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Wandering Tattler - February 2009.pdf - Nature Vancouver

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Illustration by Mark Wynja<br />

VOL. 32 NO. 6 FEBRUARY 2009<br />

$1.50<br />

UPCOMING BIRDER’S NIGHT<br />

Thursday, March 5<br />

The Owl and The Woodpecker:<br />

Encounters with North America's Most<br />

Iconic Birds<br />

With Paul Bannick<br />

WILDLIFE TREE STEWARDSHIP<br />

PROGRAM<br />

Wildlife trees may not look like much at first glance, but<br />

these standing trees – dead or alive – have qualities that<br />

can support up to 80 wildlife species for decades. Bald<br />

eagles and osprey nest in their crowns; woodpeckers,<br />

songbirds and ducks find food or shelter; bears make dens<br />

in their bases and bats roost in their bark.<br />

You can help ensure that these critical pieces of wildlife<br />

habitat are protected – and learn more about wildlife trees<br />

and the creatures that depend on them – by becoming a<br />

volunteer wildlife tree steward.<br />

Award-winning winning photographer Paul Bannick will take you on a<br />

visual journey of 11 key North American habitats through<br />

the needs of specific owl and woodpecker species. This<br />

stunning photographic study will be accompanied by field<br />

stories, and rich natural history derived from thousands of<br />

hours in the field. His talk will look at the way owls and<br />

woodpeckers define and enrich their habitat and how their<br />

life-histories are intertwined.<br />

Paul works full time for Conservation Northwest, an<br />

environmental organization dedicated to protecting and<br />

connecting wild areas from the Pacific Coast to the<br />

Canadian Rockies<br />

Paul’s work has appeared in Audubon magazine, and in many<br />

other books, magazines, parks, refuges and other places in<br />

North America and Europe. www.paulbannick.com<br />

Metro <strong>Vancouver</strong>, in partnership with the Wildlife Tree<br />

Stewardship Program (WiTS), is offering three Wildlife<br />

Tree Stewardship workshops. Each includes a 45-minute<br />

classroom component and hour-long field session in a<br />

regional park.<br />

Participants will learn how to identify<br />

wildlife trees, monitor active nests, help put together an<br />

inventory and contribute to the stewardship of these<br />

important natural resources. Workshops are free. Advance<br />

registration is required. For more information or to<br />

register, call (604) 432-6359 or email<br />

programs.info@metrovancouver.org<br />

Saturday, <strong>February</strong> 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.<br />

Campbell Valley Regional Park<br />

Saturday, March 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.<br />

Deas Island Regional Park<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009<br />

page 1


NATURE VANCOUVER EVENING PROGRAM<br />

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26<br />

7:30PM<br />

TEXAS: A NATURAL HISTORY<br />

WITH RON LONG<br />

FEBRUARY<br />

BIRD FIELD TRIPS…AND OTHERS…<br />

NOTE: There are more birding trips listed on the<br />

website than are in the Winter <strong>Vancouver</strong> Naturalist. **<br />

Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam<br />

<strong>February</strong> 7<br />

Colony Farm in winter can provide interesting birding. The<br />

Farm is home to many over wintering raptors, sparrows,<br />

shrike and waterfowl. Join leader Larry Cowan for a halfday<br />

outing. Meet the leader at the parking area at the east<br />

end of Colony Farm Rd. in Coquitlam at 9:00am. 604-465-<br />

1402<br />

Birding at Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Delta<br />

<strong>February</strong> 15<br />

Join John Chandler for a half-day birding trip to Reifel<br />

Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Ladner. We will be looking for<br />

Snow Geese, swans and other waterfowl and raptors.<br />

Remember to bring some money for the small admission fee<br />

and dress for chilly and/or wet weather. You may want to<br />

bring your lunch and a hot drink to enjoy in the warming hut<br />

after your walk. Meet John at the Reifel gift shop at<br />

9:00am. Contact John at 604-274-4117.<br />

** Jericho Park, <strong>Vancouver</strong><br />

<strong>February</strong> 21<br />

Look for unusual ducks and spring arrivals. Meet in East<br />

Parking lot at 8:00am. Contact Adrian Grant Duff 604-263-<br />

7957.<br />

** Queen Elizabeth Park, <strong>Vancouver</strong><br />

<strong>February</strong> 28<br />

Look for early migrants and species discovered on recent<br />

surveys. Meet Adrian Grant Duff 604-263-7957 at 8:00am<br />

in front of Entrance to Pitch and Putt Golf Course, north of<br />

tennis courts, Queen Elizabeth Park.<br />

THE WANDERING TATTLER INDEX<br />

Great Backyard Bird Count 5<br />

Bird Studies Canada Latest News 6<br />

Backyard Birding with Al 6<br />

Birding Section Committee Meeting Minutes 7<br />

Natural Selection…..changing faster… 10<br />

Rare Bird Alert Sightings for August 2008 12<br />

The size of Texas is legendary but with size comes<br />

diversity and for the naturalist it is this diversity that is<br />

truly astonishing. Habitats range from the lush, well<br />

watered Hill Country to the absolute desert of the Big<br />

Bend of the Rio Grande to the mild year round climate of<br />

the Gulf Coast. Within these habitats the variety of birds,<br />

animals, and especially plants seems never ending. This talk<br />

will take a long look at the marvellous natural history of<br />

this the largest of the Lower 48.<br />

OTHER EVENTS FOR BIRDER’S<br />

MAPLEWOOD FLATS CONSERVATION AREA<br />

All levels of birders are welcome to join the Wild Bird<br />

Trust’s monthly bird survey of Maplewood Flats<br />

Conservation Area, North <strong>Vancouver</strong>. This survey is<br />

conducted on the first Saturday of each month. Meet at<br />

0800 in the parking lot of the Pacific Environment Science<br />

Centre, 2645 Dollarton Highway. If the gate is closed, park<br />

adjacent to the highway. For details, please contact Janice<br />

Wilson, Bird Survey Coordinator at 604-987-5586. On the<br />

second Saturday of each month, you’re welcome to join the<br />

Wild Bird Trust’s <strong>Nature</strong> Walks with Al Grass at<br />

Maplewood Flats Conservation Area. Meet at 1000 in the<br />

parking lot of the Pacific Environment Science Centre,<br />

2645 Dollarton Highway. If the gate is closed, park<br />

adjacent to the highway.<br />

HASTINGS PARK SANCTUARY<br />

Members of the Hastings Park Conservancy’s Environmental<br />

Committee and guest naturalists lead nature walks through<br />

the Sanctuary in Hastings Park. In winter/spring 2009, the<br />

walks will be held on the fourth Saturday of each month,<br />

starting at 0900. All walks leave from the northeast<br />

corner of the Sanctuary (near the red barns and the<br />

Playland restrooms). There’s free parking on site for<br />

visitors to the Sanctuary, or take the bus to Hastings &<br />

Renfrew Streets. For further information, contact Pat<br />

Miller at 604-294-1272.<br />

REIFEL BIRD SANCTUARY<br />

Every Sunday, enjoy a bird walk with John Ireland at Reifel<br />

Bird Sanctuary in Delta. Meet at the reception area at<br />

1000. Reifel’s admission fee is $4.00 for adults and $2.00<br />

for children (2-14) and seniors (60+). Phone 604-946-6980<br />

for more information.<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009 page 2


SQUAMISH ESTUARY<br />

Squamish estuary monthly bird counts are held on the first<br />

or second Sunday of each month, depending on the tide. For<br />

these half-day counts, meet at 0700 (April to September)<br />

or at 0800 (October to March) at the Howe Sound Inn and<br />

Brew Pub at the end of Cleveland Avenue in downtown<br />

Squamish. All levels of birders are welcome to participate.<br />

The count usually lasts until 1300, at which time we meet<br />

back at the Brew Pub for lunch. For more information,<br />

contact Judith Vetsch at 1-604-892-3340.<br />

STANLEY PARK ECOLOGY SOCIETY (SPES)<br />

Discovery Walks are two-hour guided walking tours with a<br />

naturalist or local expert, leaving from the Lost Lagoon<br />

<strong>Nature</strong> House on the south-east shore of Lost Lagoon.<br />

Explore the natural and cultural history of Stanley Park.<br />

Rain or shine. Walk themes and leaders vary. $10 public, $5<br />

members and under 18. Pre-registration is recommended.<br />

Contact: Public Programs Manager: 604-257-8544.<br />

Calendar: www.stanleyparkecology.ca<br />

Birding in Stanley Park: Join naturalist Catherine<br />

Aitchison for a two-hour walk in Stanley Park to identify<br />

migratory and resident birds and learn bird-watching skills.<br />

Meet at the Lost Lagoon <strong>Nature</strong> House at 0900 on the last<br />

Sunday of every month. Fee by donation.<br />

TERRA NOVA NATURAL AREA<br />

On the third Saturday of each month, anyone interested in<br />

birds is welcome to join the <strong>Nature</strong> <strong>Vancouver</strong>’s monthly<br />

bird survey of the Terra Nova Natural Area in Richmond.<br />

Meet in the Terra Nova parking lot at 0800 (October-<br />

March) or 0700 (April-September). For details please<br />

contact the co-ordinator, Eric Greenwood at 604-737-<br />

4724. The <strong>Nature</strong> Reserve is reached by driving west on<br />

Westminster Highway past No.1 Road, and following it<br />

through the Terra Nova residential area.<br />

BIRD SURVEYS AT UBC FARM<br />

Every third Sunday of each month, join in a bird survey at<br />

the UBC Farm. Meet at 8am (March to August) and 9am<br />

(September to <strong>February</strong>) at the main gate to the farm. The<br />

farm is located on the UBC south campus off Westbrook<br />

between 16th and Southwest Marine Drive. Directions to<br />

the farm can be found at:<br />

http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/ubcfarm/contact.php.<br />

The farm is normally locked on Sunday but the group has a<br />

key. Currently the key is held by Sue Kay-Downs (604-<br />

569-3058). As the holder of the key, Sue is our leader,<br />

contact person and scribe. The survey is very informal,<br />

experts and beginners are all welcome to help and learn.<br />

The gate has to be closed again once we start so<br />

punctuality is helpful.<br />

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW….<br />

BRANT WILDLIFE FESTIVAL<br />

IN PARKSVILLE, QUALICUM BEACH AND NANAIMO<br />

BIG DAY BIRDING<br />

SATURDAY, APRIL 4<br />

Counting: 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.<br />

Post-count gathering 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.<br />

$20 per person<br />

MORE details in March edition or on their website…….<br />

EBIRD – NEW MAPPING TOOL<br />

I just noticed that eBird has a brand new mapping tool for<br />

exploring bird records in the database. If you look for<br />

records of a certain species from a province, for instance,<br />

instead of the old provincial maps with green dots, you get<br />

a Google Maps interface that allows you to zoom in as close<br />

as you like. Then if you click on a location dot, all the<br />

records for that species at that location are displayed.<br />

Very cool.<br />

You can easily check this out by clicking on one of the<br />

provinces on the right hand side of the home page<br />

(www.ebird.ca). That will display a bar graph checklist for<br />

the province based on eBird records, then click on any<br />

species you like.<br />

Dick Cannings<br />

Naramata, BC<br />

WESTERN HUMMINGBIRD PROJECT<br />

- NEW PROGRAM<br />

The US Forest Service and the Hummingbird Monitoring<br />

Network (HMN) are pleased to announce a new “Wings over<br />

the Americas” program—the Western Hummingbird<br />

Project. Attached is the announcement of the program. A<br />

kick-off workshop will be held April 16-18, 2009 in Tucson,<br />

Arizona, in conjunction with the Cooper Ornithological<br />

Society’s annual meeting. We hope many of you will be able<br />

to attend. April 16 is the primary workshop day; the<br />

preliminary agenda is included in the attached program<br />

announcement.<br />

During this time, the Partners In Flight Western Working<br />

Group is holding its meeting in British Columbia where the<br />

Rufous Hummingbird, a PIF species of continental concern,<br />

breeds. We apologize for this conflict but hope it is an<br />

opportunity to investigate hummingbird conservation issues<br />

in Canada.<br />

Our goal is to bring focus on hummingbird conservation<br />

through effective collaborations. If you are interested in<br />

participating or have suggestions on improving the WHP<br />

workshop, etc., please let us know your ideas by contacting<br />

Susan Wethington at swething@dakotacom.net.<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009 page 3


A YEAR ROUND PROGRAM<br />

Please check the website for<br />

ALL the WINTER Events at<br />

www.birdsonthebay.ca<br />

Walks, events, programs<br />

For the whole family<br />

Saturday <strong>February</strong> 21 9 am – 11 am<br />

Bird Walk at Mud Bay Park<br />

Discover the birds that make Mud Bay Park home with<br />

naturalist Lynn Pollard. This park features tidal marshes &<br />

eelgrass beds. Bring binoculars and field guide if you have<br />

them. Wear comfortable waterproof foot wear, dress<br />

warmly. Walk will go rain or shine. Meet: Mud Bay Park<br />

parking lot, 127A St & Colebrook Rd. (watch for signs)<br />

Host: Surrey Parks Cost: Free. Info: (604) 501-5158<br />

Saturday <strong>February</strong> 21 7pm – 9pm<br />

Owl Prowl<br />

Join renowned birder Al Grass for an evening with the owls<br />

in Stanley Park. An indoor presentation will be followed by<br />

a walk to Beaver Lake to listen for these secretive and<br />

nocturnal creatures. Meet: Stanley Park Dining Pavilion<br />

Host: Stanley Park Ecology Society Cost: by donation Reg<br />

& Info: (604) 681-9453<br />

Friday <strong>February</strong> 27 7pm - 9pm<br />

Whooo is Home? Looking for Owls<br />

Find out what species of owls live in the Fraser Valley<br />

through an illustrated talk, and then go on a walk through<br />

the forest to see whoo is home. Bring small flashlight.<br />

Wear comfortable waterproof foot wear, dress warmly.<br />

Walk will go rain or shine. Leaders: Roy Thomson, Al and<br />

Jude Grass. Audience: 8 and older. Registration required.<br />

Host: Semiahmoo Fish and Game Club Meet: Little Campbell<br />

Hatchery – 1284 184 th Street (between 16 th & 8 th Ave),<br />

Surrey Reg & Info: 604-538-8774<br />

Saturday <strong>February</strong> 28<br />

Cleaning and Repairing Nest Boxes at Burnaby Lake<br />

Regional Park Meet: <strong>Nature</strong> House on Piper Avenue, off<br />

Winston. Hosts: Burnaby Lake Park Association, Metro<br />

<strong>Vancouver</strong> Regional Parks. Cost: Free Info: (604) 520-<br />

6442.<br />

THE FUN OF ATLASSING<br />

The first year of the BC Breeding Bird Atlas has been a<br />

whirlwind of activity and a great success – thanks to you!<br />

Over 800 participants have entered data for more than<br />

280 species in over 930 – 10 km squares. The Birding<br />

Stories on the web site and emails we have received are a<br />

taste of the fun you are having. Dave Fraser said he hasn’t<br />

had so much fun birding in years. George Clulow told us how<br />

it had gotten him to explore new areas and make new<br />

discoveries (check out his Industrial Strength Herons on<br />

the atlas web site). We also heard from many of you on how<br />

difficult it was to access point count locations.<br />

We owe a great deal of our success to the Regional<br />

coordinators who volunteered their time to coordinate atlas<br />

efforts in 41 regions of the province. They are the<br />

backbone of the program. We also acknowledge the<br />

Herculean effort by the Atlas Steering and Technical<br />

committees and partners who nurtured the project from a<br />

germ of an idea to a fully fledged project in just a few<br />

months. And of course, you, the birders did a fabulous job<br />

doing what you enjoy - birding.<br />

One of the beauties of today’s atlassing is the ease by<br />

which data can be entered and displayed on the web. The<br />

BSC team of Denis LePage, Andrew Couturier and Ron<br />

Ridout in Ontario devoted their efforts to getting the<br />

program on line in timely fashion.<br />

All of this great work requires funding and so many<br />

organizations and companies stepped forward. We have<br />

gone from being penniless to raising over $330,000, in little<br />

over a year, and secured some very significant long-term<br />

funding commitments through to 2014. Much fundraising<br />

remains to be done, but we have a solid platform to build<br />

on.<br />

One last point – any field notes you took on trips last<br />

summer might have some valuable information for the atlas<br />

that you can add over the coming months.<br />

Rob Butler - BC Breeding Bird Atlas Coordinator<br />

Contact us<br />

BC Breeding Bird Atlas - Bird Studies Canada<br />

5421 Robertson Road Delta, BC V4K 3N2<br />

1-877-592-8527<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009 page 4


The Great Backyard Bird Count is made possible, in part, by<br />

support from Wild Birds Unlimited.<br />

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a non profit membership<br />

institution interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological<br />

diversity through research, education, and citizen science<br />

focused on birds. www.birds.cornell.ed<br />

COUNT FOR FUN,<br />

COUNT FOR THE FUTURE<br />

New York, NY and Ithaca, NY-Bird and nature fans<br />

throughout North America are invited to join tens of<br />

thousands of bird watchers for the 12 th annual Great<br />

Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), <strong>February</strong> 13-16, 2009.<br />

A joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the<br />

National Audubon Society, this free event is an opportunity<br />

for families, students, and people of all ages to discover<br />

the wonders of nature in backyards, schoolyards, and local<br />

parks, and, at the same time, make an important<br />

contribution to conservation.<br />

“Anyone who can identify even a few species can contribute<br />

to the body of knowledge that is used to inform<br />

conservation efforts to protect birds and biodiversity,”<br />

said Audubon Education Vice-President, Judy Braus.<br />

Volunteers take part by counting birds for at least 15<br />

minutes on one or more days of the event and reporting<br />

their sightings online at www.birdcount.org. The data help<br />

researchers understand bird population trends across the<br />

continent, information that is critical for effective<br />

conservation. In 2008, participants submitted more than<br />

85,000 checklists, a new record.<br />

“The GBBC has become a vital link in the arsenal of<br />

continent wide bird-monitoring projects,” said Cornell Lab<br />

of Ornithology director John Fitzpatrick. “With more than<br />

a decade of data now in hand, the GBBC has documented<br />

striking changes in late-winter bird distributions.”<br />

Participants submit thousands of digital images for the<br />

GBBC photo contest each year. Last year’s winners have<br />

been chosen and are now posted on the web site.<br />

Participants are also invited to upload their bird videos to<br />

YouTube tagged “GBBC.” Some of them will also be<br />

featured on the GBBC web site. All participants will be<br />

entered in a drawing to win dozens of birding items,<br />

including stuffed birds, clocks, books, feeders, and more.<br />

Businesses, schools, nature clubs, Scout troops, and other<br />

community organizations interested in the GBBC can<br />

contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at (800) 843-2473<br />

(outside the U.S., call (607) 254-2473), or Audubon at<br />

citizenscience@audubon.org or (215) 355-9588, Ext 16.<br />

Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife<br />

and the habitat that supports them. Our national network<br />

of community-based nature centres and chapters, scientific<br />

and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas<br />

sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of<br />

people of all ages and backgrounds in conservation.<br />

www.audubon.org<br />

VANCOUVER AVIAN RESEARCH CENTRE’S<br />

2009 SPRING WORKSHOPS<br />

We’re very pleased to announce that the <strong>Vancouver</strong> Avian<br />

Research Centre’s 2009 spring workshops schedule has just<br />

been posted.<br />

This year the Centre is offering two courses:<br />

BIRD BANDING & MONITORING WORKSHOP<br />

Following the success of our banding workshops last year<br />

we will again be offering our 3 day action-packed<br />

introductory course consisting of presentations, specimen<br />

study, field mist-netting, banding, and processing under the<br />

direction of Derek Matthews, Master Bander and Banderin-charge<br />

at the <strong>Vancouver</strong> Avian Research Centre.<br />

The workshop has been developed for people with little or<br />

no bird banding or bird in the hand experience and provides<br />

a fantastic opportunity to see birds up close and personal,<br />

to learn about their plumages, molt sequences, and life<br />

habits.<br />

BIRD IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP<br />

This new course for 2009 has been developed for birders<br />

who wish to take their bird knowledge and identification<br />

skills to the next level. Although designed for beginner and<br />

intermediate birders the ornithological aspects of the<br />

course would benefit even advanced and expert birders.<br />

Full details of the courses, schedules, dates and<br />

registration information can be found online by contacting:<br />

http://www.birdvancouver.com/workshops.html<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009 page 5


BACKYARD BIRDING WITH AL<br />

ABOUT THRUSHES<br />

BIRD STUDIES CANADA<br />

LATEST NEWS<br />

AVIBASE IS A HIT, 50 MILLION TIMES OVER!<br />

5 January 2009 – Avibase, an extremely popular resource<br />

hosted by Bird Studies Canada and maintained by BSC’s<br />

senior scientist Denis Lepage, has just received its 50<br />

millionth individual hit. The Avibase website offers bird<br />

checklists for any region of the world, using a variety of<br />

options such as common names in over a dozen languages. It<br />

also provides taxonomic information, images, and sounds for<br />

all species and subspecies of the world’s birds.<br />

http://avibase.birdscanada.org/<br />

One question that often arises, especially during snow<br />

events, is “What can I do to help the Thrushes, especially<br />

Varied Thrush and robins? Both are great consumers of<br />

fruits, but the Varied Thrush has more versatile feeding<br />

habits. Chopped apples and plumped raisins (soaked in hot<br />

water) are favourites of both. I know of backyard bird<br />

feeders who freeze rowan (European Mountain-ash) fruit,<br />

blackberries, and blueberries, and leave the thawed out<br />

fruit for the birds in winter. Apparently this is a big hit<br />

with thrushes, and even waxwings.<br />

EBIRD CANADA RECEIVES $20,000 GRANT<br />

20 January 2009 – Bird Studies Canada has received a<br />

grant of $20,000 from a family foundation to fund eBird<br />

Canada, the popular online birding database. eBird Canada<br />

use has been growing exponentially since the website was<br />

launched in the fall of 2006. Birders can enter their<br />

sightings into the database, and then explore the database<br />

with maps, seasonal graphs, or tables. eBird also acts as<br />

listing software, so can keep track of birders’ life lists for<br />

different regions. You can enter or explore data from<br />

anywhere in the Americas, and New Zealand was recently<br />

added to the eBird ‘family.’ There are now over 167,000<br />

Canadian checklists in eBird, representing well over a million<br />

bird species records. All the eBird data becomes part of a<br />

larger database at the Avian Knowledge Network. The data<br />

can be downloaded through our <strong>Nature</strong>Counts portal, where<br />

we also provide ways to explore and visualize the bird data.<br />

You can check out eBird at www.ebird.ca; it’s free, it’s<br />

informative, and it’s fun!<br />

NEW ISSUE OF AVIAN CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGY<br />

NOW AVAILABLE<br />

7 January 2009 – The latest issue of Avian Conservation<br />

and Ecology – Écologie et Conservation des Oiseaux (ACE-<br />

ÉCO), Volume 3, Issue 2, December 2008, has been<br />

published. This open-access, fully electronic scientific<br />

journal is sponsored by the Society of Canadian<br />

Ornithologists and Bird Studies Canada. To browse the<br />

table of contents or read a variety of new articles, visit the<br />

ACE-ÉCO website.<br />

Varied Thrush<br />

Photo: Jude Grass©<br />

The Varied Thrush will also take a variety of seeds with<br />

white millet being a favourite. Varied Thrushes at our<br />

feeder also enjoy roasted peanut pieces and sunflower<br />

chips (chopped premium oil sunflower seeds).<br />

Varied Thrushes are quite shy so putting the fruits, nuts<br />

and seeds near or under a hedge or some other shelter is a<br />

good idea.<br />

Enjoy your birds.<br />

Al Grass<br />

EIGHT RECOVERY STRATEGIES RECENTLY POSTED<br />

BY BC MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT<br />

The following 8 Recovery Strategies have been posted on<br />

the MOE recovery planning website:<br />

Recovery Strategy for<br />

<strong>Vancouver</strong> Island Marmot; Lyall’s mariposa lily; rusty cord<br />

moss ; Branched Phacelia; Dromedary-jumping Slug; Badger<br />

Pallid Bat; Behr’s Hairstreak<br />

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/recoveryplans/rcvry1.htm<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009 page 6


VNHS BIRDING SECTION COMMITTEE<br />

MINUTES OF THE MEETING ON<br />

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2008<br />

Present: Jude grass (Chair), Martin McNicholl, Mike Fung<br />

and June Ryder (recorder).<br />

Regrets: Adrian Grant Duff, Wayne Weber, David Boyd.<br />

Welcome<br />

1. Adoption of agenda with additions<br />

Motion: Moved: Martin Seconded: Mike, Carried.<br />

2. Approval of the Minutes of May 30, 2008<br />

Moved: Mike seconded: Jude motion, Carried.<br />

3. Birding Section Committee – Election of Chair<br />

Motion: Moved by Martin that we re-elect Jude;<br />

seconded Mike; Carried unanimously.<br />

4. Birder’s Night<br />

Programs<br />

Dec 4<br />

Chair – Martin Program: <strong>Vancouver</strong> CBC – final<br />

details: Adrian and Peter Candido - bird id.<br />

presentation; Jude will ask Peter, suggests id. tips for<br />

ducks, mergansers, grebes, etc. (count day details<br />

covered under #5 below). Speaker (short talk) Simon<br />

Robinson? Ladner: Dec 21 - Jude; White Rock: Dec 28<br />

– Viveka Ohman.<br />

2009: Jan 8 (note: not Thur. the 1st; 8 th will coincide<br />

with Marine Biology Section)<br />

Chair: Jude Speaker: Roger Emsley, from APE<br />

(Against Port Expansion) - Delta Port.<br />

Feb 5<br />

Chair: Martin Speaker: Dr. Sean Boyd, CWS – New<br />

Details on the Barrow’s Goldeneye.<br />

March 5<br />

Chair: Jude. Speaker: Paul Bannick (photographer and<br />

naturalist, Seattle) – The Owl and the Woodpecker.<br />

April 2<br />

Chair: Martin Speakers: Rob Butler – short feature<br />

re BC Breeding Bird Atlas & Ken Hall – Birds of the<br />

South Okanagan<br />

May 7<br />

Chair: Jude Location: outdoors: possibilities Queen<br />

Elizabeth Park or UBC Farm – finalize at next mtg.<br />

• Educational segments – Christine Bishop has<br />

volunteered.-<br />

• Conservation Issues – June<br />

• Refreshments: Mike – June will organize refreshments<br />

until May ’09. At the Dec. meeting, we should ask for<br />

volunteers to sign up to bring cookies or other finger<br />

food; and we should assess the interest in coffee – and<br />

if high, seek a volunteer to look after this until May ’09.<br />

• Future Speaker suggestions – hold for fall 2009<br />

Vince Beier - Mountain View Conservation Society –<br />

breeding Spotted Owls<br />

Kym Welstead - MOE on SAR, South Coast<br />

Conservation,<br />

Colin Clark – Birds of Madagascar.<br />

5 <strong>Vancouver</strong> Christmas Bird Count – December 14<br />

a) Participants, Dinner (Adrian will collect money -<br />

$7)<br />

b) Post-count tally: (Danny Tyson)<br />

c) Entertainment: - Quiz: verbal - Martin; bird songs<br />

Brian Self; slides – Jude, Peter Candido. Jude to<br />

ask Brian and Peter.<br />

6 Section and Committee Updates<br />

a) Birding Section Field Trips – Adrian<br />

We are trying to find more people to lead birding<br />

trips.<br />

b) Bird Alert – Wayne (no report)<br />

c) <strong>Vancouver</strong> Bird Records Committee – Jude has<br />

arranged meeting for Saturday Jan 31; location<br />

TBC.<br />

d) <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> – Jude: We need more writ-ups<br />

from our members about interesting sightings,<br />

observations of bird behaviour, etc; all field trips<br />

should be written up, but not necessarily by the<br />

leader.<br />

e) Raptor Surveys – Jude: We need funding to<br />

support data entry, and also to set up an automatic<br />

(computerized) data-entry system; wee need to<br />

discuss possibilities for the future of the raptor<br />

surveys..<br />

f) Golf Course Surveys – David (no report)<br />

g) The Birder’s Guide to <strong>Vancouver</strong> and the Lower<br />

Mainland - minor correction and reprint: Jude will<br />

contact Cathy Aitchison to ascertain progress.<br />

Jeremy has the original materials. Publisher<br />

(Harbour) is the same as for <strong>Nature</strong> In <strong>Vancouver</strong>.<br />

h) <strong>Nature</strong> in <strong>Vancouver</strong> – should be out by early<br />

spring (Earth Day?) currently the publisher is<br />

doing the layout.<br />

i) <strong>Nature</strong> <strong>Vancouver</strong> Website – Birder’s section:<br />

descriptions are being added for birding sites.<br />

j) Bird Workshops and Symposium - (see 7b)<br />

k) Revised Bird Checklist for Metro <strong>Vancouver</strong>– (has<br />

been circulated by Wayne W.)<br />

l) Breeding Birds and Invasive Removal Strategy: –<br />

Committee has drafted a preliminary strategy;<br />

discussion continues.<br />

m) Provincial Bird Records Committee - Martin: The<br />

initial meting to discuss the BC checklist was held<br />

22 April, 2007; the first formal meeting was held<br />

18 Oct. 2008, in Sidney, with chair: M. Preston,<br />

secretary: T. Greenfield, and members W.<br />

Campbell and M. McNicholl. Committee structure<br />

was discussed, and the relations between PBRC and<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009 page 7


The Biodiversity Centre for Wildlife Studies. It<br />

was agreed that PBRC should maintain the official<br />

list of birds of BC. Composition of PRBC should be<br />

5 or 7 individuals who are representative of<br />

member groups; also invite current (or previous)<br />

ed. of BC section of N. American Birds (now Don<br />

Cecile). Also include regional representative for<br />

any part of the province not already represented,<br />

e.g., Mark Phinney for Peace River area.<br />

Constitution and rules to be based on those of<br />

Alberta bird records committee. Results to be<br />

published in Wildlife Afield, from which other<br />

groups can extract material with appropriate<br />

acknowledgement. Committee needs to set up a<br />

process for establishing the checklist, aiming for<br />

publication of first official report in Oct. 2009.<br />

Also, need to carefully define working relations and<br />

division of responsibilities between PBRC and more<br />

local bird records committees (<strong>Vancouver</strong>,<br />

Victoria). Propose to publicize and promote the<br />

work of the PBRC by placing a colour insert in<br />

various bird-related magazines, e.g., W. <strong>Tattler</strong> and<br />

BC Birding Motion by Martin: That the Birding<br />

Section contributes $300 from its Publication<br />

Fund toward the cost of a colour insert that<br />

promotes reporting of rare birds to Provincial Bird<br />

Records Committee. Seconded: Mike; Carried.<br />

7. New Business<br />

a) Letter from Jeremy re. Birding Section<br />

publication fund and other matters (previously<br />

circulated by email). Jude to write a brief reply.<br />

b) Raptor Identification Workshops with William<br />

Clark – 2 workshops on raptor field identification<br />

are being offered: Jan 9 – 11 (introductory level)<br />

and Jan 24 – 25 (advanced); $150 each; at Reifel.<br />

These will be supported and promoted by Birding<br />

Section Committee. Other partners: BC Waterfowl<br />

Soc., (TBC), BC Field Ornithologists ((TBC), and BC<br />

Breeding Bird Atlas, (and others?).<br />

8. Information Items<br />

a) BC Breeding Bird Atlas – Technical Committee &<br />

Steering Committee reports<br />

b) Birds on the Bay – looking for Birders to assist<br />

with walks….<br />

c) Biodiversity Centre for Wildlife Studies – AGM<br />

Saturday November 29 at 12 noon at Reifel<br />

Migratory Bird Sanctuary Museum.<br />

9. VNHS Board and Society Information Items<br />

Date and location of next meeting<br />

January TBC<br />

SNOWY OWLS SWOOP SOUTHWARD,<br />

DELIGHTING BIRDERS<br />

EDITOR’S NOTE: BUT NOT HERE!!!<br />

Biologists say an increase in snowy owl sightings in the<br />

South suggests that the arctic species did so well in its<br />

northern breeding grounds last year that competition is<br />

driving the young ones to warmer climates.<br />

Snowy Owl Al Grass ©<br />

The mostly white owls of "Harry Potter" fame are spotted<br />

in small numbers in upstate New York and other northern<br />

states every winter. This year, they've also been spotted<br />

farther south, in states where they're rarely seen.<br />

In Tennessee, birders armed with spotting scopes and<br />

telephoto lenses scrambled from as far away as Georgia<br />

and Alabama to see the first snowy owl reported in that<br />

state in 22 years.<br />

The owl showed up in early December in the fields<br />

surrounding a General Motors plant in Spring Hill,<br />

Tennessee. Sightings were still being posted on the<br />

Tennessee Ornithological Society's Web site in late<br />

January.<br />

Birding hot lines lit up in northern Virginia with the sighting<br />

of a young male snowy owl in early December. The bird later<br />

died after it was found, sick and weak, and brought to the<br />

Wildlife Centre of Virginia in Waynesboro.<br />

Rarely seen south of northern Ohio, snowy owls have also<br />

been reported this year in Kansas and Missouri, according<br />

to the eBird.org national bird reporting Web site.<br />

Snowy owls nest on the ground in the Arctic tundra and<br />

many of them stay there year-round, while some winter in<br />

Canada and the northern United States. They tend to show<br />

up in greater numbers in the U.S. every three to five years,<br />

pushed by crashes in the population of lemmings, the<br />

hamster-like mainstay of their diet.<br />

But that doesn't appear to be the reason for this year's<br />

influx.<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009 page 8


"This year it appears the lemming population was really<br />

good," said Laura Erickson, a biologist at the Cornell Lab of<br />

Ornithology in Ithaca. "When lemmings are abundant, snowy<br />

owls have a very successful breeding season."<br />

As a result, the owl population grows so large that many of<br />

the young males move farther south to stake out feeding<br />

territory. An individual adult snowy owl may eat three to<br />

five lemmings per day, or up to 1,600 per year.<br />

NEW BOOKS<br />

Snowy owls aren't uncommon in winter in Minnesota and<br />

Wisconsin, but they're far more plentiful than usual this<br />

year, Erickson said. At the airport in Minneapolis, biologists<br />

have had to trap and move snowy owls for fear they'd be<br />

sucked into a jet engine, she said.<br />

"As birds of the tundra, they're drawn to large open fields<br />

like airports," Erickson said.<br />

The increase in southerly sightings is most likely a<br />

temporary phenomenon. Back in the arctic next summer,<br />

the larger population of owls may devour so many lemmings<br />

that food scarcity will bring the owl population back down,<br />

Erickson said.<br />

Mary Esch<br />

Associated Press Writer - Seattle Times<br />

Wednesday, January 28, 2009<br />

Couzens, Dominic. Top 100 Birding Sites of the<br />

World. 2008. University of California Press. Hardbound:<br />

320 pages. Price: $45.00 U.S. SUMMARY: This coffee<br />

table book describes the 100 best birding sites on the<br />

planet. The bird photography highlights this book Blomdahl,<br />

Anders, Bertil Breife and Niklas Holmstrom.<br />

OBSERVING BIRDS<br />

RIVER OTTER EATING A DUCK<br />

I wandered in the fog through Bob Heirman park in<br />

Snohomish County this morning. The flood debris is an<br />

impressive testimony to the power of the water that went<br />

through here a couple weeks ago. Visibility was limited and<br />

it was as still and quiet as I have ever experienced. As I<br />

got down to the bar there was a loud splashing of water in<br />

the distance and the sound was adjacent to a large log jam.<br />

I climbed up the backside of logs as quietly as I could<br />

manage, then sort of slithered over the top and stopped<br />

with my waist over the top log and my head pointing<br />

downhill. I could hear a gnawing sound and finally saw below<br />

me was a river otter holding and ripping into the breast of a<br />

duck which after a minute or so I was able to identify as a<br />

Common Goldeneye. Unfortunately the wind shifted and the<br />

otter caught my scent, stood up and looked right at me,<br />

although I am not sure it actually could see me, but without<br />

a sound it slid into the water with its prize and out of my<br />

view.<br />

Later on the hike out I had 4 swans materialize out of the<br />

fog and fly right over my head, maybe only 10 feet off the<br />

ground. I could hear and feel the wind pumping through<br />

their wings.<br />

Rob Sandelin<br />

Naturalist, Writer, Teacher<br />

Kerlinger, Paul. How Birds Migrate (2nd edition). 2009.<br />

Stackpole Books. Paperback: 230 pages. Price: $21.95 U.S.<br />

SUMMARY: Kerlinger's introduction to the biology of bird<br />

migration has been updated. I recommend this book for<br />

beginning birders interested in learning more about bird<br />

migration<br />

Siegel, Deborah C. and Storrs L. Olson. The Birds of<br />

the Republic of Panama, Part 5: Gazetteer and<br />

Bibliography. 2008. Buteo Books. Hardbound: 516 pages.<br />

Price: $45.00 U.S. SUMMARY: This final volume of<br />

Alexander Wetmore's multi-volume work on the birds of<br />

Panama describes and locates all place names used by<br />

Wetmore and also contains a comprehensive bibliography.<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009 page 9


NATURAL SELECTION GIVES WAY TO HUMAN<br />

SELECTION PRACTICE OF HUNTING AND<br />

HARVESTING THE BIGGEST ANIMALS OR PLANTS<br />

IS CHANGING SPECIES MUCH FASTER THAN<br />

NATURE, RESEARCHERS FIND<br />

Humans have become "super predators," speeding up the<br />

evolution of the species they hunt and harvest at rates far<br />

above what is found in nature, according to new research,<br />

some of it conducted by Canadian biologists.<br />

The researchers believe that many recently observed<br />

changes in species, ranging from the shrinkage in the horns<br />

of bighorn sheep in the Rockies to the reduction in the size<br />

of caribou in Scandinavia, are being driven by humans.<br />

4<br />

The biologists estimate that hunting has caused such<br />

characteristics as body size and reproductive age to change<br />

at a rate that is a staggering 300 per cent above the pace<br />

that would prevail in nature. This figure is even greater<br />

than the change attributed to other human interferences,<br />

such as pollution, which was estimated to alter species 50<br />

per cent faster than what normally happens.<br />

"The implications are pretty wide and profound," said Paul<br />

Paquet, a University of Calgary biologist who dubs humans<br />

"super predators" for this outsized impact.<br />

A paper outlining the findings was posted yesterday in the<br />

online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of<br />

Sciences.<br />

In it, Dr. Paquet and others argue that current hunting and<br />

harvesting practices are inadvertently causing dramatic<br />

changes in the behaviour and appearance of species. The<br />

reason: Humans tend to "high-grade" nature, taking out the<br />

biggest and best in a species.<br />

The approach is clearest in trophy hunting, where animals<br />

with the biggest horns or bodies are killed, while inferior<br />

ones are left. But the practice also occurs in commercial<br />

fishing, where mesh openings in nets capture the biggest<br />

fish while smaller ones escape.<br />

The human approach is the opposite to what happens in<br />

nature, where predators kill the easiest-to-catch animals,<br />

such as the young, the old and the sick, but are unable to<br />

take out the fittest adults, which then reproduce and pass<br />

their desirable characteristics on to future generations.<br />

Many hunting rules are based on a view that bagging mature<br />

animals is the best approach, but Dr. Paquet says humans<br />

should be trying to emulate nature, even though at first<br />

glance it doesn't seem sporting to kill younger creatures.<br />

"That's clearly the best management regime," he said.<br />

The researchers, who are affiliated with the University of<br />

Calgary and the University of Victoria as well as two U.S.<br />

universities, looked at 34 studies that examined physical or<br />

biological characteristics in 29 species subject to heavy<br />

pressure from human predation. Besides the bighorn sheep<br />

and caribou, they included snails; a pair of medicinal plants;<br />

and various commercially caught fish.<br />

"Harvested organisms are the fastest-changing organisms<br />

of their kind in the wild because we are super predators<br />

and we take such high proportions of a population and<br />

target the largest individuals," Dr. Paquet said.<br />

The rate of change is staggering from an evolutionary point<br />

of view, where the alteration in species is often thought to<br />

occur slowly. Alberta's bighorn sheep, for instance, have<br />

experienced a 20-per-cent drop in the length and size of<br />

their horns in only the past 30 years. The sheep are prized<br />

for the distinctive curve in their horns, making them<br />

sought-after trophies.<br />

Atlantic cod, whose populations have collapsed because of<br />

over fishing, now reproduce at an average age of five years,<br />

rather than six, as was the case previously. The change,<br />

which in humans would amount to children reaching sexual<br />

maturity and having offspring at ages of around nine to 11,<br />

occurred in only two decades.<br />

Among the species harvested or hunted by humans and<br />

reviewed in the paper, body size or horn size decreased by<br />

an average 18 per cent. There was also a pattern of<br />

reproduction at an earlier age or smaller size.<br />

THE DIMINISHING PREY<br />

BIGHORN SHEEP The sheep, found in mountainous areas<br />

of Western Canada and the United States, are famed for<br />

the unusual curved horns on the rams. The rams are hunted<br />

as trophies, but researchers believe the practice of taking<br />

the biggest specimens has prompted genetic change leading<br />

to a marked decline in horn size.<br />

CARIBOU Caribou from southern Norway, the last<br />

remaining wild population in Europe, have shrunk because of<br />

hunting. The selective killing of the biggest animals has led<br />

to a reduction in the size of bodies, antlers and jaws.<br />

Researchers suspect the same trend may have occurred in<br />

southern populations of caribou in Canada.<br />

AMERICAN GINSENG The gnarled root of the plant is<br />

prized for its medicinal properties - collected for illnesses<br />

ranging from cancer to Alzheimer's disease. But extensive<br />

harvesting has led to a change in the composition of wild<br />

stands, with an increased number of smaller, nonreproductive<br />

plants.<br />

COD The destruction of cod stocks has led to altered<br />

reproductive behaviour. The fish produce eggs at a younger<br />

age, but this early breeding has a big drawback. The early<br />

breeders are producing abnormally low numbers of eggs.<br />

Martin Mittelstaedt<br />

From Globe and Mail January 13, 2009<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009 page 10


THE 2008 LADNER<br />

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT RESULTS<br />

The 2008 Ladner CBC – originally set for December 21, was<br />

rescheduled to January 4 due to heavy snowfall and bad<br />

road conditions. While the January day wasn’t too bad, a<br />

cold, heavy wind did come up in the afternoon, and then it<br />

started snowing - big time - while we were doing the post<br />

count tally and dinner. We quickly finished up and got the<br />

birder’s heading home before the roads were too<br />

dangerous.<br />

A total of 133 species were seen on count day, plus 2<br />

species within count period. Our highlights included: a<br />

Mountain Chickadee and several Anna’s Hummingbirds which<br />

were seen at feeders in Delta: a White-throated Sparrow<br />

seen near the <strong>Vancouver</strong> Landfill. If anyone would like an<br />

electronic version of the final count tally please contact<br />

judegrass@shaw.ca.<br />

Thank you to the BC Waterfowl Society for the use of the<br />

museum for the post count gathering and to John Ireland<br />

for his assistance on count day.<br />

ATTENTION RAPTOR FANS….<br />

Jude Grass<br />

Ladner CBC Coordinator<br />

A wonderful article describing the Harlan’s Hawk has been<br />

published in the current edition of Birding the American<br />

Birding Association magazine. You can find a pdf version of<br />

the article and additional information that was not part of<br />

the printed article at the following website. The article is<br />

a must read for those who are interested in identifying<br />

Harlan’s Hawk and Red-tailed Hawks. The link is:<br />

http://aba.org/birding/v41n1p30.pdf<br />

Authored by William (Bill) Clark, who recently gave two<br />

very successful Raptor Identification courses sponsored by<br />

the Birding Section of <strong>Nature</strong> <strong>Vancouver</strong> we were actually<br />

fortunately enough to confirm a Harlan’s Hawk at McDonald<br />

Slough on Sea Island on one of the course field trips.<br />

The Stanley Park Heronry<br />

The Stanley Park Ecology Society is monitoring the heron<br />

nesting sites in Stanley Park for several organizations and<br />

studies. The provincial government’s Ministry of<br />

Environment is conducting research to determine the<br />

impact of predators and human interaction on nesting great<br />

blue herons. The data will also be forwarded to Bird<br />

Studies Canada to contribute to their national study of<br />

nesting habits and trends.<br />

See the:<br />

http://www.stanleyparkecology.ca/programs/conservation<br />

/urbanWildlife/herons/ to read the reports:<br />

1. Stanley Park Heron Colony Final Report 2008<br />

2. UBC Heron Colony 2008 Nesting Report<br />

WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED MONTHLY WALKS<br />

The following walks are offered by the Wild<br />

Bird Stores in <strong>Vancouver</strong> and North <strong>Vancouver</strong>.<br />

The next walk is Saturday <strong>February</strong> 21 to<br />

Jericho Park starting at 10 a.m. Meet in the<br />

parking lot at the west end of the park near the<br />

washroom buildings. Walks last approximately 2<br />

hours. Bring your binoculars if you have them.<br />

For more details phone 604-736-2676.<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009 page 11


SOME SIGHTINGS FOR VANCOUVER RARE BIRD ALERT -- AUGUST 2008<br />

SPECIES NO. DATE LOCALITY OBSERVERS<br />

American Golden Plover 1 25-Aug-08 Foot of 96th Street, Delta Ilya Povalyaev<br />

American Kestrel 1 11-Aug-08 Tsawwassen jetty, Delta Carlo Giovanella<br />

Baird's Sandpiper 2 27-Aug-08 Foot of 96th Street, Delta Mike Tabak<br />

Barred Owl 1 27-Aug-08 148th Street at 106th Avenue, Surrey Ivan Kaderabek<br />

Black and White Warbler 1 3-Aug-08 Grant Narrows, Pitt Lake Mike Newey<br />

Black Oystercatcher 7 24-Aug-08 Bird & Grebe Islets, Howe Sound Allan Milligan<br />

Black Oystercatcher several 27-Aug-08 Tsawwassen jetty, Delta Mike Tabak<br />

Black Turnstone 156 10-Aug-08 Tsawwassen ferry terminal, Delta Richard Swanston<br />

Black-bellied Plover 1800 27-Aug-08 Foot of 96th Street, Delta Mike Tabak<br />

Caspian Tern 289 26-Aug-08 Tsawwassen ferry terminal, Delta Richard Swanston<br />

Common Nighthawk 12 5-Aug-08 79th Avenue at 114th Street, North Delta Philip Kelly<br />

Common Tern 3 22-Aug-08 Maplewood Conservation Area, N <strong>Vancouver</strong> Rob Lyske<br />

Common Tern 2 29-Aug-08 Blackie Spit, Surrey Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Eastern Kingbird 3 3-Aug-08 Grant Narrows, Pitt Lake Mike Newey<br />

Eurasian Collared-Dove 3 29-Aug-08 4126 River Road, Delta Diane Kehoe<br />

Evening Grosbeak 2 12-Aug-08 Grant Narrows, Pitt Lake David Schutz<br />

Gray Catbird 3 12-Aug-08 Pitt Meadows David Schutz<br />

Gray Catbird 1 16-Aug-08 E end of 104th Ave., Surrey (nr Barnston I.) Ivan Kaderabek<br />

Greater White-fronted Goose 2 24-Aug-08 52nd Street near Hwy 17, Delta Richard Swanston<br />

Greater Yellowlegs 20 5-Aug-08 Beach Grove lagoon, Delta Richard Swanston<br />

Heermann's Gull 2 11-Aug-08 Point Roberts, WA Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Heermann's Gull 1 13-Aug-08 Wreck Beach, <strong>Vancouver</strong> Christian Lodders<br />

Heermann's Gull 1 25-Aug-08 Tsawwassen jetty, Delta Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Lazuli Bunting several 27-Aug-08 Colony Farm Park, Port Coquitlam David Schutz<br />

Lesser Goldfinch 1 - M 1-Aug-08 2093 Topaz, Abbotsford Stan Olson<br />

Lesser Goldfinch 1 - M 21-Aug-08 2093 Topaz, Abbotsford Stan Olson<br />

Lesser Yellowlegs 20 5-Aug-08 Beach Grove lagoon, Delta Richard Swanston<br />

Lincoln's Sparrow 1 27-Aug-08 Iona Island Mike Tabak<br />

Long-billed Curlew 1 3-Aug-08 Blackie Spit, Surrey Ilya Povalyaev, Ross Wood<br />

Long-billed Curlew 1 29-Aug-08 Blackie Spit, Surrey Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Long-billed Dowitcher 150 21-Aug-08 Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Marbled Godwit 2 29-Aug-08 Blackie Spit, Surrey Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Merlin 2 24-Aug-08 400 block E 18th St., North <strong>Vancouver</strong> Larry Marchak<br />

Northern Waterthrush 1 20-Aug-08 Serpentine Fen, Surrey Mike Newey<br />

Northern Waterthrush 1 21-Aug-08 Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Northern Waterthrush 1 23-Aug-08 Maplewood Conservation Area, N <strong>Vancouver</strong> Rob Lyske<br />

Northern Waterthrush 1 23-Aug-08 Still Creek at Sperling Ave., Burnaby Dan Peterson<br />

Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 29-Aug-08 Maplewood Conservation Area, N <strong>Vancouver</strong> Rob Lyske<br />

Parasitic Jaeger 1 2-Aug-08 Georgia Strait off Sandheads (Steveston) Richard Swanston<br />

Peregrine Falcon 2 20-Aug-08 Iona Island Mike Tabak<br />

Pomarine Jaeger 1 5-Aug-08 Foot of 96th Street, Delta Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Purple Martin 8 5-Aug-08 79th Avenue at 114th Street, North Delta Philip Kelly<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009 page 12


SPECIES NO. DATE<br />

Purple Martin 5 21-Aug-08<br />

Purple Martin 1 29-Aug-08<br />

Purple Martin 6 29-Aug-08<br />

Red Crossbill 25 29-Aug-08<br />

Red Knot 1 22-Aug-08<br />

Red-eyed Vireo 1 29-Aug-08<br />

Red-necked Phalarope 2 5-Aug-08<br />

Red-necked Phalarope 11 9-Aug-08<br />

Red-necked Phalarope 4 9-Aug-08<br />

Red-necked Phalarope 3 18-Aug-08<br />

Ruddy Turnstone 2 9-Aug-08<br />

Ruddy Turnstone 1 29-Aug-08<br />

Sanderling 200 19-Aug-08<br />

Sandhill Crane 5 5-Aug-08<br />

Semipalmated Sandpiper several 1-Aug-08<br />

Semipalmated Sandpiper 5 24-Aug-08<br />

Short-billed Dowitcher 25 19-Aug-08<br />

Short-billed Dowitcher 10 21-Aug-08<br />

Solitary Sandpiper 1 19-Aug-08<br />

Sooty Grouse 1 9-Aug-08<br />

Stilt Sandpiper 1 10-Aug-08<br />

Stilt Sandpiper 1 19-Aug-08<br />

Surfbird 75 24-Aug-08<br />

Turkey Vulture 7 12-Aug-08<br />

Turkey Vulture 7 16-Aug-08<br />

Western Sandpiper 6000 19-Aug-08<br />

Western Wood-Pewee 1 29-Aug-08<br />

Whimbrel several 2-Aug-08<br />

Whimbrel 1 5-Aug-08<br />

Wilson's Phalarope 4 19-Aug-08<br />

Wilson's Phalarope 4 23-Aug-08<br />

Yellow-headed Blackbird 1 3-Aug-08<br />

Yellow-headed Blackbird 1 9-Aug-08<br />

Yellow-headed Blackbird 1 12-Aug-08<br />

LOCALITY<br />

Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta<br />

Westminster Hwy at No. 6 Road, Richmond<br />

Maplewood Conservation Area, N <strong>Vancouver</strong><br />

Maplewood Conservation Area, N <strong>Vancouver</strong><br />

Foot of 96th Street, Delta<br />

Maplewood Conservation Area, N <strong>Vancouver</strong><br />

Beach Grove lagoon, Delta<br />

Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta<br />

Highway 17 pond N of Deltaport Way<br />

Foot of 96th Street, Delta<br />

Boundary Bay dyke E of 96th Street, Delta<br />

Blackie Spit, Surrey<br />

Foot of 96th Street, Delta<br />

Langley Airport, Langley<br />

Beach Grove lagoon, Delta<br />

Iona Island<br />

Foot of 96th Street, Delta<br />

Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta<br />

Lost Lagoon, Stanley Park, <strong>Vancouver</strong><br />

Burnaby Mountain, Burnaby<br />

Beach Grove lagoon, Delta<br />

Iona Island<br />

Bird & Grebe Islets, Howe Sound<br />

Pitt Meadows<br />

E end of 104th Ave., Surrey (nr Barnston I.)<br />

Foot of 96th Street, Delta<br />

Maplewood Conservation Area, N <strong>Vancouver</strong><br />

Tsawwassen jetty, Delta<br />

Blackie Spit, Surrey<br />

Highway 17 pond N of Deltaport Way<br />

Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta<br />

16th Avenue near Camosun St., <strong>Vancouver</strong><br />

Foot of 41B Street, Delta<br />

Mud Bay Park, Surrey<br />

OBSERVERS<br />

Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Julian Hudson<br />

Rob Lyske<br />

Rob Lyske<br />

Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Rob Lyske<br />

Richard Swanston<br />

Mike Tabak, John Tabak<br />

Mike Tabak, John Tabak<br />

I Povalyaev, C Giovanella<br />

Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Mike Tabak<br />

Ivan Kaderabek<br />

Richard Swanston<br />

George Clulow<br />

Mike Tabak<br />

Ilya Povalyaev<br />

Alan Jensen<br />

Dan Peterson<br />

Richard Swanston<br />

Rob Lyske, Mark Wynja<br />

Allan Milligan<br />

David Schutz<br />

Ivan Kaderabek<br />

Mike Tabak<br />

Rob Lyske<br />

Richard Swanston<br />

Trent Glukler<br />

Mike Tabak<br />

Trent Glukler<br />

Christine Adkins<br />

Richard Swanston<br />

Dean Smith<br />

VAN V SUN: JAN 2009<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009<br />

page 13


OWL<br />

ORPHANED WILDLIFE REHABILITATION<br />

SOCIETY<br />

O.W.L. Wish List<br />

A busy organization like O.W.L. is always in need of<br />

supplies. If you have access to, want to donate or<br />

need to get rid of any of the supplies below, we'll<br />

gladly take them off your hands.<br />

NATURE VANCOUVER (VNHS)<br />

BIRDING SECTION COMMITTEE<br />

2008-9<br />

Jude Grass – Chair<br />

David Boyd<br />

Mike Fung<br />

Adrian Grant Duff<br />

Martin McNicholl<br />

June Ryder<br />

Wayne Weber<br />

.<br />

VANCOUVER RARE BIRD ALERT<br />

604-737-3074<br />

Sponsored in part by:<br />

Paper Towels<br />

Boxes of Bolts and Wing Nuts (various sizes)<br />

Rubber boots<br />

Bleach<br />

Fantastic with bleach<br />

New Dawn dish soap<br />

Windex<br />

Post-it Notes (small/medium/large) arge)<br />

Inside/outdoor extension cords<br />

Large Rubbermaid containers<br />

AA batteries<br />

Soaker hoses and 100 ft all-weather hoses<br />

Paint brushes and paint rollers<br />

Branches or stumps for perching<br />

Canadian Tire money<br />

Your generosity, as always, is much appreciated<br />

OWL at 3800 72 nd Street, Delta, BC<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> is published September to April by<br />

the <strong>Nature</strong> <strong>Vancouver</strong> (VNHS) Birding Section.<br />

<strong>Vancouver</strong> and North <strong>Vancouver</strong><br />

BE A CONTRIBUTOR TO TATTLER<br />

Please contribute to YOUR Birding newsletter by sending in<br />

a summary of your field trip, telling about a new bird book,<br />

or an upcoming event, talk, or outing about birds, or some<br />

interesting behaviour or action of a bird or birds you<br />

observe.<br />

The <strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> <strong>February</strong> 2009<br />

Subscriptions:<br />

1 year is $20.00 for 8 copies includes<br />

postage and handling. Please make out to VNHS -<br />

<strong>Wandering</strong> <strong>Tattler</strong> and mail to the Editor.<br />

Deadline for submissions is the 21 st of the month. Please<br />

send articles to the Editor:<br />

Jude Grass: judegrass@shaw.ca or<br />

Mail to:<br />

17375 27A Avenue, Surrey, BC V3S 0E9.<br />

Phone: 604 538 8774 Fax: 604 538 8791<br />

ISSN 082 5901<br />

© <strong>Nature</strong> <strong>Vancouver</strong><br />

(<strong>Vancouver</strong> Natural History Society)<br />

page 14

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