THE COVID VIRUS MAKES LIFE COMPLICATED

     I found out the other day how complicated things have become because of covid 19. I organized my bird watching group and found out that there were many hoops to jump through.

     Ordinarily I make up a schedule and publicize it and away we go.   Bird watching is an activity  organized under the Red Deer River Naturalists (RDRN) . This is a registered society and we must have insurance. Check the website to see where we're going. I also have a contact list and they receive an email with all the information. It's also posted on our facebook page.

     So I'm on automatic pilot with this activity.

     So the other day I sent out the schedule. Very soon after someone asked , "Well  what are the regulations regarding covid 19 for an outside group?" I had intended to look. Before I had a chance to look one of my fellow birders had all the info for stage II and the virus.

     I was surprised to find out that there were 10 questions that had to be asked of each birder. Much of this had to be recorded in order to trace contacts in case someone had the virus. We decided that we had to have some way of asking for the information and recording it. Since I described the type of organization RDRN is we had to follow the rules.

    Now when you look around it doesn't look like many people are following rules. Very few people wear masks here. I went to restaurant and all staff were wearing masks. I visited the same restaurant a week later and none of them were wearing masks.

    So I have to wonder how serious we are in our stage II of opening up after covid?

    At my age I will not be birding with a group because of the virus . They will do fine without me. 

A BIRD WATCHING MORNING

     As you know I lead a bird watching group every Saturday morning. This Saturday we were able to visit a private piece of property. The property has been in the family since about 1900. The family left lots of native habitat and there is about a 50 acre lake. Usually we tour public areas in and around the city.

     The last family inhabitant was a great granddaughter who retired on the farm. She was an excellent birder and had set up all kinds of devices to attract birds. So there were super feeders, bird baths, lots of nest boxes and of course, the native habitat was left.

     So the property is a birders paradise. We found 23 species in an hour and a half. I had 13 birders show up and they were suitably impressed by what they saw.

     I took my camera and managed only one bird picture and it was poor...too much light and a very wiggly elderly photographer. However, the birders gave me some opportunities for photos.

    Lots of birds on the water


    

  
       Anybody see  the swan. I just about took the guy's head off too.

  
       We begin and what do we find. There's a Yellow-bellied sapsucker in there someplace.

  
     Sometimes birders get tired.

        I wonder what this thing has to do with birds?

  
And what does this do for birds?

   
  Oh another machine that might be for birds?

  
       Some funny bird skulls here.

      Time for home.

     The home on the property was situated so they had a great view of the lake.

BIRDERS

          I lead a group of birders every Saturday morning for a couple of hours. There are enough interesting areas in town to keep up our interests. We are fortunate to have many natural areas that were left by past residents who had a great  vision. Very little is being left today as it is being developed.

          So when we go out we generally  find the usual suspects and once in  while we see something very different and interesting.

          Last week we spent our time on a trail between the river and a golf course. We saw: Cormorant, Crow, Canada geese, Mallard, Song sparrow, Red-winged blackbird, Common goldeneye, Raven, Robin, Black-capped chickadee, Red-breasted nuthatch, Bald eagle, Downy woodpecker, Magpie, Boreal chickadee, Greater yellowlegs.

         Now the greater yellowlegs was an interesting find. The bird was on the trail and dead. Some predator had captured the bird and was probably sitting in a tree above the trail when it was disturbed and dropped its prey. Now no gory photos. The head had been pulled off the bird as some predators like to eat the head first.

       The other find was Bald eagles nesting. I knew the nest had been there for a few years but this was the first time I had been out when the birds were nesting. The nest was across the river but Jurgen got a great photo. You can just see  the female's head above the nest.

Early Morning Bird Walk May 1

       For an account of our early morning bird walk check out http://wearenaturalwise.blogspot.com/