Selected Excerpts from the Vancouver Natural History Society “Bulletin”
End Note # 17: Attention Intermediates – Specimen Hunting for the Aquarium (see
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- A Look at Western Canada by Thumb
- Southern B.C. Manning Park
- Peace River Parklands Moberly Lake
- Edmonton Region Beaverhill Lake
- Southern Alberta Wildhorse
- Excerpts from the B.C. Nature Council Semi-Annual Meeting (Oct. 21.22)
- Fishing Lures – a Hazard to Sea Birds
- Pacific Nest Record Scheme
- A Sight Record of the Emperor Goose at White Rock, B.C.
| End Note # 17: Attention Intermediates – Specimen Hunting for the Aquarium (see pages 268-269)
Summer and Fall Visitants to Vancouver Black tern – June 3rd. This bird was seen by Ian Yule as well as by some seniors, at the Iona sewage pond; the only black tern in Vancouver recorded by the Intermediates this year. [Greater] white-fronted goose – June 4th. Thirteen of these geese were on the Iona mudflats, 9 of which were immature. Lowell Orcutt, George Sirk, and Ian Yule. Caspian tern – This species was seen again at Iona, 4 of them by the sewage ponds. Errol Anderson. Boreal chickadee This species has been seen on several occasions this summer on both Hollyburn and Black Mountains. [Northern] goshawk – Aug. 23rd. An adult was seen flying over Jericho Beach. In all probability it is the bird that wintered there last year. Jack McClintock, George Sirk. [Red] knot sandpiper – Sept. 7th. This casual visitor was sighted by Ian Yule and J. Husted. It was in winter plumage and flocking with semi-palmated plover and lesser yellowlegs. Wandering tattler – Sept. 16th. This bird visited the shores of Point Roberts on several occasions. The Intermediates saw it on a field trip. That day 112 species were observed – a record for the intermediates – and probably for the Society as well. Franklin’s gull – During September an immature stayed at Brockton Point for over three weeks. Errol Anderson and other Intermediates. Rhinoceros auklet – Sept. 23rd. Rafts of these birds, along with ancient murrelets, were seen in Burrard Inlet. Errol Anderson, Barry Edwards. Mountain bluebird – Oct. 16th. While the Intermediates were working at the George C. Reifel Refuge, this beautiful bird visited them. It stayed in the area for more than 3 hours and posed for pictures by Barry Edwards. Eurasian widgeon – Oct. 23rd. An individual was seen at Lost Lagoon along with ring-necked ducks. Errol Anderson. Slate-coloured [dark-eyed] junco – October. A pair of these unmistakable juncos visited Errol Anderson’s feeder. E. Anderson, George Sirk. Virginia rail – Oct. 29th and Nov. 5th. An adult was seen wandering on the islands east of the wharves in Lost Lagoon. Since it is known to winter in Vancouver there is a chance it may stay in the Lagoon. (Oct. 29th) Errol Anderson, Barry Edwards, George Sirk. (Nov. 5th – 13th) Intermediates. [Greater] white-fronted goose – Oct. 30th. One immature was seen with scoters. It had been shot in the wing, clipping some of the primaries. Jericho Beach. George Sirk. George Sirk was one of an enthusiastic group of teenagers who became the Intermediate Section of the Society in the mid-1960’s. A B.C. Park’s seasonal naturalist, a co-establisher of Swiftsure Tours which operated the very first whale watching tours from Tofino, a nature travel guide in Central America, carpenter and ‘hippie’ bird watcher on Cortes Island are aspects of his continuing career. In 2001 George was in his second term as the elected representative for Cortes Island, to the Comox-Strathcona Regional District, championing the cause of Garry Oaks. A Look at Western Canada by Thumb On June 25th Ian Yule, Lowell Orcutt and myself left on a six-week journey into the Interior of B.C. and Alberta. We hitchhiked over 4,000 miles throughout the period. During this time we traveled through the Okanagan, Cariboo, Peace River parklands, northern and southern Alberta, the Kootenays and southern B.C. We visited areas as different as the alpine meadows of Manning Park and the parched deserts of Alberta. The places we thought to be excellent for birding are listed below for future reference, along with the birds typical of each area. Southern B.C. Manning Park Vaseaux Lake Osoyoos gray-crowned rosy-finch Say’s phoebe turkey vulture golden eagle rock wren poorwill Cassin’s finch dusky flycatcher Brewer’s sparrow spotted owl lark sparrow mountain chickadee pine grosbeak chukar (partridge) Cassin’s finch Peace River Parklands Moberly Lake Fort Nelson Tupper yellow-shafted [northern] flicker rose-breasted grosbeak Philadelphia vireo least flycatcher mourning warbler eastern phoebe boreal chickadee palm warbler Bear Flat ovenbird yellow-bellied flycatcher magnolia warbler rusty blackbird spruce grouse American redstart tree sparrow three-toed [black-backed] woodpecker magnolia warbler
loggerhead shrike Le Conte’s sparrow Forster’s tern Baltimore oriole eastern phoebe willet
marbled godwit [American] avocet black-and-white warbler long-billed dowitcher Southern Alberta Wildhorse Sprague’s pipit lark bunting Connecticut warbler McCowan’s longspur bobolink chestnut-collared longspur Brewer’s sparrow black-crowned night heron Baird’s sparrow upland sandpiper black-billed cuckoo [greater] sage grouse gray partridge The following is a list of the common birds which were seen at every suitable habitat throughout the trip: eared grebe loggerhead shrike Swainson’s hawk ferruginous hawk Tennessee warbler clay-coloured sparrow white-throated sparrow sora rail Franklin’s gull slate-coloured [dark-eyed] junco redhead black tern great horned owl Wilson’s phalarope least flycatcher
George Sirk. More Bird Notes On October 7th, Mr. Fred Gornall observed more than 100 bluebirds feeding on juniper berries at the Savona Microwave Station. He also saw 12 brown creepers working over a group of as many trees. The day was a mix of sun and cloud. A new bird sanctuary has been created at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, a centennial gift from the West Vancouver Garden Club and the West Vancouver Parks Board. This beautiful place should be visited to enjoy the lovely area and study the birds. It is an excellent place for photography. Observed among the many ducks there was a Canada and Snow goose. To the delight of Nancy Anderson, Kay Smith and Mr. and Mrs. Barnes, a [western] meadowlark was feeding on the grass. The marsh and tower pens at the George C. Reifel Refuge on Westham Island have been completed and you can see over 100 birds at close range. Summer Camp Garibaldi Park has once again been chosen as the site for our summer camp in 1968. Camp will start on Saturday, August 3rd and end on Sunday, August 11th. Excerpts from the B.C. Nature Council Semi-Annual Meeting (Oct. 21.22) Seven of the nine societies forming the Council were represented at the meeting. About 35 people attended the all-day business session. The newest Society at Comox-Strathcona had at least 5 guests at the meeting plus their delegate. The Kamloops Society seems to be hibernating. The delegate from Southern Okanagan (Penticton) became ill at the last minute. The Vancouver Society was not well represented numerically considering its size. We had 7 at the business meeting, but 5 of these had to attend because they hold office or had reports to make. Naturalists’ Guides to B.C. – About a year and a half ago the Council decided to sponsor the compilation and printing of Naturalists’ Guides in B.C. Yorke Edwards of Victoria (now Ottawa) undertook to prepare one for the Victoria region as a pilot project. It has been completed at a cost of $250 for 250 Guides. It is about 40 pages long with an attractive cover and several photographs and sketch maps. Additional copies should cost less than 50c each. The final price has not been established but copies were made available at $1.00 each. Dr. Carl of the Provincial Museum believes he can sell 100 copies with no difficulty. The Council hopes that this pilot guide will be an inspiration to all member clubs to produce similar ones. Vancouver should be able to duplicate this effort. Lecture Slide Kit – Another project started by the Council about 18 months ago under the chairmanship of Yorke Edwards has also been completed. This is a half-hour slide show with a taped lecture called The Face of British Columbia. The kit is available to all clubs. It is hoped similar kits will be prepared by other clubs. Vancouver has a set of bird slides. How about preparing a taped lecture and making it a kit? Your representative suggested he might prepare a kit on the geology of B.C. Conservation: Parks etc. – Dick Stace-Smith reported on the meeting that he and Bert Brink had with the Hon. K. Keirnan, Minister of Recreation and Conservation. The brief aroused considerable discussion in Council, especially with regard to Mr. Keirnan’s comments on conservancies and Class “A” Parks. “Why set up conservancies in Class “A” Parks?” and, “What was the difference?” were some of the questions raised. A member of the Provincial Parks Branch explained that a conservancy status means the area is inviolate within the terms of the Park Act; that is to say, no development is permitted in the area (such as roads, ski lodges etc.), whereas Class “A” Parks do permit such developments. The status of any area can be changed by Order-in-Council. Mr. Kiernan seemed sincere in his belief that this is not likely to happen. It is our belief that the understanding established with Mr. Kiernan has been a major step forward. If an individual wishes to give land to the government for a conservancy this is best done by a “trust in perpetuity”. Only the courts, or the donor, can change the status. It cannot be done by an Order-in-Council or by the Legislative Assembly. Paradise Meadows – is not in Strathcona Park, but adjoins it. The Comox-Strathcona Club believes the area should be included in the Park. If it is not, it will be logged by Crown Zellerbach within two years. That company apparently is willing to swap with the Provincial Government this area for timber elsewhere. So far government [officials] have the impression this is not the case. The Nature Council asked Comox-Strathcona to obtain a statement in writing from Crown Zellerbach that it will swap; then present the statement to Mr. Kiernan. Crown Zellerbach apparently has already agreed to stop logging within 400 feet of the Meadow, for at least another year. Reservoir Clearing – Mica Dam – Elton Anderson of Vancouver prepared an extensive and knowledgeable brief on this problem. He made several trips to the area at his own expense and numerous trips to Victoria. To his knowledge B.C. Hydro and the Provincial Government have no intention of clearing timber in the 130-mile Lake to be created. His brief does not request a complete clearing, but mainly slashing down to low water mark – a job that could be done for $5 – 10 million, compared to the total cost of Mica of several hundred million dollars. If the area is not cleared it will not be suitable for recreation for 100 years or more and will be an eyesore of major proportions. Over the years it will probably cost 5 to 10 times as much to clear out snags as the initial clearing would cost. Members should write to B.C. Hydro, to Mr. Williston, or to your MLA protesting the policy which is based on a false promise of saving money! Elton has done an outstanding job and the Vancouver Club should be proud of him. The Elton Anderson Award was named for this former President of the Federation of B.C. Naturalists who was dedicated to furthering the aims of the F.B.C.N. across the Province. The spring meeting of the Council (May 1968) will be held under the auspices of the Vancouver Natural History Society. Location to be decided. J.E. Armstrong Fishing Lures – a Hazard to Sea Birds Every year, especially during the busy summer months, many sea birds are accidentally caught or “hooked” by sports fishermen along the B.C. Coast. Glaucous-winged gulls and marbled murrelets are the two sea birds most consistently caught, though occasionally pigeon guillemots and common murres are involved. While working with the B.C. Parks Branch on Mitlenatch Island Nature Park (see Blue Jay, December 1965) during the summers of 1965, 1965 and 1966 I heard many disgruntled fishermen complain of their catches of “feathers” instead of “scales”. I questioned many of them and compiled the following notes from their reports. The glaucous-winged gull, B.C.’s most abundant resident gull, is usually caught on silver “flashers” which are trolled in a boat’s wake just beneath the surface of the water. Sometimes the flasher is baited with strips of [Pacific] herring. To the hungry gull, which is primarily a surface feeder, the darting, shiny flasher must closely resemble a fish. In one passing swoop the bird engulfs the “fish” and before it fully realizes its mistake, the fishhooks have become embedded in the lining of its esophagus. In its attempt to struggle free, the gull may snap the fish line and depart, with an embedded lure from which a lengthy piece of line dangles. In time the bird will die from starvation. If by some chance it is able to feed, it is likely that the fish line will become entangled in beach debris such as logs or small bushes. A combination of haemorrhaging and starvation soon accounts for the bird’s death. Occasionally fishermen reel in gulls that they accidentally catch only to become frustrated by the problem of releasing the bird. Many fishermen simply cut the line and let the gull fly off. Needless to say the bird’s chance for surviving is greatly reduced. With a little patience and common sense, the embedded hooks can be removed with a pair of needle-nosed pliers. The gull can then be released relatively unharmed. Sometimes gulls misjudge the flasher and become entangled in the transparent fish line. This of course is not as serious as being hooked, but the bird’s flight is impaired and the fisherman can easily capture it and remove the entangled line. A note of caution: gulls can inflict painful cuts with their strong bills. Captured birds can easily be calmed by covering their heads with a stocking or shirtsleeve. Marbled murrelets, small, dark-brown, chubby-bodied sea birds, feed primarily on fish which they pursue by diving, sometimes to considerable depths. This bird is frequently caught in deep water on small, brilliantly coloured plugs, such as a “lucky Louie” or “Rexfield”. Usually the murrelet is only hooked by the bill and the plug therefore can be easily removed. Last summer one fisherman reported catching one at a depth of about 75 feet. In years to come, sea birds will undoubtedly continue to be caught by sport fishermen. Mortalities resulting from these accidents can be reduced if fishermen make an effort to detach embedded lures and untangle fish lines from captured birds. Most sport fishermen do not realize that many sea birds are indirectly beneficial to man. If it weren’t for the glaucous-winged gulls that keep commercial and public oyster beds free of predating starfish, there would be few oysters on the Pacific Coast. Our litter-free beaches and shorelines owe their cleanliness to an army of scavenging sea birds. Also, many sea birds signal good fishing spots by congregating to feed on schools of small fish, which in turn the salmon feed on. Sea birds are a valuable and exciting addition to British Columbia’s avifauna and certainly deserve humane treatment. (Reprinted from The Blue Jay – Saskatchewan, by R. Wayne Campbell, Burnaby, B.C.) #138 March 1968 Christmas Bird Count 1967 Date: December 30th, 1967 Time: 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Temp: 35̊F - 45̊F Wind: Light Weather: Light cloud/sunny periods Visibility: a.m.-good; p.m. – haze Observers: 71 in 20 parties Total hours: 153 (foot – 114 hrs. (car – 39 hours.) Party Miles: 569 (foot – 135.5 miles) (car - 433.5 miles)
Total Species: 125 Total Individuals: 278,271 Two members in a boat covered English Bay and the North Arm jetty, adding rock sandpipers and surfbirds to the list. Other interesting species included the Harris’s sparrow, Virginia rail and pygmy owl. Seen during the count period (Dec. 20 – Jan 1) were Hutton’s vireo and red crossbill. Pacific Nest Record Scheme The Vancouver Natural History Society has played an important part in the reporting of bird nests since the inception of the scheme in 1955. Many thanks are due to our members who spend so much time looking for nests and recording the data. There were ten new species recorded for B.C., seven for the interior States, six for California and six for Washington-Oregon, all of which come under the Pacific scheme. Orchids to our members: - Wayne Campbell for reporting a first for Brandt’s cormorant, fork-tailed [storm-] petrel and Leach’s [storm-] petrel; and to George Sirk for the white-throated swift and oven bird Other firsts reported were white-headed woodpecker, loggerhead shrike, red crossbill, [northern] mockingbird and evening grosbeak. Interesting Notes: gray jay – only the fourth nest to be recorded. This was by Jim Grant of Vernon. There have been no records of any nests on the mountains of the Lower Mainland or Manning Park. Yellow-shafted [northern] flicker and pine grosbeak – second recordings by J. Grant; golden-crowned sparrow (with 3 young), Mrs. Hart, North Vancouver. The nearest previous location was Garibaldi Park in 1959 by J.B. Foster. All other records are from northern B.C. Please keep up the good work and record all the nests you see. The record cards are kept in the Museum in the Department of Zoology at U.B.C. and any contributor may request information at any time. Kathleen Smith A Sight Record of the Emperor Goose at White Rock, B.C. On January 4, 1968, Kathleen Smith received a phone call from Paul Douglas who reported an emperor goose on the breakwater at White Rock. Local birders were notified and from January 4th to 16th many drove the 20 miles from Vancouver to observe it. On January 7th, Ken Kennedy paddled one writer (R.W. Campbell) to within 30 feet of the goose for photographs. About 2:30 p.m. the bird flew from the breakwater and landed next to a nearby flock of surf scoters. The only other record of this species from the Vancouver vicinity is of an immature collected from the mouth of the Fraser River in November 1922. (Munro, J.A. and I. McT. Cowan, 1947. A Review of the Bird Fauna of British Columbia, Prov. Museum, Victoria, B.C.) R. Wayne Campbell and Kathleen Smith, Jan. 21, 1968 [Greater] Sage Grouse The sage grouse is the largest member of the grouse family in North America and the largest in the world, except for the European capercaillie, that far exceeds it in size. The sage grouse may weigh up to 8 lbs. In general appearance it is a large grey-brown bird identifiable by the contrasting black belly and spiky tail feathers. The fore neck is black and is separated from the black throat by a narrow necklace of white, which instead of continuing around the neck, extends upward to the corner of the eye. The stiff white feathers covering the breast conceal distensible air sacs. Females are smaller than males and lack the air sacs. Like many of our grouse, they have an ancestral meeting ground where they gather each morning and evening during spring to perform with pomp and precision their unique courtship display. Several hours before the sun peeks above the hills, they arrive at their favourite locations. Fighting between the cocks is frequent when territorial borders are threatened. Usually challenging cocks place themselves sideways to each other, heads in opposite directions, and between many short grunts, they give each other a quick cuff with the bend of the wing. The peak of display is shortly before dawn and the reason for the flurry of strutting, displaying and fighting is evident when one sees the females gathered in a small group in the centre of the activity. When the cocks start to strut, the long tail is raised vertically, the spiky feathers are extended and a rustle caused by the wing feathers being forcibly rubbed against the stiff breast feathers is heard. As the air sacs under the stiff white breast feathers are puffed out the bird assumes a dignified appearance, his whole front now adorned with erect white feathers extending like a bib below the abdomen and forming a handsome white ruff about the neck. The white ruff is further ornamented by several delicate black nuptial plumes that stand erect behind the head and add a further touch of grace to the general demeanor of this splendid bird. A few simple waltz steps follow to the right or left and this gentleman grouse enacts one of life’s little dramas. The air sacs still concealed beneath the white feathers are expanded with great force and for two brief moments become visible, one on each side of the breast – yellowish and egg shaped – as two convulsive jerks reveal their presence. The force with which these air sacs are momentarily expanded and bared causes a plopping sound that has a liquid quality like a stone suddenly dropped into a deep pool. After this strenuous exercise the bird opens its beak and with a few soft grunts, appears to gulp air. This is the final act in the drama. Before dawn this performance is repeated every nine or ten seconds, and as there may be 50 birds displaying, the plopping sound is continuous. The concert can be heard as far as a half mile away. The sage grouse nest is only a slight depression in the ground, scratched out by the bird. It is scantily lined and located beneath a sage bush. The 7 to 13 eggs are yellowish-olive or greenish-brown spotted with darker brown. The incubation period is 22 days and full care rests on the mother. For its livelihood the sage grouse is peculiarly adapted to the open sage bush country. Sage bush buds, leaves and flowers form the greater part of its food and without this herb it cannot exist. Its range therefore is restricted and should the sage bush entirely disappear, so will the sage grouse. Because its digestive organ is a thin-walled sac and not a gizzard as is common in other chicken-like birds, the sage grouse does not consume hard seeds or gravel. Besides the sage bush, its food consists of soft vegetation such as buds, leaves and flowers of various plants and insects that require no special grinding organ. Flowers of the dandelion, thistle, aster, alfalfa and other grasses form much of its food during the summer months. The sage grouse is not capable of withstanding any onslaught by man or the destruction of its food and environment, the sage bush – which must remain for its protection and continuance. Anyone interested in seeing these birds may contact Mr. Larry Wadkins, State Game Biologist, 615 S. Grandview, Wenatchee, Washington, U.S.A. Drive south of Wenatchee to Palisades, turn left up Moses Coulee for about 50 miles. 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