The Natural Side of Wascana Centre

Wascana Junior Naturalist program kicks off again!

2010-02-09T09:32:00.001-08:00

We are excited to begin working with Regina's youth through the Wascana Junior Naturalist (WJN) program here at Wascana Centre again this spring!

We have 42 participants enrolled in the program (max capacity) and we have a very exciting program planned for the next 7 sessions.

The Wascana Junior Naturalist program aims to provide youth with an opportunity to connect with nature. We strive to create a spark of enthusiasm that will draw the junior naturalist into the amazing natural world all around us! We hope to instill in the kids that we work with, that there is more than one species of bird in their backyard or that you can actually see a muskrat in the middle of the city!

Last week we meet with each group on their designated night and handed out a good number of naturalist paraphernalia, which included their own Wascana Junior Naturalist notebook, a new Sibley's Bird Guide, a Nature Saskatchewan calendar and a WJN hat! Each child seemed pleased with their bounty.

Next week we dive into the world of native prairie plants and will actually get to plant some seeds which we hope will grow in our greenhouse. We then plan on planting these plugs in the Habitat Conservation Area this spring. During next weeks program, we will debunk the myths that plants are boring and help the students learn more about these very important organisms.

A special thanks to Nature Regina and the Book and Brier Patch for their generous contributions to help put brand new Sibley Bird Guides into the hands of all the Wascana Junior Naturalists! The JN seemed to really like the books!

They're headed south!

2009-12-16T08:03:00.000-08:00

With the unusually mild November we experienced here in Saskatchewan this year, Wascana Centre saw a large number of Canada Geese staging on the lake for a longer than usual period of time. When we say large number, we are talking about 8,000-10,000 birds!

(Photo taken on November 26, 2009)

Interestingly, we noticed that some of our banded geese that were taken to Cumberland House earlier this summer had returned with the many thousands of other geese. We found that those birds that breed here in the summer are the ones you see on the grass at this time of the year, while those who stay on the ice and out of reach of people are migrants that have come here from somewhere else, perhaps even the arctic!

The birds come to the lake for the water and fly out into crop fields around the city in the morning and before dark looking for uncollected grain. Water is the limiting factor, once the water freezes up the birds will continue south. However, as long as some water remains open, some birds will stay.

However, there aren't that many geese anymore!

With the deep freeze we have been forced to endure these last two weeks (-40 to -50 degrees Celcius, daily with the windchill) has frozen up much of the lake, so now only the one aerator is maintaining any open water on the lake. Only a few geese now remain, as you can see in the photo below. This water will likely stay open for the winter, unless it gets really cold consistently. Although if there are geese around they help to keep it open.

(Photo taken on Dec 14, 2009)

Occasionally, a few ducks will remain at this water for the winter as well. There were ~20 Mallards on the lake late last week.

A rare bird seen in Wascana Centre!

2009-12-03T14:01:00.000-08:00

(Varied Thrush spotted in Wascana Centre)

On Saturday November 28, 2009 a Varied Thrush was spotted in Wascana Centre. It has been seen each day since, including today. This species is typically found along the western coast of North America. However, during the winter a few birds are seen in Saskatchewan.

This thrush species is in the same family as the American Robin, which you may have guessed based on the somewhat similar appearance. Note the dark black necklace on the Varied Thrush.

Varied Thrushes like berry bushes or apple bushes and will survive the frigid Saskatchewan winters by eating this fruit. You can put out raisins or craisins to try to attract this species to your back yard.

To see this bird, go to Wascana Place in Wascana Centre. The bird is behind the building in the Lady Slipper Courtyard. You can see it through the window from inside of the building.

Our captive and injured waterfowl are in for the winter!

2009-12-03T13:47:00.001-08:00

(Blue phase and white phase Snow Geese in the Waterfowl Park Display Ponds)

With the subzero temperatures that are typical for this time of the year, we have moved over all the captive and injured waterfowl from the Waterfowl Display Ponds to the Overwintering Structure for the winter months.

Currently we have, 27 Snow Geese, 1 Ross's Goose, 5 American White Pelicans, 6 Canada Geese, 3 Mute Swans, 2 Mallards and 1 Rouen (a domestic farm duck).

(Four of our American White Pelicans ready to be fed!)

During the winter most birds are fed a combination of barley and wheat and vegetables. We also supply the birds with gravel for their gizzards, which helps with digestion. The pelicans require a slightly different diet, fish!

The birds will remain in the Overwintering Structure until the ice begins to melt in the spring and they will return to the Display Ponds at this time.

If you would like to have your class visit the Overwintering Structure check out our winter programming options. http://www.wascana.ca/index.php?id=121