BIRD STUDIES 1931-1936By this time I had decided that my studies would be entitled "Birds of the Deer Lodge Area." - the woods and open spaces to the west of our home. The setting could not have been better and all within walking distance!THE SILVER HEIGHTS FARM 1930The Silver Heights Farm, formerly the Lord Strathcona Estate (1857), lay immediately west of Deer Lodge and for the purposes of our study was included in the area known as the Deer Lodge area.The farm was bordered on the south by the Assiniboine River, on the north by Saskatchewan Avenue – distance of 2 ½ miles. It's width was approximately ¾ of a mile (from the lane of Conway Street to the lane of Davidson Street) and the overall area, some…acres.Within its boundaries was to be found a wide variety of habitat, suited to water, woodland and upland birds.Along the river, gravel and mud bars were exposed at low water, attracting transient shorebirds, gulls, herons and the occasional bittern, while the river itself played host to migrating waterfowl. The high, steep, clay banks afforded nesting sites for a colony of Bank Swallows, a few Rough-winged Swallows and at times, a pair of Belted Kingfishers.Trees grew to the edge of the river bank. These were bur oak, with an undergrowth of hazelnut, willow, chokecherry, Saskatoon and hawthorn.Portage Avenue cut across fifty yards from the river, the oak woods continued on the north side for some distance, gradually giving way to stands of aspen poplar.These woods occupied a large portion of the south end of the farm and contained many fine old trees. Birds associated with oaks included both Eastern and Western Kingbirds, Eastern and Western Wood Pewees and a surprising number of Cedar Waxwings. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, too, built their quaint little lichen-covered nests on the gnarled and lichen-covered branches of the oaks, where they were amazingly camouflaged. Other residents on occasion were Cooper's Hawk and a Broad-winged Hawk.Half way up the farm, poplar woods predominated. Here in the lower area, they were inundated each spring with several inches of water. These wet areas were the home of great choruses of frogs which trilled in magnificent volume, especially at night.Several pairs of Ruffed Grouse nested in the poplar woods and for a number of years, a bird with chestnut-red ruff and tail lived in the area.The northern half of the farm had formerly been sown to various crops, but with disuse, had reverted to short grass. It was only lightly grazed and during the last years that we knew it (from 1933 on) only a few horses were kept for riding purposes.On the west side of this open grassland, two groves of oak encroached and adjoining one of these was a small, willow-bordered marsh. One or two pairs of crows regularly nested in the oaks, with once a pair of Horned Owls and a pair of Broad-winged Hawks.The little marsh harboured a small colony of Red-winged Blackbirds, usually one or two pair of Sora Rails, a Short-billed Marsh Wren and a Yellow Warbler.Ninety species of wild flowers were recorded in this area, among them being the large and small lady slippers, coral root orchid, wood lily, bottled gentian, nodding trillium, wood violet, hoary puccoon, columbine, blazing star, monarda, prairie crocus, wild roses and wild sunflower.DEER LODGE, JUNE 1950 FROM FIELD NOTES"The entire southern half of Silver Heights Farm has been taken over for a housing development. Practically all the extensive stands of oak and poplar have been destroyed. None of the old bird haunts remain.Gone are the oaks and poplars; gone are the woodland trails that wound through dappled sunshine to secluded glades, where clumps of snowberry mingled with willow and hawthorn. The bushy little marsh is no more. The patches of open prairie, once the home of the Upland Plover, Chestnut-collared Longspur and Western Meadowlark, have vanished under pavement.The roar of jetliners, the hustle and bustle of traffic now reign where once the plaintive song of the White-throated Sparrow and the haunting call of the Whippoor-will came upon the stillness of peaceful days".The complete summary of this study is recorded in a large photo album. Now in the University of Manitoba Archives (2004). Included are 12 pages of photos of the area in winter and summer, 24 pages of nests, some colour prints, pen and ink and pencil drawings, together with text covering special studies and overall data on spring and fall records on migrations.On the open grassland, which, with the exception of a portion at the extreme north end, was dry and sun-baked, Killdeers, Western Meadowlarks, Horned Larks and Savannah Sparrows were yearly nesters and on occasion, a pair or more of Chestnut-collared Longspurs, Sprague's Pipit and Bobolink, the latter generally found at the north end.Thirteen-striped Ground Squirrels became common in the dry years and their burrows dotted the area; in one of these a pair of Burrowing Owls nested. By 1933 the Richardson Ground Squirrel or flickertail moved in and the thirteen-striped declined in numbers. On the heels of the flickertails, a badger came upon the scene and lived well on the squirrels for one summer, finally disappearing in the late fall.Traversing the length of the farm along its east side, was a deep ditch paralleling the railroad embankment. This was a spur line that connected with the C.P.R. branch line along Saskatchewan Avenue. Long abandoned and the rails torn up, only a few of the old log ties still remained on the embankment.On each side of this ditch, which held water most of the year and was well-filled following snow-melt in the spring, willows grew profusely, almost along its entire length.It was a natural "highway" for hordes of migrating sparrows, warblers and blackbirds in both spring and fall.Total species of birds recorded was 233. This included year-round residents, summer residents, spring and fall migrants and winter visitors. Total breeding species was 83. SOME ADDITIONAL DATA FROM 1937-1938Accompanying is map of the area and description of the various habitats and some of the species found there.Number of species recorded 233Number of species nesting 83Number of wildflowers recorded 90 species