ISSN 0836-4702 AUGUST 2015 VOL 69 ISSUE 3

THUNDER BAY FIELD NATURALISTS

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE What is in a name, a message, a “brand,” and the legal ramifications thereof? Your board has been pondering the question and answers as part of an updating exercise. It is felt that some freshening up of wording to, for example, the “Mission Statement” (aka the club Objectives, as authorized by the Letters Patent), may serve the club better, as we move forward into a new era, with new members, the digital age of our expanding website and new business cards as examples. The current Club Objectives (indeed is this the same as the Club Mission Statement?) are as follows: a) to promote interest in, and the study of, nature generally b) to promote interest in, and the study of, all aspects of the environment c) for the objects aforesaid, to carry on printing and publishing, and to sell and distribute literature d) for the objectives aforesaid, to accept gifts, legacies, and bequests I pose the following question to reader members: do not sections (a) and (b) essentially state the same thing? We the board think so. Sections (c) and (d) are prescriptive, and quite appropriate. What indeed, is a Mission Statement? One attempt is as follows, and seems reader-friendly (exact reference not available): A mission statement defines in a paragraph or so any entity’s reason for existence. It embodies its philosophies, goals, ambitions and mores. Any entity that attempts to operate without a mission statement runs the risk of wandering through the world without having the ability to verify that it is on its intended course. I would like you the reader to review the following draft from one of our experienced member/ mentors as a fresh and I believe relevant update: "Dedicated to the study, appreciation and preservation of natural ecosystems and species in their indigenous environment. Sharing these values enthusiastically by active support of research, presentations, publications, field trips and the acquisition of properties to be left in their natural state in perpetuity to benefit generations to come." (cont’d on page 3)

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ature Northwest is a quarterly publication of the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists. Each volume (ISSN 08364702) consists of four issues published in February, May, August and November. A subscription to Nature Northwest is a benefit of membership.

In This Issue: General Meetings………………..……3 Bald Eagle Observations……………..4 TBFN History………………………...5 Pool 6 Field Trip……………………...6 A New Conservation Partner…………7 Northern Sharp-tailed Grouse………...8 Kam Valley Field Trip………………..9 Book Review: One River……………10 In Memorium:David Hussell………...11 Mink Mountain Field Trip…………...12 Grey Fox……………………………..14 Upcoming Field Trips...……………...15 Club Information……………...……..17

Articles, notes, records, illustrations and photographs of local and regional natural history are welcome. Material accepted is subject to editing and revision. Nature Northwest is intended to be informative and thought-provoking. Articles may be edited and reviewed by different members of the TBFN Newsletter Committee. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists or the Editor. Send events, stories, trip reviews, articles, pictures and observations. Your ideas and suggestions are welcome. Address all submissions to: [email protected] Deadline for submissions is the first day of the month in which the issue will be produced.

Contributors: Janet Anderson Susan Bryan Marian Childs Nick Escott Rob Foster Art Gunnell Connie Hartviksen David Legge

From the Editor’s Desk… Our summer issue profiles a few of the many opportunities we have to enjoy nature in Northwestern Ontario: trek to a remote area to see Northen Sharp-tailed Grouse perform their courting dance; explore the diverse habitats in the Kam River Valley; watch a Bald Eagle fish; discover a species new to the area. Our region’s small population and the wealth of nature are related, but mean that resources for nature study specific to our area can be hard to find. TBFN is trying to fill one gap by updating the district’s checklist of vascular plants. See page 7 to learn how you can help. And get out there and make the most of the rest of the summer. - Barbara Yurkoski

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UPCOMING GENERAL MEETINGS The Thunder Bay Field Naturalists Club meets on the fourth Monday of September, October, November, January, March and April at Lunan Hall, St. Paul's United Church, 349 Waverley Street, Thunder Bay. Meetings begin promptly at 7:00 p.m.

Fall meetings details have not been finalized. Watch the meetings page on the website for upcoming announcements.

(cont’d from page 1) I invite your comments on the above theme (the Board is anxious for your feedback), and also, for those with legal background, advice/suggestions on the legal requirements. I understand the new Ontario Not-for -Profit Corporations Act (ONCA) is pending and may affect the mechanics of any change. I have another possible change for consideration. Our (very attractive) business card gives an abridged version at present, and a reprinting is pending: “Dedicated to the study of natural history, the wise use of natural resources, the preservation of natural areas, and teaching the public to understand and protect nature.” No real quibble with the essence, but we think the last phrase is a tad pompous. Oh, and while I am at it, yet another layer of branding to consider; that is, a “motto.” Our mentor from above suggests a short but pertinent “ TBFN-we care about nature” or words to that effect. Might this suffice for the business card? Again your recommendations are welcome. Recognizing the summer may not be the best time to debate these issues (we are enjoying our natural splendour immensely as I write), your board is anxious to hear back from you: nay or yea! Enjoy the articles in this issue. - David Legge

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Bald Eagle Observations

Over the years Ken and I have spent many summer hours quietly watching the patterns of behaviour of this pair of Bald Eagles and their offspring. We often see an adult pick up a fish and first carry it to this log. I was never quite sure, but after processing these pictures, I think I know why it makes this stop.

We concluded that this log is a place where the eagle doesn't have to do the initial lift all in one go. It usually lands in profile, with the fish draped over the log, and sits there for a time to get reenergized and to make sure its meal is good and dead, not moving around. Then it rotates itself around facing out and lines the fish up 90 degrees to its talons. It grabs hold with one foot, crouches down on the other foot and gets ready to launch. It lifts both wings as high as it can to get the maximum downward thrust to lift off the log with the added weight. Once the eagle has gained enough height, it uses both talons to properly hold the fish and carry it all the way up to the nest.

First of all, the initial dive and grab is exhausting for the eagle, which often lifts a fish equal to its own weight or maybe more. There have been times when it couldn't manage and we have seen it flap its way through the water to shore, then drag the fish up to this old white pine log and dismember it into manageable pieces. Sometimes there is still some life left in the fish, so it gets hard to control.

Very interesting to watch. - Connie Hartviksen

****** Enter the Entomological Society of Ontario’s Photo Contest The Entomological Society of Ontario welcomes you to submit your photos of insects and other arthropods for competition in the annual ESO Bug Eye photo contest (http://www.entsocont.ca/bugeye-photo-contest.html), open to ESO members and all Ontario residents, no entry fee. Winners to be announced during the ESO Annual General Meeting Sept. 18-20th at QUBS. Please see the attached poster for more information.

Submit photos to [email protected] Submission deadline Aug. 28th Winners announced Sept. 20th Prizes: Best photo: $50 Best photo of an Ontario insect: $50 Best photo by a junior entomologist under 13: 1st $25, 2nd $20, 3rd $10 People's Choice award: $50

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A Short History of the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists Club TBFN came into existence on January 26, 1933, through the efforts of Major Lionel S. Dear, who was elected President and Colonel S.C. Young, Secretary. The Port Arthur News-Chronicle, in an issue dated January 27, 1933, announced the group’s formation. The new club soon joined the Federation of Ontario Naturalists (now known as Ontario Nature).

Field Naturalists Club”. (The members are the owners of the corporation.) The 11 signatories, listed below, made up the first Board of Directors. Douglas S. Asquith, President 1974-75 Beth L. Hunter, President 1976-78 Kenneth W. Gunby Nick Hordy Rosemary L. Large Caroline S. Grant Joan M. Crowe Marguerite J. Stevenson K. Joan Hebden W. Keith Denis Myra J. McCormick, President 1978-81

However the troubles of the depression years caused activities to lapse, until TBFN was reorganized in 1937 under the presidency of Glaude Garton. Membership grew to over 50 persons. Then World War II brought the club to a virtual standstill. In 1946 TBFN again revived, this time under the leadership of Dr. Howard Quackenbush and Dr. Albert Allen, who had been president from 1943 to 1946 and was again elected to that post from 1951 to 1953. Keith Denis, who was president from 1954 to 1955, was another guiding light in the post -war years.

The club’s constitution is spelled out in its Letters Patent which authorize TBFN to pursue the following four goals:  To promote interest in and the study of nature generally  To promote interest in and the study of all aspects of the environment  For the objects aforesaid, to carry on printing and publishing and to sell and distribute literature  For the objects aforesaid, to accept donations, gifts, legacies and bequests.

Early activities centred on the study of birds, plants and various flora and fauna but steadily moved to include environmental concerns and nature conservancy. TBFN members realized that large projects, even with only volunteer effort, still required considerable financing. As a result, the club applied to become accredited as a certified charitable organization having authority to issue income tax deductible receipts for certain donations.

In order to maintain corporate status, all necessary reports and documents must be submitted as required. Records of the activities of the club must be kept on file. - compiled by Art Gunnell

Incorporation In the late 1970s, TBFN decided, presumably to be able to apply for charitable status, that the club should become a not for profit corporation under the laws of Ontario. TBFN’s application was approved on November 20, 1978. It is understood that the law firm of Illingworth & Illingworth, whose partners were then (and still are) club members, undertook to handle the application at no charge. The club became a corporation without share capital with the Ontario Corporation number of 398504 and the official name “Thunder Bay

FOREST FORAGING During the week of August 20th, Ontario Nature will be hosting a variety of workshops promoting local forest foraging. Please visit the following website to see information regarding topics and how to register. http://www.ontarionature.org/protect/habitat/ foraging.php The dates are on the website, and we will update the site as new workshops are booked.

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Field Trip to the former Saskatchewan Pool 6 Grain Elevator Area With so many interesting developments, Marina Park is a lovely place to walk and enjoy the waterfront. However, few realize the hidden cost of the changes to the shoreline and the destruction of fish spawning habitat. When such changes occur, something must be done to restore the balance. The Saskatchewan Pool 6 grain elevator, which once proudly stood nearby, is now history. The grain elevator was demolished in a planned implosion, leaving a legacy of contamination, a few blocks of concrete and rubble and contaminated soil. Improvements are taking place slowly. In 2013 an improved pond provided better spawning and nursery habitat for fish. The existing fish and turtles were removed before the pond was completely pumped out, prior to excavation. Removal of dump truck loads of contaminated soil and debris widened the pond and increased its maximum depth to five metres. Root bundles, boulders and rocky and sandy substrates were added to improve habitat diversity. The Thunder Bay District Stewardship Council recently added nest boxes, which also contributed to improving the connection to Lake Superior. The perched culvert at the pond outlet was replaced with a larger one with a beaver cone. A vortex weir built at its outlet now helps to retain water when lake levels are low.

Robin, snipe, Solitary Sandpiper and heron, and heard Chorus Frogs. At the nearby Northern Wood Preservers marsh, we also observed Northern Shoveller, Mallard, Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Ringneck Duck, scaup and others. The 18 field trip participants would like to thank Rob Foster for leading this outing and completing the project. If you didn’t make it out to the field trip, don’t hesitate to make a visit to the pond. Park in the southern most parking lot by the Wilson Street roundabout and walk south along the road to the pond. - Marian Childs

We came to see the results. What a lovely addition o the marina area! Traditional habitat with lots of cattails was left on the south side of the pond. Red Osier Dogwood, birch, maples and White Pines were planted on the north side. The existing shallow pond was changed to encourage a new spawning ground, with a sizable island in the middle. Water plants such as the Common Bladderwort were added. Did this improvement work? Small fish are already increasing in numbers. White suckers, brook sticklebacks, mudminnows and fathead minnows have recolonized the pond from Lake Superior. We saw a Beaver and a Muskrat in the pond. Birds were plentiful and included Canada Goose, Redwing Blackbird, Northern Flicker, American

Photos by Marian Childs

Can you name these wildflowers? Answer on page 8. 6

HELP TBFN CREATE A UNIQUE RESOURCE! In partnership with local experts, TBFN is creating an up-to-date plant checklist for Thunder Bay District. This is a crucial tool for studying local nature and identifying regionally rare plants, Arctic-Alpine disjuncts and other important species. TBFN also uses the checklist to confirm the value of our nature reserves and to assess the value of potential acquisitions. The current list was last updated in 2003. The new one will be available to the public to download from our web site and will be for sale in print format at the Lakehead University Bookstore. The Gosling Foundation (Goslingfoundation.org) has offered to match contributions to this project, dollar for dollar, up to $2000. If you can contribute to help us reach this goal, go to the TBFN web site. Specify that the donation is for Nature Reserves. (You do not have to purchase a membership at the time you make a donation, but we need your contact information to send a charitable receipt.) Or mail your donation to TBFN Nature Reserves, P.O. Box 10037, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 6T6. Thank you!

Elua—A New TBFN Conservation Partner Thunder Bay Field Naturalists Nature Reserves program has received a generous donation from Elua (pronounced e–loo-ah) a division of Global Hydration, headquartered in Thunder Bay. Elua provides solutions for clean safe drinking water such as home water filtration systems, water purifiers and tablets for outdoor enthusiasts, plus a variety of products for personal use like

clean water for generations to come. Supporting the local efforts of TBFN to protect wetlands, Lake Superior shoreline and pristine natural areas aligns well with the company’s ideals. Elua is a member of 1% for the Planet, a growing global movement of companies that donate 1% of their sales to approved environmental organizations such as TBFN. There is a lot of interesting information about the company, its products, and its global actions to provide safe drinking water on their website: http://elua.com/our-philosophy/#work You can also connect on social media:

reusable water bottles and all-natural drink mixes to help people kick the bottled water habit. TBFN will use the donation to help with purchase of our next nature reserve.

https://www.facebook.com/EluaWater https://plus.google.com/+EluaWater https://twitter.com/eluawater https://www.pinterest.com/ eluawater/

The partnership between Elua and TBFN Nature Reserves is a natural one. Elua supports the right to clean drinking water around the world. It also promotes environmental protection, ensuring

Please give Elua a “thumbs up” or tweet a thank you from TBFN if you visit these sites.

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Northern Sharp-tailed Grouse the centre of the group. The females are attracted to the dancers, and try to get into the centre, where they usually mate with the dominant male, or one close to him. Because the birds’ habitat, surrounded by Black Spruce bogs, is relatively inaccessible and lacking in desirable natural resources, they have been safe from human disturbance. However the disjunct populations in our area are more vulnerable, since they are closer to populated areas. The lek on the Black Bay Peninsula, which was mentioned in the May issue, is on TBFN’s 65-hectare nature reserve, but the surrounding area is not protected. The possible construction of a permanent logging road to the edge of the wetland is an ongoing threat. (See Volume 68, Issue #2, p. 7, 2014.)

Photo by Nick Escott

As noted in the May issue, TBFN’s Black Bay nature reserve provides breeding habitat for the Northern Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus). In this issue, we provide some of Nick Escott’s observations about this northern subspecies that is found in only a few locations in Thunder Bay District.

For more on Sharp-tailed Grouse in Thunder Bay District, see Nick Escott’s article, “The Sharptailed Grouse in Thunder Bay District” in Ontario Birds, volume 21, no. 1, 2003.

T. phasianellus breeds in boreal fens across northern Canada and in Alaska. In our district, it is a local and uncommon breeder. It is darker than the Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus campestris), with other subtle plumage differences. Its name comes from two long square -tipped feathers that give the appearance of a tail.

******** A correction to the May article: The land at Everard Fen was given by the Government of Canada to the widow or remaining relatives of a deceased veteran of the Fenian Raids, which occurred following the war of 1812. According to the original patent held by the land registry office in Thunder Bay, the Canadian Government granted to Charles Wilson of Seaforth 160 acres of bog in Northern Ontario in 1913. The property passed through several generations of descendants before finally being donated (with help from Nature Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada) to TBFN in May 2000.

Nick suggests that local populations may date back hundreds or even thousands of years, augmented by iruptions from farther north, which have been documented since 1865. Sharp-tailed grouse generally stay close to their fens, feeding on Dwarf Birch buds and catkins. Each spring a group of males performs the courting ritual on the lek, or dancing ground. The males stick to their places in the lek, with the most dominant male in

ANSWER TO PLANT QUIZ: We’ve all heard about Purple Loosestrife and how this invasive plant takes over and replaces native species. These are two other varieties of loosestrife found on our Kam Valley Reserve. The Fringed Loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata) is on the left and the Swamp Loosestrife (Lysimachia terrestris) is on the right. – Marian Childs

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Kam Valley Nature Reserve Field Trip, August 8, 2015 This 30 acre TBFN reserve is a rich floodplain at the confluence of the Whitefish and Kaministiquia Rivers. Seven intrepid members, led by Sue Bryan, traversed several distinct habitats, which required an exciting ford of the Whitefish. (See photo: Barb Yurkoski is assisted by Sue Bryan, whilst Bruce Childs calmly looks on, having completed his journey).

River banks; the elm/ash hardwood swamp; and finally, the muddy shore of the Kam River. In the swamp area Sue identified the regionally rare Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictoides). Note the berries are not quite blue yet.

This trip was yet another example of both a great learning and TBFN fellowship experience.

The group viewed distinctive flora at: the forest walk from the car park; the open flood plain on the islands and shoreline of the Whitefish River; the thickets of shrubs/vines on the Whitefish

- report and photos by David Legge

Nature in Rainy River Marian Childs recently visited the Cranberry Peatlands, west of Fort Frances. She reports that the Rainy River Field Naturalists have added 11 interpretive signs to their boardwalk there. The sign pictured here was sponsored by club members Dale and Phyllis Callaghan.

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Davis, Wade, One River: Explorations and Discoveries in the Amazon Rain Forest. New York: Simon & Schuster (1996) ISBN 0-684-80886-2 One River is an absor bing account of two generations of scientific explorers.

trees”. This resulted in his developing high yield and resistant strains of the plant. It all came to a crushing halt in 1945, with the advent of synthetic rubber.

For fifteen months, in 1974-1975, Timothy Plowman and student Wade Davis journeyed into the Amazon rain forest. Plowman was inspired by charismatic educator Harvard professor Richard Evans Schultes (1915-2001) to expand on the fieldwork done by Schultes from 1941-1953. This work ranged from his search for the long lost sacred plants of the Aztec to his study of the peoples living in the Northwest Amazon of Columbia. Schultes literally stumbled upon the rare and legendary Blue Orchid (A ganisia cyanea) found in the wild on only four previous occasions.

The book traces the history of Schultes’ fascination with the Amazon and all things botanical from the time when, he was a child recovering from illness. His father read to him from 19th century explorer Richard Spruce’s seminal book, Notes of a Botanist on the Amazon and Andes. When studying Spruce’s collections at the herbarium at Kew, Schultes found many specimens of the rubber plant. Not only did this confirm rubber, genus Hevea, had been very much on Spruce’s mind, it is thought this was the motivation that drove Schultes to pick up where his mentor left off. With the exception of Schultes himself, no one did more to further the botanical knowledge of Hevea than Spruce.

During these 12 years he mapped uncharted rivers and lived among two dozen native tribes, while collecting some 20,000 botanical specimens, including 300 species new to science. Schultes was not only the world’s leading authority on plant hallucinogens and the medical plants of the Amazon, he was a living link to a time when the rain forest stood vast and inviolate across the South American continent. While searching for the identity of curare, he got involved in one of the most vital quests of the last century – the hunt for new sources of wild rubber.

It was Richard Schultes’ “transcendent knowledge of plants” that compelled Davis and Plowman to follow in his footsteps and attempt to reveal the secrets of the Divine Leaf of Immortality, coca, a benign stimulant central to Amerindian culture and religion. Plowman discovered that long before its refinement into cocaine challenged drug enforcement agencies worldwide, coca was essential in the diets of Andean peoples and was used with no evidence of toxicity for at least 2000 years. Modern studies further suggest coca helps regulate glucose metabolism, possibly enhancing the body’s ability to digest carbohydrates at high elevations. Coca contains higher than average amounts of calcium, phosphorous, iron, Vitamin A and riboflavin in that 100 grams of the leaves satisfy the Recommended Dietary Allowance for these nutrients as well as for Vitamin E. The levels of calcium alone show coca to have been an essential element in the traditional diet, which typically lacked dairy products before the Spanish Conquest. Davis and Plowman contend the real issue regarding the debate over the pharmacology of coca and the harmful effect of cocaine is one of cultural identity.

In 1743, Frenchman Charles-Marie de La Condamine was the first European to note the value of wild rubber. By the beginning the 20th century, the wealth derived from this discovery rivaled that of our present day technology giants. Virtually overnight, a forgotten land of jungle and rivers became the destination of an army of officials, merchants and those of unlimited ambition who, in the name of profit, enslaved the Amazon’s native peoples in harvesting the white blood of the forest. Driven initially by the insatiable need for rubber in the fledgling automobile industry and then World War Two, under the aegis of the US government’s Rubber Development Corporation, Schultes lived with and accepted the consul of the Indians whose lives were intimately affected by “the weeping

(cont’d on page 11) 10

In Memoriam - Dr. David J. T. Hussell (1934 – 2015) David Hussell was instrumental in establishing our Thunder Cape Bird Observatory (TCBO) at the tip of the Sibley Peninsula. Originally from England, he came to Canada with a keen interest in birding and bird banding. In 1959 he was one of the founders of the Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO), on Lake Erie. He was the first Executive Director of LPBO, which went on to become the headquarters for Bird Studies Canada. He also founded the Baillie Birdathon, in which many of our TBFN members participate.

Over the years David has also been a generous financial supporter of TCBO, knowing that, as a volunteer organization, we need financial support to keep the project running. The Thunder Cape Bird Observatory has now become a mainstay of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network, thanks to the foresight, perseverance, and support of David Hussell. He will be missed. - Nick Escott (This “in memorium” includes excerpts from: “Pioneers of Thunder Cape”, Thunder Cape News, 10(1) February 2003, and “A Tribute to Dr. David Hussell (1934 –2015)”, Birdwatch Canada #72, Summer 2015)

David joined Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources as a Research Scientist in the 1980s and is widely regarded as a founding father of bird migration monitoring in North America. In the late 1980s, the Ontario government decided that the MNR needed to monitor the birds breeding in our vast northern forests. David thought that we needed a monitoring station along the north shore of Lake Superior, since there was none between Manitoba and Whitefish Point, Michigan (near Sault Ste. Marie).

(cont’d from page 10) For any inquisitive reader captivated by the remarkable narrative of One River, Davis suggests a number of references that provide launching points. In consulting with Richard Schultes before the writing of his book, Davis is able to reveal to his reader the stunning capacity Schultes had for botany. The brilliance of his data collection provided essential information in reconstructing chronologies, localities, types of plants found and the people who coloured his journey over the course of this part of his life.

I don’t remember when I first met David. I think it was in 1984 at a Hawk Migration Association of North America meeting. In 1991, he contacted me to come and check out sites around Thunder Bay that would be suitable for a migration monitoring station. He came with birder/bander Dave Shepherd, and after they looked at a couple of possible sites around the city, such as Mission Island, the three of us, along with Al Harris and Bill Climie, trekked out to Thunder Cape on July 14 1991. Despite its remoteness, David selected this spot as the preferred site, and the Thunder Cape Bird Observatory was born. David continued to come out to the Cape for a week or two every fall, sometimes with his wife Erica Dunn and son, to advise on and modify the monitoring protocol he had designed for TCBO. I was amazed at his stamina as he walked all the way in and out from Silver Islet with a big backpack, right up until his final visit, in the fall of 2008.

Wade Davis is a native of BC, a licensed river guide who holds degrees from Harvard University including a PhD in ethnobotany. David Suzuki describes him as 'a rare combination of scientist, scholar, poet and passionate defender of all of life's diversity.' What can be said about his excellent One River that has not already been praised? I can only urge anyone interested in botany, history and the curious and adventuresome nature of the human spirit to read this book. - Review by Janet Anderson

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Return to Mink Mountain American Robin European Starling Cedar Waxwing Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Bobolink Brown-headed Cowbird American Goldfinch Black-throated Green Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Ovenbird Common Yellowthroat

As usual, our Mink Mountain field trip on June 13th was delightful. Somehow, between the mountain and the trip home, the group managed to spot 56 species, about the same as last year. We couldn’t identify as many ducks and geese: 5 compared to 8 last year. Highlight of the outing was finding an egg beside the trail, tentatively identified as a Turkey Vulture’s egg.

Birds seen which were not identified last year: American Bittern Northern Harrier Broad-winged Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Spotted Sandpiper Virginia Rail Great Crested Flycatcher Philadelphia Vireo Eastern Bluebird Yellow Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler

Photo by Marian Childs

Repeat sightings: Canada Goose Mallard Ring-necked Duck Common Golden-eye Common Merganser Ruffed Grouse Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture American Kestrel Herring Gull Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Alder Flycatcher Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven Tree Swallow Black-capped Chickade Red-breasted Nuthatch Winter Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet Veery

Name this plant This is a plant quiz without an answer. Mike Carter photographed this interesting plant recently. Can anyone identify it? If so, the answer will be printed in the next issue

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Ontario Nature-TBFN Northern Regional Conference Friday and Saturday, September 18-20 The field trips and presentations accompanying business meetings are open to all members. Most of the activity is centered at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Preliminary highlights Friday afternoon: tour of Gr eenwich Wind far m (Dor ion ar ea) and Ouimet canyon. Saturday: field tr ips with Mar k Smyk (geologist), Dr . Len Hutchison (mycologist), Ryan LeBlanc, and Will Stolz (Ontario Nature).There will be visits to the Tee Harbour area, the Lookout, and presentations at the Tea Room, Silver Islet and Karen’s Kountry Kitchen. Final details to follow; space limitations may apply at some events.

Membership Application/Renewal Form Name:_________________________________ (Email) ___________________________________ Address:_______________________________ (Postal Code) ______________________________ Phone: (home) __________________________ (work/cell) _______________________________ I prefer to receive Nature Northwest by (circle one): Post mail ($5 fee) /Email (0$ fee) / Both ($5 fee)

□ Family $30 □ Single $25 □ Senior (65+) $20 □ Student $20 □ Life $350 □ Corresponding (non-voting)$16 □ Thunder Cape Bird Observatory Donation of $

$10

to (circle 1) (TBFN) (TCBO) (Jr. Nats) (Nature Reserves) (Tax receipt issued for donation)

Juniors: Name(s) + Age(s) __________________________________________________________________ Are you willing to share knowledge in a particular area as a speaker or field trip leader or co-leader? If yes, in what area? _____________________________________________________________________________ Please add $5 to your renewal fee if you want to receive Nature Northwest through the mail. For example, please pay $35 for a family membership). Your TBFN and TCBO memberships expire on December 31 st. To ensure a May Newsletter, please register by February using this form, or print the form from the TBFN website (www.tbfn.net) and mail to TBFN at PO Box 10037 Thunder Bay ON P7B 6T6. You can also pay using Paypal on the TBFN website: www.tbfn.net All membership information is confidential and as such the Club will not sell or distribute this information

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UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS Bats at Pine Bay - Saturday August 22nd An outing to learn about area bats and monitor them around sunset at our Pine Bay reserve. Meet at the Movati Athletic Club Saturday evening. Contact Steve Kingston 475-1761 (w) or Marian Childs 577-1324 to confirm meeting time. Wolf River Watershed Silviculture - Saturday, August 29th A visit to several locations along the Wolf River Canyon to see the results of intense forest management done from 1980 to 2000. Meet at the Landmark Inn parking lot at 9 a.m. Contact Mac Squires [email protected] to confirm. Bird Banding on McKellar Island – September 12th – cancelled if serious rain This is an open house at John Woodcock’s mist netting site to view fall migrants and get a close look at the work he is doing. He and other volunteers will be there from 7:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m. There is a short hike over level terrain to the observatory from the roadside parking on Baffin Street. Visitors can tag along as nets are checked every half hour, see how the captured birds are banded, documented and released. Also on-going daily, is a census of all birds seen or heard and visitors’ observations are most welcome. McKellar Island Bird Observatory www.facebook.com/mckellar. Phone 807-709-6870 Fungus Finds - Sunday, September 13th Join mycologist Dr. Len Hutchison to learn about local mushrooms, toadstools, and other fungi. Meet by the Centennial Park bridge at 1 p.m. for this 1– 1/2 hr field trip. Contact his office 343-8508 to confirm. Glacial History of the Thunder Bay Area - Saturday, September 26th A day trip exploring the geomorphology of the border area around Thunder Bay. Meet at 9:00 am at the Motivi Athletic Club on Arthur Street. Bring a lunch. Confirm by calling Brian Philips 344-3770. Silver Islet Migrants - Saturday, October 3rd - 8:00 am Search out migrating fall warblers and other birds on the Sibley Penninsula. Meet by the Landmark Inn at County Fair Plaza at 8:00 a.m. This is an all day affair, so please bring a lunch. Contact Bert Harding 6304735 if you have any questions.

Grey Fox Breeding Confirmed near Thunder Bay! This recent photo of a lactating female confirms breeding of a pair of grey foxes near Thunder Bay. This threatened species (Urocyon cineroargentus) is near the northern limit of its range at Thunder Bay. In addition to historical records, there have been some recent sightings from several locations near Thunder Bay in the past few years, including up to four individuals visiting a bird feeder during winter months. With luck, this smaller relative of the red fox (V ulpes vulpes) will continue to call the area home. - Rob Foster

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Photo by Paul Higgins

Thunder Bay Field Naturalists --- Information for 2015 The Thunder Bay Field Naturalists Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study of natural history, the wise use of resources, the preservation of natural areas, and teaching the public to understand and protect nature. Mailing Address/Phone: Thunder Bay Field Naturalists P.O. Box 10037 Thunder Bay, ON P7B6T6

Website: www.tbfn.net

Meeting Dates: 4th Monday of September, October, November, January, March, and April, 7 p.m. Annual Dinner meeting is held 4th Sunday of February

TBFN Board of Directors 2015 Contacts President & Ontario Nature Rep Past President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Vice President, Field Trips, Junior Naturalists Advocacy, MNR LCC Dog River Mattawin Forest Inventory and Sales Junior Naturalists Membership Chair Publicity and Promotion Thunder Cape Bird Observatory TBFN Standing Committees & Support Newsletter Editor Webmaster Thunder Cape Bird Observatory Bird Records Committee Chair, Project Peregrine Chair Bluebird Committee Chair Nature Reserves Committee Chair

TBFN Reps on Community Committees MNR LCC Spruce River Forest MNR LCC Dog Lake/Mattawan River Forests MNR LCC Lakehead Forest Public Advisory Committee to the Thunder Bay Remedial Action Plan Thunder Bay District Stewardship Council MNR Fisheries Management Zone 9 Advisory Council

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David Legge Brian McLaren Marian Childs Kathy Sakamoto Karolyn Hoard Marian Childs Rob Macey John Pentick Emese Boyko Christina Stricker Bruce Thacker Ted Armstrong

983-2155

Barbara Yurkoski Rob Foster Allan Gilbert Brian Ratcliff Susan Robinson Sue Bryan

613-692-0916 346-4950 768-8582 768-8408 344-1739 345-6446

577-1324 577-1959 475-5116 577-1324 624-7024 577-4540 631-4011 683-6696 344-2279 577-3997

Brian Moore Rob Macey Gerry Stricker

344-2986

Jean Hall Armstrong Jean Hall Armstrong Walter Momot

577-3997 577-3997

683-6696

Pictograph at TBFN’s Nipigon River reserve

Photo by Larry Graham

Publications Agreement No 41362520

Thunder Bay Field Naturalists PO Box 10037 Thunder Bay ON P7B 6T6

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