2011 Youth Hunting and Conservation Course
Long Point Waterfowl hosted their annual Youth Hunting and Conservation Course that ran July 23rd to July 28th.
This course gathered 21 youths from the ages of 12-16 for six days of in-class instruction and out-demonstrations. After which students gained their Ontario Hunter Education certification, Firearms
Safety certification and their Ontario Wild Turkey Hunting course. Students also received a year long membership to Delta Waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited and to the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.
Activities during this week included a trip to the Waterford Sportsman’s Club to practice their aim with a 22 caliber rifle and a semi-automatic shot-gun, enjoying a free flying raptor demonstration and a retriever dog demonstration, and learning about field and marsh decoy placement from Ray and Jude St. John.
Friends of Long Point Waterfowl Committee Announcement
Long Point Waterfowl is pleased to announce the development of an inaugural Friends Of Long Point Waterfowl Committee. The committee will assist Long Point Waterfowl with many initiatives and activities such as our annual Duck Day on September 25th and Fundraiser Dinner this upcoming April. The committee includes current and retired members of local conservation groups and individuals interested in our hunting and outdoor heritage.
2011 Waterbird and Wetland Field Ecology Course
Long Point Waterfowl hosted their annual Waterbird and Wetland Field Ecology Course that ran from June 4th to June 11th. This course gathered 16 undergraduate students from universities in the surrounding area for this one-week course taught in and around the globally important coastal wetland complex associated with Long Point in southwestern Ontario.
Students learned about ecological processes and the importance of natural and man-made wetlands to humans and the animals that inhabit them by listening to lectures and through participating in several field trips to local wetlands and wetland rehabilitation, creation, and restoration projects. We also introduced concepts regarding how man-made wetlands are created and managed for
wildlife and specifically discuss basic waterbird and waterfowl management activities. Basic monitoring and research/sampling
techniques were taught and demonstrated for marsh-inhabiting wildlife and plants. Students also actively participated in group-based data collection and summarization by conducting point counts for marsh-birds, trapping amphibians, and sampling aquatic invertebrates and plants. The goal of this course was to allow students to gain a greater understanding of wetland and waterbird ecology and management and of the conservation, research, and monitoring activities of various government and non-government organizations in southern Ontario.
Activities during this week included a trip to Lake St. Clair to explore the marshes in the area, goose banding where we managed to band over 250 adult Canada Geese, a tour of Bird Studies Old Cut bird banding station, and a visit to the local Raptor Conservancy where students were engaged in a free-flying raptor display.
Conferences Attended in 2011
Long Point Waterfowl staff and students attended a conference at Point Mouillee State Game Area with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on May 17, 2011. Presentations focused on marsh management and other current conservation issues such as the development of industrial wind turbines and invasive Mute Swans.
Dr. Michael Schummer, Long Point Waterfowl’s Scientist, attended and presented at the Midwest Bird Conservation and Monitoring Conference in Illinois Beach and Conference Center, Zion, IL on August 3, 2011.
Dr. Michael Schummer and our new graduate student, Phillip Wilson, attended the 2011 Sea Duck Conference in Alaska September 12th-16th. Phillip presented information from his M.Sc. project on movement patters and habitat selection of Long-tailed Ducks overwintering in Lake Ontario. Dr. Schummer presented information on the current state of knowledge about Sea Ducks on the Lower Great Lakes: threats and research.
New Funding
Long Point Waterfowl was able to employ four new employees thanks to funding received this spring.
Funding from the Sand Plains Community Development Fund through the Canadian Government allowed us to employ Greg Dunn, our new Community Outreach and Marketing Manager, and Katelyn Weaver (left), our new Research and Education Centre Manager. This funding also allowed us to develop a walking trail around our 40 acre Research
and Education Centre with interpretive signs describing animals, plants and ecosystems found around the property.
Thanks to the Long Point Waterfowler’s Association for funding two summer research technicians, Emily McNaughton and Jason Palframan (right). These technicians evaluated bird, invertebrate, and plant communities at restored ponds, ‘natural’ ponds, and monotypic cattail/Phragmites to monitor influences of restoration efforts by the Long Point Waterfowlers’ Association within the Crown Marsh.
Recent Publications
Dr. Mike Schummer, Long Point Waterfowl’s Scientist, is featured in this month’s issue of DU Inc.’s magazine. Mike discusses some of the research that he conducted at Mississippi StateUniversity with Dr. Rick Kaminski prior to starting work with Long Point Waterfowl.
Nick Bartok (Long Point Waterfowl MSc. Student) has successfully defended his thesis entitled Relative abundance and habitat associations of Least Bitterns (Ixobrychus exilis) at Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario. Nick conducted call-broadcast point counts during 2008 and 2009 and estimated that there were 195 pairs of Least Bitterns at Long Point. Habitat assessments identified percent cover of Cattail and Bulrush, and number of dead Cattail stems as the best predictors of Least Bittern presence. Nick concluded that the estimated number of breeding pairs of Least Bitterns in Canada is potentially biased low and that point counts should be continued to increase our understanding of Least Bittern ecology. Click here to read a copy of Nick’s thesis.
Long Point Waterfowl’s scientist Dr. Michael Schummer recently published an article in Lakeline magazine.