Spring cleaning with Bois birders

Royalwood

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/04/2023 (1139 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

You’ve all heard of fairweather friends – well, the birds of Bois-des-Esprits and the Seine River Greenway have fair-feather friends.

Patrick Lang, Mark Lussier and Michael Connelly have been caring for area birds for several years.

Fenella Temmerman, a land care leader with Save Our Seine, spotted Lang and Lussier recently on the Greenway trail.

“More than a month ago, I was walking with a friend on the trail. We heard the sound of metal in the bush in the night, which is very unusual. Then later in March, I came across two gentlemen with sleds and equipment. Ever curious, I asked what they were doing.”

Temmerman was told , “this is a time of cleaning and clearing away debris from winter occupants of the bird boxes in preparation for spring migration.”

Lang and Lussier aim to erect 25 bird boxes in Bois-des-Esprits and have already put up 20. Temmerman learned that 18 of the 20 boxes were occupied last year by hooded merganser, common goldeneye, and wood duck, all species of ducks that call the Bois home. Lang, Lussier and Connelly do this work independently of SOS or any other organization.

“Numerous bird species are at risk as a result of encroachment and decreased natural habitat. The boxes are an example of individual citizens taking initiative to balance out the human impact on the Bois ecosystem,” said Ryan Palmquist, managing director of SOS.

Denis DePape, SOS vice-president, said, “Mark Lussier has been going to Bois for decades. He likely knows its natural features, including birds and wildlife, better than anyone.”

SOS said previous studies have shown that the Bois, an oasis of biodiversity, is home to 149 bird species in four types of habitat: wetland, river bottom forest, upland forest and tall grass prairie.

Vicki McLennan, a volunteer with the public education committee of SOS, commented on the significance of Lang, Lussier and Connelly’s work: “Thank you for the continual stewardship you have provided. So many folks have walked the area and are not aware of the work volunteers do that helps so much in keeping the woods viable for the wildlife and safer for those who walk the trails and paddle the river.”

Save Our Seine engages in activities and initiatives to preserve, protect, restore and repair the Seine River environment. To learn more, visit saveourseine.com