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A study has shown microplastics in the digestive system of predatory birds in Florida including Hawks, Osprey and even the wise old Owl.
Preditors control bad bugs.
Predators i keeps sick and carrying animals down and ultimatly protects the human population..
Birds of prey are top predators in the ecosystem and by changing the population or health status of the top predator, it completely alters all of the animals, organisms and habitats below them on the food web.
Spring time sees Ospreys return from where they go in the winter File Photo KDG
The Christmas bird count has 120 years of world wide data at the Audubon Society . Good to our feathered friends and be especially mindful of migratory birds as they are protected.
Here are some highlights of the bird count conducted by the Nicola Naturalists Society this winter in the Merritt BC area.
American Wigeon 74 up from 50 high
Northern Pintail 17 up from a high of 2
Greater White fronted Goose 1
Northern Shoveler 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
American Kestrels 6 up from a high of 3
Brown Creeper 4 up from a high of 2
Black Capped Chickadees 96 up from a high of 58
Steller’s Jay 38 up from a high of 37
7 teams of counters were out and had what the club called a pleasant day of counting . A notation that species counts are often effected by food supply an exceptional Douglas Fir cone drop made for a high count in Pine Siskins last year. Siskins were missed this year and joined 2 other species well below average: American Gold finch 9 ( average of 48) and Robins 1 ( average 23).
The Highway 8 entrance to Merritt BC has a nesting platform on a hydro pole for the use of Osprey. ( to keep them off the power lines) There were 4 of these birds back two asserted preference to the platform over looking the river and an old CPR rail bridge, after circling over the area on Sunday, Tuesday fishing ,Wednesday they were collecting sticks to rebuild the nest.
Two Canada Geese had also been looking over the nest site and the species had raised a brood before in the nest however the nest had been cleared and the geese were not interested and don’t build nests.
The area has the joining of two small rivers and has many birds and creatures including domestic Lamas behind private property fencing.
On this Day: April 19th 1927
Mae West, movie star , gets 10 days in jail for obscenity.
The 138 KV power line is in to the new wood waste generator, coming down Voght Street from the new upgraded substation behind the court house it goes across Central Park’s western boundary with the gated community known as Sherwood park ( after the developer Ron Sherwood a long time city councilor that developed it and is now retired to Victoria.). It crosses the highway up the hill from Norgaards Ready Mix,after coming across the Nicola Valley Golf and Country Clubs fairway. Down the hill and past the Osprey nest on the highway 8 entrance to town, where it continues across the then Nicola River to twin steel poles leading across the old John Collet Ranch/ Jon Peachy Buffalo Ranch. Onward to cross the Midday Valley Road to the 40 Mega Watt plant,still under construction.
The highlight of the line were the ropes left strung, for some weeks from the pole that supports the Osprey nest to a pole across the Nicola River. It was taunting to see the Osprey return then build a new nest on the cleared off platform while attached by ropes to the power line. The Hydro crews eventually came and placed a new pole 10 feet away from the nest and towering 15 feet above it.
The activity did not seem to put any stress on the birds who still continue their normal fishing and mating activity.( it will be interesting to watch when the line is energized although the birds will make nests on the top of regular power poles with seeming immunity to any kind of harm.) There are about a half dozen of the birds in area) ,only a single pair occupy the nest.
Nest gone File Photo KDG
The operation was supervised by a biologist working with the Lower Nicola Indian Band.
Ospreys returned from where they go in the winter File Photo KDG
On this day: June 15th 1934
The Smokey Mountain national park is established.
The poles that are on highway 8 have had their Osprey nests removed. The nests were occupied by Canadian Geese in 2010 and contained a lot of bailing twine. There is a serious strangulation risk for the young of geese from bailing twine.
The poles are on the entry to Merritt British Columbia from the west ( Spences Bridge) Osprey live of trout in the Nicola River.
On this Day: April 22 1977
Fiber optic cable is used for the first time in telephone transmission:
A new 45 foot hydro pole was placed about 100 meters from the pole that housed two productive Osprey last year. The returning preditorial birds were upstaged by Canada Geese that took over their nest.No hostility was observed and the Osprey were seen flying with two mature Bald Eagles as well.
The birds make a sharp snapping sound as they fly by the top of cottonwood trees and take branches for nesting. They are one again at work building a nest on the new diversion pole a provided the nest they were building on the power poles has been removed and it seems wisely they are allowing the birds to make a new nest at their convience and plan.
Today in History:April 29,2004
Oldsmobile ends 107 years of production building its final car.
Osprey in the Nicola Valley are spending a lot of time feeding chicks , the new wings are also often seen being stretched above the nest horizon and being tried for soon coming flight.(fledglings)
Today in History, July 27 1054
Macbeth defeated at Dunsinane.
Kevin Griffiths
percypaschal
The Proprietor Review 