My Google Earth mapping of nests and more

Breeding bird species at risk on Skookumchuck Prairie KBA (orange outline)

 Here is a map of documented nest trees, breeding territories, and nests of Lewis' Woodpecker (Threatened, SARA) (Blue, BC), Long-billed Curlew (Special Concern, SARA (Blue, BC), and American Kestrel on Skookumchuck Prairie KBA.  There are more nests than this - we just haven't found them.

The orange in the middle - between the Lewis' Woodpecker pins (green trees) and Long-billed Curlew pins (red and yellow pins) - is the crown land being requested for solar farms.  See previous post.

 

Solar Land Grants Map April 2017

A couple of the requests for Crown land 'for the purpose of investigating the feasibility of solar power generation' - aka cover over, fence in, remove from wild nature - were REJECTED, and one was WITHDRAWN. So here is the updated map of these lands in the East Kootenay.

The renewable energy companies still have the use of land equal to about half of what will be flooded by the Site C dam from Skookumchuck to Elko.

I draw your attention to the north end of the map, in particular.  Here is Skookumchuck Prairie Important Bird and Biodiversity Area, important to ungulates, American Badger, Lewis' Woodpecker and Long-billed Curlew.  Almost ALL of the area which underwent restoration work earlier this decade is now available for 'investigating' putting up solar arrays.  See earlier posts.

Lewis' Woodpecker nesting in solar granted lands

Quick Post

UPDATE: went out the other evening and got two more confirmed LEWO nests. We have been driving right by them! Sneaky birds.

= 23 Lewis' Woodpecker nests with young or probable; in an area approx 3 km sq; found in approx 16 hours of surveying.  Extrapolate that to suitable habitat JUST on the Prairie (not the whole IBA) and I figure there could be 90 pairs nesting.

Enhancement and restoration work done a few years ago on the Skookumchuck Prairie Important Bird and Biodiversity Area has been very beneficial to Lewis' Woodpecker.

Unfortunately, this apparently barren and open land in an area purported to be the sunniest region in Canada has also caught the attention of renewable energy companies wishing to build solar arrays.  I hope the grass-roots movement toward small-scale solar power generation takes hold and leaves the grasslands' grass roots to pull carbon deep into the soil. Let the critters keep their home.

I have been able to survey the IBA for Lewis' Woodpecker where there are passable roads.

Here is a map showing:
     the solar land grant in pink
     found (10 confirmed) or probable LEWO nests
     one American Kestrel nest
     telemetry of Long-billed Curlews (see previous post)

Oopsy, I didn't know for sure if you were in there, little buddy!

Skookumchuck IBA Lewis's Woodpeckers

Quick post: 26 Jun 2016

Well, that was fun yesterday - finding five Lewis's Woodpecker nests!  Well, actually, we found four and got impatient on the fifth - not waiting for the adult to show us which hole exactly.  Oh well.

Here is what their alarm calls sound like:  Do not approach nest sites yourself unless accompanied by an authorized and experienced biologist or surveyor such as myself. If you hear this type of call, back away immediately. Prolonged or frequent periods of agitation can have severe consequences on nest success.  Predators such as Common Ravens may be alerted by your presence. This video is for educational purposes.

After a bit, I realized I could point my phone at the birds rather than the ground.  I panned from one adult, then the nest, then the other adult.

And here are some pics of the nests and habitat:

Short snag

partially alive tree

small grove obviously marked and left standing around snag during enhancement

foreground of what was left after enhancement

closer view of one of the nest holes

The one that 'got away' - adult LEWO flying above right - we did not pinpoint this nest hole

Some habitat shots:

what is this flower?

very green right now since it has been raining a lot - but there aren't any mud puddles - the earth has soaked it all in

These pics are from Skookumchuck Prairie Important Bird Area, British Columbia, Canada.  The IBA is designated for Long-billed Curlew and Lewis's Woodpecker.

Also, yesterday, we found two LBCU chicks diligently attended by two adults.