TABLE OF CONTENTS Archaeological Research of Cruickston's Heritage (ARCH): The Past Begins to Move Forward Cruickston Bird Banding Group (CBBG) Mark your calendars…. 2nd Annual Cruickston Soiree Cruickston Creatures: Monitoring Bald Eagles Along the Grand River Historical Hi Lites The Cruickston Circle Recognition Reception Carriage Tracks ... Nature Notes Important Concerns Identified in Bald Eagle Research Reports What's Happening at CCR

Archaeological Research of Cruickston's Heritage (ARCH): The Past Begins to Move Forward ...

Last summer a group of volunteers started to plan a strategy to tackle the immense archaeological site that is Cruickston. The group, including avocational archaeologists, Chris Dalton and Peter Brennan, and John McDonald, Archaeologist/Heritage Planner at Heritage Operations, Heritage and Libraries Branch, Ministry of Culture, will map the archaeological sites of Cruickston using existing studies and information from individuals like myself that have accumulated a large number of artifacts from the property over the years. In the spring, ARCH will undertake surveys of the property in locations that have not been previously surveyed. This will be done by licensed archaeologists working under the guidelines of the Ontario Heritage Act.

At a November ARCH meeting, Dr. Gary Warrick, Assistant Professor, Contemporary Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Brantford Campus, provided advice and suggestions from his professional and research perspective. Joining ARCH for its early December meeting, Ann Chafe, Curator, Heritage Collection, City of Waterloo, offered advice and answered questions concerning facilities required to store and display artifacts and provide educational and research opportunities on-site.

The Cruickston archaeological story is unique. Artifacts from throughout the span of time between 9000 years Before Present (BP) to 400 BP have been found on the property. The timeline could be pushed back as far as 11 000 BP if paleo-artifacts can be found. Watch for updates in upcoming Newsletters.

Cruickston Bird Banding Group (CBBG)

For the period of August to mid-November 2003, the CBBG banded 307 birds. This number is nearly identical to that recorded during the fall of 2002, despite the fact that banding was initiated 8 weeks earlier. The most noteworthy observation, in terms of a year to year comparison, was the sharp decline (nearly 70%) in the number of American goldfinches banded.

Though the longer period of fall banding in 2003 is not reflected in the number of birds banded, it is reflected in the diversity of species, with 41 species captured compared to 23 the previous year. Species new to the station during this time period included ovenbird, orange-crowned warbler and Swainson's thrush.

Banding has now been halted for the year, but will resume in the spring of 2004.

Friends of Cruickston Members,

To celebrate your support and commemorate CCRR's 2nd Anniversary we would like you to join us on Friday, February 13th from 6:30pm - 9:00pm. Bring the whole family to enjoy an evening of fun 'outdoor winter activities', warm refreshments, plus meet or reconnect with CCRR Staff, Board Directors and other Friends of Cruickston! This event will be held at the Resource House & Slit Barn (768 Blair Road). Your special invitation with all the details will be mailed in January 2004!

Cruickston Creatures: Monitoring Bald Eagles Along the Grand River

In Winter 2004, more than 30 volunteers - Friends of Cruickston, Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists, Ontario Field Ornithologists and Region of Waterloo residents - will team up with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) and eight 4th-year University of Guelph students to observe and study wintering bald eagles along the Grand River. Why the interest? For one, bald eagles in flight on a cold, crisp morning in mid-February is a joy to experience. Most important, bald eagles are a landscape-level species. Their survival in numbers informs us that we are doing something right with regards to water quality and river's-edge habitat within the Grand River Valley watershed. A combination of several landscape features make possible the annual return of bald eagles to reaches of the Grand River between Doon and Glen Morris and in particular the reaches of the Grand River through CCRR:

1. Shallow open water
2. Abundance of food (fish, waterfowl, small mammals, carrion)
3. Suitable perches located within 30m of the river (preferably stout trees and branches)
4. Avoidance areas and refuge sites that provide isolation from human disturbance (nocturnal roost areas more so than diurnal foraging areas)
5. Tree perches bordered by open areas, or trees that provide an unobstructed view in at least one direction and allow easy access
6. Tree perches taller than 7m (7-15 m preferred by immatures; over 15 m preferred by adults)
7. Islands to perch on and to con sume prey on, without being disturbed by mammalian predators or scavengers
8. Roosting areas that offer protection from the weather (nocturnal roost areas may be some distance from feeding and perching areas).

The monitoring of eagles this winter is concerned with the following:

1. Arrival date - develop criteria to distinguish between bald eagles stopping over/flying through on fall migration and those individuals that arrive and stay for the winter.
2. Monitoring Ice Cover - how do overwintering eagles respond to ice cover on reaches of the river that when open, provides foraging habitat?
3. Monitoring Eagles - gather further information about foraging, feeding, roosting and courtship behaviour.

Reintroduced into southern Ontario in the early 1980s, bald eagles are making a significant comeback in this part of the province. Nevertheless, this species whether living year-round as some breeding pairs do along the Lake Erie shoreline or overwintering as several subadults (6 in 2003) and adults (2 in 2003) do in the Grand River, they exist today on "leftover" habitat - habitat available because human activity in these locations remains low and unobtrusive with respect to eagle activity.

In reaches of the river throughout CCRR and upstream to Doon, OMNR has designated High Risk Zones, areas along the river where human activity is to be curtailed during the winter months, specifically from 15 November to 31 March. These dates represent the extreme dates of arrival and departure respectively of eagles to these reaches of the river. In 2002-03, for example, over-wintering eagles arrived in the 1st week of December and departed during the 3rd week of March. The intention of designating the High Risk Zones as shown in the accompanying map is to protect bald eagles from disturbance and interference by human activity. OMNR has recommended a 300-metre buffer along reaches of the river. Supporting this recommendation, which is the intention of CCRR, means that Friends of Cruickston, their guests and visitors in winter should respect the High Risk Zones during the winter period. Please review the map below.

For opportunities to observe and learn more about bald eagles this winter, see the What's Happening section for details.

References: Minutes: Bald Eagle Monitoring Meeting, Cruickston Resource House, 22 November 2003. W. Wilson; Protection of Wintering Bald Eagles in the Grand River Valley OMNR 2001, 2002.

Historical Hi Lites

On a warm, breezy, late November afternoon several Friends of Cruickston hosted a visit to the Cruickston Resource House and Slit Barn by former residents, relatives and neighbours of Cruickston Park Farms. Bob and Edith Gravill lived on the estate from 1949 to 1961. Bob was initially hired as herdsman by Matthew Wilks Keefer who had inherited the farm that year following the death of his aunt, Katherine Langdon Wilks. As well as raising their three children on the estate, Edith Gravill was in charge of making the butter for Cruickston Park Farms, a major production effort considering fourteen men worked the farm and almost as many employees tended the gardens and the estate house not to mention the Keefer family and their guests. Irene Schmidt recalled stories of her family's life on the estate: her father was head gardener in the early 1900s and during this period other family members were head cook, manor house servants and gardeners. Irene provided a unique story by playing a tape recording of her now-deceased cousin, Harry Barker, reminiscing about his days at Cruickston. Brian Blackie who grew up on Cruickston Park Farms recalled stories of the early days related to him by his mother and two aunts who were employed by Katherine Langdon Wilks. Judy Buchner's grandparents, the Heises, were next-door neighbours of Miss Wilks, owning the farm land to the east of Cruickston Park. As a child, Judy had a chance opportunity to drive the Cruickston tractor - an opportunity not offered to her male contemporaries.

So many stories... of toboggan hill, Christmas parties, Hurricane Hazel, Kentucky Todd, Sugar Plum.. By gathering these memories and historical artifacts today, CCRR will have stories of everyday life during the Edwardian and the post-war periods of one of the most fascinating and unique properties in southern Ontario. Watch for the next Cruickston Remembered event in 2004. (Notes for this article were compiled by Bill and Heather Wilson, 23 November 2003.)

The Cruickston Circle Recognition Reception

Dedicated to Cruickston Charitable Research Reserve, intact and in perpetuity…

On November 6th CCRR's Board of Directors recognized members of the Cruickston Circle for their continued commitment to the protection of CCRR.

Bill Wilson (CCRR Environmental Steward), took the 'Circle' on a guided walk to illustrate some of the breathtaking landscapes and natural habitat that makes Cruickston so unique. After the walk President, Keith Ainsworth thanked the Circle for their support and presented them with a framed panoramic print of Cruickston's Cliffs taken by photographer & Friends of Cruickston member, Thelma Beaubien.

THE CRUICKSTON CIRCLE
ATS-Automation Tooling Systems
Canadian General-Tower Ltd.
Canadian Nature Federation
Com Dev International
Dare Foods
Electrohome Limited
Equitable Life of Canada
Federation of Ontario Naturalists
Jacques Gerin
Janko Peric, MP Cambridge
Len Gertler
Polymer Technologies Inc.
Reid's Heritage Group
Schneider Foods
Southworks
Suncor Energy Inc. (Sunoco)
The Nature Conservancy of Canada
University of Waterloo
Wildlands League
World Wildlife Fund (Canada)
YMCA of Cambridge

Carriage Tracks ...

• PLANT Architect Inc. undertook Phase 2 of the planning of the interpretive resource facilities for CCRR during autumn2004.
• Cambridge City Green volunteers participated in restoration of Cruickston Creek, Saturday, 4 October, under the supervision of Ecological Advisory Team members Ken Dance and Bill Wilson.
• More than 50 artists participated in the Art of Cruickston tours of the Cliffs and Alvars during the autumn months.
• In mid-October, Dr. Wynn Watson conducted a very informative and instructive guided walk to study some of the mosses of Cruickston. A work shop on moss identification will be offered in 2004.
• This autumn, Bill Wilson made presentations about CCRR to the Garden Club of Cambridge, St. Luke's United Church Fellowship Breakfast Club, St. Paul's United Church Couples group and the Waterloo Region Science Teacher's Association.
• Environmental activist, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, visited CCRR and together with Friends of Cruickston and the University of Guelph Environmental Club, toured the Cliffs and Alvars on Sunday, 2 November.
• Twelve Friends of Cruickston and guests walked Linear Trail that runs along the north shoreline of the Grand River opposite Cruickston, on 16 November to enjoy the View from Here of Cruickston.
• University of Waterloo student, Nicole Weaver, met with Brian Craig, Senior Science Advisor, EMAN, and Bill Wilson, CCRR Environmental Steward, to discuss plans to initiate a second EMAN monitoring activity at CCRR, lichen monitoring. Lichens are a useful bio-indicator that provides information about air quality in a landscape unit; in this case, in the most urbanized area of the Grand River Watershed, the Regional Municipality of Waterloo.
• Many thanks to Foxboro Green Condominium Community in Baden and Graham MacDonald, Friend of Cruickston, for the donation of T-bar posts for use in Cruickston restoration and organic agriculture plantings.
• On 6 November, members of the Cruickston Circle and their guests toured the Cliffs and Alvars portion of the property followed by a Recognition Reception during which Circle members received a framed photograph of the cliffs by Thelma Beaubien in appreciation of their support for CCRR.

Nature Notes ...

• The larval form of the Great Swallowtail butterfly was found at 2 locations in mid-October: one during a Friends of Cruickston outing and the other by Dr. Wynn Watson.
• On November 30, Chris Dalton and Bill Wilson observed a Northern Flicker shredding a Paper Wasp's nest, exposing the honey-comb patterns of larvae cells. Ted Cheskey, Wrigley Corner Outdoor Education Centre, has noted that end-of-season nests may contain bodies of undeveloped wasp lavae. As winter approaches, hives are abandoned, workers die and the wasp queen seeks shelter in hollow trees or under bark. Incidentally, there's no honey in the larval cells; paper wasps feed their larvae chewed-up caterpillars.
• Bird banders spotted a number of raptors on migration from the banding station including Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Merlin, Northern Harrier, Red-shouldered Hawk and Sharp-shinned Hawk.
• Chris Dalton observed Leopard Frog on November 30 in Cruickston Creek.
• In mid-October, the Cruickston Bird Banding Group had its first foreign retrap, i.e. a bird previously banded at another banding station. This bird, a Blue Jay, was banded in May 1995 near Port Huron, Michigan.
• A migrating American Woodcock remained at Cruickston until at least 3 November.
• On 1 November, a Little Brown Snake was observed by Ken Dance near the banding station.
• Sporadic sightings of Bald Eagle were made throughout November, e.g. Klaus Mohn and Betsy and Darrell Ackford reported within minutes of each other an adult Bald Eagle flying upriver through Cruickston. Eagles exhibiting the typical behaviour of overwintering ones were reported December 9 by Jim and Carole Moore, Doon, and on December 11 and 15 by Paul Vautour, Cambridge-Preston.

• On 1 November, Brett Woodman, Fritz Fischer and Levi Moore observed 3 Red-backed Salamanders in the Hogsback.
• On December 14, Friends of Cruickston, Jerry Guenther, Glenn Mockford and Bill Wilson, participated in the 27th annual Cambridge Christmas Bird Count covering CCRR. They observed 31 species.
• Common Redpolls were observed during the Christmas Bird Count - the 203rd bird species recorded on CCRR.

Important Concerns Identified in Bald Eagle Research Reports:

• Any site used regularly by bald eagles during the wintering season is of some significance to bald eagle conservation and management.
• Disturbance of eagles, or their prey, during winter has the potential to reduce the use of foraging areas, limit food intake, increase activity levels and associated energy costs, and force eagles to live in areas where resources are less adequate.
• Management should be conservative and assume that intolerant birds may be present now, or in the future.
• Eagles are more sensitive to disturbance at night roosts than at any other sites. Roosting areas are the most critical. Wildlife managers in Minnesota suggest that winter roosting areas may be even more critical than nesting areas, since birds are more concentrated in wintering areas.
• Eagles feed most heavily between sunrise and 10:00 am

What’s Happening at CCRR

Please note: Meeting Place for Guided Walks will be at the Cruickston Resource House and Slit Barn, 768 Blair Road, unless otherwise indicated (e.g. see 16 November).

Guided Walks:

• Sunday, 18 January 2004, 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Animal signatures: animal tracks, browse and scats. Join John MacDonald, member of Archaeological Research of Cruickston's Heritage (ARCH), and Bill Wilson for a 2-hour outing to enjoy a winter's afternoon at Cruickston. Twenty-one species of mammals inhabit Cruickston. Snow depth and wind chill will determine where the outing will occur. Appropriate clothing and footwear will be necessary to enjoy this mid-January outing.
  This guided walk is free to members of Friends of Cruickston. Non-members = $5.00. Please register by noon Wednesday, 14 January. Maximum number of participants = 12
• Sunday, 7 March 2004, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm: Winter Tree Identification and Hunt for Butternut. Join Larry Lamb to learn how to identify deciduous trees by their bark pattern and twig characteristics. More than 40 species of deciduous trees grow in Cruickston. In November, 2003, Butternut was designated an Endangered species in Canada. Several fine specimens are found on the property. Identification aids will be provided. Bring your lunch and choose footwear suitable for walking off-trail.
  This guided walk is free to members of Friends of Cruickston. Non-members = $5.00. Please register by noon Wednesday, 3 March. Maximum number of participants = 20
• Wednesday, 24 March, Friday, 26 March and Saturday, 27 March 2004, 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm: Early Spring Arrival and Behaviour of American Woodcock. The American Woodcock is the oddest-looking bird in Cruickston. A member of the sandpiper family, woodcock arrive in late March on their courting grounds that often have patches of snow. Join Bill Wilson on one of the early evenings to see and listen to their courtship displays.
  This guided walk is available to Friends of Cruickston members only. Please register by noon of the day before you plan to attend. Maximum number per evening = 6.

Seasonal Workshops:

• Each Saturday morning during February - 7th, 14th,21st and 28th - and Sunday, 8th February, 8:00 am to 11:30 am: Bald Eagles on the Grand River. These 3½ hour workshops offer participants an opportunity to observe and learn about bald eagles at distance that overwinter along reaches of the Grand River in and about Cruickston. About 1½ hours will be spent out-of-doors observing eagles through binoculars and telescopes. The remaining time, indoors, will be spent learning: how to identify and age bald eagles; about their winter feeding habits; and, the history and future of the bald eagle in the Grand River Valley Watershed. Enjoy a mid-morning hot drink and muffin.
  Registration: Cost: Friends of Cruickston members = $10.00; Non-members = $16.00. Each workshop is limited to 8 participants. Please register by noon on the Wednesday preceding the Saturday/Sunday workshop. Meeting location and workshop details will be provided when you register.

Special Events:

• Photography Workshop schedule for 2004 will be announced in the new year. Please check the Cruickston website at www.cruickston.com/events.html or contact Thelma Beaubien at 519-886-7118.
• September 2003 to October 2004: The Art of Cruickston. CCRR proudly announces a unique opportunity for artists! Tours of the reserve will be available to artists for the purpose of sketching and photographing, to create paintings and sketches which will be shown and sold in a juried show. The show will be presented at Homer Watson House and Gallery (Kitchener, ON) from September 12 to October 31, 2004. Winter tours will take place as follows: 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm on Saturday, January 17 and February 21; 10:00 am to 12:30 pm on Saturday, March 20. Artists should register for a tour by phoning the CCRR Office, 650-9336, by Wednesday of the week prior to their visit. For more details, visit The Art of Cruickston at www.cruickston.com. Click on Links & Downloads.

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Newsletter Editor: Bill Wilson