Cavity Nesting Waterfowl Habitat Program

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1 Cavity Nesting Waterfowl Habitat Program James R. Potter Alberta Conservation Association First Red Deer place #404, Street Red Deer, Alberta, Canada T4N 6V4 March 30, 2009 i

2 Disclaimer: This document is an independent report prepared by the Alberta Conservation Association. The authors are solely responsible for the interpretations of data and statements made within this report. Number of pages 14 Digital copies of this and other conservation reports can be obtained from: conservation.com ii

3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author acknowledges the following individuals, agencies, and corporations for their contributions and assistance in delivering the project. Funding for this year s project was supplied by two agencies, Ducks Unlimited Canada and Alberta Conservation Association. Windsor Plywood is acknowledged for donating materials (plywood) for the construction of one hundred nest boxes. The Red Deer River Naturalists donated $ towards nest box hardware. Thanks to Steve Potter of Delburne for donating his time and saw to cut the components for 100 boxes and providing stucco wire for nest box sites. I thank Velma Hudson for reviewing this report and providing editorial suggestions. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...iii TABLE OF CONTENTS...iii LIST OF APPENDICES... iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... v 1. STUDY RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Study Rationale Objectives of this Report STUDY AREA EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT Habitat Stewardship Pilot Project... 1 iii

4 3.2 Multi-media presentation MEDIA EVENTS FIELD WORK Nest box construction and installation Nest box monitoring EXPENSES FUTURE PLANS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION APPENDICES... 7 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1. Ducks Unlimited Magazine Conservator, Volume Appendix 2. Alberta NAWMP Partnership Progress Review... 7 Appendix 3. New nest boxes installed in Appendix 4. Fifteen nest boxes replaced or relocated in Appendix Cavity Nesting Waterfowl Habitat Program expenditures Appendix 6. Cavity nest box instruction handout Appendix 7. List of available reports iv

5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The original Buffalo Lake Duck Box Project (1989) was initiated to increase the population of cavity nesting ducks in the Buffalo Lake Moraine (BLM) and to obtain additional data on cavity nesting species. Data collected over the first 15 years of the project was used to enhance the long term goal of conserving habitat. The project has expanded in to the Pine Lake/Big Valley Moraine and the name has been changed to the Cavity Nesting Waterfowl Habitat Program. A brochure was produced (Conserving Habitat) in 2004 and 3000 copies were printed. The brochure focuses on habitat conservation for cavity nesting species with emphasis on preserving old growth forest habitat. Brochures are distributed to various groups and individuals as well as electronically through e mails. In the 2008/09 year, 92 boxes were monitored and 7 new cavity nest boxes were installed. This brings the total number of cavity nest boxes in the project to We delivered five presentations to various groups, two of which included constructing pre cut nest boxes at the seminars. Twenty cavity nest boxes were donated to various groups and individuals. Three field trips were undertaken; one in April toured nesting Saw whet Owls in the Pine Lake Moraine, one in May with the Buffalo Lake Naturalists and one at Chapman Lake observing cavity nesting boxes and mallard nesting tunnels. Two hundred and thirteen people attended presentations in 2008/09 bringing the approximate number attending nest box seminars since 1989 to 1407 adults and 1158 youth. A booklet (Nest Box Guide for Waterfowl Alberta Edition) was produced in January, 2009 and is available to landowners, various youth groups and conservation organizations on an ongoing basis. v

6 Plans for 2009/10 include presentations on waterfowl habitat, cavity nest box building workshops and field trips, as well as maintenance and monitoring of existing cavity nest boxes on a five year rotation. Northern Saw whet Owl (immature) vi

7 1. STUDY RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES 1.1 Study Rationale The absence of secure nesting habitat is a limiting factor, which negatively influences productivity of common goldeneye and bufflehead ducks in the Central Parkland eco region. The region has sufficient deep water ponds for brood rearing but lacks mature aspen needed for nest cavities. Nest boxes are used as a public education tool to create awareness of the importance of preserving old growth woodlands and to promote land stewardship with cooperators and their neighbors. 1.2 Objectives of this Report This progress report is an update on the educational component, media events and fieldwork of the Cavity Nesting Waterfowl Habitat Program (CNWHP). 2. STUDY AREA The majority of the work with duck boxes has been located in the Pine Lake & Buffalo Lake Moraines. The educational component of the program encompasses all of Alberta while inquiries for nest box plans and fact sheets have come from the Yukon, Quebec, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Minnesota. 3. EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT 3.1 Habitat Stewardship Pilot Project As a follow up to the pilot project, an article was written in the Ducks Unlimited Magazine Conservator Volume 29 4, 2008, Nest boxes give ducks a helping hand. (Appendix 1) 3.2 Multi media presentation The power point presentation has been upgraded to include data collected from the Pair/Brood Surveys ( ) and pertinent information from research 1

8 conducted in 2004/05. A new video clip, depicting in box camera and outside video recording of nesting progression in a bufflehead box, synchronized onto the same screen, has been added. This clip highlights incubation duties, hatching bufflehead and the young exiting the nest box. This presentation was shown to 181 people in 2008/09. Nest Box Guide for Waterfowl (Alberta Edition) The Alberta Guide was completed in January, 2009 and shared between DUC and ACA. This booklet contains information and pictures of waterfowl species that use nest boxes, eggs (including mixed clutches & dump nests), other occupants such as squirrels, owls, and other possible users like perching birds, bees, etc. Information on cavity nest box site selection, box construction, installation, and maintenance is provided as well as short articles on predation and conserving habitat. Ducks Unlimited had three hundred copies printed (@ approx. $12.00 each). Public education events Field Trips May 2008, Kerry Wood Nature Centre, 6 adults observing northern saw whet owls in nesting boxes, also goldeneye and bufflehead nests. They watched the CNWHP presentation as well May 2008, 7 Buffalo Lake Naturalists toured Potter s Seep, observed nesting goldeneye, lady slippers, flowering shrubs, various birds and amphibians September 2008, Chapman Lake field trip. Approximately 25 people attended a field trip around the lakeshore, discussing nest boxes and tunnels. The tour was a follow up to the EnCana Ducks partnership media event held at the Conservation Easement site on Chapman Lake. 2

9 Presentations and workshops 1. Ponoka Fish & Game youth camp July 21, youth and 5 adults attended the presentation and built several nest boxes. 2. Red Deer Fish & Game Club The CNWHP was presented to 22 adults at the regular monthly meeting (17 Feb) of the sportsmen s club. 3. Junior Forest Wardens 18 March adults & 44 youth attended the seminar. March 20 The JFW group constructed 10 duck nesting boxes and 15 Mountain Bluebird houses. The various components were supplied by ACA. 4. Red Deer River Naturalists 26 March, Nest box presentation to 44 adults and 1 youth at the regular meeting of the Naturalists. 5. Pine Lake Conservation BBQ & Info Session Display booth (June 19, 2008) 4. MEDIA EVENTS ACA & the CNWHP were featured in several magazines in 2008/09. Alberta NAWMP Partnership 2007/2008 Progress Review. Honor Roll: Jim Potter (pg 9) (Appendix 2) Magazine Article DUC Conservator, On the Fly EnCana/Ducks Partnership Magazine Article DUC Conservator, Flyway, Habitat Stewardship pilot Program, Nest boxes give central Alberta ducks helping hand. 3

10 Red Deer Advocate, September 10, 2008 Wetlands Preserved Mountain View Gazette, September 16, 2008 Conservation Agreement preserves wetlands near Pine Lake. Red Deer County News, October 3, 2008 Nesting box Design and Maintenance (pg 14, 15) 5. FIELD WORK 5.1 Nest box construction and installation Windsor Plywood donated material for 100 nest boxes in 2008/09, including cutting ¾ inch plywood into strips lengthwise. Components for 100 boxes were cut and available for box construction. Seven new boxes were placed, 7 of these with new cooperators. Twenty nest boxes were donated, 2 to individuals, 2 to a Boy Scout group, 10 to the Junior Forest Wardens and 6 went to the Ponoka Fish & Game youth camp. The locations, landowner information and box type are listed in Appendix Nest box monitoring Ninety two nest boxes were monitored for use, GPS locations were taken, and nest results recorded. A paper file on each box location with landowner information is located in the Red Deer ACA office for future reference. This file is updated as conditions change and also contains a map for each box showing the access points and approximate location marked on a section sketch. Locations are also recorded on a topographical 1:50,000 map sheet. 8 boxes were down (dead trees) and one of these was missing. 4

11 Five boxes were replaced, 3 of which were old boxes in need of repair and two of which were missing. Boxes replaced and/or relocated in 2008/09 are listed in Appendix 4. Ducks, kestrels and owls utilized 80% (74) of the boxes Two of the boxes were used by small birds (1 swallow, 1 wren). Bees used only 2% compared to 4% last year, 5% had starling activity and squirrels used 20 (22%, similar to last year) boxes. 6. EXPENSES Program costs for 2008/09 are summarized in Appendix 5. Donations came to approximately $933.47, DUC provided $10, in partnership funding and ACA provided $ for a total cost of $15, FUTURE PLANS We will continue to provide presentations to groups requesting information on cavity nesting species and the CNWHP. This may include seminars consisting of building and/or placing nest boxes in the field and field trips to existing cavity nest boxes and wetland habitats. Landowners of nest boxes scheduled for monitoring in 2009/10 will be shown the a presentation on cavity nesting waterfowl and habitat retention, and provided with an air photo of their property showing nest box locations and highlighting preferred habitat for the target species. The Nest Box Guide for Waterfowl, Alberta Edition, is available for interested participating landowners and in limited quantities to various interest groups. New copies, printed on recycled paper (non glossy) are scheduled to be printed for 2009/10. We will develop an instruction handout (Appendix 6) for cavity nest box construction showing the components and measurements. This handout will be provided to interested participants and made available to the general public at tradeshow displays and on line ( conservation.com). 5

12 8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION A list of available reports on the nest box program is contained in Appendix 7. These reports can be obtained through the Alberta Conservation Association office, Red Deer. Chapman Lake field trip 6

13 9. APPENDICES Appendix 1. Ducks Unlimited Magazine Conservator, Volume Appendix 2. Alberta NAWMP Partnership Progress Review 7

14 Appendix 3. New nest boxes installed in 2008/09. Box # Land location Landowner Type SMITH, JIM LG ANDERSON, DOUG NG 8

15 1277 BOY SCOUTS, Mike LG 1278 BOY SCOUTS, Mike LG 1279 NW MUNROE, M NG 1280 NW MUNROE, M NG 1281 RUSSELL, R NG 1 NG = new goldeneye, B = bufflehead, M = merganser, LG = large goldeneye, LM = large merganser. Appendix 4. Fifteen nest boxes replaced or relocated in Box # Beaver Disrepair Down Tree Gr Dead tree Missing Replaced 608 X X X X 1141 X 515 MOVED X X 510 X 435 MOVED X 1140 MOVED X 623 X X X 502 MOVED X X 501 MOVED X X 675 MOVED X 630 MOVED X X 692 X X 1008 X X X X 663 X X X 432 MOVED X X 9

16 Total Appendix Cavity Nesting Waterfowl Habitat Program expenditures. Partner and In Kind $ Partner funding Ducks Unlimited Canada Other Red Deer Naturalists In kind donations Steve Potter Stucco wire, saw & cutting labor Windsor Plywood Plywood, materials Expenditures Vehicle fuel Vehicle chargeback and maintenance Phone Equipment Miscellaneous Wages (480 hrs) Total Expenditures $15, Potter / Allen Duck Box Appendix 6. Cavity nest box instruction handout. 10

Nest Box Measurements in Inches Large Box Medium Box Width Length Width Length Back 10.25 31.75 7.75 24 Door 10.25 13.5 7.75 11 Floor 10.25 10.25 7.75 7.75 Stop 10.25 4 7.75 3 Bottom Strip 10.25 2 7.

17 Nest Box Measurements in Inches Large Box Medium Box Width Length Width Length Back Door Floor Stop Bottom Strip Sides Front Top Strip Roof Entrance dimensions: Goldeneye 3.5 X 4.5 Bufflehead 2.5 X 3 Common Merganser 4 X 5 Hooded Merganser 3 X 4 Kestrel 3 inch Saw-whet Owl 3 inch A 4x8 sheet of ¾ inch plywood will make 2.66 large duck boxes or 4.54 medium. Have the sheets cut lengthwise with a table saw (or at the lumber yard) then use a radial arm saw to cut into the various components. Measurements may be adjusted to optimize use of plywood. Construct with 1 ½ inch deck screws. Door hinges on two 1½ in. nails, secured with a two headed 2½ inch nail predrilled (one size larger than the nail) at 45 degrees through a side into the door. Situate shallow saw cuts one inch apart on the inside of the door and below the entrance hole to assist the ducklings when exiting the box. 11

18 Appendix 7. List of available reports. Report Title Year Multiple nesting in (same box, same year) 1990 Nest box placement/monitoring 1993 Mixed clutches, dump nesting, clutch size 1994 Seven year summary of boxes BLM 1995 Nest box designs, twinning 2003 Starling population dynamics 2004 Goldeneye population expansion in Big Valley 2004 Winter nest checks versus summer 2005 American Kestrel Nest Box Results 2005 Northern Saw whet Owl Nest Box Results

Cavity Nesting Waterfowl Habitat Program

Cavity Nesting Waterfowl Habitat Program James R. Potter Alberta Conservation Association First Red Deer place #404, 4911 51 Street Red Deer, Alberta, Canada T4N 6V4 March 30, 2008 i Disclaimer: This document