River Valley News - June 6/24

Saw-whet owls northward migration tracked with MOTUS

Photo of BBO Chair Geoff Holroyd with a tagged Northern Saw-whet Owl

In 2023, the Beaverhill Bird Observatory (BBO) purchased 50 MOTUS, a global wildlife tracking system, nanotags. The results have been surprising with all the owls’ tags detected to the south and west of Alberta during October and November.

The autumn migration of Saw-whet Owls has been documented at the BBO for over 20 years. Band recoveries indicated that most owls flew east towards the Great Lakes and eastern North America with a few found to the south and west. However, most owl banders are to the east, with few to the south and west.

In autumn, the owls went to the northwestern US states, but after the end of November no detections were heard through winter. In March, MOTUS stations detected the start of their northward migration. The first detection was on March 8 on the coast south of Vancouver, BC. On April 2, an owl that had been detected in October at Sylvan Lake was detected in southern BC at Newgate Ambrose.

One of the big unknowns in BBO owls’ movements was when the spring migration occurred. Now there is the first indications of its timing, with more detections to come. Some Saw-whets overwinter in Alberta and are already on their nesting territories with the added advantage of a home before the migrants return.

https://beaverhillbirds.com/publications/the-willet/

Edmontonians encouraged to act on invasive weeds

Nicole Kimmel photo

Invasive species are the second biggest threat to biodiversity after habitat loss. The city relies on Edmontonians to spot, report, and remove invasive species. Hundreds of volunteers have joined together to stop the spread of invasive plants and protect Edmonton's biodiversity.

While 35 of the 75 plant species listed in the Alberta Weed Control Act have been found in Edmonton, the city is focusing on education and awareness of five weeds this summer: Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam, Creeping bellflower, Purple loosestrife and Garlic mustard. 

Residents are asked to help control the spread of invasive weeds by spotting, reporting and removing them. Characteristics of invasive weeds include returns every year, spreads rapidly and thrives in tough conditions. Weed photos at https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/pests/weed-identification-advice

Why do birds and other animals migrate

Gerald Romanchuk photo

Birds migrate to find more resources, either food or nesting locations. Migration is the seasonal movement of animals from one area to another, but it does not just happen north-south, and it’s not just birds who migrate. Caribou, salmon, and butterflies also undertake migrations.

Most songbirds in Canada rely, at least in part, on insects to live. While insect larvae must survive the winter too, most insects are asleep or developing as eggs in the winter and are not very accessible to a lot of songbirds. This, combined with cold temperatures, mean that many bird species migrate south for the winter.

Why do birds even bother to fly back to Canada in the spring? The answer is once again with food, the many insects here in summer. There is lots of competition for food on the wintering grounds, so songbirds benefit from making the 1000+ km journey up north to raise their young when food is plentiful.

Several species migrate to the Edmonton area in winter instead of summer, including Great Gray and Northern Hawk Owls, as well as Snow Buntings and Redpolls. The Snowy Owl migrates here from their Arctic breeding grounds. https://www.ealt.ca/blog/cartoon-migration

Mountain Brother by Sergio Serrano & Alexander Stewart, Castle Downs Park

https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/mountain-brother

Comment or Contributions

Please note articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley.

Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com

Forward this link to anyone you think may want to sign up for this newsletter https://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/newsletter-signup

River Valley News - May 30/24

Six bat species permanent residents of Alberta

There are over 1300 species of bats worldwide, of which 9 occur in Alberta - 3 species that are migrants, and 6 species that hibernate in the province and are present year-round. These six include the Big Brown Bat and all the Myotis species found in Alberta.

Bats that hibernate may still undergo long-distance movements between summer and winter habitat. Banding records from Alberta have found Little Brown Myotis, Long-eared Myotis, and Big Brown Bats moving at least 300–500 km between summer and winter habitat. One Little Brown Myotis moved almost 500 km from Warner to Stony Plain.

Where most bats in Alberta hibernate is unknown. A few caves have been identified that support hibernating Little Brown Myotis, Northern Myotis, Long-legged Myotis, and Big Brown Bats. Deep rock-crevices, such as those in some Alberta river valleys are known to be used by hibernating Big Brown Bats.

Big Brown Bats may also hibernate in buildings, possibly even moving into the cities during the winter, but this has not been observed in other species. All known hibernacula combined account for a very small portion of the bat population, making it uncertain what Alberta’s bats do during the winter. https://www.albertabats.ca/batprofiles/

Cromdale school now part of primary health centre

Reimagine Architects photo

Plans for a public school in the Cromdale neighbourhood date to 1911. That year, owing to intense growth in Edmonton’s east end, the Public School Board purchased an entire city block with an eye for erecting a modern brick schoolhouse.  It wasn’t meant to be, at least not quickly.

Edmonton’s population boom stretched Board resources thin. In fact, they faced two pending lawsuits over their inability to pay contractors for the new Highlands and Rutherford Schools. With a recession setting-in and WW1 beginning, a motion among school trustees to suspend all new construction passed unanimously.

Following continued pressure from local parents, the Board relented and in Feb. 1917, opened a temporary school. The facility was a relocated wooden schoolhouse used during the construction of Highlands. Initial enrolment at Cromdale was 74 pupils, but another portable building was soon required to accommodate an increasing student body.

In July 1931 the Board issued tenders to erect a brick building at 11240-79 St, stipulating the use of cast stone and brick construction. The Board stressed employing “made in Edmonton” materials wherever possible, from brickwork, to terrazzo floors and stair-treads. The promotion of local furnishings was a smart public relations move by the district and hid the fact that the cash-strapped system couldn’t afford more exotic materials.

Cromdale School closed in 1980, and the structure and surrounding lands were sold in 2004. Today the building is part of the East Edmonton primary health centre. https://www.forgottenedmonton.com/blog/the-cromdale-school

City project encourages neighbours to act together on climate change

Addressing climate change can feel overwhelming. Neighbouring for Climate is a City of Edmonton project to bring neighbours together to act on climate change. With easy-to-use climate action cards, the project’s tool kit provides suggestions and tips for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting neighbourhoods to a changing climate.

This toolkit is for everyone. Neighbouring for Climate was designed with input from Edmontonians to make climate action simple. One size does not fit all, so select actions that work best for you and your neighbours. Whether you are new to climate action or getting to know your neighbours, there are lots of ways to get involved and support one another.

Check out toolkit at https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/environmental_stewardship/neighbouring-for-climate

Registration open for annual orange shirt day run-walk

Registration for the 4th annual Orange Shirt Day run-walk on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is open. Indigenous Runner is hosting the Sept 30 event and invites Edmontonians to RunConciliAction together in healing and to honour and remember the little ancestors who never made it home.

Space will be held for those who survived and strive towards truth and healing everyday. The run-walk will raise funds for local grassroots movements, to support Indigenous Athletes, and help provide safe spaces for Indigenous Runners. From first place to final finisher, every runner will receive a hand carved wooden feather for their finishers medal and race shirt.

The course will run through the river valley, be a combination of wide track trail and pavement, and have a variety of lengths to accommodate all runners and walkers. https://www.indigenousrunner.com/

The Magpies’ Nests by Kevin Sehn & Chai Duncan, Rossdale Linear Park

https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/the-magpies-nests

Comment or Contributions

Please note articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley.

Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com

Forward this link to anyone you think may want to sign up for this newsletter https://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/newsletter-signup

River Valley News - May 16/24

YEG’s highest value public tree a laurel leaf willow valued at $109,000

Edmonton’s highest-valued public tree is a laurel leaf willow on Mackenzie Drive NW near 95 Avenue NW, whose value in 2020 was $109,552.38. An American elm in Rossdale, near 102 Street and 97 Avenue NW, is estimated to be 100 years old, the same age as the neighbourhood, and is valued at $81,127.69.

The city maintains an inventory of trees growing on or along city-owned boulevards, roadways and parks which account for 380,000 of Edmonton's estimated 12.8 million trees. City crews update this inventory over the course of two years, canvassing one half of the city's canopy one year, as they will do in the east this year, and the other half the next, recording the health and growth of each of the 380,000 trees.

“We look at trees as our green infrastructure, the same way as you would look at a light pole, a sidewalk, or a road," explained Jacqueline Butler, the city's project forestry leader. Butler said Edmonton does this to help encourage citizens or nearby workers to think about its value. "It gives people an idea for value other than the eco benefits that everybody knows about."

The formula is also used to calculate what a person or company that damages a tree could be on the hook for. "When we get trees this big, they're not replaceable in our lifetime, so it's very important to have programs available like the public tree bylaw and protection requirements around our mature canopy.”

https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/edmonton-tree-inventory-shows-almost-2-7b-in-green-infrastructure-1.6882211?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar

Boating in the fur trade hard on paddlers

The first European fur traders adopted an eastern Algonkian-style of birch bark canoe. Every year, hundreds of people in Alberta gathered supplies and moulded lightweight express canoes at major fur trade boat building centres like Fort Edmonton, and Rocky Mountain House. While canoes and physical traces of boat building at these forts have long since decayed, other lines of evidence of early boating are preserved.

Trading posts needed access to good birch and it is no coincidence that the locations of forts were near birch trees. Henday camped by the Birch Hills near Edmonton in 1755 when he and his party built 35 canoes to send furs to Hudson Bay. The Hudson’s Bay Company designed the York boat to increase cargo weight and decrease the number of required men. The first one in Alberta was built at Edmonton House by 1795.

Voyageur skeletons from Fort Edmonton and Rocky Mountain House also tell the story of early boating. Being on the water all day was wearying but it was the burden of packing gear over portages that broke men and deformed their bones.

Archaeologists at the University of Alberta have shown that men bore severe spinal abnormalities due to heavy loads while arm and foot joints had osteoarthritis and huge muscle attachments from endless hours of paddling, kneeling, and packing. Even skulls were altered by the use of tumplines around the forehead. https://albertashistoricplaces.com/2015/08/19/birch-bark-buccaneers-and-prairie-paddlers-an-illustrated-look-at-albertas-early-boating-part-2/

Rusty-patched bumble bee a conservation success story

Edmonton Valley Zoo is hosting Wildlife Rescue: Second Chance at Survival, a travelling exhibit of 12 detailed sculptures showcasing species of animals that have been pushed to the brink of extinction but have been successfully reintroduced to their natural ranges with the help of humans. The exhibition focuses on translating scientific knowledge into exciting works of art.

The exhibit features 12 climbable animal sculptures along with tales of conservation and reintroduction to the wild. Species highlighted include Atlantic sturgeon, bald eagle, black-footed ferret, burrowing owl, cane toad, crested gecko, flame knee tarantula, leatherback sea turtle, northern leopard frog, Orinoco crocodile, rusty-patched bumble bee, and the snow leopard.

The rusty-patched bumble bee was previously a common species in its historical Canadian range in southern Ontario and Quebec, and less common in western New Brunswick. It experienced rapid declines in the 1980s and 1990s and, as a result, was listed as endangered in Canada.

The species remains rare, or possibly extirpated, in Canada as no individuals have been found since 2009 despite extensive search effort and public interest. It is still found in parts of its range, primarily Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois. https://exhibits.littlerays.org/wildlife-rescue/

International Trails day celebration on June 1

International Trails Day, celebrated each year on the first Saturday in June, is an annual celebration of trails, trail development and the healthy lifestyle they encourage. Started by the American Hiking Society in 1992, it has spread to encompass all forms of recreational trail usage in more than a dozen countries worldwide. The day promotes public awareness of and appreciation for trails and the people who build and maintain them.

River Valley Alliance in collaboration with Trans Canada Trail will host the local celebration on Saturday, June 1, 9:30am – 1:30pm at the Alfred Savage Centre, 13909 Fox Dr NW, in Edmonton. Activities include information booths and displays by local organizations that play pivotal roles in enhancing our river valley.

A guided trail walk starts at 10am but will be limited to the first 40 participants. Arrive early to secure your spot. Experience Whitemud Creek trails firsthand and learn about ongoing projects and future plans. A free hot dog BBQ, available from 11:30am to 1:30pm, will be a wonderful place to meet fellow trail enthusiasts and enjoy some delicious food in our beautiful river valley.

The Trans Canada Trail is the longest trail network in the world and connects Canadians and visitors to nature and to one another, from coast to coast to coast, through accessible and inclusive outdoor activities. Through collaboration and partnerships, it builds, maintains and stewards Canada’s unique system of connected urban and rural trails. https://tctrail.ca/

Edmonton and Strathcona 1912 merger created street names uproar

Patrick writes “I love Edmonton’s numbering system. Numbered avenues run east-west; streets run north-south. House numbers on the west side of a street are even; addresses on east side are uneven numbers. House numbers on the north side of avenues are even; on the south side of the avenue, house numbers are uneven.

Decades ago, I lived in Parkview, near 142 street and 92nd avenue. If someone from another part of the city gave me his-her address, I had a pretty good idea of the distance from my house to his/her house. And I’d know how to get there. Yes, numbers may be a tad boring, but numbers on streets, avenues, and houses are very informative.”

Prairie Town by Peter von Tiesenhausen, Edmonton City Hall

https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/prairie-town

Comment or Contributions

Please note articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley.

Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com

Forward this link to anyone you think may want to sign up for this newsletter https://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/newsletter-signup