Welcome!

The Wheatley River Improvement Group is at Wheatley River.

2 weeks ago

EUROPEAN STARLINGS
(Sturnus vulgaris)

People tend to love them or hate them. We love them in Europe, where they’re native, but don’t feel the same way about their invasive populations in North America. All 200 million of these invasive starlings are believed to be descendants of just 50 breeding pairs released in New York in 1890. They were introduced by a misguided Shakespeare fan who wanted to bring all of the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s works to North America. We’d like to think Shakespeare is rolling in his grave knowing that this campaign is responsible for the introduction of multiple other invasive species to North America, including house sparrows.

We’ll admit that European starlings and their murmurations are beautiful, but it doesn’t make up for the destruction they leave in their wake. Farmers find them a nuisance because they are messy, destroy crops, and steal feed, but it is native wildlife that suffers the most, especially cavity nesters like eastern bluebirds, tree swallows, flickers, and woodpeckers. Starlings are extremely aggressive toward other birds and will steal their nests by bludgeoning them to death inside.

Local farmers have partnered with WRIG by installing American kestrel nesting boxes on their properties. Farmers have observed kestrels preying on starlings, so we are supporting the falcon populations in an attempt to manage the invasives. Unfortunately, installing nest boxes can do more harm than good if they aren’t monitored because starlings will use them and multiply. PLEASE keep an eye out for starling activity around your nest box and let WRIG know if you think starlings are moving in. One key sign that starlings are using kestrel boxes is the removal of wood shavings, as seen above. While starlings and house sparrows are not protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act in Canada, it is illegal to disturb the nests and eggs of all other birds.

For more information on starlings and other invasive species, check out the PEI Invasive Species Council. ... See MoreSee Less

The Wheatley River Improvement Group is at Wheatley River.

2 weeks ago

WRIG is so excited to share that the past EIGHT years of our water quality monitoring data is now available online at atlanticdatastream.ca/
A huge thank you to The Gordon Foundation and the Atlantic Water Network for developing and delivering this platform, as well as the PEI Watershed Alliance for equipment and training. This free, online platform is a huge asset to watershed groups because it facilitates the sharing, visualisation, and analysis of our water quality data. Data sharing is especially important, as it can help guide freshwater management and policy as well as promote community engagement and collaboration. If you are interested in the water quality of the Wheatley River and its associated watersheds, please check out Atlantic DataStream! Water quality monitoring data is also available from other local watershed groups (e.g. Trout River Environmental Committee, South Shore Watershed Association, and Central Queens Wildlife Federation) and the provincial government. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact WRIG by phone (902-963-3198), email (manager@wheatleyriver.ca), or pop into the office (2184 Church Road, Cymbria). #wheatleyriverimprovementgroup ... See MoreSee Less

The Wheatley River Improvement Group is at Wheatley River.

3 weeks ago

Did you know that some woody shrubs, such as red-osier dogwood and willow, will propagate from sections of stem stuck into the ground? 🌱

This bioengineering technique, called live staking, is a very useful erosion control tool because it is inexpensive, efficient, and non-disruptive. Earlier this spring, WRIG was joined by the PEI Watershed Alliance and Holland College Wildlife Conservation students to harvest red-osier dogwood stakes. Dogwood and willow are commonly found in PEI ditches, where their continuous mowing produces clusters of tall, straight stems that are perfect for live staking. The stakes are cut into 2-3’ sections with angled bottoms and flat tops to facilitate planting (and make sure they get planted with the correct side down!). We planted these stakes above Rackham’s Pond, in an area where angling activity has contributed to stream bank erosion. Once the stakes establish, they will have many additional benefits, such as providing fish cover, reducing solar heating, and sequestering carbon! WRIG staff did more live staking today to help control cliff erosion at Rackham’s Pond. Check out our instagram stories to see more more photos!

#wheatleyriverimprovementgroup ... See MoreSee Less

The Wheatley River Improvement Group is at Wheatley River.

3 weeks ago

Let’s make everyday Earth Day! WRIG is challenging you to take action and show our planet some love 🌎 ❤️ Tag a friend in the comments and tell us what you do!

Here are some ideas:
💧 Use a reusable water bottle
🍔 Make a meal using local ingredients
👕 Look for a second hand option before purchasing new
✉️ Switch to paperless billing and put a “no flyers” sign on your mailbox
🚮 Pick up one piece of trash a day
💡Turn off the lights when you leave the room
🍴 Keep a set of reusable utensils in your car/purse/backpack
🌱 Make a plant-based meal
🐝 Use beeswax wraps instead of plastic wrap ... See MoreSee Less

The Wheatley River Improvement Group is at Wheatley River.

4 weeks ago

Friday Fieldwork Finds
🐸🥚 Wood Frog egg masses
🇨🇦🦆 A breeding pair of Canadian Geese
🌳🦫 Evidence of past beaver activity ... See MoreSee Less