The MUSKRAT EXPRESS
NOVEMBER 25, 2016
The newsletter for the:
Williams Lake Field Naturalists
1305A Borland Road, Williams Lake BC, V2G 5K5
Membership fees: Family ($30), single ($25) or student ($10) memberships can be mailed to the above address.
Please complete the membership and waiver forms available at the Nature Centre (250) 398-8532,
[email protected] or the web site below. For more information about the club please contact Fred McMechan
at 392-7680 or e-mail [email protected]
A friendly reminder MEMBERSHIPS ARE DUE January 1st, 2017 A waiver form is attached as a separate email
attachment or a paper copy is included if you do not have an email address. Send your waiver form and payment via
snail mail to the address above or hand deliver to SINC. Cathy your membership chair appreciates your timely
response. Please include your SINC charitable donation at the same time and a separate cheque..
Williams Lake Field Naturalists Website http://www.williamslakefieldnaturalists.ca
Scout Island Nature Centre Website http://www.scoutislandnaturecentre.ca
Executive of The Williams Lake Field Naturalists: president Fred McMechan, vice president Christie
Mayall, secretary Ordell Steen, treasurer Katharine VanSpall and directors Nola Daintith, Cathy Koot, Peter Opie, Ray
Hornby, Brian Chapman, Don Lawrence and Chris Coates
Editors:
Thanks to all of you who have contributed to this edition of the
newsletter. Please expect your next edition of the newsletter in January. If you
have comments, suggestions or articles for the next Muskrat Express please
contact Margaret Waring (398-7724), Jim Sims (296-3638) or e-mail us at
[email protected]
We are looking for your help to produce our newsletters. We are looking for contributions such as an article or
story with a related picture if you have one. Something from you once a year or once in a while or just once would be
greatly appreciated by the editors as well as your fellow members. What to write about? It could be a subject you
have knowledge about or something you are interested in learning about and you share your research with all of
us. You could describe natural history observations in your back yard or neighbourhood or on a recent trip or
outing. How long should this be? It could be a short paragraph or a page or even a bit more. If you do not have a
computer, Margaret would be happy to take your hand written material and type it and send it for you. For ease of
putting the newsletter together word documents are requested or simply put your text in the body of an email message.
If you submit a picture please do this as a separate attachment with the email. If you have any questions please use the
contact information above. If we do not hear from you soon you might receive a phone call with our request for your
help. Hope to hear from you soon. Jim sends along an apology “Sorry for the lack of a bird article this month. As a lot
of you know it has been a very busy summer and fall for me. I hope I’ll find more time in 2017. Thanks to all for the
articles that have filled the newsletter with lots of interesting items and for the ones you are working on for January.”
Don’t forget our “Member’s Moments” as well. There is more information on this at the end of the newsletter.
Williams Lake Christmas Bird Count
By Phil Ranson
December 18th will mark the 49th consecutive year the Williams Lake Field Naturalists have conducted the Christmas
Bird Count and 117 years since the first North American count was undertaken in 1900. Since that time the number of
bird counts has grown to the current 2300 across the Americas.
Since our first count in 1969, The WLFN have recorded about 130,000 birds of 123 species on the single day census
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The MUSKRAT EXPRESS
NOVEMBER 25, 2016
run between December 14 and January 5. Numbers of birds and
species vary from year to year with a scant 21 species tallied the
first year to a high count of 62 species in 2008. Several factors play
an important role in the number of birds seen; from the numbers of
observers in the field, to weather condition s on the day and in the
preceding weeks. Snow and ice conditions can determine
availability and accessibility of food supply as well as other
variables like cone seed and berry crops.
Last year's count of 5251 birds of 59 species was the highest total of
individual birds and the second highest species count. The number
of birds tallied was due primarily to a good turnout of observers and
Dunaway Eurasian Collared Dove
Bohemian Waxwings contributing one third of the total. There were
no new birds to the count last year and fewer than usual high
counts. The exceptions were a continued expansion in the number of Eurasian Collared Doves and a slight increase in
the numbers of Spotted Towhees, White-throated Sparrows and American Goldfinches
Feeder watchers contribute greatly to the count and the WLFN encourage everyone with a feeder to let us know what
they see on count day. All feeder count information can be phoned in to Fred McMechan at 392-7680 after 6:00 PM on
count day where Fred will once again be hosting the post-count potluck. If you would like to participate or for more
information on the Williams Lake Christmas Bird Count please contact Phil Ranson at 398-7110 or [email protected].
Notes from the Executive
By Fred McMechan
Notes from the Executive
Fred McMechan
This information covers highlights from the two most recent executive meetings on September 13 and October 26:
1) Tatlayoko Lake Bird Observatory: Unfortunately funding for the operation of this bird observatory was not
obtained and hence the bird banding program in the Tatlayoko Lake did not take place in the period, August 4
to September 30. Our club was going to assist with the accounting of the project. Hopefully this bird
observatory can be active in 2017.
2) Kiosk Construction: The construction of the kiosk next to the Nature house parking lot was completed in the
fall. A report on this project is shown below.
3) Willow Trail Walkway Construction: This walkway was completed in October and is now being used by
visitors to Scout Island. Many positive comments have been received. See details below.
4) Banquet speaker for the Nature Centre banquet: We are presently searching for a speaker for this event. The
banquet will be in April of next year.
5) Bursary: We decided to provide a bursary to a graduating high school next year. The amount of the bursary
will be $1000. This year it was $800.
6) Societies Act Transition: The executive has ordered the transition package from the Government of BC in
order to carry out the requirements under the new Societies Act. This process comes into effect at the end of
November 2016 and societies have two years to comply.
7) Other issues about the operation of the Nature Centre are covered elsewhere in the newsletter.
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The MUSKRAT EXPRESS
NOVEMBER 25, 2016
Construction of the Board walkway along the Willow
Trail
This construction was completed during September and
October. The following is a brief summary of the
procedure:
 The 6ft. long cedar 6x6 posts and the 2x7 cedar
lumber were milled in Bella Coola. The fir lumber
for the walkway was milled by Ray LeBourdais at
his mill in Beaver Valley.
 The posts were pointed at one end using
chainsaws. Three pairs of volunteers did this work
 The walkway was outlined and brush was trimmed
to allow for the post pounding to occur. Keith
Mecham was contracted to use his Bobcat and post
pounder to pound in the cedar posts to a depth of
4ft. A volunteer assisted Keith to place the posts
and use a level to keep the posts vertical
 Volunteers cut the cedar lumber and the fir lumber
to length.
 The construction of the walkway took place over a
period of 3½ days. There were 8 to 10 volunteers
on each of the three full days and 3 volunteers on
Rick Leo and Ray help assemble the boardwalk
the last half day. On the first day the posts were
trimmed so that the cedar crosspieces and the
railings would fir flat on the post, and the cedar crosspieces were fastened to the posts using 6in. long lag bolts.
On the second day the railings were fastened to the posts using timber screws, and the deck boards were
fastened with deck screws. On the third day the fastening of the deck boards was completed and the spacers
and edge boards were also fastened. On the ½ day the sections at each end were completed.
Thank you to the following volunteers who helped with the construction: Jim Sims, Pat Radolla, Ordell Steen,
Sandy Proulx, Don Lawrence, Brian Chapman, Rick Dawson, Peter Opie, Ray Coupe, Rodger Hamilton, Leo
Rankin. A very special thanks to the project foreman Ray Hornby and the CEO Fred McMechan.
The construction of the kiosk
This project was carried out over several stages.
The first stage was to level the site and then to
place the concrete blocks in the ground to act as
a base for the posts.
Secondly OT Timber Frames Ltd. was given the
contract to build the kiosk. The designing and
the construction was done under the direction of
Oliver Tritten, owner, and his team of
craftsmen. We wish to thank Oliver and his
workers for building this attractive structure.
Also thank you for offering to do this
construction at a discounted price.
As well the informational panels were installed
by OT Timber Frames. There are future plans to
re-finish the panels.
Lastly the ground in front of the panels was levelled and a layer of crusher fine gravel was spread.
Thank you to the volunteers who helped with the preparatory work in the first and last stages: Brian Chapman,
Don Lawrence, Ray Hornby, Rodger Hamilton and Fred McMechan
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NOVEMBER 25, 2016
Scout Island Nature Centre
By Sue Hemphill
WOW! Look at how the next
generation of naturalists is learning at
Scout Island Nature Centre
Tails and Trails-Parents/grandparents/children play and learn
together in nature every Thursday morning
Nature Kindergarten (here every school day)
Building Shelters with their big buddies from the
Grade 7 Outdoor Education (here most
Wednesdays)
s
Kindergarten class with their Big Buddies from Marie
Sharpe Grade 6 class (here every Tuesday morning)
Spaces
ng
Enviro Student Clubs at Columneetza and WL Campuses Take
high school students on outdoor adventures and work with them
on their chosen stewardship projects
Figure 1 Pro D Workshops and lots more
because of the Outdoor Education Resource
Teacher (Frances) whose salary is funded by
Scout Island (did you read the article about the
independent study course she is leading
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Those are the new adventures in getting students into nature
that Scout Island supports, but we haven’t stopped providing:
 Nature Fun all summer long
 Spring and Fall Break Art in Nature
 Natural History programs in schools and at Scout
Island like Bats, Be a Bone Detective, Raptors, Snow Fun…
 Taking care of the infrastructure needed by the humans
that visit and caring for the natural habitat for all the wildlife.
The MUSKRAT EXPRESS
NOVEMBER 25, 2016
Friends of Scout Island Nature Centre
Fund Raising Drive for 2016-2017
Did you know that donations from our members and the public fund a significant proportion of all of the above
programs? Please consider a donation to the Nature Centre and help ensure that we can continue to provide nature
mentors for all of these new programs. You can donate by check or by going to our website and donating on line
through pay pal. Either way you will receive a receipt for a charitable donation.
Why not make the donation in the name of a friend or family member
Email [email protected] to let us know if your donation is a gift to someone else. We'll send you an original
card that you can use to announce your gift. If the gift is over $200, we have hand-crafted wooden shoehorns that can
be given along with the card.
Mail checks to Scout Island Nature Centre, 1305 A Borland Rd. Williams Lake BC V2G 5K
All the best of the holidays to you and those you share them with. And remember to spend some time in Nature, the
greatest gift of all.
Grade 12 students pursing
independent study projects
natural
history
and
environmental
By Francis McCoubrey
Thanks to the flexibility created in our school system through the Outdoor Education Resource
Teacher (OER Teacher) position funded in large part by the Williams Lake Field Naturalists, we
have 6 Grade 12 students pursuing independent study projects this year. Normally a class needs 18
students registered for the school district to be able to support running it, as the OER Teacher is funded by the field
naturalist, we have been able to run this course with only 6 students. This is especially exciting because it would be
difficult to run this course with 18 students as managing all their projects and finding mentors would prove to be
exceptionally challenging.
These 6 students enrolled this year have been paired with volunteer mentors from the community who are experts in a
natural history or environmentally focused field. At this point of the school year the students have chosen their project,
met their mentor’s and made a plan for their project. Students were given a list of mentors and potential projects to
choose from unless they had something they already wanted to pursue. Below I have described the projects and
associated mentors.
Bluebird Citizen Science/First Nations Language Projects
We have two students, one Tsilhqot'in and one Secwepemc, who are working with Paula Laita. This is an
exceptionally exciting project because of the stunning way it weaves together two ancient pieces of our landscape and
place – a species that has existed in the area for over 10,000 years along with a language that has developed over these
same 10,000 years as the Tsilhqot-in and Secwepemc people existed here. The two girls pursuing this project will be
working to establish or take over bluebird routes in their respective communities. They will also be producing
education kits that will teach students how to maintain these routes and how to say key words related to blue birds in
Tsilhqot-in or Secwepemc. The language will be done through interviews with elders in their communities. These
kits will be given to the band schools after the students train the teachers on how to use them. Paula is an exceptional
mentor for this project as she has a strong relationship with one of the band schools, works in the field of language
revitalization and has spent the past 3 years learning about blue birds and the citizen science project Anna Roberts
started.
Project Feeder Watch
Again with the support of Paula Laita, a Carrier/Tsilhqot’in student is pursuing a project at Scout Island where she will
be learning basic birding, keeping track of the birds we have here through the winter at the feeders and building an
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NOVEMBER 25, 2016
education kit targeted to elementary school students. Already this student, along with the two doing the bluebird
project, have been out with Cathy Coot and Paula learning to identify birds at Scout Island.
Climate Change and Reducing Our Carbon Footprint
One of our students wanted to look at his carbon footprint so has been partnered with Roger Hamilton who has spent
years looking at the most efficient ways to reduce his own carbon footprint. This student aims to measure his
footprint, especially with respect to transportation, and then spend one month biking everywhere he needs to go instead
of driving. He is going to be giving presentations to his classmates and in a few other places in the community.
Douglas Fir Bark Beetle Management
With the support of David Rusch from the Ministry of Forests, we have a student who will be looking at management
plan options for the fir beetle challenges the province is currently working on. This student has been in the field with
David a few times already learning how to identify fir beetles, Douglas Fir trees and learning about the basic ecology
of Douglas Fir. His final project will consist of a recommendation for how the forests around Williams Lake could be
managed to protect our valley’s forests.
Williams Creek Water Quality Study – with invertebrates
Our final student is working with Roy Argue to look at how you can use invertebrates to study water quality in a
stream. She is going to take regular samples of the water from November until June and track the invertebrates found
throughout that time. As this is the first time (that we know of) an inventory has been done for the creek, it will serve
as a baseline study. Her goal is to have a presentation done in early June that could be shared with a group of her
teachers.
Railroad Tie Incineration – Coming to an Airshed Near You??
By Jenny Noble
Are you aware that Atlantic Power (AP) has received permission to burn creosote-laden railroad ties in its Williams
Lake power plant? And to add the resulting toxic ash to its existing pile, perched above the river valley?
WLFN have written two letters to AP, which you can find at https://breatheasywilliamslake.org/railway-ties/localresponses-to-aps-permit-amendment-application/ The response to our letters did not answer the questions we posed.
If their permit is not amended, AP will have a mandate to burn a mix of untreated wood waste and railroad ties, up to
50-50. The time period is not specified; they could burn a much higher percentage of ties on any given day, so long as
the annual burn doesn’t exceed 50% rail ties.
Sulphur dioxide, which is undetectable in our air now, could increase significantly, up to 47% of provincial guidelines
according to their own calculations. The associated burnt-match odour would be unpleasant, to say the least. Health
implications for vulnerable members of the community – seniors, children, respiratory patients and those who exercise
outdoors – would be significant. Residual toxins transported to the ash pile could find their way into the watershed in
the event of a collapse.
Several concerned citizens have submitted appeals to the Environmental Appeal Board, requesting that additional
safeguards, monitoring and a bond for clean-up of potential accidents be built into the permit amendments. The group
Rail Ties Be Wise has formed to support them with research, legal back-up, funding and public outreach. Atlantic
Power lacks social license to go ahead with their plans.
It’s important that we let them and our governing bodies hear that we do not want Williams Lake to become the rail tie
burning capital of western Canada. (Who would want to move to a town with that reputation?)
Here’s how you can help:
 Petitions are circulating to communicate our concerns, so please sign if you haven’t already.
 Write to the Tribune and to members of the legislature. Here are some relevant addresses:
Premier Christie Clark [email protected]
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NOVEMBER 25, 2016
Environment Minister [email protected]
Cariboo Chilcotin MLA [email protected]
Cariboo North MLA
[email protected]
Opposition Leader
[email protected]
Environment Critic
[email protected]
Williams Lake Tribune via Facebook
Join our Facebook page Williams Lake Clean Air Action Group
Sign up for email updates [email protected]
Donate online through https://www.gofundme.com/2q7qdu4
Or pop into the Williams Lake Credit Union and make a deposit to Rail Ties Be Wise.
Funds will help us with legal expenses, expert consultations and publicity
Talk to your friends and neighbours about this issue.
Junction Sheep Range Field Trip Report
By Betty Donahue
Despite the cool, windy weather for the last naturalist’s hike
of the year at Farwell Canyon, the scenery was as stunning as
ever. We were treated to close up views of a herd of California
Bighorn Sheep during the drive to the cairn. Kyla, a newcomer
to Williams Lake, joined our group and it was lovely to share
her excitement in exploring a unique area of the province.
Our View of the Night Sky – November/ December2016.
By Steve Capling
Planet Review
Mercury is visible low in the evening twilight through to December 21st.
Venus continues to shine brightly in the early evening in the western sky after sunset.
Mars is visible as a reddish ‘star’ in the evening in the constellation Aquarius at mid-month low in the west and sets in
the early evening. For those with telescopes looking for an end of the year challenge, Mars & Neptune are 11 to 4 arc
minutes apart in the evening sky on December 31st.
Jupiter rises in the east after midnight in the constellation Virgo. Early on December 22nd look for a waning crescent
moon 2˚ above Jupiter, with Jupiter being 5 ˚ above the star Spica in the dawn sky.
Saturn is too close to the Sun to be visible.
Winter Solstice - December 21st.
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NOVEMBER 25, 2016
Moon
New Moon - November 29th and December 29th.
Full moon - December 14th.
Meteor Showers
The Geminid shower peaks on December 13th under a full moon. The Geminid shower only lasts for the one evening.
The Ursid shower peaks on December 22nd. This is one of the minor meteor showers.
Evening Sky Map – courtesy of Skymaps.com.
For a printable sky chart go to this web site - Skymaps.com/downloads.html - and scroll down the center of
the page to the download button. “December 2016: Northern Edition (PDF)”. At the end of the month it
changes to show the next month’s chart.
The Skymaps chart also has a useful list of what is visible with the eye, binoculars and telescopes.
Member’s Moment from Don and Joyce Lawrence
Sorry, thought you wanted us not the Moose
We were on a fall trip to our remote cabin in early October and calling moose in the early evening. This sow
and cub grizzly came to the call almost immediately with considerable crashing and woofing. I feel the cub
was curious but mom was not happy with his incautious curiosity. We have been traveling to this area of the
Nechako Plateau in the summer and fall for over 50 years and have noticed an increase in grizzly sign only
in the last 10. This is the first I have seen here in person and the first Joyce has seen in the wild. It was a
very special moment.
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NOVEMBER 25, 2016
Member’s Moment from Katharine VanSpall
A Kaleidoscope of Colour and Shape
These lichens and mosses were found growing on an old Douglas fir deadfall out west, and I thought it was
such a rich miniature ecosystem of its own that it deserved some close-up photography.
“Member’s Moment” is an opportunity for you to share a special scene, plant, animal, bird or outdoor activity that you
have enjoyed and photographed here in the Cariboo Chilcotin. A chance for you to encourage other members to get
outdoors and find their own special moments close to home and perhaps share them with all of us. For each newsletter
the editors will select one or two photos for inclusion in the newsletter based on the quality of the photo as well as the
interesting paragraph you must provide. We will save all submitted unused moments in hopes they may find a place in
a future edition. Please email your full resolution photo and paragraph to the [email protected]. A special
thanks to Don, Joyce and Katharine for their winning entries, the only submissions. DO you have a better one that you
are saving for January? Don’t miss out, send it in today.
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