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Woods And Wildlife (Continued from page 6) nearby city, also the fact that most of these tiny creatures were on their way south to an uncertain future. Recently Dr. A.W. Diamond of the Canadian Wildlife Service reported on the vulnerability of birds which breed in Canada and migrate to Latin American forests for the winter. According to estimates of the rate of defqrestra- tion based upon statistics compiled by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Nations, "more than half of the species of birds which breed in Canadian forests and migrate to the tropics in winter are likely to lose more than 25% of their 1 winter habitat by the year 2,000; and, of these, 11 species are expected to lose 50% or more of their winter habitat." Some of the birds I'd been watching would be among those affected. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is expected to lose more than 50% of its winter habitat, the Yellow-throated Warbler more than 40%. Recent research has determined that birds are just as loyal to wintering wintering sites as they are to summer nesting locations. What happens to a migrant that returns to the tropics and finds the habitat surrounding its former territory has been changed? changed? What is the chance that the bird will find a new territory? No one yet knows the answers. The attempt to find answers is a race against the uncontrolled exploitation of tropical ecosytems. Tales of forest destruction in' the tropics are familiar. Ironically we know less about the destruction of forests in our own backyard. What effect are logging practices in our own northern forests having on nesting habitat in Ontario? According According to the Atlas of Breeding Birds of Ontario, since World War 2 about 50% of the productive boreal forest, which stretches north to the Hudson Bay Lowland Forest on a line from Ottawa to Kertora, has been cut. Although artificial regeneration rates are slowly improving, improving, much of the cut over land is left to natural regeneration, The result is early succession forest dominated by birches and poplars with a high proportion of balsam fir. There has been a significant reduction in mature coniferous forests. While this more open habitat has benefited species like the Chestnutsided Chestnutsided and Mourning Warblers and White-throated Sparrows, other species which require dense tangle and mature trees have seen their habitat significantly reduced by forest harvesting activities. Some of the species affected are Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Winter Wren, Cape May Warberl, Boreal Chickadee, Swainspn's Thrush, ôolden-crowned Kingly, Blackburnian Blackburnian and Black-throated Green Warblers. Inventories of forested land have traditionally dealt with only two things: accessibility add the value of standing timber. Other environmental environmental functions of the forest, such as its provision of wildlife habitat for species other than traditional traditional game species, have largely been ignored. Right now in Thunder Bay there are Environmental Environmental Assessment Board hearings in progress in which the Ministry of Natural Resources is having to defend its recipe for the management of forests on Crown Land. Significantly the title of the document they are defending is the Class Environmental Assessment for Timber Management on Crown Lands in Ontario, not forest management. The Federation of Ontario Naturalists is present at the hearings as part of a coalition of environmental environmental groups called Forests for Tomorrow which hopes to challenge the view of forests as nothing but so much standing timber. If the environmental groups are successful, the birds around the pond may face less devastating changes at one end of their migration. migration. For more information about the hearings on Thunder Bay send a stamped self-addressed envelope to me at the Federation of Ontario Naturalists, .355 Lesmill Drive, Don Mills, M3B 2W8. Kendal News (Continued from page 2) 18,000 kilometres or 11,250 miles. They travelled to Sudbury, Sault Ste Marie and around the north shore of Lake Superior. She had a beautiful picture of Ka Kabeka Fails, to Thunder Bay and on to Kenora Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton. Edmonton. She showed pictures of Edmonto Mali. Then there were beautiful canyons, the Klondike River. She showed us the Bank of Commerce where Robert Service worked and his cabin. As they travelled on to Alaska there were pictures of paddle wheel steamers, river boats that have been restored etc. They travelled south to the Okanagan Valley, to Banff, Regina and home. The president thanked Mrs. Frank for showing her pictures pictures and expressed the hope that all the church members would have an opportunity to see them. Then we planned for our bazaar. Admission and lunch would be $2.00. Our next meeting will be October October the ninth when we will set up the tables. The Regional Meeting of the Oshawa Presbyterial will be Thursday, October 27th in Newcastle Newcastle United Church at 9:30 a.m. Luncheon Luncheon $4.00. It was moved by Mrs. E. Foster seconded by Miss C. Stewart that we give $25.00 to World Development. Development. Carried. Remember our Jack Frost woollens.'The meeting closed with no, . 589, 'This is My Father's World.' Lunch was provided by Miss. C. Stewart and Mrs: Ann Dilks. Is nothing being done to rid the land of some of these tremendous flocks of black birds and crows? Jack Miner said, away back in 1930, that their numbers had grown so large that they ate the eggs of'our song birds and were crowding them out of their nesting places. He referred referred especially to the English starling- starling- He said people say, "The wise old crow.' and "The silly old DIANE HAMRE is seeking re-ele.ction as Regional Councillor forward 3 and the Town of Newcastle. After careful consideration I am running for re- election as Regional Councillor because among my major major concerns are the following: - over the next 3 years the Town of Newcastle will require experience and knowledge at both the Town and-Regional Councils - the Region is. facing'it's toughest issue ever with the landfill and waste reduction issue - the Town and Region need to review the Official Plans for all areas of the municipality to ensure a well thought out, balanced approacrie to growth and development * ■ the Town needs to ensure town-wide services with all areas being served equitable for such things.as libraries, parks and récréation, fife protection, protection, garbage pick-up and recycling and police protection - the individual characteristics of each of our hamlets, villages, towns and our rural agricultural areas must-be maintained at the same time working working together towards, à progressive image for the • Town of Newcastle • ■ - with a progressive, positive image we will be able to promote and attract tHe industrial growth we need to have a more balanced assessment base for the total community - the next 3 years with a high turnover at the Regional and Town Councils are going to require experienced and know how to address very challenging issues I offer a proven Irack, rebord of experience and knowledge and of getting things done. My ability to listen to the people and to work with the team of elected and staff at all levels of government in a positive and constructive way are on public record. For the past 8 years I have been an accessible and accountable elected representative able to make decisions on all the issues Council has had to deal with. I look forward to serving the people of the Town of Newcastle and the Region of Durham on a full time basis in the same committed, forthright way as I have for the past 8 years. The challenges are many. ' *, Diane S. Hamre Orono Weekly Times, Wednesday, October 12, 1988-7 goope." This is entirely wrong. He said that it took him six years to attract attract the Canada goose to his sanctuary sanctuary and a long time to invent a trap so he could catch them, just before they went north, and put bands on their legs to charter their migration; but it was an easy matter to trap the crows. He trapped perhaps twenty-five in a night. Then drowned them by dropping the net into a tank of water but he was stopped by some local people who said, "Crows ate white grubs and must not be-killed." He planted a beautiful grove of evergreen trees. I walked through it with several hundred other Ontario teachers. Jack Miner led us singing 'Ontario, beautiful Ontario Ontario, the prettiest spot on earth.' Eventually the starlings came and roosted in those trees in such numbers that their droppings killed the trees. Fie even, held a banquet when he served black-bird pie cooked by an Italian restaurant's chef. This was to a group of hunters. Like the Nursery rhyme says: Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye Four and twenty black birds Baked in a pie. However he was stopped from trapping them. As I write this 1 am sure there are one thousand or more long tailed black birds (purpel grackles) they make a noise like a rusty hinge, they never sing; they have lit in Ralph Greenwood's corn field across the road frort} my window. I never saw so many before. It was a marvellous field of corn.. It is grain corn but I doubt if there will be any grain left to'harvest. The crows were there earlier this morning. Driving to Bowmanivlle last Monday as I. travelled north of the fruit house 1 'saw a large flock of crows light on the orchard. I'll bet a lot of harvest apples were ruined in that orchard. ON THE ROAD AGAIN Music by your host SPARKY , All Types for All Occasions 983-9600 . After 4 p.m. 983-9221 EXCAVATING CONTRACTORS FRASER-MACK LIMITED ALL TYPES OF EXCAVATING Back-Filling and Grading - Trenching Contact MIKE SAWYER Business Phone 416-683-4212 Home Phone 983-9837 NEWCASTLE RENTAL 987-1039 Every Saturday is Discount Day 10% OFF All Rentals » Till the Snow Flies I » t -4 e • #. # 123 King St. W., Newcastle