFORMATION: All items for publication should be addressed to the edi¬
tor, care of SNHS (see address at top). Deadlines for each issue are two months prior
to issue, i.e. 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, and 1 October. Please include author’s tele¬
phone number for editorial contact, if necessary. Typewritten manuscripts should be
double spaced and submitted in duplicate. Manuscripts may be submitted in text file
form on IBM 5.25 inch DSDD diskettes, which will be returned to authors when copies
have been made. The editor uses Word Perfect 5.1 and can accept manuscripts in
ASCII format also. Please include a hard copy. For further guidelines, contact the edi¬
tor. Blue Jay is abstracted by BIOS IS.
Common names are used for species where possible. Bird names follow the 1983 revi¬
sion of the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list. Mammals are from Banfield's
The Mammals of Canada (1974). Since insect and plant names are not standardized,
scientific names are included, with authorities where deemed necessary.
Photographs submitted should be on glossy paper. SNHS does not guarantee that any
photographic submissions will be returned. Send a copy, unless you don’t want to save
the original. Prints will be returned on request. Deadlines for photographic materials
are one month prior to issue, i.e. 1 February, 1 May, 1 August, and 1 November.
Any material printed for the Blue Jay may be reproduced without permission. Credit
lines are appreciated. Use of photographs and poetry requires written permission from
the photographer/author.
ADVERTISING: Advertising rates may be obtained from SNHS (address at top).
REPRINTS: A maximum of five reprints of an article are available to authors for a
charge of $0.25 each. Contributors wishing a few extra copies of the current issue may
get them at cost. Requests for reprints or extra copies should be made to the editor
when the material is submitted for publication.
SUBSCRIPTION: Send all renewals, new memberships and correspondence concern¬
ing changes of address to SNHS (address at top).
The classes of membership in the Society are as follows: Individual (over 17) $15;
Family $20; Sustaining $30; Patron $60; Life $600; Youth (under 18) $8; and Senior
(over 64) $13. Sustaining and Patron memberships include the regular fee plus a do¬
nation for which a receipt is available upon request, for income tax purposes. Bulk
orders (minimum of five copies to one address) are available to club members and ed¬
ucational institutions at the rate of $15 for the first subscription and $13 for each
additional one. Outside Canada, fees are $18. We do not collect GST on member¬
ships.
Cover: Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird at her nest, Regina Beach, Saskat¬
chewan. Doug Gilroy
Published by the Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina. Printed by
Merit Printing, Regina, Saskatchewan.
THIS ORGANIZATION RECEIVES FUNDING FROM
Saskatchewan
LOTTERIES a
Blue Jay
Vol. 50 No. 2 June 1992 65-128
Plants
A TREE GIANT. Ron Jensen.66
ADDITIONS TO THE FLORA OF CYPRESS HILLS PROVINCIAL PARK WEST
BLOCK IN SOUTHWESTERN SASKATCHEWAN. Bernardde Vries.67
Insects
A NEW SKIPPER FOR SASKATCHEWAN. RonaldR. Hooper.70
Amphibians and Reptiles
TURTLES, SNAKES AND SALAMANDERS OF
EAST-CENTRAL SASKATCHEWAN. DonaldF. Hooper.72
Birds
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER SIGHTING AT SALTCOATS. J.R. Jowsey.78
OBSERVATIONS ON WOODPECKERS — 1991. Bernie Gollop.79
FISHING FOR NORTHERN HAWK OWLS NEAR
PRINCE ALBERT. Myron Barton.80
THE SQUAW CREEK SAGA. C. Stuart Houston.81
A MOTHER AND SON’S FIRST NATURE TRAIL EXPERIENCE. Carol Merasty.85
OBSERVATIONS ON THE AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN. Miles Constable.86
NORTH AMERICA’S OLDEST GREAT HORNED OWL. C. Stuart Houston.88
NEW GREAT HORNED OWL LONGEVITY RECORD. Robert W. Nero.91
WHERE DO CANADIAN BURROWING OWLS SPEND THE WINTER?
Paul C. James.93
TOLERANCE OF SHORT-TERM DISTURBANCES BY SHARP-TAILED GROUSE.
Jim Wedgwood.96
DO CROWS (C)AW IN CREE? Anna L. Leighton.100
PEREGRINE FALCON IN MANITOBA —AN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.
Robert P. Berger and Robert W. Nero.....101
TRUMPETER SWANS BREEDING IN EAST-CENTRAL SASKATCHEWAN.
Len Shandruk, Donald F. Hooper, and Rhys Beaulieu.107
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS AT SASKATOON. David H. Wright.109
NOTES ON COOPER’S HAWK NESTING IN WINNIPEG. Jean Bancroft.110
SECOND WINTER RECORD OF BLACK GUILLEMOT AT CHURCHILL,
MANITOBA. Robert W. Nero.113
BALD EAGLE PREDATION ON INLAND DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT.
J. David Hunt, Roger M. Evans and George Shnier.115
0(2). June 1992 i
Mammals
ENCOUNTERS WITH WOLVES AT PRINCE ALBERT NATIONAL PARK.
Stuart Dechka. 117
BATS AND WEASELS. Bernie Gollop.118
Nature Library
ONE LONG ARGUMENT. Reviewed by Tim Tokaryk...119
A DICTIONARY OF ETHOLOGY. Reviewed by George J. Mitchell.120
Poetry
SUMMER HAS COME. Bogi Bjarnason.121
Letters
DO CARRION BEETLES KILL YOUNG BIRDS? Lome Rowell.123
MYSTERIOUS COCOON. M.B. Evans.124
ALBINO MAGPIE NEAR EDMONTON. Miles Constable.125
WHAT A BLACK-TAILED GODWIT LOOKS LIKE. Frank H. Brazier.125
Notices
GUIDELINES FOR AUTHORS.126
REQUEST FOR REPRINTS ON OWLS.92
Editorial.65
WANTED — HERP INFORMATION
Information on Saskatchewan’s amphibians and reptiles is poor indeed. The
Saskatchewan Museum of Natural History and Saskatchewan Natural History
Society have set up a sight record card inventory system to attempt to provide
an information base of the province’s reptiles and amphibians. Sightings of any
frog, toad, salamander, turtle, snake, or lizard, whether common or not, are all
important and wanted. If you are able to help with providing this information,
sight record cards will be forwarded to you on request. Please contact:
Keith Roney
Saskatchewan Museum of Natural History
2340 Albert Street
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4P 3V7
[phone]
Blue Jay
EDITORIAL
Whenever I attend Saskatchewan how these policies could be changed
Natural History Society (SNHS) Board for the better.
meetings, I am continually impressed
The Pasquia Hills region of the prov¬
with the number and quality of projects
ince contains a number of provincially
that the Society has on the go.
rare plants — some of which are note¬
The December 1991 issue of Blue worthy western outliers of a character¬
Jay contained scenes of the Athabasca istically eastern deciduous forest and
Sand Dunes taken from a slide show others representing disjunct southern
on the dunes that was supported by the subarctic floristic elements. Due to log¬
SNHS, in an effort to increase public ging operations, action is needed now
awareness about this magnificent eco¬ to be sure of saving intact any sizable
system. In this issue, Bernard de Vries remnant of the forests and associated
reports on his findings on rare plants in habitats, including the unique species
the west block of Cypress Hills Provin¬ of the area. SNHS is taking an inven¬
cial Park. This endeavour was spon¬ tory of rare species to ensure these are
sored by the SNHS in response to not lost under logging machinery.
clear-cutting taking place in the provin¬
The Piping Plover habitat research
cial park.
project proposes to investigate the
It would take up too much time and breeding habitat selection by these
space to list everything that the SNHS birds in Saskatchewan. Effective tech¬
is involved with, but here is a sampling niques for measuring the suitability of
of activities this volunteer-driven organi¬ nesting and feeding sites for this spe¬
zation is involved in. cies will be developed. The resulting
Habitat Suitability Index will greatly im¬
Project Burrowing Owl began in
prove the capability of conservation
1987 to protect this species’ nesting
agencies to locate suitable Piping Plo¬
sites on private and public land by en¬
ver habitat, assess likely development
couraging landowners to participate in
impacts and design an effective con¬
a voluntary agreement to leave the nest
servation strategy for the species on
sites undisturbed. In 1992, the SNHS
the prairies.
will initiate an annual province-wide
communication plan to bring the All of these studies add greatly to the
needed publicity to encourage more accumulated knowledge of the ecosys¬
landowners to sign the voluntary agree¬ tem of which we are part. Pretty im¬
ments. A toll-free number (1-800-667- pressive stuff for part-time naturalists.
HOOT) is now in service so that Reports from these studies and others
anyone who wishes can report sight¬ that the SNHS has commissioned will
ings of Burrowing Owls or request appear in upcoming issues.
more information on how to sign up for
The September 1992 issue will be a
the program.
celebration of the 50th anniversary of
In another ambitious study, the the Blue Jay. Stuart Houston has done
SNHS will examine Saskatchewan ag¬ a considerable amount of work to com¬
ricultural policies. In many ways, the pile information on the early days of the
present policies encourages the agri¬ Blue Jay and the Saskatchewan Natu¬
cultural sector to destroy wildlife habi¬ ral History Society, the basis that has
tat. Saskatche-wan’s policy must be made it possible for the SNHS to do so
changed to deter subsidized environ¬ much important work now.
mental degradation and to encourage
agricultural stewardship practices. The
study will make recommendations on
50(2). June 1992 65
A TREE GIANT
RON JENSEN, 849 10th Street Northeast, Swift Current, Saskatchewan.
S9H 2T5
The tree is a giant by any stan¬ short paragraph on the species de¬
dard. It is a Laurel-leaved or Bay¬ scribes it as a small tree not over 7
leaved Willow (Salixpentandra). This m tall. The single specimen de¬
particular tree sits along the shore of scribed in this articles was measured
Clearwater Lake near Kyle, Sas¬ at 22 m tall. The trunk girth and di¬
katchewan. The species is not native ameter are equally overwhelming at
to Canada. It is a "Eurasian species, 5.56 m and 1.77 m respectively.
introduced and planted as an orna¬
mental” according to Budd’s Flora of Staff at the Prairie Farm Rehabili¬
the Canadian Prairie Provinces. A tation Administration (PFRA) Tree
Giant willow (22 m tall) at Clearwater Lake, Saskatchewan Ron Jensen
66 Blue Jay
Nursery who identified samples of remember the size of the tree when it
winter twigs and leaves indicated 10 was planted. If a sapling of three
m tall would be considered above years was planted, it is now nearly
average height for the species. 65 years old. I could not find any in¬
formation on longevity of this willow
According to Gordon Nelson of species, however, PFRA staff indi¬
Kyle, his father, Elmer Nelson, the cated that 65 years is old for this
landowner, planted the tree in 1925, species of willow. Its size and age
before Clearwater Lake became a without doubt say something about
Regional Park. As you may note the preferred habitat of the Laurel¬
from the picture, the tree grows very leaved Willow.
close to the lake edge now sur¬
rounded by vacation cabins. The To give an idea of scale, the two
source of the tree is unknown but the people in the picture, taken 21 De¬
PFRA Tree Nursery at Indian Head cember 1991, are my son Jeffrey (1
was sending trees out for planting m tall) and nephew Brad Tyberg (1.8
prior to 1925. Gordon Nelson cannot m tall), both of Swift Current.
ADDITIONS TO THE FLORA OF
CYPRESS HILLS PROVINCIAL
PARK WEST BLOCK IN SOUTH¬
WESTERN SASKATCHEWAN
BERNARD DE VRIES, George F. Ledingham Herbarium, University of
Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan. S4S 0A2
The Cypress Hills are situated in survey proposed logging areas in the
the arid short-grass prairie in south¬ centre and west blocks of the park, in
western Saskatchewan, forming a order to assess the status of rare and
high plateau on the plains of western endangered plants, their critical habitat
Canada. The elevation of the plateau and potential means for their preserva¬
tion. This article documents three vas¬
ranges from 870 to 1350 m and is bi¬
cular and two non-vascular species
sected by a major valley, called the
new to the flora of the west block that
"Gap.” The plateau consists of two
were found during the study.
parts, the centre block and the west
block. The Cypress Hills are of inter¬
est because they support a rich and The earliest botanical reports for
varied flora of montane and boreal the Cypress Hills were made by
species. Above 1300 m a coniferous John Macoun between 1880 and
forest occurs, similar to that in the 1892. Breitung, Ledingham (pers.
southern Rocky Mountains. comm., 1991), de Vries and others
have undertaken more recent floristic
In 1990, a study was designed to studies.2’3'4,5'7
50(2). June 1992 67
The following annotated plant list Plagiomnium rugicum (Laur.) Kop.)
was compiled personally by the au¬ No. 19,587. Collected once with Or¬
thor, except for the Sphagnum spe¬ chis rotundifolia Banks (Round¬
cies which were identified by Dr. leaved Orchid) on small sedge
Dale H. Vitt, University of Alberta. hummock. Not previously recorded
Where possible, only a small sample for the Cypress Hills. This site adja¬
was collected under permit and de¬ cent to logging area No. 9 is pre¬
posited at the George F. Ledingham sumed lost due to logging of the
Herbarium in Regina. Collection immediate area.
numbers and data follow each spe¬
cies. The nomenclature follow Lycopodineae - Lycopodiales
Scoggun and Vitt.9,10
Lycopodium annotinum L. var. an-
notinum (Stiff Clum-moss) No.
Musci - Sphagnales
19,545. Observed once as a small
The discovery of a small Sphag¬ colony in a shaded Lodgepole Pine
num population was surprising as it and aspen woods.2
occurred not in a Sphagnum bog as
found in the Rocky Mountains and Lycopodium complanatum L. var.
northern boreal forest, but rather in a complanatum (Ground Cedar) No.
sedge (Carex) meadow surrounded 19,532. Discovered in shaded
by mixed forest. Lodgepole Pine ravine in block 50,
and again as a small population in
Hypothetically, Sphagnum could blocks 9 and 57 in shaded
have entered the unglaciated west Lodgepole Pine and White Spruce
block, when two major climatic events woods. Previously reported fo/ the
occurred: the Holocene warm period centre block.5
during which the isolation of the Cy¬
press Hills from the Rocky Mountains Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw.
and northern boreal forest may have
var. virginianum No. 20,846. Rare. In
taken place; or the shift to a cooler and
shaded White Spruce and aspen
wetter climate influencing the establish¬
woods at base of slope. One colony
ment of small "bogs” suitable to Sphag¬
of three plants only. In proposed log¬
num in Cypress Hills Provincial Park.
ging area 5. Previously reported as
Sphagnum warnstorfii Russow occurring in aspen woods.2
(Peat-moss) No. 1991.12. Very rare.
In shallow depression in sedge Discussion The presence of relict
meadow. Previously reported for the boreal elements in the flora of
centre block as Sphagnum southwestern Saskatchewan is
warnstorfianum Du Rietz.1 The always interesting, especially since
location adjacent to logging area No. Cypress Hills Provincial Park is
9 is now presumed to be lost due to isolated by vast expanses of
clear-cutting of the immediate area. grassland. How did these boreal and
This will undoubtedly have a serious montane species arrive in Cypress
impact upon the ecosystem of the Hills? Russell put forth the
area and the critical habitat for this hypothesis that certain types of flora
species. could have entered the Cypress Hills
in early post-glacial time from the
Musci - Bryales southwest following deglaciation to
the northeast.8 Sphagnum and
Plagiomnium ellipticum (Brid.)
Lycopodium may have found a niche
Kop. (which has also been listed as
here at the same time, when climatic
68 Blue Jay