Saskatchewan is a bird watchers paradise with 240 species of birds gracing our lands and 200 of them feeling particularly at home in the southern part of the province.
Saskatchewan is a bird watchers paradise with 240 species of birds gracing our lands and 200 of them feeling particularly at home in the southern part of the province.
Birding is not only a hobby that many in the province enjoy, but it is also a way to help monitor the ecosystem and climate because different birds require such different habitats.
"I really like to bird south of Weyburn because that's where the grassland birds are," said Val Thomas, secretary for the Nature Society in Weyburn and avid birder. She recommends patience, a pair of binoculars and a bird book, but she has more advice for those hoping to catch sight of a winged beauty in the Weyburn area.
"I counted 22 red tailed hawks on a trip from Corinne to Regina (on June 9). They were just sitting on fence posts," said Thomas. She explained the pathways at River Park, the south end of Nickle Lake and the golf course are typically very good areas to watch for birds. She also recommended the north to south grid roads between Yellow Grass and Trossachs where heavy precipitation has created open expanses of water and marshes this year.
"It has enticed some new species to the area," said Thomas, who spotted the white-faced ibis along the grid roads. She said one of the best times to go birding is in the early morning when adult birds are out and about collecting food for the young. She recommends getting out on foot if possible.
Some of the other interesting species that can be found in this area are American bitterns, orchard orioles, great horned owls, migrating sandhill cranes (during specific times), ground thrashers, loggerhead shrikes, American robins and ravens.
Birders must be careful of where they step when out on foot so as not to potentially disrupt nesting birds by scaring parents away from a next filled with young or eggs. Thomas also said she wishes people, especially large trucks with flat grills, would drive more slowly on the grid roads.
"You see dead birds out there and it just makes me so sad," said Thomas.
If birders spot a rare, unusual, or endangered bird they should report it to the nature society.
Endangered or nearly endangered birds, like the burrowing owl, need to be reported so that their habitat can be protected, while birds not commonly found in this area should be reported because they may signal a change in habitat zones or migratory patterns that should be monitored by scientists.
Thomas also encouraged anybody who spots a turkey vulture to try to get a picture of the bird, especially if it is wearing a green band because those birds are tracked.
Lastly, she recommended putting out a bird feeder if you want to catch some glimpses of beautiful birds from your own window. Thomas said a bird book can help advise which feeder and food to put out to attract different types of birds, but even something as simple as peanut butter smeared on tree bark could attract a fluffy woodpeckers or two to somebody's yard.
The Nature Society of Weyburn will be taking a trip to Sandoff Lake to monitor an IBA, an Important Birding Area as designated by the province, at a weather-dependent date yet to be set. Those who are interested, may contact Val Thomas.
