BIRD SCHMIDT |
Birdwatching in Flin Flon Creighton and BeyondMeet the SchmidtsBrenda Schmidt's News and Events! New book!Brenda Schmidt's next book Cantos from Wolverine Creek is forthcoming from Hagios Press in April 2008. BRENDA SCHMIDTClick on Brenda Schmidt to see some of her award-winning paintings. On November 16, 2002 we spotted a Barred Owl hunting south of Yaholnitski Creek on highway 165, the grid that connects 106 (the Hanson Lake Road) to 2 (the highway into La Ronge, SK). To see some of Harvey's Barred Owl photos, click here. The Willow Ptarmigan pictured above was sitting in the willows in our front yard in Creighton, Saskatchewan. Ptarmigan visit our yard every winter. To see more of Harvey's ptarmigan photos, click here. Photographs on these web pages © Harvey Schmidt. |
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Birds, Birders, and BirdingIn the fall of 2004, a couple Great Egrets stopped over at Condie Reservoir near Regina, Saskatchewan, and we drove down to see them. To see one of Harvey's Great Egret photos, click here. Welcome! This site is dedicated to birders and especially to those couples who dare to bird together. The hazards are many but the rewards are well worth the risk. Patience is a virtue and in no case is this more true than in the sport of birdwatching. Add to the mix a couple who shares this passion and more than just patience comes in to play. The best case scenario can lead to an experience akin to the peace achieved through meditation. The worst case scenario involves confrontations that make even the tamest birds scatter. A good birding couple will find ways to compromise. We'll share with you some of the things we've learned over the years as a birding couple.
This Sharp-tailed Grouse danced its way to runner-up in the 2000 "Camera-Only" Hunting Season Photo Competition. The winning photo is on display in the Assiniboia Museum in Assiniboia, SaskatchewanBirding in Canada's Boreal ForestBirdwatching in Canada's boreal forest is enormously satisfying. Canada's north is rich not only with birds, but with spectacular landforms and mineral deposits as well, making the whole experience a sensory delight. For example, copper and zinc have been mined in the Flin Flon and Creighton area since the 1930's, so mining history surrounds you there during your search for birds. In addition to the resident species such as Black-capped Chickadees, Pine Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, Spruce Grouse, Great Gray Owl and Boreal Owl, to name just a few, many species of warblers summer in this region, giving the avid birdwatcher endless hours of viewing pleasure. For accounts of our recent birding adventures, see my current and archived birding columns and Harvey's photos in Route North Roots Magazine. Birding in Saskatchewan
We were lucky to see this Whooping Crane in October 2000 near Luck Lake in southern SaskatchewanEven though on a map it appears as a common trapeziod and is labelled simply as a prairie province of the Canadian interior, birders will discover that Saskatchewan's 651,900 square kilometers offer an ever-changing landscape with diverse ecosystems. Initially, the landscape was shaped by deglaciation, but more recently human exploits, including agricultural development and forestry, have altered ecosystems thereby affecting the species that live there. Of the 414 recorded bird species, the populations of 15 species of birds in Saskatchewan are currently at risk according to information gathered by COSEWIC. This includes the Passenger Pigeon, which is extinct, and the Greater Prairie Chicken, which has been extirpated. Endangered species include the Whooping Crane, Sage Thrasher, Piping Plover, Mountain Plover, and Burrowing Owl. The Sage Grouse and Loggerhead Shrike populations are threatened. Vulnerable species include the Ferruginous Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Long-billed Curlew, Short-eared Owl, Caspian Tern, and Red-headed Woodpecker. Fortunately, many species thrive here. Since it is a key breeding area and migration resting area, numerous birding hotspots span Saskatchewan, including Luck Lake, Last Mountain Lake, Chaplin Lake, Redberry Lake, Lake Diefenbaker, and Cumberland Marsh. Every bluff and pothole in between is the home to several species. All the birdwatcher has to do is pull over and raise the binoculars. Birding in CanadaCanada is a vast country that offers unique birdwatching opportunities, especially during the spring and fall migrations. Across Canada, bird sanctuaries and reserves offer important resting places and breeding grounds. However, birdwatching in Canada proves to be challenging mainly because of its immensity. Visiting birdwatchers need to consider the climate and seasonal changes, the various ecosystems, and the potential changes in the status of bird species in the particular region in order to fully appreciate the experience. Last updated October 23, 2007 © Brenda Schmidt. All rights reserved. |
