Nature Tourism
Camrose is blessed with an abundance of wildlife, due to the variety of habitats available. Visitors walking the paved trail around Mirror Lake can view muskrats, ducks, and many other water-dependent birds. Groves of aspen forests are home to many nesting songbirds, woodpeckers, raptors, and small mammals.
Walking or riding in the beautiful Stoney creek valley, you can encounter beaver, blackbirds, song sparrows, waterfowl, and other birds. The lagoons teem with waterfowl and shorebirds, especially during the spring and fall migrations. Small pockets of prairie grassland on the edge of the city are home to a variety of sparrows and small mammals. A walk through older neighbourhoods will turn up black-capped chickadees, nuthatches, and blue jays. At dusk and dawn, you may encounter mule deer that travel throughout the city. In addition, the city is widely-recognized for its visible display of captive swans on water bodies throughout city.
Wildlife and their habitats provide many benefits, in the form of opportunities for education, recreation, tourism, and an enhanced quality of life. Thus, the city supports the local park system, accessible trails, and local conservation initiatives.
Find out more about FREE guided hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing in our area, on with the Waskahegan Trail.
PURPLE MARTINS IN CAMROSE.
Camrose Becomes Purple Martin Friendly (in press for “Edmonton Nature News”, late 2005)
By Glen Hvenegaard
Glen is a professor of geography and environmental studies at the University of Alberta – Augustana Faculty.
As part of the Camrose Wildlife and Greenspace Stewardship project, Purple Martins have emerged as a flagship species for the city. Beginning in 2002, the project’s main goals are to provide education and management advice related to wildlife and greenspace in the city. To this end, the project has hired a stewardship coordinator, coordinated interpretive events, enhanced habitat, monitored species and habitats, involved the public, and evaluated management options. The project has emphasized Purple Martins because of their interest to people, amazing flying abilities, dependence on nesting cavities, and ready use of nesting structures.
Several partners are working on the project, including the City of Camrose, Camrose and District Fish and Game Association, Augustana Faculty – University of Alberta, Camrose Ski Club, Ducks Unlimited, and the Wildrose Outdoor Club. We thank Dan Olofson for serving as a catalyst for Purple Martin and the many other volunteers who are involved.
First, the project is taking on many educational initiatives. Weekly educational events focus on various wildlife and greenspace topics. A purple martin event in each of the past 2 years has been well-attended by the public. Newspaper articles have highlighted martin behaviors, nesting possibilities, and conservation issues.
Second, the project has enhanced purple martin nesting by erecting state-of-the art nesting structures in the most suitable city habitats. These new nest houses are much more effective than previous versions. An earlier bird monitoring project assessed current use and highlighted potential nesting sites. With funding from the Fish and Game Association and Canadian Tire, and with support from the City, we erected 7 structures in 2003 and hope to add another 3-4 by the end of 2005.
Third, beginning in 2002, the project has begun an annual purple martin monitoring program. All martin houses have been monitored for nesting species, location, and habitat characteristics. From 2002-2004, about 70 purple martin houses were noted each year, of which 10-14 were occupied by martins. About 30 were occupied by house sparrows, and a few houses are shared between species. The new nesting structures have been most successful in attracting martins (5 out of 7 occupied). The cold weather in June, 2004 caused significant nestling and adult mortality.
Fourth, the project encourages local involvement in encouraging martins. Each of the new nesting structures has a “martin-keeper” who is responsible for maintaining and monitoring a nearby box, which involves removing House Sparrow nests. These people also record the spring arrival time, nesting success, and fall departure times. The “martin-keepers” have developed into an energetic and active conservation group. In addition, the stewardship coordinator provides information to other residents with martin nesting structures to provide advice on how to improve the chances of attracting martins.
Purple Martins have captured the attention of residents and visitors of Camrose. They ignite interest in both dedicated and casual wildlife watchers. Hopefully, such interest will translate into conservation efforts for all wildlife and their required habitats.
www.camrose.ca/leisure/parks.htm
