Warden’s Report Trout Creek Er #7 Sept 9 2013

Warden Laurie Rockwell sent this report on his monthly visit:

• it was a marvelous morning,14c at 8.30,minimal wind and sun,but very quiet for the most part.
• I saw/heard a respectable 17 species of birds. The most notable was a Sharp-shinned Hawk, a bird I seldom see on the reserve. I either saw 2 or I saw I twice!
• As expected, there were many Yellow-rumped Warbler. It is the most numerous warbler at all
  

  Yellow-rumped warbler–photo by Raisa Mirza

  elevations in this area migration;many young attested to another successful nesting year.

• Also, there were some large flocks of Brewer’s Blackbirds outside the reserve and one flew over the reserve;they,too are flocking prior to migration. I heard a Steller’s Jay making sound like a Cooper’s Hawk,which I had not heard before,even though this bird is a master mimic.
• most plants are in seed or dried up,but 3 were in some stage of flowering: Douglas Knotweed, Snow Buckwheat and Fine-Leaved Daisy. 
• I checked knapweed seed heads and roots for larva,but found none. I did,however, find a few roots that had been hollowed out,presumably by larva.I dug out 1 Sulphur Cinquefoil plant in the main infected area,but found 2 plants on the old road through the reserve where I had not found it before.
• I saw no mammals,but found bear scat that was not there last month,full of Saskatoon berry seeds.
• the only insects I saw were grasshoppers and one Mourning Cloak butterfly.
• there was no sign of human activity.
• fence repairs are outstanding.