This workshop will describe the variety of birds, from permanent residents to occasional visitors, which may be found in urban and suburban yards. We will also discuss ways to increase the attractiveness of your garden to birds.
Bonsai trees have been a passion for Stu since his wife told him over twenty years ago to “put the pruners away and leave the fruit trees alone”. After that, he began growing those “funny little Japanese trees”. He is a past president of the Winnipeg Bonsai Society. He will attempt to remove some of the mystery surrounding this ancient horticultural art form. Some small bonsai will be displayed and a few simple styling techniques demonstrated. Some bonsai growing principles can be applied to maintain health and vigour in all potted and garden plants.
David Wade, City of Winnipeg Insect Control Branch
As a nature lover, you have probably seen lots of spiders in the field while observing your favourite flora and fauna. Have you ever wondered what kind of spiders they were? This workshop will teach you how to field identify the common families of spiders in Manitoba using morphology, behaviour, habitat and habitat preference as key characteristics. I will also highlight some species that are easy to identify in the field.
Bob Elias, Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Manitoba
PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE – Room 247 (main floor), Wallace Building (black and green metal building on the north side of the University of Manitoba campus at 125 Dysart Road, U of M). Parking is free after 4:30 in both parking lots next to the Wallace Building except for areas signed as “24-hour reserved.”
Christian Artuso, Bird Studies Canada Manitoba Program Manager & Chair of IBA Committee
Grassland birds are the most threatened group of birds in North America, with many species suffering substantial declines. Southern Manitoba lies at the northeastern periphery of the greater prairie region. It still holds breeding grounds for a suite of grassland species, though many of them have lost large portions of their former Manitoba range. Our grasslands are in need of urgent action if they are to remain a functioning ecosystem and retain their biodiversity.
Do you want to know if you are ready to attend a level 3-5 Nature Manitoba outing? This presentation is geared to those members that have a desire to begin backcountry trips and are unsure if they have the skills, knowledge and equipment to move beyond the campground. A two-hour information session will be followed by an actual hands-on backcountry outing on May 29-31 (either Spruce Woods or Riding Mountain National Park) where participants can apply and practise introductory skills.
Jay Anderson, Retired Environment Canada Meteorologist
So you want to be a tornado chaser? You want to run with the thrill-seekers, outwit Mother Nature, feel the rush and capture the moment for a viral web page. You want bragging rights with the kids and to rekindle the admiration in your spouse’s eyes. Well, we have just what you need: tornado lessons! This presentation will show you what you are up against – the nature of the beast itself, the thunderstorm types that spawn the funnels, the meteorological conditions that grow the storms and, to make sure you really want to do this, a discussion of the hazards and outright dangers.
Bill Watkins, Biodiversity Conservation Zoologist, Manitoba Wildlife Branch AND... Sarah Watkins, Education Programming Consultant
Have you ever wondered how paleontologists seem to know everything about a long-extinct species from a few skull and jaw fragments? Or how investigators can identify a predator from bite marks on a dead animal? Perhaps you have found a skull with attached jaw and wondered what kind of animal it was from, what it ate, or how it lived. This workshop will teach you how to “read” skulls by observing the differences between carnivores, herbivores and omnivores, and between predators and prey.
Morels are the mushrooms that appear in the spring while most other fungi can be found in late August and September. Participants will begin learning to identify mushrooms in time for the morel season. A field trip will be offered in the late summer.
This workshop will cover the basics of identification of Manitoba’s flycatcher species. Emphasis will be placed on the pitfalls of this difficult group. Become more confident in your ability to identify this group of birds; or not.
Simone Hébert Allard, Author of “Manitoba Butterflies: A Field Guide”
Nothing lifts my spirits more, after a long winter, than my first butterfly of the year – often a Mourning Cloak that shows up when snow is still on the ground. How come certain species appear so early? It all has to do with their life cycles, how they overwinter, what they eat and whether or not they are a migratory species.
Kelley will show you how her garden went from dirt and gravel to an oasis for people, plants, and wildlife. With 20 years of gardening experience, she’ll share tips and photos on how her garden grew. After attending a Naturescape program, she made a decision to change the direction of her garden. She added more native plantings to draw in even more birds and butterflies. The Spring Migration of 2013 was a roaring success, bringing in many varieties of warblers, sparrows, woodpeckers and hawks, as well as a few of her favourites like waxwings and orioles.
(*This date has changed from April 1st to March 25th)
Manitoba harbours a fine array of shorebirds and they will soon start to return from warmer climes. Some are difficult to identify, but with the help of this workshop the task may be a bit easier. We will look at some slides and reference materials and we will also discuss some of the best places in Manitoba to see them.
Many people enjoy seeing wildflowers and would like to know more about them but are often intimidated by the identification process. This workshop will cover some of the basics of plant identification. Discussion will include plant naming (not as difficult as one might think once you know a bit about the system!), features of plants to watch for and the use of simple keys.
Spring is a great time to start birding, and Manitoba is a great place for birds. This workshop will cover the equipment you will need, the principles of bird identification, where to look for birds and the variety of birds to be found in Manitoba.
