NEWS & UPDATES - February 2022 |
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Should We Be Concerned When Snowy Owls Start Showing Up? |
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From Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Every year Snowy Owls descend out of the Arctic, sometimes in smatterings, sometimes in massive irruptions, to spend winter in southern Canada and the Lower 48 states. They pop up in odd places—hunkering down on haystacks in farm fields, just off the runways at airports, atop light poles in grocery store parking lots—to the delight of birders and Harry Potter fans.
It’s also common for some people to feel anxiety over the snowies, believing them to be hungry vagrants. Last January, when Snowy Owls were being sighted in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (as they are every winter), a local TV station reported that the owls’ southern travels were “linked to food supply” and that “Snowy Owls often arrive in Michigan weakened and starving.” That first statement is often true, but the second is generally not true, according to recent research.
A popular explanation for Snowy Owls’ southward flights is that they are driven by starvation, but according to University of Saskatchewan scientist Karen Wiebe, it’s generally not true. In August Wiebe and her graduate student Alexander Chang published research that showed most Snowy Owls wintering in southern Canada appeared to be doing just fine. They found that the average body mass of a wild adult Snowy Owl was 73% above the emaciation threshold. Indeed, many of the owls actually put on weight over the winter by increasing their subcutaneous fat stores (fat that accumulates under the skin on birds’ chests and beneath their wings and is used for both insulation and energy).
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World Wetland Day February 2 |
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Happy World Wetland Day!
World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year on February 2nd to raise awareness about wetlands. This day also marks the anniversary of the Convention on Wetlands, which was adopted as an international treaty in 1971.
Why World Wetlands Day?
Nearly 90% of the world’s wetlands have been degraded since the 1700s, and we are losing wetlands three times faster than forests. Yet, wetlands are critically important ecosystems that contribute to biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation, freshwater availability, world economies and more. It is urgent that we raise national and global awareness about wetlands in order to reverse their rapid loss and encourage actions to conserve and restore them. World Wetlands Day is the ideal time to increase people’s understanding of these critically important ecosystems.
“Wetlands Action for People and Nature” is the theme for 2022 highlighting the importance of actions to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands for human and planetary health. An urgent call to act is the focus of this year’s campaign. It is an appeal to take action and to invest financial, human and political capital in order to save the world’s wetlands from disappearing altogether — and to restore those we have already lost.
We are lucky to have the wetlands of the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area in our backyard. Take a moment to celebrate them and find ways to connect and enjoy this resource! We have uploaded a colouring page and some additional resources on our website if you'd like to find out more about World Wetland Day.
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The owl program will bring props, games and activities to your classroom to investigate the wonderful world of owls!
Did you know that an owl feather glows under black light?
Did you know that owls can see a mouse a kilometre away (those are some eyes!)
Did you know a barn owl can eat up to 1,000 mice a year (and swallow them whole)
Did you know that owls are zygodactyle? Zygo what!?
So much to learn!
Class Availability: Program is available for Grades K-7 with age appropriate content and activities (Creston area schools only)
For Grades 3 and up, we are offering the dissection of owl pellets as part of the program! The additional cost for this will be covered by us (thanks to a grant). You can have up to 10 pellets per class, so depending on class size, kids will be in groups of 2-3 for the dissection. We have dissection tools and microscopes and ID sheets to make this fun and interactive!
Duration: 45 minutes for Grades K-2 and 1 hour for Grades 3 and up.
Cost: $60 per class
To Book: Please use our online form or email us with the following information: School, Grade, Class Size, 2 possible dates and preferred time of day.
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We know that spring time is a little far away, but we are opening bookings for our programs. Last year we were fully booked, so we want to give you the opportunity to book early and reserve a spot.
We have some great programs lined up for 2022!
The following programs are ON SITE at the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area and will include exploration and educational activities and games related to the following themes:
K-1: Nature Explorers, Using our Senses
Grade 2-3: Water, Water, Everywhere!
Grade 4-5: Adaptations to Life in a Wetland
Grade 6-7: All About Birds
Programs will be 2 hours long. Cost is $4 per student
($60 minimum charge to run a program)
Canoe Tours (Grades 4 and Up)
These are one hour long and cost $5 per student. We provide the life jackets and paddles. Add this onto our other program for a fun filled day.
Programs and Canoe Tours run in May and June
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Do you have a love of nature and science? Are you passionate about inspiring people about the natural world? As a Wetland Naturalist with the Kootenay-Columbia Discovery Centre, you will motivate, inspire, and connect children and adults to the wonderful world of wetlands by providing quality environmental education programs and front country excursions at the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area.
Seasonal positions run from May to September. Apply with a resume and cover letter by March 11, 2022.
To learn more about the position and how to apply, go here.
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Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area |
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To access advisories and up to date information related to the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area and to purchase hunting or fishing permits, please visit the CVWMA website or Facebook page.
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Some background on the CVWMA |
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Compiled by KCDCS Board Member Norman Eady
In the 1960s concerned citizens and groups lobbied the BC provincial government to set aside and preserve a chunk of land in the Creston Valley for wildlife preservation. The Creston Valley Wildlife Act was passed in March of 1968.
The Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area (CVWMA) covers 7,000 hectares (17,000 acres) of provincial land, or an area that averages 20 km (12.4) miles long by 3.4 km (2.1 miles) wide. It consists of one lake (1,500 ha or 3,700 acres) and 17 marshes plus a major river and adjoining mountain slopes. The marshes form a valuable link in a chain of wetlands stretching from the Arctic Ocean to California.
The CVWMA is currently comprised of approximately equal portions of open water, wetland habitats (including permanent and seasonal wetlands) and upland habitats (grasslands, shrublands and forest). With the exception of the forest habitat types, the habitat types (permanent and seasonal wetland, lake and open water, rivers and wide channels, upland grass areas, upland shrub) were either extremely rare or non existent in the Creston Valley prior to the creation of the CVWMA and the subsequent construction of dykes and water control structures.[1]
Combining conservation, research, education and recreation, the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area is a spectacular place to visit with the whole family, again and again. Thanks to a thriving wetland of international importance, the area is visited by over 100,000 migrating water birds every year. It’s a migration corridor for Tundra Swans, Greater White-fronted Geese and other waterfowl, and it’s the largest regional locale for wintering birds of prey in interior BC.
Along with 303 species of birds, the CVWMA is home to 60 species of mammals, 17 species of fish, six species of reptiles, and six species of amphibians. Many species at risk find refuge here, including Forster’s Terns, the Western Grebe, American Bitterns, Great Blue Herons, the Western Painted Turtle and the Northern Leopard Frog.
Come to the Kootenay-Columbia Discovery Centre and make friends with precious wetland neighbours, and discover awe-inspiring biodiversity.
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Memberships to KCDCS are FREE!
To increase support and awareness for KCDCS' mission, we are offering free Memberships! Join the 1,000 Members and show support for environmental education in our region! This helps us to obtain grants and sponsorships to move us forward!
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If you are interested in supporting KCDCS' mission to deliver environmental education and awareness programs, please click the link above. You can earmark your donation for ongoing program delivery or the development of a new Discovery Centre. KCDCS is a registered federal charity and can issue you a tax receipt.
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Thank you for subscribing to our eNewsletter updates!
Our aim is to keep you informed on the happenings of the Kootenay-Columbia Discovery Centre - from program delivery to the development of a new Centre and everything in between.
We appreciate your support and interest!
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Join us on social media for fun and interesting information on the wetland, wildlife, programs and progress at KCDCS! |
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