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6TuesdayMay142013SpringishereWiththemeltingsnowandwarmerweatherbearsarestartingtocomeoutofhibernation.TheDepartmentofEnvironmentandNaturalResourcesadvisesthepublictotreatbearswithrespectandtakeprecautionswhentravellingorcampinginbearcountry.Formoreinformationonbearsafetywww.enr.gov.nt.caSAFETYINBEARCOUNTRYByMEAGANWOHLBERGForjustthesecondtimesincestartingtheannualowlsurveyWoodBuffaloNa-tionalParksownnight-owlshadtheirearsprickupatthesoundofararebarredowl.Thebirdisnottypicallyfoundwithintheparkssur-veyareawhichstretchesjustsouthofFortSmithintoAl-bertabutaccordingtothesurveyleadforWoodBuffaloSharonIrwinthisspecieshasbeenexpandingitsrangenorthandwestintheborealforestinthe20thcentury.Thelasttimeonewasheardwasinearly2011.Barredowlsarefairlylarge16-25incheslongandhaveapalefacewithdarkeyesandyellowbeak.TheyareeasilyidentifiablebytheirsoundwhichmimicsthequestionWhocooksforyouTherepetitionofthisfour-syllablecallhasthebirdnicknamedtheeighthooter.TherstrecordedbarredowlinAlbertawaslocatedin1932andtherstnestfoundin1966.WoodBuffalohasbeenpar-ticipatingintheAlbertaNoc-turnalOwlSurveyrunbytheBeaverhillBirdObservatorysince2010.Eachyearahand-fulofParksCanadaemployeesandfeather-friendlycommu-nityvolunteerssplitupovereightto11routesdependingontheyearstoppingevery1.6kmtolistenforowlsinthevicinity.CallsforowlsareplayedfromaCDoutintothenightanddataonhowmanyowlstheirapproximatelocationsandelementslikewindnoisetemperatureandsnowcoverarealldocumented.Thetimingoftheowlcall-whetheritcomesbeforeoraftertherecordedsoundisplayed-isalsonoted.ThesurveyisdoneovertwoperiodsfromMar.20toApr.10withthesecondfollowinguntilMay5.Atotalof63owlswereheardthisyearcomparedto49in2012.Thehighestcounttodatewasin2011when75owlswereheard.Asusualthisyearssurveywasdominatedbythemelodiccallsofborealowlswiththemajorityheardduringthesec-ondperiod.Forty-fourborealowlswereheardthisyear-oneupfrom2012.Whileonlyonegreathornedowlwasheardlastyearsurvey-orscameacross12thissurveythemajorityofwhichwereheardintherstthreeweeks.Surveyorseavesdroppeduponvegreatgreyowlsaswell.Therewasnosoundoflastyearsnorthernsaw-whetowlwhosetinycallsurprisedlis-tenersin2012withitspres-encefaroutofnormalrange.Thepetiteowlisusuallyfoundmuchfurthersouth.Irwinsaidthecoldlatespringthisyearkeptsomesurveysprettyquiet.WeusuallyhearotherbirdsandfrogsduringthesecondsurveybuttherewasntapeepuntilthelastcoupleofsurveysonMay3and5shesaid.Onthelasteveningofthesurveyvolunteersheardamixofnearbysandhillcranesruffedgrouseborealchorusandwoodfrogsaswellasplentyofducksandgeese.OwlsurveyorshearahooofararebarredowlEnvironmentWildlifeOnscreenthebisoncalfstumbledandfellseveraltimesbeforemakingittoitsmotherssideinanareaknownasaprimespotforwolvesandwolverinesbe-tweentheSassandLittleBuffaloRivers.FirstStepsafour-minutelmdepictingthebabybi-sonsstruggletostandandBisoncalfsFirstStepscapturedinWoodBuffaloBabybisonvideolaunchedintimeforMothersDaycleanbyitsmamacouldnothavebeenmorethanfiveminutesoldwhenthecam-erastartedrolling.IfeelthesamewatchingitnowasIdidwhenIsawitTrudeauremarked.IknewIhadsomething.ItdidntmatterwhoIwassharingitwitheverybody.Trudeaudonatedthefoot-agetoParksCanadawhothenturneditintoavideojustintimeforMothersDay.AsofMondaythevideohadover1800hitsonYoutube.ParksdidascreeningofthevideoonFridayafternoonwithTrudeauinattendance.HewaspresentedwithatinytoybisonasagiftwhichhenamedFirstSteps-thesamenamehehassincegiventhecalf.Trudeausaidhewatchedthecowllhermouthwithsnowtocleanthebabyandpushittogetmoving.ShewasntevenconcernedwithmeshewastakingcareofbabyTrudeausaid.IwantedtostaybutIdidntwanttostressthemomout.Hesaidhesawthesamecowcalfpairaweeklaterandwasrelievedtoseeitaliveanddoingjustne.Shesareallygoodmomhesaid.YoucanwatchthevideoinEnglishathttpyou-tubeHf3OUrZmqBMandinFrenchathttpyoutu.beR4AXeJe3dfk.EnvironmentWildlifeByMEAGANWOHLBERGIwastellingityouneedtostanduplittleguythisisabadneighbourhoodexclaimedTonyTrudeauasthefootageofhispreciousencounterwithanewbornbisoncalfdrewoohsandahsfromvisitorsattheWoodBuffaloNationalParkofficeinFortSmithlastFriday.Weusuallyhearotherbirdsandfrogsdur-ingthesecondsurveybuttherewasntapeepuntilthelastcoupleofsurveysonMay3and5.SharonIrwinWoodBuffaloNationalParkIfeelthesamewatchingitnowasIdidwhenIsawit.IknewIhadsomething.TonyTrudeauwalkforthersttimewascapturedbyTrudeauares-identofFortSmithwhiletravelingonHwy5twoweeksago.Itshowstheadorableawkwardandawe-inspiringrstmomentsofaconfusedbabyslifeanditsmothersnurturingandprotectiveen-couragementasshenuzzlesthecalfandhelpsitovertonurse.ThoughhedidnotseethebirthTrudeaunotedthebisonwhowasbeinglickedBarredowlsareexpandingtheirrangefurthernorthandwest.PhotoMDF