Hello from the wetlands,

       May was a busy month in and around the wetlands, bringing an abundance of wildlife back into the valley, and cooler wetter conditions helping all the vetegation to burst with life! Looking over the wetlands today we have rain coming down and sounds like more to come overnight. Everything is so green and lush. On my lunch walks on Wildlife Road lately I have been watching the Osprey family in their nest, usually only peeking out at me, taking care to stay well hidden from passing people and cars on the road.  I also see turkeys feeding and wandering on the road, a nice black bear sow with 2 tiny fuzzy cubs, and by our office the baby ground squirrel family is now out and about! So much fun to be able to watch everyone live and grow.

 

We wanted to give a big shout out to Wildsight Creston Valley and all who attended the Creston Valley Bird Festival this May.  What a great turn out!!

Also a big THANK YOU to the volunteers who came out in April and May to help with the Spring Turtle Fence work bee! The hard work is so appreciated.

 

Annually, we have students come to volunteer and assist with projects within CVWMA. Keep reading below to get the story from Marc Andre Beaucher on the amazing work done by the Selkirk College Recreation Fish and Wildlife Students, recently.

 

 

 

 

 

   Article by Marc Andre Beaucher, M.Sc., RPBio, Head of Conservation Programs, CVWMA

 

On April 24^th, CVWMA staff hosted students from Selkirk College enrolled in their first year of the Recreation, Fish & Wildlife Program. The field day at CVWMA is part of a two-week field school students participate in at the end of the first year and provides students with hands-on activities to enhance their field knowledge and skills. CVWMA has been hosting the Selkirk College students every year in April for over ten years.

 

This year, students spent the morning conducting a reptile survey on the hill above the CVWMA Administration Office and in the Balancing Rock Trail area. The group systematically searched the area for alligator lizards, western skinks, rubber boas, and for common and western terrestrial garter snakes. The survey goal was to start mapping where these reptiles are found to help plan an upcoming habitat restoration and fire mitigation project in the area.

 

The weather cooperated and while it was early in the season for reptiles, students sighted a few western skinks, alligator lizards, and captured a rubber boa. Other unexpected species encountered were Pacific tree frogs and two long-toed salamanders! Another unexpected thing was the presence of a significant number of mosquitoes!

 

After lunch, students were taken on an interpretive walk around the Corn Creek Marsh and learnt about wetland management and water control infrastructure, as well as wetland wildlife species. The students had a chance to check out the “Barn Swallow Hotel” nesting structure and the hear about bat roosting structure, i.e. bat condos.

 

After dinner, on their way to conduct a bat emergence count at the Duck Lake Bat Condo, students made a stop at the Lang’s property along the way to have a look at the Double-crested Cormorant and Great Blue Heron rookery located along the Kootenay River at the north end of Leach Lake. Hundreds of cormorants and several Great Blue Herons were visible and loudly audible. Finally, the students ended up the day counting bats coming out of the Duck Lake Bat Condo as darkness fell in the valley. The evening was warm with no wind, the perfect conditions for bats. Seventeen students counted the bats excitedly, and there were lots, more than in previous years for this time of year. The bats came out for approximately 40-45 minutes at which point we tallied the counts: 3,200 bats were counted on average of 17 counters! That was almost four times more bats than for the count conducted at the same time in 2023.

 

A big thank you to the Selkirk College instructors for bringing their students to CVWMA!