Wingspan_Spring-Summer 2015_Web_v2

WBT WILD BIRD TRUST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
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Te l e p h o n e / Fa x : ( 60 4 ) 90 3-4 4 7 1
WINGSPAN
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email: [email protected]
Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler female © John Lowman
- making British Columbia a safer place for birds -
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
SPRING/SUMMER
2015
“Return of The Osprey” Festival 2015
Saturday July 25th and Sunday July 26th
20th Anniversary of the 1995 Grand Opening
Saturday September 19th
WBT Wild
Trustsee
of British
~ Bird
please
page Columbia
six for details
~
1
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
Dedicated to the protection of wild birds and their habitat, on the principle that all wildlife must benefit
Patrons:
Honourable John A. Fraser P.C., O.C., O.B.C., Q.C., LL.D (Hon)
Robert Bateman, O.C., O.B.C., Artist and Naturalist
President:
Vice-President:
Recording Secretary:
Treasurer:
Engineer:
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Geoffrey Bird
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Eric W. Lovis
Adrian P. Joseph
DIRECTORS:
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Kevin M. Bell
Geoffrey Bird
Adrian P. Joseph
Derek Killby
Eric W. Lovis
Dr. Chris Pharo
THE CONSERVATION AREA AT MAPLEWOOD FLATS
2645 Dollarton Highway, North Vancouver, BC V7H 1B1
(2 km. east of Second Narrows Bridge)
WBT Maplewood Office Telephone: 604 903 4471
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 10 am-2 pm.
Saturday and Sunday 10 am-4 pm.
Our trails are suitable for all ages and wheelchair accessible
(wheelchair accessible washrooms available upon request
only during our office opening times)
Leashed dogs are allowed on the east side only
Please no dogs (leashed or unleashed) to special or regular events
“Return of the Osprey” Festival
Saturday July 25th and Sunday July 26th
please see page six for details
Immediate Past President: Geoffrey Bird
Past Presidents:
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Dr. Richard C. Beard
20th Anniversary of 1995 Grand Opening
Saturday, September 19th 2015
please see page six for details
WBT FOUNDERS:
Dr. Richard C. Beard
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
ADVISORY LEVEL:
Habitat Advisor: Dr. Patrick F. Mooney
MCA Bird Checklist: Bonnie L. Hawkes
NEW FOR 2015
David Cook’s “Fun with Flowers, Fruits and Fungi”
please see page nine for details
REGULAR EVENTS 2015
please see page six for details
(meet at The Conservation Area Office - rain or shine)
WINGSPAN Editor:
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Produced at Minerva House Telephone: 604 922 1550
WBT Bird Survey
DEADLINE FOR NEXT EDITION: September 21st 2015
First Saturday of the month 8 am.—12.30 pm.
WBT Fundraiser:
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Special Events/“Return of the Osprey”
Festival Administrator:
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Bird Feeder Maintenance Manager: Derek Killby
Al’s Saturday Nature Walks 2015
please page six for details
Second Saturday of the month
meet at The Conservation Area Office at 10 am for a 2 hr. walk
WBT WILD BIRD TRUST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Executive Office:
Telephone: 604 922 1550
MCA Manager:
Ernie Kennedy Telephone: 778 881 5300
Membership Secretary:
Elsie Webb
Rob Lyske’s Members’ Only Walks 2015
please see pages six and twenty-three for details
Volunteer Day
Third Saturday of the month 10 am.
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbiais incorporated as a non-profit society under the Provincial Societies’ Act, Society # S - 31197
and is a charitable organization under the federal “Income Tax Act” Charity # 14026 5570 RR0001
CONTENTS
Front Cover:
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14
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Back Cover:
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Audubon Yellow-rumped Warbler male
© John Lowman
Essence! The President’s Message
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Corrigan Nature House—Dedication Day
WBT’s 2015 Calendar of Regular and Special Events
View from Osprey Point
Al Grass
Wild Bird Trust receives generous funding from North Shore Community Foundation Patricia M. Banning-Lover
NEW for 2015 Free Sunday Afternoon Walks—”Fun with Flowers, Fruits and Fungi”
Turkey Vulture—nature’s sanitation engineer!
Colin Clasen
Find Your Own Niche
Derek Killby
Annual General Meeting 2014 and 21st Birthday Celebration
2014 Results of WBT’s Purple Martin Nest Box Monitoring Program
June Ryder
Purple Martin Rescue
Derek Killby
Treasure Trove in the Barge Channel
Derek Killby
Volunteer Opportunities with Wild Bird Trust
About Our Covers
John Lowman
The Kingfisher Club: Curious Cormorants (at the water’s edge)
Al Grass
Thank You Earth Day 2015 Volunteers from SES Consulting Inc.
Wild Bird Trust at The Conservation Area—are we making BC a safer place for birds? Bonnie Hawkes
Capilano University Spring Birding Course 2015
Thank You Volunteers from Arc’teryx Equipment Inc.—beach clean up at The Conservation Area
WBT Establishes Membership Office at Corrigan Nature House
Coming Attractions
Rob Lyske
Just About to Fly!
Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler female
© John Lowman
WINGSPAN
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
Essence!
- the President’s Message!
Adrian Joseph
Placing “Return of the Osprey” at Corrigan Nature House, Wednesday, February 18th 2015
From left to right:
John Lowman, WBT Director Derek Killby, WBT President Patricia M. Banning-Lover, MCA Manager Ernie Kennedy
If you want a job like mine you have to be prepared to wear a lot of different
hats—and sometimes even white gloves!
Nature House Project Manager/WBT Director Adrian Joseph’s image above
shows the installation of John Lowman’s Dedication Day Gift to Wild Bird Trust. John’s
outstanding Osprey image—which we think may be life-sized—is situated in the Great
Room above the main door of Corrigan Nature House. It proved to be a challenging
morning involving three ladders and lots of patience—John was in a time crunch since
he was moving house the very next day—we all wore white gloves to protect the image!
“Return of the Osprey” matches John Lowman’s image “Groundbreaker” which
was my 21st Birthday Gift to the Trust at our AGM on November 29th 2014. The subject
of the image “Groundbreaker” is the Great Blue Heron which was on site as we broke
ground for Corrigan Nature House on July 31st 2013. The two pieces make an impressive statement and have already been greatly admired by many.
Principal Corrigan Nature House Donor—Norbury Foundation—chose Sunday,
March 1st 2015 as Dedication Day. I would like to share with you that it was one of the
happiest days of my life!
Nearly ninety people gathered in the Great Room to listen to speeches from
Environment Canada, Port Metro Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, Norbury Foundation and Wild Bird Trust. Dignitaries and WBT Board Members joyfully unveiled the
heavy bronze plaque on the count of three. The plaque, which has now been affixed to
the internal north wall of the Great Room, was provided by Norbury Foundation with text
composed by Norbury Foundation Director David Shymko.
Richard C. Beard
Norbury Foundation Director
David Shymko and Patricia at
Corrigan Nature House
Dedication Day, March 1st 2015
Patricia M. Banning-Lover, President
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
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Corrigan Nature House
Dedication Day
Sunday, MARCH 1st 2015
Image: North Shore News/Kevin Hill
Dedication Day—unveiling the Corrigan Nature House Bronze Plaque
From left to right: WBT Director Derek Killby, Nature House Project Manager/WBT Director Adrian Joseph,
WBT Vice-President Geoffrey Bird, WBT President Patricia M. Banning-Lover,
Environment Canada Pacific Environmental Science Centre Manager Graham C. van Aggelen,
District of North Vancouver Acting Mayor Robin Hicks, Norbury Foundation Director David Shymko
CORRIGAN NATURE HOUSE
Dedicated March 1st 2015 at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
in memory of Doris and Jack Corrigan
by Norbury Foundation
and WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia.
Corrigan Nature House will serve as an interpretive centre
for the surrounding “living classroom” which was restored and enhanced
from a former degraded industrial area by Wild Bird Trust.
Doris Corrigan, as an educator, recognized a responsibility to assist creatures to co-exist
interdependently. Throughout her life, in this adopted home, she took action to bring relief
to animals in distress whether big or small noting that habitat was integral to all flourishing.
The Corrigan Nature House is merely facilitory to her impetus in this endeavour.
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WINGSPAN
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
WBT’s very first member Rick O’Neill (left)
and WBT Volunteer Mike Mont
Left to right: WBT Vice-President Geoffrey Bird
and MCA Manager Ernie Kennedy
Jude Grass and Stephen Partington
Jim Johnston, Fiscus Construction Ltd.
Bob Renshaw, President
The Optimist Club of the North Shore
Images: Richard C. Beard
WBT President Patricia M. Banning-Lover and Elsie Webb
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
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FREE WILD BIRD TRUST NATURE WALKS 2015
Guided by Legendary Lower Mainland Naturalist Al Grass
JANUARY 10th—NOT JUST MUD!! Why are tidal flats critical habitats for wildlife?
FEBRUARY 14th—DUCK TALES Dabblers and Divers at their best
MARCH 14th—WHAT IS FOR DINNER? Maplewood’s Raptors
APRIL 11th—A LONG JOURNEY The miracle of migration—celebrate the arrival of spring birds
MAY 9th—THE MUSIC OF BIRDS Enjoy The Conservation Area’s birds and their music
JUNE 13th—OSPREYS AND MARTINS They are back! - and many other birds too
JULY 11th—SALT MARSH SECRETS REVEALED
The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats boasts the
premier example of salt marsh in Burrard Inlet. A rare supervised opportunity to appreciate this important inter-tidal
ecosystem.
AUGUST 8th—ALL ABOUT HABITAT Understanding habitat
SEPTEMBER 12th—AUTUMN Fall migration and Maplewood’s birds
OCTOBER 10th—FRESH AND FROSTY Birds begin to prepare for the challenges of winter
NOVEMBER 14th—WOODLAND WONDERS
fungi
Maplewood’s forests live with the help of beetles, woodpeckers, and
DECEMBER 12th—HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
A winter’s day at Maplewood is always full of wonderful
surprises
SPECIAL EVENTS FOR 2015
Sunday, MARCH 1st Dedication Day—Corrigan Nature House. Doors Open 1.15 pm. Ceremony 2 pm.
Saturday, MAY 16th meet at 6 am for the “Dawn Chorus” with Al and Jude Grass Early morning at
Maplewood is full of bird songs and calls - an experience that should not be missed. Meet at double gates just before the
main entrance (travelling east) to The Conservation Area at 2645 Dollarton Highway, North Vancouver.
Saturday, JUNE 6th 8—10.30 am “THE BIG SIT” Our version of a Big Day at Maplewood. Please
bring a chair, your own binoculars and recording material—dress for the weather Depending on our numbers we will
break into teams to cover: Osprey Point, Otter Point, area adjacent to the mudflats, West Pond, forested area, area adjacent to WBT Nursery/Corrigan Nature House. WBT recording forms will be provided to teams.
Saturday & Sunday, JULY 25th and 26th “Return of the Osprey” Festival Weekend 10.30 am4.30pm. with Osprey and Purple Martin Watch at Osprey Point, a guided nature walk will be offered at 11 a.m. both
days (Leaders: Al Grass/Saturday and Jude Grass/Sunday) bring your lunch and enjoy coffee and tea all day courtesy of
Wild Bird Trust in the Great Room of Corrigan Nature House.
Saturday, SEPTEMBER 19th Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the 1995 Grand Opening of The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats. Meet at 10 a.m. for a guided Nature Walk with Al Grass and then join us afterwards at 1 pm. to
watch a video of the original event and enjoy cake, coffee and tea in the Great Room of Corrigan Nature House.
Saturday, NOVEMBER 28th Annual General Meeting—details will be published in WINGSPAN Fall 2015
ADDITIONAL 2015 WALKS
● NEW—Sunday Afternoons with David Cook “Fun with Flowers, Fruits and Fungi” 1.30-3.30 pm.
July 12th “Native Fruit Basket”, October 25th “Fascinating Fungi”
● Summer Evening Walks 2015 with Al and Jude Grass
WEDNESDAY, July 8th & WEDNESDAY, July 22nd 7 pm–9 pm.
Two delightful evening opportunities to hear birds singing, observe wildflowers,
perhaps see bats and swifts and possibly a mother deer and her fawns.
● “Members’ Only” Walks 2015 with Rob Lyske
SATURDAY, April 25th and SATURDAY, August 15th 10 am–Noon.
All walks, unless otherwise specified, meet at WBT’s Conservation Area Office, at 10 am
2645 Dollarton Highway, North Vancouver (604 903 4471) — events take place Rain or Shine!
Wheelchair accessible trails, wheelchair accessible washrooms are available by request—but only during our office hours.
Although WE believe you when you tell us that your dog wouldn’t dream of chasing wildlife
it’s very hard to get that message across to nesting and ground resting birds! PLEASE—no dogs, leashed or unleashed!
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WINGSPAN
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
View from Osprey Point with Al Grass
© Al Grass
Salmonberry Flower
A Belted Kingfisher’s rattle, the clear
“flicka, flicka” of a Northern Flicker, and the
“whits” of Yellow-rumped Warblers - these sounds
and more surround visitors to Osprey Point in
spring. Salmonberry, Oregon Grape and Redflowering Currant blooms invite Rufous Hummingbirds to sip nectar when they return from their wintering grounds in Mexico. The air was spicy, when
I sat there, with the fragrance of bursting cottonwood buds – the balm of Gilead?
Ospreys arrived back to reclaim their nest
site. Maybe a pair of Canada Geese was sitting on
their nest? Bald Eagles sat perched on dolphins
with their heads gleaming in the sun while herons
flew by with slow wing beats looking like some
prehistoric creatures. High above swallows
swooped back and forth, nabbing insects in mid-air,
later to be joined by swifts and martins. Here and
there a curious seal popped its head out of the water. It is always good to see fish-eating species like
seals, mergansers and cormorants because they tell
us a lot about the health of the ocean.
Sounds, smells, colours—and one of my
favourite plants—the tiny Vernal Whitlow Grass
was found blooming at the point: it is not a grass,
but a member of the cabbage family! Here at Osprey Point you can relax enjoying all that nature has
to offer. How precious it is to hear an otter splashing, see a grebe diving for its fish dinner, or a butterfly dancing through the air.
Perhaps it is simply to feel the wind or
hear the waves lapping against the shore. Time
spent at Osprey Point is to be treasured!
© Struan Robertson
Legendary Lower Mainland Naturalist Al Grass
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
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Image: Sue Ridout, North Shore Community Foundation
North Shore Community Foundation President David Alsop and WBT President Patricia M. Banning-Lover
at NSCF’s Annual Grants Presentation Ceremony, December 2nd 2014
Wild Bird Trust receives generous funding
from North Shore Community Foundation
by Patricia M. Banning-Lover
In the fall of 2014 I was invited to submit a funding application to North Shore Community Foundation. Not too long
afterwards I was fortunate enough to receive a congratulatory telephone call from NSCF Director Elizabeth McLaren informing me that Wild Bird Trust was amongst the 18 community groups who would share in a disbursement of $75,000.
Funding of $14,000 for WBT was generously provided through Ward Animal Fund—a trust fund managed by
NSCF—created by the late Dennis and Valerie Ward who had a great love for animals. Ward Estate Executor Ken Rees supported WBT’s funding submission to NSCF and was pleased to view the site of Ward Meadow at Corrigan Nature House Dedication Day on March 1st 2015. An invitation to NSCF’s Annual Grants Presentation Ceremony in the Oak Room of Delbrook
Recreation Centre on December 2nd 2014 gave me the opportunity to express our gratitude—here is what I said on our behalf
in my Acceptance Speech.
“Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia was founded in 1993. Our mission was to transform a degraded industrial site
into the North Shore’s first wildlife sanctuary – The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats on Dollarton Highway.
Thank you very much for this wonderfully generous funding which will be used to support several WBT projects.
“WARD MEADOW”: installing a coastal native grass/native wildflower meadow with a bordering thicket of interplanted
Nootka Rose and Snowberry. This is a rare opportunity to actually create new habitat for birds, butterflies, small mammals
and deer.
WBT’s Purple Martin Program: supporting our nest box program for blue-listed migratory Purple Martins which fly all the
way to Maplewood from Brazil to breed and raise young – before flying all the way back to their wintering grounds in early
September!!!
WBT’s Anise Swallowtail Butterfly Program: planting essential foodplant for the Anise Swallowtail Butterfly which was
eliminated from Burrard Inlet as the tidal marsh was reduced to about 5% of its original extent in the last century.
WBT’s Killdeer Nesting Habitat Program: placing new sheltering logs for vulnerable Killdeer chicks.”
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WINGSPAN
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
NEW for 2015—free Sunday Afternoon Walks!
“Fun with Flowers, Fruits and Fungi”
with WBT Contract Naturalist David Cook 1.30-3.30 pm.—rain or shine
Meet at The Conservation Area Office
Sunday April 26th “Native Plants as Natural Healers”
Learn to identify our native plants and their importance in First Nations medicinal use.
Sunday, July 12th “Native Fruit Basket”
Learn about the edibility and preparation of native fruits by First Nations.
Sunday, October 25th “Fascinating Fungi”
The role of fungi in our forests. How to safely identify fungi.
Introducing David Cook …. David is a Biologist and Geologist and has been Coordinator
of both the Botany and Geology Sections of Nature Vancouver (Vancouver Natural History Society) for the last nine years as well as being involved in numerous workshops and advocacy relating
to management of parks and natural areas in the Vancouver and North Shore region over the last
14 years. Specifically his botanical interests lie in the field of plant ecology and protection/conservation of local natural areas; in particular old-growth forests, wetlands and intertidal areas, those most impacted by human exploitation and development. He considers education of
the general public about our natural ecosystems to be of prime importance if we are to gain public
support to conserve and maintain these wild places for future generations. He hopes to achieve
this through his entertaining field trips and talks. His expertise as a Geologist provides additional
insight into the development of the soils and terrain on which ecosystems depend.
Give Wildlife a Chance!
join WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
(a tax receipt will be issued for membership fees and donations)
Single Membership:
$25 per year
$50 for 2 years
Family Membership:
$30 per year
$60 for 2 years
LIFE Membership:
$500
Donation: $
Corrigan Nature House: number in family
Maplewood Operations/General: TOTAL: $
Visa #
Expiry Date:
Name:
Address:
Postal Code:
Telephone:
Email:
Are you interested in volunteering—no experience necessary—we train! Office: Outside Work: Please made your cheque payable to: WBT WILD BIRD TRUST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
124-1489 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, British Columbia V7T 1B8 Telephone: 604 922 1550
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
9
Turkey Vulture—nature’s sanitation engineer!
by Colin Clasen
Furthermore, it holds its
wings in a slight upward angle
(called a dihedral) and often makes
slight side-to-side teetering/rocking
movements. For comparison, the
Bald Eagle usually holds its wings
flat when in flight. Vultures are
expert at finding and soaring on
rising thermals, often showing very
little wing motion.
Compared to the 246 other
bird species that Maplewood visitors get to enjoy every year, the
Turkey Vulture is undeniably the
oddest-looking of the bunch. This is
mostly because of its small head,
with dark-red wrinkled skin that has
no feathers. Adding to its uniqueness is the fact it has no voice box
and cannot sing. The only sounds it
makes are low hisses and grunts
when feeding.
It only eats carrion (meat
of creatures that have died) and,
while doing so, often has to stick its
head into the food source, which
would just contaminate head feathers if there were any. So having no
head feathers, means it's much easier for the bird to clean itself after
eating. As with the California Condor, the Turkey Vulture can fall
victim to eating animals that have
Colin Clasen died due to poisoning, or which
Turkey Vulture at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
contain lead shot from hunters.
April 12th 2014
It's highly developed sense
of smell allows it to detect carrion up
The Turkey Vulture is a large migratory bird that to a kilometer away, even under a thick forest canopy. The
shows up irregularly at or near The Conservation Area at reason the Turkey Vulture is so useful to an ecosystem is that it
Maplewood Flats every year. It is a short-distance migrant that quickly cleans up the remains of creatures that have died of
flies in early spring from the southern U.S. and Central Ameri- disease or parasites, thus helping prevent the spread of those
ca north to southern B.C. to breed. On its northward migration, diseases or parasites to other creatures. It's the very specialized
it usually arrives here in late March/early April. It then nests in digestive system and immune system of the Turkey Vulture,
caves, rock crevices, ledges, hollow trees, thickets, abandoned which makes this possible.
hawk or heron nests, and abandoned buildings. While it often
So we need to be thankful for this avian equivalent of
feeds near humans, it prefers to nest far away from human traf- a sanitation engineer. It could also be thought of as the ultimate
fic or disturbance. It typically raises two chicks. After raising dumpster-diver, which tends to empty the entire contents of the
its young, it usually leaves on its southward migration in Sep- dumpster!
tember and October.
Learn More About the Turkey Vulture:
The Turkey Vulture is about the size of the more com- Additional interesting facts about the Turkey Vulture can be
monly recognized Bald Eagle. However, when seen from be- found
at
these
websites:
www.allaboutbirds.com;
low in flight, it has a very distinctive two-tone appearance, with www.for.gov.bc.ca; www.wikipedia.org; www.bcmag.ca;
the front half of the underwing being solid black and the rear www.wildlifebc.org)
half being solid gray.
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WINGSPAN
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
Find Your Own Niche by Derek Killby
There is an ecological maxim that states “.... it is
easier to divide food than territory.” This explains how many
different bird species can inhabit an area but all survive
(barring an attack by predator or diseases.) This strategy is
referred to as ‘niche feeding.’
When we walk the trails of The Conservation Area at
Maplewood Flats in different seasons we can see many birds
feeding in the same tree or diving offshore in a relatively
small area given the numbers of birds present. How is it they
all survive and indeed thrive? Let’s use a human example to
help us out. If we go out for a meal at a restaurant we can reasonably expect that whatever we order will be available to us.
This is because a well-run restaurant that serves a hundred
people a night knows that a certain number of people will
order one meal, and another percentage will order something
else. But what would happen if on one night all the customers
ordered the same meal? Instead of 10 people ordering steak
(the usual number) 100 people ordered steak. I think the answer is pretty obvious. Ninety people will go hungry and one
restaurant owner will be very unhappy!
So how does this ‘niche feeding’ work for our beloved birds at Maplewood? Let’s start in fall and winter when,
as we walk the shoreline trails, we see many species (and,
large numbers) of wintering sea ducks (both dabbling and
diving ducks), many gulls, along with a few shorebirds. These
are the scoters, goldeneyes, buffleheads, scaup, loons. mallards, teal, wigeon, yellowlegs, and sandpipers. If all the birds
ate the same type of food there could be quite a number of
hungry birds and a lot less food in the sea after a couple of
months. This is where niche feeding comes into play. There is
a relatively small area available, but there is a wide range of
available food.
I have had the privilege of going out on the mudflats
at low tide in the summer to conduct WBT Purple Martin
Nest Box Surveys. To see the wide variety of life is amazing.
Mussels, crabs, barnacles, clams and oysters are very plentiful. In the mud are many types of worms, clams, and mud
shrimp. Often, particularly in summer, we can look down
from the Westcoast Bridge over the Barge Channel and view
crabs, limpets, urchins, sea stars, and large schools of small
fish (Stickleback usually) that can all be a food source for sea
ducks, herons, kingfishers and shorebirds.
Diving ducks search for mollusks, crustaceans, small
fish and bottom-feeding fish. Then there are the ‘dabbling’
ducks—those birds that have found their own ‘niche’ by eating various foods that they find in shallow water—aquatic
insects, grasses, snails, worms, small fish and eggs. And of
course, they eat seeds, as anyone knows who has fed birds at
West Vancouver’s Ambleside Park.
And by the way, please don’t throw seed in the installed ponds at The Conservation Area as this can introduce
non-native species of plants that can harm the ecosystem—
and NEVER feed any bird bread!
Gulls are very opportunistic feeders, particularly
Glaucous-winged Gulls, who scavenge food in many ways.
They can be seen on the tidal flats with clams in their bill then
flying high and dropping their prey on the rocks to open them.
They also harass diving ducks, trying to steal their catch.
Now, we see that birds not only divide up food but
also feed at different levels in the same territory. Divers feed
in deep water, dabblers in shallow water and shorebirds and
gulls feed on the exposed mudflats and along the tide line.
Do forest and land birds use a similar strategy? Of
course, the answer is yes. In any season as we walk the trails
at The Conservation Area we see birds from the ground to the
tops of the trees. Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, Fox Sparrows and Pacific Wrens are easily seen in the tangles and
thickets. Black-capped Chickadees, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets and Bushtits busily forage throughout
the forest while Pine Siskins (one of a group of finches known
as ‘irruptive’ meaning that they follow the seed crops around
the country and show up irregularly) and American Goldfinches are usually feeding at the highest parts of the trees
eating the seed crops of Red Alder and other seed bearing
trees. In spring and summer the flycatchers, swallows, thrushes and warblers arrive to feed on the abundant insect life in its
many stages. Some find larval insects amongst leaves, others
on twigs and bark, and others, like swallows and flycatchers,
catch insects on the wing. Thrushes like Swainson’s and Hermit feed primarily in the midlevel of the forest canopy, but
can also feed on the ground amongst the leaf litter. Their diet
is mainly insects and berries. Purple Finches, Black-headed
Grosbeaks and others love to feed on berries and fruits, as
well as insects and seeds.
Then there are specialist feeders like Brown Creeper
and Red-breasted Nuthatch that might be seen on the same
tree. The creeper only feeds while creeping (hence the name)
up the tree trunk probing for spiders and insect eggs while the
nuthatch feeds while walking down the tree trunk. Here two
birds have found their ‘niche’ by dividing the same tree into
different feeding opportunities.
Even raptors divide up the available food by specializing; Peregrine Falcons follow the migrating shorebirds;
Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks prey on small birds, especially around feeders; while Red-tailed Hawks feed on small
mammals.
Birds are not only beautiful to look at, but also provide a fascinating look at the inter-connectedness of many
species. They illustrate the need for a rich, “bio-diverse” habitat and how important it is for us to maintain and enhance
nature areas like The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats.
Please do not walk up to the pilings
for photographic opportunities of Purple
Martin and Osprey—it is an offence to disturb nesting birds!!!
Staying Safe—the mudflats can
look very tempting at low tide with their
yellow sand bars but their fragile and
sometimes dangerous nature causes us to
remind you to please stay on the trails at
The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
and completely off this sensitive intertidal
habitat.
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
11
Wild Bird Trust’s AGM 2014
and 21st Birthday Celebration
Richard C. Beard
Richard C. Beard
WBT’s Volunter of the Year 2014
Sharon Carey
WBT Volunteers Elsie Webb and Carole Gamley
greeted members at the sign in table
in the Great Room, Corrigan Nature House
Richard C. Beard
AGM 2014—newly elected WBT Board
From left to right: WBT Director Derek Killby, WBT Director Adrian Joseph, WBT President Patricia M. Banning-Lover
WBT Vice-President Geoffrey Bird, WBT Director Chris Pharo, WBT Director Kevin Bell
12
WINGSPAN
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
Richard C. Beard
John Lowman unveils “Groundbreaker”—a 21st Birthday Gift for Wild Bird Trust from Patricia
Adrian Joseph
Happy 21st Birthday Wild Bird Trust!
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
13
2014 RESULTS OF WBT`S PURPLE MARTIN
NEST BOX MONITORING PROGRAM
AT THE CONSERVATION AREA AT MAPLEWOOD FLATS
by June M. Ryder,
WBT Purple Martin Nest Box Monitoring Coordinator
The good news is that we had a record
breaking number of Purple Martin pairs nesting
at Maplewood last summer (2014) - but to begin
at the beginning…...
The nest boxes were roused from their winter storage and installed on the dolphins on April 13th, this task, as
usual, being completed by Ernie Kennedy and Mike Mont
working from a small boat at high tide. Only nine days later,
on April 22nd, the first Purple Martin arrivals were spotted
by Kevin Bell. These would have been the older martins,
mostly males, that lead the migration. (They are sometimes
referred to as “scouts” because formerly it was thought that
they reconnoitered nesting colonies and then returned south
to guide the main migration). Younger birds (“subadults” birds that have not previously nested) arrive two to four
weeks after the older adults, and consequently have a much
reduced choice of nesting sites and a later nesting schedule.
(See http://www.purplemartin.org/scoutreport/) for a map
that shows daily updates of the northward progress of the
“scouts”.)
We commenced field monitoring of the nesting
martins on June 11th, and continued surveys at irregular
intervals (dictated by the timing of low tides and the availability of volunteers) until August 24th, when daylight tides
became too high for surveys and most of the young martins
had fledged. Monitoring is carried out by volunteers who
walk out on the mudflats with binoculars and spotting
scopes and record bird behaviour related to nest construction, and later, to rearing of nestlings. (See WINGSPAN
2014, spring/summer p.20, and WINGSPAN 2012, winter/spring p.10 for more details.)
We were fortunate this summer to have a group of
enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers who spent long hours
out on the mudflats, enduring the vagaries of the weather
for the sake of observing the birds. This resulted in more
observations than usual, hence increased reliability of results. As the season progressed, it also became apparent that
we were seeing an unusually large number of nesting birds.
For example, during the field surveys, we recorded
“nestlings seen” - the most reliable evidence of nesting—or
50 boxes.
The nest boxes were brought in for the winter on
November 13th. As they were emptied and cleaned we recorded their contents and noted those with nests that appeared to have been used to raise chicks i.e., “confirmed
nests”. We also noted “possible nests”, i.e., less wellconstructed or incomplete nests, and boxes that did not appear to have been used for nesting (very few).
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WINGSPAN
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
The combined results of field surveys and examination of nest box contents are as follows:
• confirmed nests/nesting pairs: 77
• possible nests/nesting pairs: 16
• maximum possible nesting pairs: 94
• best estimate of nesting pairs (mean of 77 and 94): 85.
Figure 1 on the following page shows the results of
Purple Martin monitoring from 2007 to present.
Note how the number of nesting pairs (best estimate) has risen from 54 in 2012 to 64 in 2014 and to 85 in
2014.
Each year we forward our results to Bruce
Cousens, who is the ‘B.C. Purple Martin Stewardship and
Recovery Program Coordinator’ for the ‘Georgia Basin
Ecological Assessment and Restoration Society’. He noted
that the increased number of martins at Maplewood is similar to increases at other large colonies around the Strait of
Georgia, and suggested that some of the additional birds at
The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats may have been
displaced from the colony at Iona Island. (The Iona colony
was abandoned in 2014 for the second time in as many
years due to nest predation, possibly by mink).
THE BIGGER PICTURE
(from summaries by Bruce Cousens and Charlene Lee)
The news is generally good for Purple Martins in
southwestern B.C. A successful nesting season in 2013 resulted in relatively high numbers of martins returning to
local colonies in 2014 when, around the Strait of Georgia,
about 1060 martin pairs nested at 80 colonies, compared to
950 pairs at 65 sites in 2013. (In 1985, when the nest box
program was initiated by volunteers, there were only five
nesting pairs in our region!).
Some not-so-good news from the summer of 2014
is that in June and July two periods of cool, wet weather
resulted in high nestling mortality (30-40%) when young
birds starved due the scarcity of flying insects, such as dragonflies.
We do not know how these weather conditions
may have affected the Maplewood colony. Compared to
previous years, we found very few dead chicks in the nest
boxes (only two). But removal of small dead chicks by adult
martins is not uncommon so there may have been chick
mortality for which we have no evidence. (Also, chick remains may have been removed by predators in the Fall after
the martins departed and before we brought in the boxes).
We did, however, find an unusually high number of abandoned/unhatched eggs (22 eggs from eight nest boxes).
100
number of nesting pairs
90
80
70
PUMA best estimate
60
PUMA confirmed
50
PUMA possible
40
PUMA total
30
20
10
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Figure 1
Exciting news from the Purple Martin
Recovery Program—is that martins are now nesting at more freshwater sites—six sites in 2014, up
from three the previous year—including Comox
Lake, Burnaby Lake, and Eagle Point at Harrison
Mills.
On the west coast of Vancouver Island,
martins were seen at Tofino and nested successfully at Bamfield; they also nested at several sites
in the Broughton Archipelago north of Campbell
River. See http://www.georgiabasin.ca/puma.htm
for more information.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Many thanks to the WBT Volunteers who carried
out the surveys on the mudflats and assisted with
setting out and bringing in the nest boxes: WBT
Director Derek Killby and Colin Clasen (for organizing and training the volunteers), Tanya
Patzke, Janice Wilson, Chad Sole, Dawn Lessoway, Paul Goddard, Nancy Masterman, Sharon
Carey, Jennifer Townley and Mike Mont. Many
thanks also to MCA Site Manager Ernie Kennedy
for his long-term support of WBT’s Purple Martin
Monitoring Project.
© John Lowman
Adult Male Purple Martin
at The Conservation Are at Maplewood Flats
June Ryder is a Maplewood Site Office Receptionist and WBT’s Purple Martin Nest Box Program
Monitoring Coordinator. June demonstrated her
ongoing commitment to Purple Martins at Maplewood in 2007 when she approached us with the
idea of forming a small group of WBT Volunteers
who would visually monitor the colony. The Trust
is very grateful to June for her dedication.
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
15
Purple Martin Rescue by Derek Killby
On Thursday, May 7th 2015 MCA Manager Ernie
Kennedy, Volunteer Jennifer Townley, and myself arrived at
Osprey Point to do some maintenance.
Ernie noticed something struggling in the water. It
was a small bird flapping its wings in an attempt to get to
shore. After an unsuccessful attack by a crow it made it onto
some rocks about a foot from shore. I inched closer and was
amazed to see a female Purple Martin sitting there wet and
slightly confused about what it had just been through.
I waded slowly into the water while using my best
‘soothing’ Purple Martin voice and was able to grasp the
bird. As I did so it definitely expressed its annoyance, but
quickly calmed down.
We saw it had been banded and were able to record
the information. This was sent to Bruce Cousens, B.C. Purple
Martin Stewardship and Recovery Program Coordinator.
Bruce replied that he banded the bird as a nestling at
Tugboat Island in Silva Bay, Gabriola Island July 25th 2013.
After checking that there were no obvious injuries
we placed it on a warm rock in the sunshine to let it dry and
rest and hoped it would fly off to join the other members of
the colony.
We kept an eye on it while we carried out our work a
short distance away. After about 10-15 minutes we checked
again and it had flown off.
It was an incredible stroke of luck that we arrived at
just the moment she needed help. Hopefully she will successfully nest this year, raise chicks and return to the Purple Martin nest colony at The Conservation at Maplewood Flat for
many years to come.
Treasure Trove in the Barge Channel by Derek Killby
Derek Killby
Dr. S.N. Thomas’ Eclectric Oil—treasure trove in the Barge Channel!
A recent discovery along the Barge Channel shows that not all rare finds at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
are birds! A small glass bottle caught my eye while doing some routine maintenance just north of our Westcoast Bridge.
Looking the bottle over I found it heavily embossed and some interesting trivia resulted from the find. Dr. S. N.
THOMAS’ ECLECTRIC OIL on one side, NORTHROP & LYMAN Co. LIMITED, TORONTO, CANADA on the other.
On the narrow sides of the bottle was embossed INTERNAL and EXTERNAL. Formulated by Dr. S.N. Thomas of Phelps,
New York in the 1840’s it was one of the top selling brands of “snake oil.” It claimed to “… positively cure toothaches in five
minutes, earaches in two minutes and deafness in two days.” It had a rather interesting list of ingredients: “Spirits of Turpentine,
Camphor, Oil of Tar, Red Thyme and Fish Oil specially processed.” Northrop and Lyman were the Canadian distributors and the
concoction was sold right up until the end of the Second World War!
This bottle is probably from the period 1926-1935 when they changed from a cork top to a screw top. Unlike other old
bottles this one is described as “Canada’s Least Valuable Patent Medicine Bottle” by the Dumpdiggers blog as it was sold in the
millions.
16
WINGSPAN
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
Volunteer Opportunities!
No experience necessary—we train!
Gardening, Field Work and Trails
(contact MCA Manager Ernie Kennedy 778 881 5300)
By arrangement with MCA Manager and on Volunteer Day (third Saturday of each month),
To avoid damaging sensitive areas all outside volunteer work
on the property is designated and supervised by MCA Manager Ernie Kennedy.
WBT’s Maplewood Office at The Conservation Area
(contact Patricia 604 922 1550)
Have you a little spare time to help us with Receptionist Duty, Membership mail-out team,
WINGSPAN mail-out team.
Group Training Sessions, by appointment with Patricia will be held throughout 2015.
We meet and greet the public during the following regular shifts
Weekends 10am-1pm & 1pm-4pm. Tuesdays & Thursdays 10am-2pm.
All WBT Volunteers are required to fill in an application form
and sign a waiver of liability before commencement of work.
About Our Covers
by John Lowman
Front Cover: Audubon Yellow-rumped Warbler male © John Lowman
The arrival of warblers at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats in late April and early
May reminds us that winter really is over. Warblers are one of my favourite photographic subjects
because of the challenge they present – because they are fast moving and small, it's tough to make
decent images. One of my best warbler photo opportunities occurred in the Park Street Marsh in
early May 2007. Because of the wet Spring that year the marsh was still underwater. Each morning
and evening migrating warblers gathered to take advantage of the insect bounty that the marsh offered up. Often there were dozens of warblers, some of which landed on the lichen-covered branches
of dying willows around the edge of the marsh, such as the male Audubon variety Yellow-rumped
Warbler featured on the front cover.
Back Cover: Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler female © John Lowman
What a magnificent photo opportunity it turned out to be. Over the course of three days I
managed to photograph both male and female Myrtle and Audubon Yellow-rumped Warblers, the
most numerous warbler in these fallouts, and Wilson's Warblers as well. The back cover features a
Myrtle female. This photo opportunity also serves to remind us of the crucial role the Park Street
Marsh plays in The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats environmental tapestry, one of its most
important springtime food sources for migrating birds.
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
17
Curious Cormorants
(at the water’s edge)
Have you ever been by the ocean or a lake and seen
large black birds perched on pilings, roof tops, or on a
sand bar; some with their wings outstretched? These
birds are cormorants, also known as Shags in some countries.
Four Species in British Columbia
(39 species worldwide – 2006)
There are four cormorant species on the BC Provincial
list. (Biodiversity Centre for Wildlife Studies).
• Pelagic Cormorant
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Brandt’s Cormorant
• Red-faced Cormorant
Warming Up?
Another reason for ‘wing drying’ has been suggested.
Perhaps they are just warming up after coming out of
cold water on a deep dive? But how can this be true
when sometimes they are wing drying or warming up in
the pouring rain?!
What’s in a Name?
The word cormorant comes from the Latin - Covus marinus meaning Sea Raven – maybe because of their black
plumage.
Pelicans...?
Why do cormorants remind us of pelicans? - because
they are in the same order as pelicans.
Class – Aves (birds)
Order: pelicaniformes
Family: Phalacrocoracidae (true cormorants).
© Al Grass
The Double-crested Cormorant is a good one to watch!
The Double-crested Cormorant
The Double-crested Cormorant is perhaps the easiest to
see and identify. It is found in both fresh and saltwater
habitats. The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats is a
good place to watch for them. Look for the yellow/orange
chin: no other BC cormorant has this feature. In breeding
season it has white feather plumes, like eyebrows, behind
each eye. Young birds have pale breasts. The only cormorant that regularly flies over land is the double-crested.
Deep Divers
Cormorants have large webbed feet and powerful legs to
help them catch fish. They are deep divers – diving down
50 metres or more. Take some time to watch a cormorant
fishing? What does it come up with – a flounder (flat-fish)
or a sculpin (very spiny).
Wing Drying?
Double-crested Cormorants are often seen with their
wings outstretched (spread-eagled) in what is called the
‘wing-drying’ posture. Waterfowl (ducks and geese)
groom their feathers with oil from a gland near the base of
the tail. Cormorants have wetable feathers which makes
it easier for them to dive (less buoyant). After diving, they
hold their wings outstretched to dry.
18
WINGSPAN
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
Double-crested Cormorant with outstretched wings
Good Fishers:
Cormorants have been used for centuries in countries
such as China and Japan to catch fish for humans! A
ring is put on the cormorant’s neck so that it can’t swallow the fish. Once back in the boat the fish is taken
away from the cormorant and then rewarded with another fish.
Things to do:
• Watch a cormorant diving – how long does it stay
underwater?
• What types of fish are they catching?
• What colour are the Double-crested Cormorant’s
eyes?
• Watch for other cormorant species like Pelagic and
Brandt’s – sometimes they are in mixed groups.
Good ‘see’ bird watching!!
Text by Al Grass
the KINGFISHER club logo
was designed by Richard Smith
Thank You Earth Day 2015 Volunteers
from SES Consulting Inc.
Volunteers from SES Consulting Inc., spread soil at the rear of Corrigan Nature House
in preparation for the installation of Ward Meadow
Enjoying a well-deserved break!
Volunteers from SES Consulting Inc. enjoy a break in the shade of
the Covered Work Area at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
Images submitted by Uwe Fabert M.Eng.
April 22nd 2015 was a
beautiful day. We were very
pleased to welcome enthusiastic
volunteers from SES Consulting
Inc.
We were so impressed to
learn that in the true spirit of honouring Earth Day four had carpooled in one car and two had
ridden their bicycles from somewhere near Science World.
They toiled cheerfully all
day—with MCA Manager Ernie
Kennedy—spreading soil at the
back of Corrigan Nature House
helping to evolve what will soon
be Ward Meadow—a meadow of
coastal native wild grass/native
wildflowers bordered by a thicket
of Nootka Rose and Snowberry.
SES Consulting Inc.
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
19
Wild Bird Trust
at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
Are we making BC a safer place for birds?
by Bonnie Hawkes
Recently I was asked to investigate which of the bird
species on The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats checklist are also identified on the red and blue lists of the BC Ministry of the Environment.
The red list “includes any ecological community, and
indigenous species and subspecies that is extirpated, endangered, or threatened in British Columbia. Extirpated elements
no longer exist in the wild in British Columbia, but do occur
elsewhere. Endangered elements are facing imminent extirpation or extinction. Threatened elements are likely to become
endangered if limiting factors are not reversed.
Red-listed species and sub-species may be legally
designated as, or may be considered candidates for legal designation as Extirpated, Endangered or Threatened under the
Wildlife Act (see http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/faq.htm#2).”
(BC MOE website)
The blue list “includes any ecological community,
and indigenous species and subspecies considered to be of
special concern (formerly vulnerable) in British Columbia.
Elements are of special concern because of characteristics that
make them particularly sensitive to human activities or natural
events. Blue-listed elements are at risk, but are not Extirpated,
Endangered or Threatened.” (BC MOE website)
The checklist for The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats identifies 245 species which have been recorded
over the years since birders first began visiting the area. Of the
245, six (2.4%) are on the provincial red list and 27 (11%) are
on the blue list.
Red-listed birds include:
American White Pelican (accidental)
Brandt’s Cormorant
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Peregrine Falcon, anatum subspecies
Sage Thrasher
Western Grebe
The American White Pelican sighting was a single
(accidental) occurrence (recorded by John Lowman) in May
of 2001. Brandt’s Cormorants have been noted six times, the
most recent date being October 14, 2000. Lewis’s woodpecker
has been observed on two occasions. The first was in the fall
of 2009, where one was seen and photographed by multiple
observers over a period of four days. On the second occasion
the bird was observed in the fall of 2010 with one sighting
recorded.
Peregrine Falcon has been observed on many occasions. The first recorded sighting is January 1984. The sightings are consistent and multiple over the years up to the present.
20
WINGSPAN
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
The Sage Thrasher was observed in April 2007 by
two observers. Western Grebes are listed multiple times in
most years from the earliest record dates (Kevin Bell’s personal records – 1977.)
Blue-listed birds include:
American Avocet
American Bittern – seen in five different years, 2007 sightings were recorded for almost three weeks between May 1st
and May 19th.
Band-tailed Pigeon – is seen often and, unofficially, with
increasing frequency
Barn owl (accidental) – once each in 2004, 2005 and 2006
Black-throated green Warbler (accidental) – once in 1997
Brant – one record each for 2007, 2008, 2010
Cackling Goose – 2009, twice; 2011, three times; once each
2012, 2013
California Gull – many records
Caspian Tern - many records
Double-crested Cormorant - many records
Great Blue Heron, fannini subspecies (coastal BC) – while
not present in abundance, sightings are almost always guaranteed, recently nests have been noted on the property
Green Heron - many records
Gyrfalcon (accidental) – seen once in 2003
Long-billed Curlew – once each in 2000, 2004, 2007, 2011
and 2013, 2008 and 2010 have 2 records each, but the days are
so close as to suggest this was the same bird on successive
days
Long-tailed Duck – occasional sightings over the years, notable is 2012 when the dates indicate it was present for almost a
month
Marbled Murrelet – seen in 1981 and 1982, then in 2009 and
2010.
Olive-sided Flycatcher – most records are concentrated between 2009 and 2012
Purple Martin – a thriving community takes advantage of
nest boxes provided by WBT under its Purple Martin Nest
Box Monitoring Program.
Red-necked Phalarope – 2007, 2010, 2012
Rough-legged Hawk – 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009 years.
Rusty Blackbird – 2004, 2009, 2011. In 2009 it appears to
have stayed for about a month.
Short-billed Dowitcher – very sporadic records over the
years.
Short-eared Owl – Oct. 24 to Nov. 11, 2000; 3 separate records over the year of 2005, once in 2007; two consecutive
days in 2008
Sooty Grouse – May 9–28, 1998; once each in 1999, 2006,
2007 and 2009
Surf Scoter – many records exist, but there is a notable
decrease and/or absence of records between 2003 and
2010
Tundra Swan – April 20, 2010 and March 2, 2015
Yellow-billed Loon (accidental) – January 24, 1994 by
multiple observers
As noted from the definition of blue-listed species, all of these birds are of special concern and at risk
throughout the Province.
Though the frequency and abundance of the
various species noted above is quite variable, it does
appear that The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
plays a small part in their conservation by providing
them with a safe habitat where they are protected, can
safely feed, rest and in a few cases build nests and rear
their young.
It would seem that we are indeed making British Columbia a safer place for birds!
In 2013 Bonnie Hawkes, a former WBT Director and Manager of WBT’s data since October 2005,
compiled a report for us to describe the bird population
at The Conservation Area based on data collected via
monthly bird surveys in the years 1998 through 2009,
entitled “The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats,
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Bird Surveys 1998
– 2009” (the “Bird Survey Report”).
This report
demonstrates the wide variety of bird species that frequent The Conservation Area from year to year.
Since we began our work at The Conservation
Area the bird species list has increased from 208 in
1993 to 246 in 2015. The current copy of the bird
checklist for The Conservation Area at Maplewood
Flats, North Vancouver © August 2014 which was compiled by Bonnie Hawkes with assistance from Quentin
Brown and WBT Director Derek Killby was included in
WINGSPAN Fall 2014 issue and is available at our
Meet and Greet Site Office. You can also view it online
at www.wildbirdtrust.org
Capilano University ElderCollege
Participants voted 2015 as having the best weather ever during their
Annual Spring Birding Course at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats.
The six week course was facilitated by Capilano University’s Allan Orr
and led by WBT Director/Naturalist Kevin Bell.
WBT Director/Naturalist Kevin Bell (far left), Facilitator Allan Orr (front left)
with ElderCollege participants in Spring Birding Course 2015.
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
21
Thank You Volunteers from Arc’teryx Equipment Inc.
Image submitted by Devon MacPherson
Volunteers from Arc’teryx Equipment Inc. countered chilly weather with energy and smiles
when they arrived to spend several hours cleaning the beach areas at The Conservation Area, February 18th 2015
WBT establishes
Membership Office at
Corrigan Nature House
Ernie Kennedy
Left to right: Leslie Fox Maxwell, WBT President Patricia M. Banning-Lover, Elsie Webb
22
WINGSPAN
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
We are incredibly
grateful to Leslie Fox Maxwell,
who came out of retirement to
help establish WBT’s new Membership Office and conduct an
intense membership drive which
took place late January-May
2015.
We were thrilled to
welcome many lapsed members
back into the fold—and overjoyed to receive five Life Memberships in as many weeks!!
Elsie Webb is our new
Membership Secretary. Elsie is
no stranger to WBT as you have
met her as a Receptionist at our
Meet and Greet at the head of
Osprey Point Trail and at many
WBT AGM’s where she has
helped you sign in at the Membership Table.
Coming Attractions by Rob Lyske
Winter seemed to pass us by on the west coast. It
made for many pleasant days birding at The Conservation
Area at Maplewood Flats. The murmurs amongst the locals
were more about the weather than the birds in the early
months of the year. It’s not that it was uneventful, just noticeably a bit quieter along the trails.
To start the year off right a New Year’s Day walk
was in order, and Dave Huggard found a Northern PygmyOwl near the Pump House to give WBT’s Sightings Board
something exciting to report. John Reynolds added Bohemian Waxwing to the list on January 6th and David Truman
reported a Northern Goshawk on February 15th.
Some of the first spring stars showed up in April.
Notably, Tundra Swans on April 2nd photographed by John
Hodges on the east mudflats with some Trumpeters Swans.
Our Ospreys returned on the 14th just before Mike Mont
and John Lowman saw the first Purple Martins on the 16th.
Caroline Knox and Allan Jensen located a Vesper Sparrow
on the 18th and the next morning a Green Heron made an
appearance on the log boom bordering the east intertidal
area. A Herring Gull also made a brief showing on the 25th.
Spring really bounded in early, the trees were
leafing out and the bugs in turn brought the birds, many
species were near their early arrival dates. Most of the expected warblers had been seen before the first of May, including Nashville Warbler on the 26th and viewed again by
Quentin Brown on the 29th.
The second confirmed record of Dusky Flycatcher
for The Conservation Area stole the show April 30th bringing in several birders for a look. WBT’s Monthly Bird Survey heard a singing Red-eyed Vireo May 2nd. This was the
second earliest recorded date for the Lower Mainland and
four weeks ahead of its typical arrival in our area.
There were plenty of May sightings to add to the
marquee including an American Kestrel by Joshua Brown
May 1st. Chad Sole reported Swainson’s Thrush May 6th.
He also spotted six Whimbrel May 12th followed by an
adult breeding plumaged Franklin’s Gull that Derek Killby
located while admiring a flock of Bonaparte’s Gulls. Bluewinged Teal have been seen a few times and a Bullock’s
Oriole made a brief appearance on May 15th, before Derek
spotted the ‘daily double’ with an Eastern Kingbird at Osprey Point and then the first documented record of Gray
Catbird on May 27th near the West Pond’s Viewing Platform.
The stage is set for many more attractions before
the final curtain falls on spring migration. It’s wonderful
that one of the best shows around doesn’t even require a
ticket, but binoculars sure do come in handy!
Join WBT Contract Naturalist Rob Lyske
for Member’s Only Walks 2015
Saturday April 25th and Saturday August 15th
10 am-noon
~ rain or shine ~
Just About
to Fly!
Long time WBT member Quentin Brown
who visits The Conservation Area almost
every day took this
endearing image of
Rufous Hummingbird
young on May 22nd
2015.
The birds successfully
fledged later that day!
Quentin Brown
Rufous Hummingbird young in their nest at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
May 22nd 2015
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
23
WBT WILD BIRD TRUST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
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Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler female © John Lowman
- making British Columbia a safer place for birds -
SPRING/SUMMER 2015
SPRING/SUMMER
2015
“Return of The Osprey” Festival 2015
Saturday July 25th and Sunday July 26th
20th Anniversary of the 1995 Grand Opening
Saturday September 19th
WBT Wild
Trustsee
of British
~ Bird
please
page Columbia
six for details
~
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