Natural Heritage Update Bob Morris Credit Valley Conservation - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Natural Heritage Update Bob Morris Credit Valley Conservation

Natural Heritage Update • Monitoring Program • EAB Breeding Bird Survey • Coyotes • White Sucker Spawning Run

Monitoring Update • Many disciplines only sample every other year. • No unusual water quality samples or flow events. • Frog call recorders employed this spring. Hoping to reconfirm wood frog from 2011. • Marsh restoration project has a separate coastal wetland monitoring program in partnership with Canadian Wildlife Service. • More pike and turtles observed anecdotally

EAB Breeding Bird Survey • Forestry crew delayed cutting near some late nesting birds surveyed: • Coopers Hawk in a large TreeAzin injected ash. • Eastern Wood Peewee and Wood Thrush (SAR) • Thrush, Carolinian Wren, Red Eyed Vireo and Cardinal nests parasitized by Cowbird indicative of edge vs. interior forest habitat. • Also observed Black Crown Night Heron and call response from Virginia Rail (SAR). • Increasing numbers of Pileated, Hairy, Downy and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers feeding on EAB?

Coyote Public Meeting • Mississauga Animal Control and MNRF expert educated all on biology, behaviour and adaptations to urban environment. • Generally common and not aggressive. • Caution regarding pets and respecting a safe distance, especially when with pups. • No aggressive incidents, but report any incidents you consider dangerous to Animal Control (905 896 5858). • Do not turn and run. Pick up or control your dog. • Unfortunate incident with small dog off leash at Rattray. Caution signs posted.

White Sucker Spawning Run • Education signage posted due to historical issues. • No angling, spearing or netting permitted in Rattray. • One of many native species used by First Nations (net stones found at Rattray). • Most dominant biomass in Credit and ecologically important in transferring energy from benthic invertebrates up food web. • Call 1 877 TIPS MNR if poaching observed.