Club Evenings

1 April to 31 October – Friday from 2pm until dark, the club gate off the March Valley Rd will be unlocked and the club logo displayed on the gate. (During July & August when the National Rifle competitions are held, check with Bill Bower at 824-9104 or Austin Taverner at 824-4654). General meetings are also held two or three times during the winter months.

Winter Check of Nesting Boxes

After freezup, all nesting boxes are checked for success, cleaned, any repairs done and new shavings put in. This activity usually takes place on the weekends.
Call either Bill or Austin to participate

Austin’s Summer Checks of Duck Boxes

For the past seven years, Austin has coordinated a weekly check (as access to the sanctuary permits) of about 60 of the duck boxes around the ponds in proximity to our garages during the nesting season. Detailed records of what is found on each inspection are kept. At the same time, the opportunity is taken to band the nesting hens, and when we’re lucky the ducklings before they leave the box. Members are encouraged to contact Austin and participate is this very interesting and upclose contact with nature.

Business As Usual

• Around 180 duck nesting boxes are maintained at the Shirley’s Bay sanctuary. Approximately half of these boxes are placed around man-made ponds, and the other half are on the natural waterways throughout the sanctuary. All boxes are serviced in the winter months.
• Off-sanctuary, nesting boxes are maintained on Watt’s Creek, Cedarhill Golf Course, Log Farm, and Petrie Island.
• Storm water runoff from the city of Kanata and water from Shirley’s Creek is controlled through 10 man-made ponds. Maintenance and grass cutting around the ponds is done throughout the summer.
• Approximately 50 duck boxes are monitored weekly during the nesting season. A program to band the nesting female Wood Ducks and ducklings was started in 1999.
• Approximately 30 floating nesting platforms are maintained specifically for Black Duck. These are recovered at the end of nesting, serviced and put back out on the ice in late winter.
• Purple Martin houses are maintained although our colonies were lost several years ago. Approximately 50 bluebird boxes are emplaced which attract Tree Swallows but seldom Bluebirds. Up to 10 Kestrel/Screech Owl boxes are maintained.
• While daylight saving time is in effect, regular Club work nights are held at the sanctuary every Tuesday evening commencing at 4:00PM. DND is very cooperative about this arrangement but our activity is always subject to their schedule demands.
• Access to the sanctuary is by a gate on the March Valley Road near where Shirley’s Creek crosses the road. The gate is kept locked except when Club activities are cleared with Range Control at which time the Club logo is displayed on the gate.
• General Meetings are held most every other month. Vistors are always welcomed.