megram - Index

megram - 55JulGTA - Index

wet years, the male’s skills may be seriously tested.
Significant mortality can occur among the young if he
comes up short.
Many of the Ospreys breeding in the southern part of
the province use nesting platforms. A telephone pole is
erected at a suitable site,usually close to a lake or river and
a flat box with shallow sides is securely fastened on top.
The birds do the rest.Adults will fashion a massive nest of
sticks, cattails, rope, plastic or whatever suits their fancy. It
will be added to each year. Natural sites include stumps
close to the water and large dead trees.
Being adaptable, Ospreys will also use telephone
poles,chimneys,duck blinds and other man-made surfaces,
usually near the water.In the Thousand Islands,well-known
sites include several atop channel buoys and at least one
on a lighthouse.The Rideau Lakes district has a number of
nests on hydro towers, with one area featuring three within
sight of each other.This is not surprising since the birds
usually return to the same general area each year. As the
population slowly increases (offspring breed after three
years) the young birds will need a place of their own and
the residents don’t seem to mind the company.
In addition to the unique way it holds its wings, the
Osprey also has a distinctive call — a long series of sharp,
whistled notes, often heard before the bird is seen. With
summer in full swing, the sounds of Ospreys can be heard
again across Eastern Ontario’s great waterways. It is a success
story we can all be thankful for.
PHOTO: BRIAN MORIN
July/August 2008 • 81 • Fifty-Five Plus Magazine
Creating An
Environmentally
Friendly Yard
Easier Than You Think
Now that the snow is
gone,it’s the perfect time
to create an eco-friendly
yard and garden. Not only is it
smart, it’s also easy. To get you
started, consider the following
tips.
Air it out. Aerate your lawn
by poking holes over the surface
with a garden fork. This allows
water to penetrate deeper into
the lawn soil and reduces the
need to water during the drier
months. Consider a cultivator
instead of a gas-guzzling
machine to perform this task.
Lawn food.Adding compost
to your soil aids in water retention,
promotes biological activity
and avoids sending waste to
landfills.Apply compost or composted
manure in the spring and
mid-summer, when planting or transplanting.
Stay alive.Treat your plants and lawn to organic plant
food and fertilizer that provides the essential nutrients for
a great looking and healthy lawn. Eco Traction is the first
all natural, eco-friendly product that can be used all year
round. It aerates soil, releases nutrients to plants slowly
and retains water in the soil,while absorbing and trapping
residue from melting ice.
Let it rain. Conserve water this season by adding an
all-natural soil conditioner, such as SoilSpong, to garden
beds. This blend of six natural ingredients releases moisture
just as plants need it, adding up to seven days
between watering.Next,use soaker hoses instead of sprin-