FRIDAY
S I N C E
JANUARY 11, 2013
1 8 9 5 Coach handed three-game penalty
Vol. 118, Issue 7
110
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Page 13
INCLUDING H.S.T.
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
Annual bird count yields a few surprises
GOOD FOR WHAT ‘ALES’ YOU
Overall number continues downward trend BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
SHERI REGNIER PHOTO
Ryan Arnaud pulled out grains and added fresh hops to his latest batch of brew this week. Arnaud is part owner of the Trail Brewing Company, a handcrafted microbrewery on Second Avenue in East Trail.
FRUITVALE
Ministry studying contentious crosswalk
BY TIMOTHY SCHAFER Times Staff
The eye is on Fruitvale and the crosswalk near the Villagers Pub and Hotel, a problematic place for pedestrians. As the scene for numerous nearmisses in the past— the site of a hit-and-run Halloween night with near tragic consequences—
SAVE ON SERVICE
gather data regarding pedestrian use and vehicle traffic. “(Cameras) are completed and we are waiting for data to be retrieved from the manufacturer,” he said in a letter to council. The ministry was also performing other action items to determine a solution for the area, including an “illumination warrant
analysis” to determine if enhanced lighting was appropriate. Village of Fruitvale chief administrative officer Lila Cresswell felt the lighting was inappropriate. “It’s very hard to see people with the snow and the dusk lighting, to see people standing on either side of the road,” she said. See DISTRICT, Page 3
6995
PEACE-OF-MIND $ MAINTENANCE SERVICE
SCORE SOME PUCKS
the crosswalk at the crossing of Highway 3B at Nelson Avenue is now firmly under review by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Darrell Gunn, the district operations manager with the ministry for the West Kootenay District, informed the village that they have installed a special camera to help
Some rare sightings highlighted this year’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC). December marked the 113th edition of the annual event, which began on Dec. 15 and concluded Jan. 5. This year more than 50 volunteers gathered to observe the region’s feathered friends. In the Beaver Valley area south of Trail and east of the Columbia River, 35 species were observed and 858 birds were noted. In 2011, only 31 species and 814 birds were observed in that area. This year saw 13 participants in the BV area, up from 11 last year, and more eyes may have assisted to spot more birds. “We did have about 75 Barrows Goldeneyes on the Fruitvale settling ponds, which is unusual.” said Don McNeill, bird count volunteer. “Although the bird itself isn’t rare.” McNeill’s birders had an unexpected treat, when three bald eagles were spotted. Shirley Coffin, organizer for the Trail and Genelle count, said that even though the weather was good on the day of count, there were not that many birds around. The overall number for Greater Trail birds was down from the 2011 count, with only 31 species and 669 birds noted. Although a city bylaw prevents people from feeding the birds, 75 rock pigeons were counted, up
from only 40 noted last year. Coffin, with a team of seven volunteers, trudged through patchy snow and observed 221 mallards and 110 common ravens. Only 110 mallards and 51 ravens were noted in 2011. Although Coffin was pleased to note four bald eagles in the Trail area, the number may not reflect an increase of these birds to our area since the 2011 count. Arnold By, long-time volunteer and organizer for the CBC theorized that the three bald eagles in Trail and Beaver Valley are probably the same birds; therefore the total is only four. A rare bird that was noted in the Genelle area, is the Virginia Rail. “It is very rare to spot this marsh bird in the winter because they migrate,” said Coffin. “They are common in the summer months, but very unusual in December.” With assistance from 37 counters, Rossland compiler Linda Szymkowiak noted 34 species and 930 total. Four of the birds were purple finches, a species that is not usually found in winter counts. Szymkowiak reported only 41 pine siskins and 45 evening grosbeaks; both numbers are less than half of what was recorded last year. The numbers of birds counted and species observed in Greater Trail are currently being analyzed by By. The overall number of Greater Trail birds is around three quarters of what it used to be six years ago, said By. See LOSS, Page 3
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