birding field guide – Forests of Memory. Forests of Learning. Forests for Life.

As a birdwatcher in the West Swale, you are more than an observer—you are a sentinel for over 60 species at risk. Every step you take can either support or disrupt the delicate “green ribbon” of our wetlands.

1. The Golden Rule: Stay on the Path

The West Swale is a mosaic of breeding grounds.

Grassland Birds (Sprague’s Pipit, Baird’s Sparrow): These are ground-nesters. Walking through tall grass during the breeding season (May–August) can inadvertently crush nests or cause parents to abandon their young.
The Mudflat Zone: Species like the Lesser Yellowlegs and Piping Plover forage on the muddy margins. Your footprints can destroy the micro-habitats of the invertebrates they eat.

2. Respect the “wetlands”

Keep a respectful distance from the shoreline edges.

Action: Use binoculars or a spotting scope to observe colonies from at least 30 meters away.

3. Protect the “Floating Nurseries”

The Horned Grebe and Western Grebe build floating nests anchored to cattails and rushes.

Vulnerability: These nests are highly sensitive to “wake” and disturbance.
Action: If you have a dog, keep it on a leash and away from the water’s edge. Even a friendly dog swimming can swamp a Grebe’s nest or cause a Western Tiger Salamander to retreat, disrupting its breeding cycle.

4. Be a Bio-Coder: Document Your Sightings

Stewardship thrives on data. When you spot a species at risk:

Use eBird and / or iNaturalist: Recording your sightings helps the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas track the success of restoration strategies.
Note the Habitat: Are the birds in the Smooth Brome or the native Fescue? This information is vital for our “Battle of the Brome” management strategy.

5. Practice “Stealth Birding”

No Playbacks: Avoid using recorded bird calls to draw birds out. For species at risk already under pressure from urban noise and habitat loss, this extra stress can be detrimental.
Color Choice: Wear muted, earthy tones to blend into the willow and dogwood thickets, reducing the “threat profile” perceived by nesting raptors like the American Kestrel.

Species	Where to Look	Stewardship Tip
Common Nighthawk	Open skies at dusk; gravel patches.	Watch your step on open ground; they nest in the open.
Loggerhead Shrike	Thorny shrubs (Buffalo Berry).	Look for “larders” (insects impaled on thorns). Don’t trim shrubs!
Short-eared Owl	Low over grasslands at dawn/dusk.	Maintain silence; they hunt by sound.
Bobolink	Tall grass upland areas.	Listen for the “R2-D2” bubbling song; avoid walking in deep grass.

The Sustainability Connection

By following this guide, you are directly contributing to UN SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water). You are helping to maintain the carrying capacity of an ecosystem that provides over $32,000 in annual services to the City of Saskatoon.

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” — Let’s return it to them full of song.