Permaculture

Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and agricultural systems that is modeled on the relationships found in nature. It is based on the ecology of how things interrelate rather than on the strictly biological concerns that form the foundation of modern agriculture. Permaculture aims to create stable, productive systems that provide for human needs; it's a system of design where each element supports and feeds other elements, ultimately aiming at systems that are virtually self-sustaining and into which humans fit as an integral part. (....as defined on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permaculture)

Watch this great little video: The edge is where it's at....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vp4B9Hu0ik

Update on the Sage Grouse

In a December newspaper article by By Matthew Liebenberg from the Prairie Post....

In the 1980s there was still a significant number of sage-grouse on the Canadian prairies, estimated at between 4,000 and 6,000.

“There were many thousands and there’s really no doubt now that they’ve declined to just a few hundred in Alberta and Saskatchewan,” he said. “So there’s been a really dramatic decline of at least 90 per cent.”

Most of the decline is thought to be due to habitat changes such as new roads or oil and gas developments. They typically nest in an area around a lek and they need sage brush habitat as part of their life cycle. Females return to where they nested before and as a result their numbers drop disproportionately in relation to any habitat disturbance.

While the research might help with efforts to increase the sage-grouse population in Saskatchewan, the Alberta authorities have already started with the more drastic approach of importing sage-grouse from Montana.

“There’s no doubt this is a critically imperilled bird,” Fargey said. “It will take a major effort to rejuvenate the population in Saskatchewan.”

http://www.prairiepost.com/news/sw-sask-news/environment/3776-fight-continues-to-save-sage-grouse-in-southwest-sask.html

Duck Facts

Today at camp we learned about ducks. Each camper had to pick a duck from the poster and then colour their duck picture to match their duck. Then everyone had to guess everyone else's duck. We learned some interesting facts about ducks.

• Ducks have 3 eye lids.
• Ducks are omnivorous which means they will eat both plants and insects.
• Ducks are found on every continent except for Antarctica.
• Duck calls include grunts, groans, brays, growls, chips and whistles. Not many ducks actually quack.
• Ducks can fly over 300 miles per day.
• There are many different types of ducks including dabbling ducks, diving ducks, perching ducks and stifftail ducks.

Esterhazy Summer Camp August 8-12, 2011

Bird Sightings

Can you spot the Red-winged Blackbird? Or the Cedar Waxwing? How about a Ruddy Duck? Which one is the Blue-winged Teal?

Churchbridge Summer Camp August 2-5, 2011

The World of Bugs

We made some colorful bugs at camp. Did you know these neat bug facts?

• Mosquitoes have 47 teeth, however, they don't use them to bite.
• Dragonflies can fly over 60 miles per hour making them one of the fastest bugs!
• Houseflies jump backwards when they take off to fly.
• There are 900,000 different kinds of insects in the world.

Visit http://www.rusticgirls.com/animals/bug-facts.html for more bug facts.

The Leflay Birding Trail

The Leflay Birding Trail offers a great location to watch birds and wildlife. There are over 2 km of trails in the forest. This week at summer camp the students helped to paint new signs and then walk the trail and hang up the way finding signs in the forest. Bird watchers can follow the white trail, the orange trail or the blue trail. Visit our website to see more details on the trail: http://www.yfbta.com/leflay__birding__trail.htm

The Wild Flowers of Saskatchewan

Milkweed

Bergamot Flowers

Looking at Goldenrod Flowers

Saltcoats Summer Camp

We Love Turtles!

Summer Fun

The YFBTA Summer Camps have started this week. Here is a group of Saltcoats campers out having some fun on the Leflay Birding Trail.

Summer Camps

Join YFBTA this summer to learn about nature, birds and wildlife. Summer Day Camps will be held in Saltcoats, Churchbridge and Esterhazy in July and August. Grade 4 and older will have nature programs from 9:30am to 1:00pm and Grade 1, 2 and 3 will have nature programs from 1:30pm to 4:00pm. Grade levels are based on student's grade levels for September 2011. Email yellowheadflywaybirding@gmail.com for a registration form.

The Predaceous Diving Beetle Larvae

May Pond Dipping

Shevon Wilson the new YFBTA Summer Student is spending time in the classrooms in Saltcoats, Churchbridge and Esterhazy schools to share her enthusiasm for nature.

This is a photo of a tadpole found in a pond near Saltcoats.