Tranquille ER #29 Warden’s Reports:2014

Ecological Reserve #29 Tranquille Wardens’ 2014 Annual Report Kats and June Kitamura

Total hours: 14, Total Distance Travelled: 120 km

1. Jan. 25, 2014 Warden Appreciation Lunch hosted by Amanda Weber-Roy (Communications Leader for Soap Lake ER #3, Skwaha Lake ER #88, Skihist ER #92, and Parks Manager for Tranquille ER #29 and McQueen Creek ER #110) Met wardens from the 5 ERs. Delicious lunch and informal discussion of : location, habitat types, and special features for each reserve. Received BC Parks mugs, pins, stickers, and appreciation certificates.

2. June 21, 2014 Time 7:30 AM-2:30 PM

Helen Knight, Kats and June Kitamura entered the reserve from midway at South Fence. Explored lower slope going north to sagebrush zone around downed Ponderosa Pine to Douglas-fir and talus slopes at the foot of bedrock.

Plants: see attachment

Reptile signs: Western Rattlesnake Crotalus Viridis. Two Skin Sheds

Birds:

Low Elevation

Western Meadowlark

Vesper Sparrow

Mourning Dove

Mid Elevation

Western Wood-Pewee

Northern Flicker

American Crow

American Robin (female feeding 3 young at nest: GPS 10 U 0671136 E

5625141 N)

Hammond’s Flycatcher

Common Raven

Clark’s Nutcracker

Chipping Sparrow

-2-

High Elevation

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon’s)

Black-capped Chickadee

Western Tanager

3. June 30, 2014 Time: 10:00 AM-1:30 PM

Kats and June Kitamura entered the reserve at GPS 10 U 0671079 E

5624840 N

Elevation 593 m. (0.7 km from East border at South Fence)

Plants: see attachment

Birds: Vesper Sparrow

Western Meadowlark

Robin’s nest empty (birds have fledged)

4. Oct. 20, 2014 Time: 10:00 AM-1:30 PM

Joan Best, Amanda Weber-Roy, Helen Knight, Kats and June Kitamura entered reserve mid-way from East Border at South Fence. Walked North to and along wide gully and former BC Agriculture Experimental  Area. Carried down garbage (rusty tin cans, broken glass etc.) from old dump site north of Agriculture Experiment Area. Found four yellow metal stakes at GPS 10 0671007 E—–5625205 N.

Red and black dotted ribbon marking circular metal pieces dated 2007 were nailed to trees.

Plants: noted signs of Autumnal Recrudescence: Spring plants blooming now such as Yellow Salsify, Wavy-leaved Thistle, Yarrow etc. One new plant discovered-see plant attachment

Animals and Signs:

Fresh mule deer droppings

Sixteen California Big Horn Sheep ovis california jumped the Southern Fence and entered the reserve.

Ruffed Grouse droppings and possible dust bathing spot

Bird: Common Raven

Also submitted was a Plant List