Successful Applicant:
Kensington North Watersheds Association
Award:
$2,137
Project Title:
Expansion of Ring-necked Pheasants in Kensington North
Project Gallery:
Project Summary:
The permit application and arrangements for the trapping and importation of Ring-necked pheasants were made in January. On receipt of the permit traps were set in the Falmouth area of Nova Scotia located at the eastern end of the Annapolis Valley. The lack of snow in the area and availability of other food sources meant that the pheasants were not as inclined to enter the baited traps.
Staff from Kensington North made two trips to the Valley to retrieve the birds that were trapped. A total of eighteen birds were brought to Prince Edward Island and released in the Indian River area. Twelve pheasants, five males and seven females, were transported, banded and released in the Indian River Wildlife Management Area. An additional six birds, three males and three females, were banded prior to transport to the Island and released on a Stewardship property northeast of the Wildlife Management Area.
Banding the birds as they were switched from the holding pen to the transport boxes means less handling and hopefully reduced stress on them overall as compared to banding during release.
Several feeding stations have been established at both locations to help the pheasants survive until they become more used to their new environment. Numerous sightings of the birds been reported by volunteers at both locations.