Blue Jay, vol.76, issue 1

2018·5.8 MB·English

by  Saskatchewan Natural History Society

■HWm
University of Alberta Library
SPRING 2018 VOLUME 76.1
620 595032 6
BLUE JA\
B65
v.76:
no.1
2018
SCI/TECH
Peter Taylor documents exceptionally large numbers Stuart and Mary Houston — after 75 and 63 years Based in Brandon, Manitoba, 'Friends of the
of Purple Finches that overwintered in southern of banding, respectively— have retired Stuart's Bluebirds' celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2016.
Manitoba from November 2016 to December 2017. banding permit obtained in 1943. See page 8 Turn to page 21 to read more about this group, the
for the backstory, a table of all birds banded work it does, and what members have learned and
under permit 00460, and for a collection of observed with respect to Bluebirds throughout the
remembrances from those who spent time banding years.
with the Houstons.
'BIRDMANIA
A Ht'inurkubU'
l*UMsi(ni for liirtls
Spencer Sealy provides an account of a pair of Bernd Brunner's Birdmania is richly illustrated with Ellen Bouvier shares why the Gem Lakes in Narrow
Evening Grosbeaks that were observed feeding striking paintings and sketches of birds, feathers Hills Provincial Park hold a special place in her heart
on pupae of the Forest Tent Caterpillar during the and eggs. But the author's subjects are not birds in this issue's edition of Human Nature.
breeding season of 1976. themselves — rather, they are individual human
beings who have for one reason or another become
obsessed with birds. Turn to page 30 to read a
review of this book.
WHAT'S INSIDE
5 Exceptionally High Numbers 23 Photography 29 The Nature Notebook:
of Purple Finches Wintering The Climate Crisis and
in Southern Manitoba, 24 Evening Grosbeaks Feeding Saskatchewan
2016-2017 on Pupae of the Forest Tent Jared Clarke
Peter Taylor Caterpillar in the Dune-
Ridge Forest, Delta Marsh, 30 Book Review
8 The Houstons, Banding Manitoba, Spring 1976 Birdmania: A Remarkable
Dynamos, Retire Permit 00460 Spencer G. Sealy Passion for Birds
Ron Jensen Joel Cherry
26 Saskatchewan Breeding Bird
19 Nature Saskatchewan Atlas: 2017 Season Highlights 34 Human Nature
Spring Meet 2018 LeeAnn Latremouille and Kiel Drake Ellen Bouvier
21 Friends of the Bluebirds 28 Celebrating Nature 35 Mystery Photo
Still Going Strong in Manitoba Saskatchewan's Volunteer
Donna Firby Gamache Stewards
Rob Wilson
2 BLUE JAY SPRING 2018 VOLUME 76.1
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dr. Branimir Gjetvaj has had profound social and
President, Nature Saskatchewan environmental impacts. Farming at
ever-increasing scales accelerated a
People of Saskatchewan take decline of rural communities, and
pride in the large contribution that millions of acres of natural vegetation
agriculture brought to our province. have been cleared for planting row
We produce food that supports crops, with a drastic reduction of native
Dr. Branimir Gjetvaj
livelihoods well beyond provincial habitats and biodiversity. Globally,
borders, food "to feed the world." agriculture is the leading cause of paradigm shift — a new "system
Global population is expected to biodiversity loss, and this pressure thinking" in which the sustainability of
food production and the maintenance
grow to over eight billion by 2030, may increase with further cropland
of agricultural ecosystem services (e.g.
demanding more and better quality expansion and intensification1. Overuse
nutrient flow, climate stabilization
food as average wealth increases. In and mismanagement of pesticides
and flood control) and protection of
response to the heightened demand and fertilizers have resulted in the loss
biodiversity presents the core strategy
we have already seen, agricultural of pollinator species and pollution
for agricultural development3'4.
production has increased by growing of surface waters and aquifers.
Real progress in increasing
high-yielding crops on more land. Agriculture is considered to be the
agricultural productivity, improving
However, it did so with increased single largest driver of environmental
livelihoods and strengthening climate
irrigation, mechanization and the change2, and at the same time it is also
change resilience will come from
rampant use of agro-chemicals to the most impacted by these changes.
applying ecosystem-focused natural
boost production levels. The ability of industrial farming
resource management through agro¬
Industrial agriculture, practiced on systems to withstand disturbances
ecology practices such as agroforestry,
large-scale monoculture landscapes, caused by climate change could be
diversified crops and integrated crop-
diminished if we continue with the
livestock systems. Advancing on-farm
business as usual. Less diverse and
sustainable practices is only a partial
more specialized farming systems
step. We need to think boldly and set
could experience larger loss of crop
up multi-functional landscapes with a
yields after extreme weather events.
mosaic of natural, semi-natural (such
Improving diversity on the farm
as shelterbelts and grassland strips) and
and landscape level is an important
agricultural lands to take advantage of
contributor to climate risk reduction.
ecological processes, biodiversity and
Producing a sufficient amount of
stability that nature already provides.
affordable and healthy food is essential
for global food security. A narrow
focus on maximizing crop yields will 1. Kehoe, L., A. Romero-Munoz, E. Polaina,
et al. (2017): Biodiversity at risk under future
not be sufficient to accomplish this
ON THE FRONT COVER cropland expansion and intensification.
goal. In the current paradigm of food
Nature Ecol. Evol. 1:1129-1135.
A Song Sparrow photographed at Cypress Hills
production, agricultural intensification
Interprovincial Park in July 2017.
Photo credit: Nick Saunders aims to increase outputs while 2. Campbell, B. M., D. J. Beare, E. M.
Bennett, etal. (2017): Agriculture production
keeping the ecological footprint as
as a major driver of the earth system
small as possible. This is achieved by
exceeding planetary boundaries. Ecol. Soc.
maximizing resource use efficiency,
22:8-18.
like adjusting fertilizer and water
3. Scherr, S. J., and J. A. McNeely (2008):
inputs. The main focus is still on
Biodiversity conservation and agricultural
productivity, however; the sustainability
sustainability: Towards a new paradigm of
of food production through reducing
'ecoagriculture1 landscapes. Phil. Trans. R.
environmental impacts comes as an Soc. B 363:477-494.
after-thought. If we want to move
4. Rockstrdm, J., J. Williams, G. Daily, et
ON THE BACK COVER
agriculture from its current role as
al. (2017): Sustainable intensification of
A Red Squirrel photographed on the Highland Trail
the world's single largest driver of agriculture for human prosperity and global
at the centre block of Cypress Hills Interprovincial
Park on September 3, 2017. environmental change, we need a sustainability. Ambio 46:4-17. JL
Photo credit: Annie McLeod
SPRING 2018 VOLUME 76.1 BLUE JAY 3
BLUE JAY
Blue Jay, founded in 1942 by
SAS KATCH EWAN
Isabel M. Priestly, is a journal of
natural history and conservation for
Saskatchewan and adjacent regions.
It is published quarterly by Board of Directors Main Office
Nature Saskatchewan.
President Nature Saskatchewan
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4 BLUE JAY SPRING 2018 VOLUME 76.1
UNIVERSITY OF ALRF°T*
EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH NUMBERS OF
PURPLE FINCHES
WINTERING IN SOUTHERN MANITOBA, 2016-2017
noteworthy.3 Although occurrence in
winter remains sporadic, somewhat
larger numbers have been recorded
more recently, for example, a then-
record total of 53 on the 2002 Pinawa
- Lac du Bonnet CBC.5
Fall migration of Purple Finches in
Manitoba is normally almost complete
by the end of October. Thus, frequent
sightings of small flocks in southern
Manitoba in November 2016, both
at feeders and at seed-bearing trees
and shrubs, indicated that an unusual
event was shaping up for the 2016-
2017 winter. This was borne out by
an extraordinary total of 382 Purple
Finches recorded on the 2016 Pinawa
- Lac du Bonnet CBC; while about
70% were found within the town of
Pinawa, some were recorded by all but
one of the seven parties of counters.
Altogether in Manitoba, 729 Purple
Finches were found on 15 of 21
counts; the previous record province¬
FIGURE 1 Purple Finches and a Pine Siskin (extreme right) at a Pinawa, Manitoba feeder on December 26, wide tally was 121 in 2008, with an
.
2016. Bold dorsal streaking on the female-plumaged Purple Finches and the adult male's bright rump are
average of 40 on two to ten counts
typical of the eastern subspecies. Photo credit: Linda Huisman
between 2000 and 2015, inclusive.5
Peter Taylor lies at the northwestern extremity of
P.O. Box 597, Pinawa, MB ROE 1L0 this winter range. Migration of the Christmas Bird Counts and
[email protected] western subspecies is partly altitudinal, other counts
combined with north-south movements The Pinawa - Lac du Bonnet area
This article documents exceptionally bounded by southern British Columbia, lies at the southern fringe of the boreal
large numbers of Purple Finches California, and Arizona.1 forest in southeastern Manitoba. The
(Haemorhous purpureus) that In Manitoba, Purple Finches breed next-highest 2016 CBC totals in the
overwintered in southern Manitoba primarily in the southern half of the province were also in partly settled,
from November 2016 to March boreal forest.3'4 They visit feeders, forest-edge settings (130 at Glenboro -
2017. The Purple Finch breeds across sometimes in large numbers during Spruce Woods and 62 at Cypress River
Canada from British Columbia and spring migration (late March to mid- - Spruce Woods); these totals contrast
southern Yukon to Newfoundland May), but wintering birds are typically with just two individuals in the urban/
and southward to parts of the United singles or occasionally small flocks. suburban Winnipeg count, despite
States.1 Two subspecies are recognized: While an increase in winter records more intense coverage. Unusually high
the eastern H. p. purpureus breeds was noted during the last quarter counts extended west and north to
as far west as the British Columbia of the 20th century, Christmas Bird Brandon (46), Minnedosa (24), Riding
interior, whereas H. p. californicus Count (CBC) totals of 30 at Cypress Mountain National Park (30), Dauphin
occurs along the Pacific coast. There River - Spruce Woods on December 26, (12), and Flodgson (17).5 Purple Finches
is a large east-west component to 1988 and 33 near Seven Sisters Falls were also conspicuous at several
migration of the eastern subspecies, (Pinawa - Lac du Bonnet CBC area) on feeders on Hecla Island (Lake Winnipeg)
which normally winters in the eastern December 28, 1996, as well as a flock in January 2017. In Saskatchewan,
United States and southern regions of of 14 at Victoria Beach on January altogether 43 Purple Finches were
eastern Canada.12 Southern Manitoba 16, 1993, were considered especially noted on seven of 95 counts, with
SPRING 2018 VOLUME 76.1 BLUE JAY 5
most at Whitewood (20) and Nipawin with many departing a little ahead species in many prairie towns and
(11); this is more than usual, but not a of the normal spring passage (late cities, since the first individuals
record.6 Similar patterns for Manitoba March to mid-May). Fairly high but not arrived during the 1980s, means that
and Saskatchewan are evident for the exceptional numbers (up to several misidentification of House Finches as
Great Backyard Bird Count (February dozen) were noted at some Pinawa Purple Finches (or vice versa) by some
17-20, 2017) and for eBird records as a feeders during the latter period. High observers is a potential confounding
whole for winter 2016-20177 survival has also been inferred in other factor.4'1415 Indeed, this is an ongoing
I monitored the overwintering winters with smaller incursions, when issue for CBC compilers. Based on
abundance of Purple Finches in Pinawa localized concentrations were sustained the author's field observations and
by counting them on 7-km walks throughout the season (personal correspondence, however, it was not
on February 19 (during the Great observation). a significant factor in the Pinawa - Lac
Backyard Bird Count), March 15, and Other information derived from du Bonnet area during the 2016-2017
March 23, 2017, as well as observing the walking counts includes sustained winter. The House Finch remains a
them more casually throughout the high numbers of redpolls (especially rare visitor to Pinawa and has not
winter. The three walks followed a at feeders) to mid-March, a midwinter been detected there for some years.
convoluted route covering roughly influx of Pine Siskins (also mainly It is an uncommon breeder at Lac du
half of the town-site, but taking in at feeders), and the normal March Bonnet and some nearby communities,
all known major feeder locations and departure of Pine Grosbeaks, which but the local population appears to
concentration areas. Results, along with are always in the vanguard of spring be migratory. The species has been
counts of other finches and selected migration.11-13 The relatively low recorded just once on the Pinawa - Lac
CBC data, are compiled in Table 1. walking-count totals of both Evening du Bonnet CBC: 24 birds on December
The CBC data indicate that finch and Pine grosbeaks are partly due 28, 2002. This coincided with the
numbers were generally high on to the late-morning/early-afternoon previous high count for Purple Finches,
the 2016 Pinawa - Lac du Bonnet timing of the walks, after the typical, and the presence of both species within
CBC, with the significant exception local morning peak of feeder activity the count area at that time was verified
of the Evening Grosbeak, recently for these two species (personal by the author (as CBC compiler).
declared a species of Special Concern observation).
by the Committee on the Status of The number of colourful adult male Food supply, regional
Endangered Wildlife in Canada.8 Only Purple Finches was estimated at about patterns, and interpretation
the Purple Finch was far above the 20%; one feeder photograph showed Although large numbers of Purple
previous range of fluctuating numbers. just two adult males in a flock of 20. Finches frequented well-stocked
In general, "winter finches" are noted Assuming a 1:1 sex ratio, this suggests feeders (Fig. 1), they were also
for their nomadic behaviour, linked a high proportion (-60%) of hatch-year attracted to abundant crops of seeds
to varying food supplies that result birds, because young males moult from on a number of wild and cultivated
in highly variable numbers at given female-like Basic I (sub-adult) plumage trees and shrubs, especially Black Ash
localities from year to year.9'10 into Definitive Basic (adult) plumage (Fraxinus nigra), ornamental Amur
The walking-count totals for Purple during the July-November period of Maple (Acer ginnala cultivars), and
Finches in Pinawa, together with their second year.1 lilacs (Syringa sp. cultivars). My notes
day-to-day observations, indicate that The establishment of the House for February 19, 2017 state that while
large numbers survived the winter, Finch (H. mexicanus) as a breeding some Purple Finches were visiting
feeders, where they mingled with
TABLE 1: Summary of counts of Purple Finches redpolls and siskins, and others were
and other finches in and near Pinawa, Manitoba. still attracted to Amur Maple and lilac
seeds, the majority were feeding in
CBC,a CBC, CBCRECORD WALK, WALK, WALK, flocks of up to 20 on buds in Trembling
SPECIES 30 DEC 10-YEAR (YEAR) 19 FEB 15 MAR 23 MAR
2016 AVERAGE11 2017 2017 2017 Aspen (Populus tremuloides) and other
Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enudeator) 422 297 742(1996) 47 4 0 deciduous trees. Purple Finches feed
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) 382 6 382 (2016) 325 212 48 heavily on aspen catkins during spring
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostr) 1 0 8(1979) 0 0 0 migration, so it was interesting to see
White-winged Crossbill (L. leucoptera) 47 37 151 (2009) 0 0 0 them feeding on these winter buds.3'11
Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea) 587 214 852(1987) 449 493 92 On March 15, glaring light made it
Hoary Redpoll (A hornemanni) 12 5 45 (1984) 1 0 0 challenging to scan treetops, while a
Undetermined redpoll (Acanthis sp.) 24 13 _ 0 0 0 stiff breeze seemed to be discouraging
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) 22 2 259 (1987) 97 75 33 Purple Finches from treetop feeding, a
American Goldfinch (S. tristis) 0 0 55 (1979) 0 0 0 plausible explanation for the somewhat
Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) 241 405 1663 (1995) 32 51 27 reduced count. By March 23, however,
it was evident that most Purple Finches,
3 All CBC totals refer to the Pinawa - Lac du Bonnet count circle, which is centred at 50.1775°N, 95.9664°W.
b Ten-year averages are for the period 2006-2015. as well as many other finches, had
6 BLUE JAY SPRING 2018 VOLUME 76.1
departed (see Table 1). stop migration of birds originating 1921-1995. Special publication, Canadian
Remarkably, the 2016 Pinawa - Lac somewhere in western Canada, Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Ontario.
du Bonnet CBC total was the highest of prompted by an abundant and varied
3. Parsons RJ (2003) Purple Finch. In:
1,079 North American counts reporting food supply. While the author lacks
Manitoba Avian Records Committee, The
Purple Finches during the 2016 CBC detailed data on food availability, there Birds of Manitoba, Manitoba Naturalists
period, though only third in birds per has been some decline in bird feeding Society, Winnipeg, Manitoba, p. 387.
party-hour of field effort (6.72).5 These in Pinawa since about 1990 (probably
4. Artuso C, Couturier AR, De Smet KD,
birds were evidently part of a broader due to demographic changes in the
Koes RF, Lepage D, McCracken J, Mooi
regional concentration, with the next town), and the 2016 Amur Maple seed
R, Taylor P (Eds.) (2018). The Atlas of the
three highest counts (excluding the crop appeared to be unusually heavy. Breeding Birds of Manitoba, 2010-2014. Bird
Pacific Coast) being at Kenora, Ontario The eastern and western subspecies Studies Canada. Winnipeg, Manitoba.
(292; 27.8 per party-hour; previous are distinguishable by differences www.birdatlas.mb.ca/.
record 134 in 2014), Grand Marais, in vocalization and plumage; in
5. Audubon Christmas Bird Count.
Minnesota (223; 4.90 per party-hour; particular, the western subspecies has
www.audubon.org/conservation/science/
previous record 35 in 2008), and more diffuse markings in female-type christmas-bird-count.
Thunder Bay, Ontario (195; 2.09 per plumages.1 No such differences were
6. Smith AR (2017) 75th Annual
party-hour; all-time record 449 in noted during the winter incursion
Saskatchewan Christmas Bird Count - 2016.
2002). The Atikokan, Ontario count described here, suggesting that only
Blue Jay 75(3):32-44.
was also noteworthy, with the second- the expected eastern subspecies was
7. eBird Canada, www.ebird.org/content/
highest total per unit of effort (97; 13.6 present.
Canada/.
per party-hour; previous record 83 in The Pinawa - Lac du Bonnet area has
2002). These five count localities lie long been a hot spot for winter finches, 8. COSEWIC (2016). COSEWIC assessment
within fairly narrow ranges of latitude with Evening and Pine grosbeak CBC and status report on the Evening
(47.8 to 50.2°N) and longitude (89.3 totals often in the top 10 for North Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus
in Canada. Prepared by C. Savignac.
to 96.0°W), near the northwestern America. Finches with more southerly
Committee on the Status of Endangered
extremity of the published winter winter ranges (Purple Finch, Pine
Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa, Ontario,
range.1 A brief review of Christmas Siskin, and American Goldfinch) are
www. registrelep-sararegistry.gc.ca/default.
counts in preceding years shows usually either scarce or absent, but
asp?lang=en&n=24F7211B-1.
regional concentrations in New England CBC data show occasional spikes
9. Koenig WD, Knops JMH (2001) Seed-crop
(especially New Hampshire) in 2015 that are far above the low long-term
size and eruptions of North American boreal
and Wisconsin in 2014, but no obvious averages (Table I).5 It may therefore
seed-eating birds. Journal of Animal Ecology
regional peaks in 2011 to 2013.5 be many years before a comparable
70:609-620.
In eastern North America, Purple Purple Finch incursion occurs again in
10. Pittaway R (2016) Ron Pittaway's winter
Finch migration is characterized by Manitoba. None was recorded in the
finch forecast 2016-2017. www.ebird.org/
biennial incursions into the southern 2017 Pinawa - Lac du Bonnet CBC, and
content/canada/n e ws/ro n - p i tta ways-w i n te r-
U.S. as far as the gulf states.1 While the species was scarce or absent on
finch-forecast-2016-2017/.
this alternation has been attributed 2017 counts throughout Manitoba and
to varying cone crops in the northern northwestern Ontario. 11. Taylor P (1983) Wings along the
Winnipeg: the birds of the Pinawa-Lac du
portion of this finch's wintering range,
Bonnet region, Manitoba. Eco Series No.
Acknowledgements
this explanation is problematic because
2, Manitoba Naturalists Society, Winnipeg,
conifer seeds do not appear to be I thank J. Paul Goossen, Richard
Manitoba (reprinted with minor revisions,
a major component of the Purple W. Knapton, and Rudolf F. Koes
1985).
Finch's varied winter diet of seeds and for helpful comments on a draft
12. Taylor P (1996) Winter songs of the Pine
fruits.1 Koenig and Knops conducted manuscript, an anonymous reviewer
Grosbeak. Blue Jay 54:82-84.
a 30-year, continent-wide analysis of for further comments, and Linda
boreal finch numbers and coniferous Huisman for use of her photograph. 13. Taylor P (2003) Pine Grosbeak. In:
Manitoba Avian Records Committee, The
seed crops.9 They concluded that NOTE: All websites cited below
Birds of Manitoba, Manitoba Naturalists
Purple Finches erupted following years were accessed on November 26, 2017.
Society, Winnipeg, Manitoba, pp. 386-387.
when breeding densities were high,
for reasons apparently unrelated to 1. Wootton JT (1996) Purple Finch 14. Bancroft J, Parsons RJ (1991) Range
the conifer seed crop; the variability in (Haemorhous purpureus), version 2.0. expansion of the House Finch into the Prairie
numbers was much less than for other In: Rodewald PG (ed.) The Birds of North Provinces. Blue Jay 49:128-136.
America. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca,
boreal finches. Banding records indicate
15. Parsons RJ (2003) House Finch. In:
New York. https://doi.Org/10.2173/bna.208.
fidelity of Purple Finches to breeding Manitoba Avian Records Committee, The
sites, but not to wintering locales.2 2. Brewer D, Diamond AW, Woodsworth EJ, Birds of Manitoba, Manitoba Naturalists
The 2016-2017 winter incursion in Collins BT, Dunn EH (2000) Canadian Atlas Society, Winnipeg, Manitoba, pp. 388-389.
of Bird Banding, Volume 1: Doves, Cuckoos,
southern Manitoba and neighbouring
and Hummingbirds through Passerines,
regions may be attributed to short¬
SPRING 2018 VOLUME 76.1 BLUE JAY 7
THE HOUSTONS,
BANDING DYNAMOS,
RETIRE PERMIT 00460
Ron Jensen during the weekly hikes, plus historical
1027 King Crescent records from John Gunn and Frank
Saskatoon, SK S7K 0N9 Baines, who respectively resided at
Good Spirit and Crescent Lakes, were
Mary and Stuart Houston — compiled in July 1942 into a five-
after 63 and 75 years of banding, page List of the Birds Identified in the
respectively — have retired Stuart's Yorkton District in Recent Years, typed
banding permit obtained in 1943. The and mimeographed by Stuart Houston
backstory and selected Saskatchewan and which was priced at 10 cents. Stuart Houston holding a Great Horned Owl.
Photo credit: Glen Grambo
banding history follows. Because R.J. Priestly was the Sifton
As a boy growing up in Yorkton, Press representative in Yorkton, a rave for banding waterfowl were in short
Saskatchewan, Stuart — at age review by A.G. Lawrence in Chickadee supply. Stuart, at 15 years in July
12 — was given a copy of Taverner's Notes, Winnipeg Free Press, was of 1943, was approached by B. W.
The Birds of Canada by two aunts1. quickly reprinted in the Saskatoon Cartwright, chief naturalist for Ducks
He put Canada's leading bird book Star-Phoenix and the Regina Leader- Unlimited Canada (DUC) to band
to good use identifying local birds. Post. Over 100 orders flooded in and ducks. On the advice of Hoyes Lloyd
One day, however, Stuart observed a many included bird observations from of the Canadian Wildlife Service in
group of birds feeding on dandelions their locality. This quickly led to the Ottawa, Stuart omitted his age on
that weren't readily found among the creation of the Yorkton Natural History the banding permit application. One
illustrations in his book. Stuart's father Society, which included four high had to be 18 to obtain a banding
advised him to visit Isabel Priestly, school students: Harvey Beck, Stuart permit. The ducks were banded
who helped to identify the birds as Houston, Vernon Barnes and Ray under Ducks Unlimited 00077 permit,
American Goldfinches. Adams. Stuart, as secretary-treasurer, and other species under Stuart's
Mrs. Priestly had come to Canada kept track of membership, typed 00460 private permit, for a record
as a war bride in 1918, settling at stencils for and mimeographed the 75 years of banding. At an American
Yorkton in 1935. A trained botanist, quarterly bulletin, The Blue Jay, on a Ornithologist's Union (AOU) meeting
previously active in Winnipeg with primitive open-drum copying machine. in the 1960s, the head of the USA Bird
the Manitoba Natural History Society, Student members hand-coloured the Banding Laboratory (BBL), Allen Duvall,
Mrs. Priestly invited Stuart and a few stencilled letterhead, The Blue Jay, in sought out Stuart and "volunteered
friends to join her on her weekly blue crayon for the first two years. that this was the only time during his
walks around Yorkton. She wrote a Stuart's life as a naturalist had begun tenure at the banding office that the
weekly nature column in the Yorkton in Grade 9! U.S. FWS knowingly concurred in the
Enterprise. Bird records collected Due to the war effort, biologists issue of an under-age permit."2
Stuart and Mary Houston at Redberry Lake. Photo credit: Dr. John Gerrard Sr.
8 BLUE JAY SPRING 2018 VOLUME 76.1
The first ringing (a British term for TABLE 1.1 Summary of banding records attributed to
banding) by Stuart was in 1943, when C. S. Houston, permit 000460, in banding code order.
he banded 556 ducks in 31 days, for
which he was paid 10 cents a duck.3
The third year, over 2,100 ducks were
banded in three months at 20 cents
per duck, which yielded $427, big
money for a teenager. The year-round
exciting recoveries arriving in the mail
from Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Cuba3
after the first brief season were more
important than money. Blue-winged
Teal were shot on almost every
Caribbean island.
In 1945, DUC offered Stuart a
University scholarship to study wildlife
management at the University of
Wisconsin under Aldo Leopold, or
ornithology at Cornell University under
Arthur Allen. Stuart declined, saying,
"If I take that offer, what would I do
for a hobby?"3 He was accepted into
medicine and graduated with an MD
from the University of Manitoba — his
parents' alma mater — in 1951; that
year, Stuart married Mary Belcher, a
teacher at Yorkton Collegiate, and he
joined his parents' medical practice for
nine years.
A 53-page booklet summarized
results from the banding of 63,826
waterfowl by DUC between 1939 and
1950, and 22,270 were banded in
Saskatchewan. Stuart's contribution to
the total number banded was 5,011,4
Banding was now both a hobby and
an obsession.
Seth Low of the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service, Chief of the BBL in
Patuxent, Maryland, brought two
mist nets — a new technology and
at his own expense — to Stuart
and Mary in Yorkton on August 19,
1954, instructing them on set-up
and use of the mist nets along a road
allowance. They quickly caught one
Gray Catbird and one Yellow Warbler.
While dawn mist netting for Wilson's
Snipe on September 20, 1961, a
Pectoral Sandpiper was caught and
that sandpiper was shot on May 28,
1963, near Yanskiy, Yakut, U.S.S.R. —
a distance of 5,735 km.5 Of the 1,008
Pectoral Sandpipers banded in 1960,
two were recovered in the U.S.S.R.
SPRING 2018 VOLUME 76.1 BLUE JAY 9
for R.F. Oldaker, who from 1958 to
1964 possessed infinite patience at
the Vancouver city dump. He kept
each banded California Gull (CAGU)
in sight until all eight numbers around
the circumference of a band could
be recorded through his homemade
telescope. Oldaker collected
notebooks full of incomplete numbers, '
but managed to read 39 complete
CAGU bands from Saskatchewan.
California Gulls arrived in Vancouver
on August 12, 1960, August 11, 1961
and August 11,1963. They wintered
Great Horned Owls became a to the dry grass of the shore. As the along the Pacific coast, returned to
special interest of Stuart's in 1958. Bill ducklings headed for the grass, Stan the city dump when one and two and
Horseman was able to climb a tree Houston, Margaret Belcher, Maurice often three years old, and did not
like a bear — he essentially walked and his two daughters caught all 10, return to Saskatchewan lakes to breed
up the side of the aspen on the soles including a final desperate rush of until four years old!9
of his running shoes while using his 100 m by Maurice. Four distant band Ring-billed Gulls (RBGU) — 23,866
hands above to hold onto the tree recoveries (40 per cent!) resulted: banded by four banders (Houston,
trunk itself. While he was moving McGregor, Minnesota (October 4, Bard, McClanahan and Lyon) in
from slough to slough near Saltcoats, 1958); La Gorgona, Valle, Colombia Saskatchewan, with 538 recoveries
trapping muskrats, 15-year-old Bill (November 23, 1958); Tastus, — were so numerous they allowed
had found 10 Great Horned Owl nests Venezuela and Lake Ariguanabo, separate mapping each month. The
in which 22 young were banded. Bauta, Cuba (both in 1962).8 distance traveled southward was
John Bull's summary of the seasons in To band large numbers of birds per calculated between 10 and 35 km per
Audubon Field Notes termed this "an hour, and provide large numbers of average day for seven select RBGU.
outstanding piece of field work."6 The recoveries, Stuart and Mary banded Of the total recoveries, 42.4% (228
banded Great Horned Owl nestlings colonial birds on islands in lakes, with birds) were in western Canada, 32.1 %
total increased to 70 in 1959 and Redberry Lake their favourite site for (173 birds) were in 29 USA states and
jumped to 151 in 1960 when three American White Pelicans, Double- 25.5% were in 15 Mexican states with
pairs of farm youngsters at Dubuc, crested Cormorants, California and five states outside expected wintering
MacNutt and Invermay each found 15 Ring-billed Gulls, and Common Terns. range. Per cent recoveries of RBGU
owl nests and earned a Peterson Field The banded gull timing was perfect averaged 2.38%, but showed a steady
Guide apiece. Stuart's love relationship
with Great Horned Owls brought his
total to 7,776, (Table 1) before he
turned his major species over to one
of his many climber helpers, Dr. Martin
Gerard, in 1994. "The success of an
owl bander depends not so much on
his own efforts as the help he receives
from others ... Most of the owl nests
reported ... were in response to a
request in Doug Gilroy's nature column,
'Prairie Wildlife,' in the Western
Producer farm newspaper ,.."7
In 1958, Maurice Street and his
daughters visited Yorkton. A shallow
pond beside Upper Rousay Lake
held 10 Blue-winged Teal ducklings.
Maurice sent the slowest runner, Mary
Houston, deep into the muck of the
A group of Yellow Creek students observing a Great Horned Owl being banded by Stuart; Mary watching.
shallow pond to scare the brood on
Photo credit: Rosemary Nemeth
10 BLUE JAY SPRING 2018 VOLUME 76.1