“Superhydrophobic” are what entomologists call the Pond Skater’s hairy legs. These microscopic hairs trap tiny air bubbles allowing the insect to float. The Pond Skater’s shadow in this video shows how they flit about on the water surface using their legs as oars.
Save the Frogs is exactly what the Columbia Wetland Stewardship Partners are trying to do with one of their projects.
Northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) were once one of the most common amphibians in North America. However, over the past three decades there have been drastic declines across their western range. Once common throughout south-east B.C., but by the 1990’s only a single population in the province remained at Creston BC. So the BC population of leopard frogs are now listed as Endangered. Recent surveys suggest that habitat loss and alteration, disease, introduced fish species, and low reproduction levels threaten this population.
Last year the Columbia Wetland Stewardship Partners carried out a study to determine the feasibility of reintroducing northern leopard frogs to the Columbia wetlands. Reintroduction sites between Canal Flats and Spillimacheen are now identified, assessed and ranked. Hopefully Northern Leopard Frogs will soon be seen once again in the Columbia Wetlands.
The endangered Northern Leopard Frog - Photo by Larry Halverson
Snowpack on Mount Nelson. drains into Toby Creek - one of the main tributaries of
the upper Columbia River. Photo by Larry Halverson taken April 14, 2011
“In the southern Interior, snowpacks were slightly above average this winter. Spring habitat conditions should be better than they have been in the last two to three years. Migration is underway, but was slightly late this year. Snowpacks were about normal in he southeast Interior this winter. Early spring conditions have been relatively cool."
There is antidotel evidence that White Sturgeon once lived in the Columbia River, up stream from Golden, BC.
"The Kootenay River sturgeon population is endangered in both Canada and the U.S. due to a variety of human impacts, including the operation of Libby Dam that has altered the natural flow of the river. There has been virtually no natural reproduction in the wild since 1974. There are thought to be fewer than a 1,000 adults living on both sides of the border.”
“We know that this is a stop-gap measure but it is a very important component of the conservation effort while we, and many other partners, work toward implementing habitat restoration measures that should provide conditions for fish to successfully reproduce in the wild,” says KTOI’s Fish & Wildlife Program Director, Sue Ireland. “This aquaculture program is critical if we are to avoid this population becoming extinct.”
“The 10-month old juveniles weigh about 70 grams and are typically between 15 and 25 centimetres in length. They can grow to the length of a canoe and live for over 100 years."
"The Wood Frog is the most terrestrial of frogs, so it may show up some distance from water. It is a truly Canadian frog, if ever there was one. Throughout Canada, the Wood frog is more widespread, found at higher elevations (up to 2,500 m), and encountered farther north than any other amphibian. In fact, it is the only amphibian that lives north of the Arctic Circle
Wood frogs survive our cold winter by burrowing under the forest floor. They also benefit from some nifty internal engineering, surviving temperatures as low as –6 degrees C with up to two-thirds of their body’s water in a frozen state. Wood Frogs pump large volumes of glucose into their cells; the glucose acts like antifreeze, allowing the water between the cells to freeze, while protecting the internal cell contents" It covers all the mountain National Parks and there are a number of pages are dedicated to the Columbia Valley.
April 19th Columbia Spotted Frogs Photo by Larry Halverson
Columbia Spotted Frogs breed early in the spring - often before the pond ice has disappeared. The breeding period is quite short and last 2 weeks at the most. The males station themselves along the shore and call with their heads just out of water. During mating the male clasps the female in pectorial amplexus. The females lay eggs in communal masses at the surface of the water, either freely floating or loosely tangled around emergent vegetation. The tadpoles usually transform in late summer and reach maturity in 4-5 years.
The Columbia Wetland Stewardship Partners are interested in frog sightings in the Columbia Valley so we invite you to participate in the BC Frogwatch Program. You can also take part Herpwatch, a survey for amphibians and reptiles in Banff, Kootenay, and Yoho National Parks.
To listen to their call click HERE It sounds like a quiet helicopter
Osprey are circumpolar in distribution however the Columbia Valley is a major population centre for Osprey Photo by Larry Halverson
Ellen Zimmerman reported the return of the first Osprey - April 6th on a nest just south of Golden along the highway. Osprey in the Columbia Valley can travel over 6,000 km on their return flight from their wintering grounds.
Telemetry studies using satellite transmitters tracked Osprey from southern BC to their wintering sites in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and Venezuela.
Satellite telemetry of ospreys tagged in BC showing migration routes to wintering sites on the Pacific Coast of Mexico and in Central and South America.
Western Painted Turtles basking, April 13, 2011. Photo by Larry Halverson
Western Painted Turtles are blue-listed in BC, meaning they are vulnerable to further decline due to habitat loss and destruction.
“Turtles are cold-blooded and require the sun's energy to regulate body temperature," says Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program, biologist Ross Clarke. Basking out of the water is a critical element of their daily routine. A lack of basking structures such as logs or large rocks can be an issue. Basking plays a far more important role than purely increasing body temperature. Typically turtles need to obtain a body temperature of 18 C to digest food. Depending on the weather and time of year, western painted turtles spend up to two hours at a time basking in the sun out of the water. While they can absorb heat when they float near the surface, being out of the water is far more efficient. Basking is also important for turtles to rid themselves of algae and help promote healthy shell growth.
River Otters in the Wilmer Marsh, Columbia Wetlands Wildlife Management Area. Video by Pat Morrow
Like most predators River Otters prey upon the species that are the most readily accessible. Fish are their favoured food and studies have shown that slow swimming fish like the Northern Pikeminnow (Squawfish) in Pat’s video are preyed upon more often than trout when both are equally abundant. Otters also consume frogs, turtles and in the upper reaches of the Columbia River they'll feed on freshwater mollusks. There has also been some documentation of River Otters eating small mammals like muskrats and beavers.
Thanks Pat for sharing your video from your backyard.
The Wilmer Marsh, prior to becoming part of The Columbia National Wildlife Area was historically used as an unofficial dump site. Over the years a significant amount of garbage (including home heating oil tanks, car bodies, tires, paint cans and general household waste) accumulated in the marsh and along the shoreline. Sampling conducted at the site showed levels of contaminants that exceed the applicable federal guidelines.
So this year before the ice melted a clean up was conducted. Approximately 300 m3 of debris was removed from the shore. The excavation of old tires, car parts and contaminated soil was scooped out with a specialized, low-impact, excavator call a Spyder hoe. The debri was then carried by helicopter to a staging area and then transported to the Regional District Landfill for disposal.
Upon completion the shore was restored - backfilled with native topsoil to prevent the introduction of non-native species to the area.
A friend Brian Keating took this amazing video of beavers in his Calgary backyard. "Brian heads up the Conservation Outreach Department at the Calgary Zoo, where he's responsible for a variety of local and international conservation projects. He also started the Zoo’s nature-based travel program some 20 years ago, visiting many of the best wildlife watching locations on all seven continents." it is ironic he witnessed this memorable wildlife viewing experience from his own backyard.
Canada geese near the Athalmer bridge. Photo by Larry Halverson
It is a good time of year to spend an evening along the Columbia River. As there is lots of Canada Goose activity.
The goose in this video clip was defending its mate. Using the head forward display - the goose extends its neck, holds the head low and points it towards the opponent often while honking. If the threat doesn’t move the goose then flies towards the intruder to chase it off.
Shuswap Creek after culverts removed Photo by Larry Halverson
"Fish travel along waterways to find food, mates, good spawning gravel and safe places for their young to grow. A poorly functioning culvert can stop fish from reaching key parts of their habitat, resulting in lower numbers of fish, fewer species and less genetic diversity to keep populations healthy."
Photo by Larry Halverson
Thanks to the Shuswap First Nations Community for improving fish passage from the Columbia River into Shuswap Creek.
Length of daylight is one of the main bird migration influences. However ornithologist, Rick Howie says "the northward movement of Robins often matches a line across North America where the average temperature is 2 degrees centigrade. As temperatures warm and this "isotherm" moves northward, the majority of robins follow it."
The Robins in the Columbia Valley had to be surprised this morning (April 7th) by the 6 inches of new snow.
A 35 membered partnership made up from Federal Government, First Nations, Provincial Government, Regional Districts, Municipalities, Industry, Non Government Organizations, Columbia Basin Trust and Researchers
