Skeetchestn Natural Resources

06/03/2026

Hello Skeetchestn, and welcome back to another Wildlife Wednesday!

The silhouette of the Long-billed Curlew is unmistakable: whether standing in a shortgrass prairie or in a tidal mudflat, these birds stand out. They are a large, long-legged shorebird with a very long curved bill. Fun Fact! The long-billed curlew is the largest sandpiper in the world!
Habitat
Although they are a shorebird, curlews aren’t tied to the water’s edge. They thrive in grassy terrain, newly ploughed fields, green hayfields, meadows, and pastures. These habitat types are used for breeding, feeding, nesting and rearing their young. During migration and in the winter, they frequent various types of shoreline and wetland habitats.
Breeding and Nesting
Breeding and nesting occur in open dry grasslands or grain fields with short vegetation (less than 30 cm high). Here in BC, curlews breed in the Southern Interior; primary breeding areas are the open grasslands from Williams Lake west through Alexis Creek, in the Okanagan and lower Similkameen valleys, in the East Kootenay Trench, in the Nicola Valley and near Kamloops.
The Long-billed Curlew is a ground nester and arrives in their breeding areas from late March to mid-April. Males put on dramatic undulating flight displays to woo females and mark their territory. Once paired, the two defend a territory of 15 - 24 hectares in size!
Their clutch size is usually four eggs with an incubation period of 27-30 days. Eggs can be vulnerable to trampling by livestock as well as predation from other birds and mammals. Once hatched, chicks have a high mortality rate, succumbing to heat stress, starvation, and predation by hawks, corvids and weasels.
Diet
Curlews are omnivorous birds that eat insects, worms, crustaceans, mollusks, toads, eggs and nestlings of other birds, and berries. Curlews probe deep with their bills into burrows of insects and other small creatures; they also pick small invertebrates from the soil and vegetation.
Curlews got their name from their unmistakable call, "curleeuu, curleeuu, curleeuu” Take a listen! 📢 Curlew Call
Threats
Long-billed curlews have experienced a decline of approximately 50% over the last 20 years (3 generations). They are a long-lived species with low reproductive output; its population is limited to slow growth even under favourable conditions. Less than 1% of long-billed curlew breeding habitat is protected.
Key threats include droughts and extreme events induced by climate change; changes to water management on the wintering grounds; impacts of pesticides on insect prey; and conversion and fragmentation of grasslands and suitable agricultural habitat by energy development, and urban/rural development on breeding and wintering grounds.

05/28/2026

Coming up this weekend!

Do you have to declutter? Are there toys, clothes or other items your kids (or you) have outgrown that need a new home? Or do you just want to spend a sunny day with your community, and make a bit of spare change at the same time?
Then this is your chance, there's still room for more- contact [email protected] to get in on the Community Garage Sale, this Sunday from 10-3 at Big Sky!!

Let's go! :)

05/22/2026

Next weekend!

Let's go! :)

05/20/2026

This week on wildlife Wednesday we will be revisiting one of our more elusive carnivores in the province, the Fisher. I’m not talking about some person casting their rod out over in the Thompson, but one of the largest weasel species in BC. With a big, long bushy tail, long furry body and face like an overgrown ferret mixed with a teddy, the fisher would be a sight many would love to see; despite this, most people never do, even when they’re searching. Along with being nocturnal, fishers are blue-listed in BC; this species has seen big changes in its population with the onslaught of forestry, forest fires, and other causes of habitat loss from development and so on. Here at Skeetchestn, in the wildlife department, we are trying to learn more about the fishers in our territory through camera trap monitoring; We hope this research can help us understand more about this secretive species and how we may help it return to where it once was. To help you learn more about this species, however, we will lay out some facts below!
Appearance:
Fishers have a typical weasel body, being low to the ground with a long body and sharp snout. They, however, are larger than most weasels, joining both badgers and wolverines on the larger side of the weasel family; male fishers, in fact, can we up to 4 to 5 kg’s. Fisher fur is typically black, brownish gray, to golden; while its underside is often brown. Fisher fur is usually long and bushy, with males having bushier hair than females. Fisher ears are more pronounced than other weasel species as they are erect and rounded.
Probably the most characteristic trait of the fisher is its tail. The fisher tail is long and bushy, usually longer than half the length of its body. This feature can be important in differentiating between fisher and American marten whose tail does not reach half the length of its body.
Habitat:
For denning fishers prefer dense coniferous (evergreen) forest where they nest in hollowed out trees. They can also be found near wetlands and forest openings with adequate forage like berries and plants like fireweed; these areas provide good hunting grounds for fisher as they are preferred by rodent species.
One reason we have seen a decline in fisher populations is due to the decline in old growth in the province. Fishers prefer large old growth trees for denning, as they offer a large amount of space, open cavities, and height for fishers to safely raise their young. This along with forest thinning from fire and logging have severely reduced fisher habitat.
Despite all of this, fishers have large home ranges, so no single tree or tree opening is the home of a fisher.
Threats:
As mentioned above, one of the largest threats to fisher populations is habitat loss. As most have seen in BC, our forests have experienced a vast number of changes over many decades, and with these changes have come changes in the populations that rely on them. When considering the threats to fishers and the threats to a lot of life around us in general, there are a lot of parallels. In that sense, when considering one species, like the fisher, we are need to consider everything else around it as well; like the trees, the berries, the rodents, and everything else that relies on them.
Lastly!
If you happen to see a fisher while you’re out and about, let us know so we can record it! Call SNRC at 250 373-2613 to report any sightings.
As always, please share your stories, photos and stories of fishers in the comment section! Thanks for joining us once again, we'll see you next week with another wildlife Wednesday!

05/13/2026

Hello and welcome back to Wildlife Wednesday!
Road mortality is where species die via vehicle collision; it occurs in areas where there is high traffic density and is more likely to occur during times of wildlife migration. Road mortality for some species is their biggest threat; it may be the main cause for possible extirpation (localized extinction) and unstable populations.
To combat road mortality, SNRC has initiated the Deadman Vidette Eco-passage Project! An eco-passage is a structure designed to help wildlife safely cross roads. For species like snakes, frogs, and small mammals, roads can be deadly barriers—every year, countless amphibians and reptiles are killed or injured while moving between feeding, breeding, or hibernation areas. Eco-passages often include underground tunnels or culverts that run beneath the road. To make sure wildlife actually uses them, they are paired with special fencing along the roadside. This fencing gently guides animals toward the tunnel openings, preventing them from wandering onto the road.

What We’ve Been Doing:
Here at SNRC we have been formulating a plan across the department on how to install this fencing on a select area along Deadman Road. We chose this area because of its high concentration of wildlife collisions as well as the convenient presence of 2 culverts we could use as eco-passages; you may have seen us a time or two with our shovels, pick axes, and fencing. We’ve been digging trenches and throwing up posts, but by the end of the project, we will have over 1000 meters of fencing to protect our wildlife!

Why it matters:
Reduces road mortality of vulnerable species.
Maintains natural migration and movement patterns between habitats.
Helps sustain healthier wildlife populations over time.
Improves safety for drivers by reducing wildlife collisions.

What to know
Understanding when wildlife is most active can make a big difference in reducing road mortality.

Seasonal: Snakes migrate in spring (May) to forage for food and return to their dens in the fall. These seasonal movements often bring them across roads as they travel between habitats.

Time of Day: Snakes are ectothermic—they rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature. This means they are often spotted basking on warm roads during the day, soaking up the sun’s heat. Many animals, including amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals, move most actively at night when temperatures are cooler. Snakes in particular are often found stretched across still-warm pavement after sunset.

How you can help
Slow down in known wildlife areas, especially during spring/fall migrations, and keep a lookout on sunny days and warm nights when roads are most attractive to snakes and amphibians. By giving small, slow-moving species like snakes and amphibians a safe way to travel, eco-passages play a vital role in protecting biodiversity while balancing human infrastructure with wildlife needs.

05/08/2026

Come join us, May 31!

Let's go! :)

05/08/2026

Summer is approaching, Skeetchestn, and that means it's time to practice fire safety!
Here is a message from the BC Wildfire Service:
KAMLOOPS – Effective at 12:00 noon Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on May 7, 2026, Category 2 and 3 open fires will be prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. This open fire prohibition will remain in effect until 12:00 noon Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on Oct. 19, 2026, or until the orders are rescinded. Anyone conducting Category 2 or Category 3 open fires within the Kamloops Fire Centre’s jurisdiction must extinguish those fires by May 7 at noon.

For more information, see this site: https://blog.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/category-2-and-3-open-burning-prohibitions-planned-for-the-kamloops-fire-centre/
Stay safe, SKeetchestn!

05/05/2026

Hello, Skeetchestn!

We have received reports of cattle grazing in and around the subdivision, as well as in other areas throughout the community that should be off-limits to livestock. It has been found that some of the gates that separate the community from the range land have been left open, allowing the cattle to wander into areas where they do not belong.

We would like to remind all community members that these gates are to remain closed at all times, and to kindly ensure that the gates are firmly secured behind you if you use them. Thank you for your continued cooperation in keeping our community and livestock safe and secure.

05/05/2026

Be prepared, there will be a test of the Provincial Emergency Alert system happening tomorrow!

A test of the BC Emergency Alert system will occur on Wednesday, May 6 at 1:55 p.m. (PT).

BC Emergency Alerts can be sent during life-threatening events, including wildfire, flood and tsunami.

Learn more: www.EmergencyInfoBC.ca/test