Water Soldier
Water Soldier is continuing it southward progression down the Trent
River towards the Bay of Quinte. It is, now, located a far south as
Glen Ross. If it reaches the Bay of Quinte it will negatively impact
both boating and the fishery. Find out more about this invasive plant and its possible impacts on the Bay.
Water soldier is a prohibited invasive aquatic plant, native to
Eurasia that was first observed in the Trent River in the fall of
2008. Water soldier is an “evergreen” perennial plant resembling aloe
vera or spider plants, with sharp, serrated leaf edges. It forms dense
mats of floating and submerged vegetation that can aggressively
out-compete other aquatic plants and negatively impact the biodiversity
of aquatic ecosystems. Water soldier also poses a threat to navigation
and recreation. The population of water soldier in the Trent River is
one of only two known wild occurrences in North America.
Tweet for Osprey
The Bay of Quinte
Remedial Action Plan (BQRAP) is looking for volunteer citizen scientists to help
locate and monitor Osprey and Eagle nests around the Bay of Quinte. The goal is
to establish a long-term monitoring program to ensure the Osprey and Eagle
populations remain healthy and abundant. Last year, the environmental
challenges related to fish/wildlife populations and habitat were classified as
restored, meaning all the scientific criteria outlined in the BQRAP were met. Now,
the focus changes to ensuring conditions don’t deteriorate. One way the public can
become involved in the continued protection and restoration of the Bay is by
participating as citizen scientists.
This
year, we have simplified the monitoring process, all people have to do is take
a photo at the nesting site with their Smartphone and email it in. The only
techy part is to make sure the location settings on the Smartphone are turned
on. In the email, add details like: whether the nest is active or not, number
of adult birds, number of fledglings, and the arrival and departure dates, if
you know them. Send the photo and info in an email to - osprey@bqrap.ca. Now,
you are a citizen scientist! Visit the nest site throughout the season and provide
updates on the birds.
The nest location will be
added to the tracking map on the BQRAP web site and the photos will be posted for
everyone to enjoy.
Why monitor Ospreys
and Eagles?
They
are considered indicators of
water quality health as their diets mostly consist of fish. Changes in the number
of nesting pairs and number of chicks produced and fledged can reflect changes
in aquatic ecosystem health.
Once, the widespread
use of DDT brought these great raptors to the brink of extinction. But with a
ban, in the 1970s, on this toxic pesticide and the efforts of federal and
provincial governments, conservation authorities, groups, and individuals the Ospreys
have made a dramatic comeback. Only, in the past 3 years have Eagles returned
to the Bay of Quinte. Each year, a new nest site was established. Hopefully,
this trend continues with another nest in 2019.
“The return of these top predators to the Bay
of Quinte and their successful nesting is a sign of a healthy ecosystem. Collecting
data on how the Ospreys/Eagles are doing, will assist us with ensuring the Bay
doesn’t return to the conditions that required a Remedial Action Plan in the
first place”. - Sarah Midlane-Jones, BQRAP Communications.
Or
contact: Sarah Midlane-Jones, Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan, 613-394-3915
ext. 214, smidlanejones@bqrap.ca
Mary Gunning, Quinte Conservation, 613-968-3434 ext. 106, mgunning@quinteconservation.ca
Visit
the nest sites throughout the season and post comments and photos of the birds
for everyone to enjoy.
Osprey Fact Sheet