Selected Excerpts from the Vancouver Natural History Society “Bulletin”

[American] Avocet (1) Iona Island May 20 P & M Wilding-Davies

Western Kingbird (1) Acadia Camp, UBC May 21 Steve Johnson

Green Heron (1) Sea Island May 21 Ken Summers

Lazuli Bunting (1) Pitt Meadows May 23 Robt. E. Luscher

Hooded Merganser (1M) Sea Island May 23 Bill Anderson

Bobolink (1) (photo) Sea Island May 28 Bill Anderson

Long-eared Owl (1) Richmond May 29 Colin Clark

Northern Phalarope (1) Iona Island May 30 Bill Rae & J. Philips

Common Nighthawk (1) South Vancouver June 2 Mel Elias

Bullock’s Oriole (1) Richmond June 5-9 Colin Clark family

Black Swift (400+) UBC June 15 Wayne Campbell

Vaux Swift (1) Seymour Mountain June 20 Allen Poynter

[Greater] White-fronted Goose (2) Burnaby Lake June 21 Wayne Campbell

Eastern Kingbird (2) UBC Endowment Lands July 1 Dave & Myrnal Hawes

Lazuli Bunting (2) Pitt Meadows July 4 Webers & Campbells

[Gray] Catbird (1) Pitt Meadows July 4 Webers & Campbells

Northern Phalarope (3) Iona Island July 4 Susan Smith

Semi-palmated Sandpiper (3) Sea Island July 17 Bill Anderson

Surfbird (5) Passage Island July 18 Rudi Drent

Black Turnstone (3) Passage Island July 18 Rudi Drent

Whimbrel (3) Sea Island July 21 Wayne Campbell

Caspian Tern (1) Iona Island July 21 Steve Johnson

Stilt Sandpiper (1) Iona Island Aug. 1 Susan Smith

Caspian Tern (1) Sea Island Aug. 9 Campbell & Anderson

End Note #44 - December, 1970 - February, 1971 (from page 241)
Proposed Field Trip to Europe - co-ordinator Dr. Fred Fisher

Following the note contained in a special mailing to all members during September, a

positive response was received from a number of members which has now reached the

approximate maximum number of participants that could be handled on the type of field-

trip envisaged. Preliminary arrangements are now under way by the co-ordinator.

End Note #45 - December, 1970 - February, 1971 (from page 242)
Birds for the Record (Fall 1970)
Golden Plover (1) Iona Island Aug. 1 Susan Smith

Marbled Godwit (2) Iona Island Aug. 1 Susan Smith

Franklin’s Gull (2 imm) Iona Island Aug. 9 Poynters

Hudsonian Godwit (1) Iona Island Aug. 9 Poynters

[Northern] Goshawk (1) Reifle Refuge Aug. 10 Brian Davies

[Red] Knot (1) Iona Island Aug. 11 Campbells

Nashville Warbler (1) Kerrisdale Aug. 12 Virginia Whitelaw

Ruddy Turnstone (2) Iona Island Aug. 15 Allen Poynter

Solitary Sandpiper (1) Sea Island Aug. 16 Campbell & Anderson

Peregrine Falcon (1) White Rock Aug. 24 Susan Smith

Upland Plover (1) Iona Island Aug. 30 Husteds

Nashville Warbler (1) Ambleside Aug. 31 Poynters

Red-breasted Merganser (12) English Bay Sept. 1 John Rogers

Bank Swallow (1) Iona Island Sept. 1 Campbell, Shepard & Smith

Buff-breasted Sandpiper (1) Sea Island Sept. 7 Wayne Campbell

Sandhill Crane (2) Pitt Meadows Sept. 7 Poynters

Golden Plover (20) Sea Island Sept. 7 Shepard & Anderson

Common Egret (1) Reifle Refuge Sept. 10 Stan Devereaux

Stilt Sandpiper (2) Sea Island Sept. 12 Campbell & Shepard

Wandering Tattler (1) Siwash Rock Sept. 13 Ed Moody

Turkey Vulture (12) Point Roberts Sept. 20 Glen Ryder & Al Grass

Yellow-shafted Flicker (1) Dunbar Sept. 20 Bill Anderson

Black Tern (1) Ladner Sept. 20 Al Grass & Glen Ryder

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (1) Sea Island Sept. 20 VNHS Banding Group

Surfbird (20) Howe Sound Sept. 27 Ian Robertson

Palm Warbler (1) Stanley Park Oct. 6-12 Ed Moody

European [Eurasian] Wigeon Stanley Park Oct. 11 Ed Moody

Tufted Duck (1) Stanley Park Oct. 13 Ed Moody

Redhead (3) Stanley Park Oct. 17 Ed Moody

Ancient Murrelet (2) Point Roberts Oct. 17 VNHS Big Day

Spotted Redshank (1) Reifel Refuge Oct. 17 Shepard & Webers

Trumpeter Swan (1) Reifel Refuge Oct. 17 VNHS Big Day

Snowy Owl (1) Iona Island Oct. 31 Shepard & Anderson

Harris’s Sparrow (1) Shaughnessy Oct. 31 Victor Ford

End Note #46 - December, 1970 - February, 1971 (from page 243)
Table No. 1 Selected Case Histories of Glaucous-winged Gulls tagged in June 1969
No. 16 Oct 28/69, C.N.R. Station, Vancouver; Jan. 11-18/70, Sidney; Jan. 30/70 Sidney;

Mar. 26 & Apr. 14/70, Mandarte Island.

No. 27 July 5/69, Delta Dump (bird had chicks then); Oct.28/69, Stanley Park,

Vancouver; Mar. 16/70. Delta Dump; Mar. 26/70, Mandarte Island; April 10/70,

Delta Dump; Apr. 14/70, Mandarte Island.
No. 33 (Mated with #27 both in 1969 & 1970) Aug 25 & 30/69, Delta Dump; Sept. 7 &

21/69, Everett [Washington]; Jan 10/70, Delta Dump: Mar. 26, Mandarte Island;

Apr. 10/70, Delta Dump; Apr. 14/70, Mandarte Island.
No. 49 Nov. 16/69, Beacon Hill Park, Victoria; Jan. 11/70, Beacon Hill Park; Mar.

8/70, Beacon Hill Park; Mar. 9/70, Delta Dump; Apr. 20/70, Delta Dump; Apr.

14/70, Mandarte Island.
No. 56 Aug. 5/56. Sidney; Dec. 9/69, Sidney. 30/70, Sidney; Feb. 9/70, Sidney;

Mar. 26/70 & Apr. 13/70, Mandarte Island.

No. 71 Aug. 15/69 through Feb 10/70, almost daily, Bremerton [Washington]; Mar. 26

& April 14/70, Mandarte Island; Apr. 19/70, Bremerton.

No. 72 June 26/69, Delta Dump; Sept. 14,69, Delta Dump; Oct 11/69, Delta Dump; Dec.

28/69. Point Roberts, Washington, 12 miles from dump; Feb. 12 & Mar. 16/70,

Delta Dump; Mar. 26/70, Mandarte Island.
Editor’s Note: This article contained a map showing the locations (from Comox, B.C.

to Tacoma, Washington) with the place names mentioned above. This was the first

illustration to appear in the Society’s newsletters.

End Note #47 - #149 - December, 1970 - February 1971 (from page 245)
A Photo Duplicate File for B.C. Vertebrates
With picture taking as popular as it is today naturalists throughout British Columbia have a

new “tool” they can use to substantiate rare sightings, unusual nestings etc., of amphibians,

reptiles, birds and mammals in the Province. We are organizing a method of handling, and

[a] centre of deposition for photographic records in British Columbia.

What is it?
The PHOTODUPLICATE FILE will consist of duplicate or original 35 mm slides (black &

white or colour) or prints (black & white or colour) not exceeding 4x6 inches, of rare

mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians occurring in the Province. For example,

photographs of birds listed as accidental or casual or local checklists could be included in

the photoduplicate file as well as new birds, mammals etc. for local areas. Unusual

plumages, pelages, nesting etc., could add greatly to the files importance. Marine mammal

strandings documented by photograph would also be acceptable.
Where will it be kept?
The photoduplicate file will be housed in the Vertebrate Museum at the University of British

Columbia along with the Pacific Nest Record Scheme. Photographs should be sent to either:

David Stirling Wayne Campbell

3500 Salisbury Way Vertebrate Museum

Victoria, B.C. Zoology Department

University of B.C.

Vancouver 8, B.C.

We will accept the responsibility of maintaining the photoduplicate file and deal with

accessions and correspondence. The file will be available to anyone wishing to use it,

either by visiting the Museum at U.B.C. or by correspondence. EACH CONTRIBUTOR

WILL RECEIVE AN ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PHOTODUPLICATE RECORDS

OBTAINED.

When to send photos?
Photographs can be sent at any time. Closing date for inclusion of records for the current

year will be December 1st. Each photographic record should contain the following

information:

Photographer: Address:

Species (English and Latin names if possible)

Date: Exact Locality:

Remarks: (anything pertinent to further substantiate the records, such as witnesses,

duration of stay etc. )

Why a photoduplicate file?
Bring them back alive !!!! Need we say more!

End Note #48 - #149 - December, 1970 - February 1971 (from page 246)
Geology Section: Lakes - Co-ordinator - C.S. Ney
I have often noticed travelers examining lakes and wondering how they came to exist.

Subconsciously they know that lakes are anomalies of nature. Normally we would expect

rising land to be uniformly eroded by streams and rivers so that their slopes do not contain

water-filled basins. However there are many ways in which lakes of all shapes and sizes can

be produced by geologic processes.

Rivers are little able to erode basins below their average gradients, except when they make

deep pools below waterfalls, or when in old age, wandering across wide valleys, they cut off and abandon, the crescent-shaped lakes we call Ox-bows.
Glaciers characteristically tend to erode downward below the average land surface. Where

the continent-wide glaciers of the Great Ice Age rode over the hard rock of the pre-cambrian

shield of northern Canada, there are now millions of lakes of all sizes with a variety of

shapes that reflect the direction of ice movement and the structure of the rock. On a very

large scale, we find that the Great Lakes of North America are located along the perimeter of the

shield where it is overlapped by younger and softer flat sedimentary rocks. This geological

discontinuity was a line of weakness that the glaciers were able to attack and cut down to

depths of several hundred feet.

The power of downward erosion by valley glaciers is well shown by the fiordlands of

Norway, Patagonia and British Columbia. We can see on our coast a continuous sequence

from deepened arms of the sea (Indian Arm), to partly connected tidal lakes (Nitinat), and to

elevated lakes that are still salty at depth (Powell). Most of the large picturesque finger

lakes in B.C. are glacially deepened valley basins, and some (Slocan) are very deep. The

fiord-like east arm of Great Slave Lake has been gouged down by glaciers to give a water

depth of nearly 2000 feet.
On a small scale, cirque basins are scooped by localized alpine glaciers which shrink or

melt away and leave the mountain bejeweled with sparking tarns. Glaciers can produce

lakes indirectly by piling morainal dams in the path of streams. The ice itself may

provide the dam, and there are many examples of small lakes marginal to valley glaciers,

and some quite large ones (Tide Lake, Tulsequah Lake) in B.C. The ice makes a rather poor

dam, leaking sporadically and sometimes allowing the lake to drain out catastrophically, as

those people who live down valley from Tulsequah Lake will well be aware. There is

evidence of enormous lakes of this kind in North American toward the end of the ice age. We

find their silt deposits throughout the interior (Kamloops, Okanagan) and we find evidence

of the wondrous flood that occurred when the ice dams let go.

Many lakes are the result of volcanic activity, and we need only look as far as Garibaldi for

an example of a deep body of water majestically impounded by lava flows. A similar lake at

the head of Bridge River has now become almost entirely gravel filled. Less common are

lakes that occupy craters or calderas of volcanic origin. Lake Taal in the Philipines occupies

a crate of an active volcano, and a rise in water temperature will monitor an impending

eruption. Crater Lake in Oregon is perhaps the world’s best know example of a lake

occupying a caldera formed by the collapse of a volcano.
Lakes may form suddenly when a landslide dams a valley, and there is a good example at

Lake of the Woods, about three miles north of Hope, where a slide of coarse granitic blocks

from the west side of the valley made a permanent dam. In other cases the landslide debris

may make a very poor dam, and when the eventually rising water pours over the top, the

whole dam goes out catastrophically.

Yet another class of lakes are of tectonic origin. They are formed simply by the warping of

the land through the mountain building processes that are continually affecting the earth.

The great inland seas of Eurasia are of this class, actually being chopped up segments of

ocean, and like the Caspian Sea, they retain their oceanic depths of many thousands of feet.

In western United States there would be many inland lakes like those of the Rift Valleys of

Africa if the climate were not so arid and if the basins had not filled up with gravel. Great

Salt Lake occupies a tectonic basin, and it is the shallow saline remainder of a much larger

lake called Bonneville, whose old beaches can be clearly distinguished several hundred feet

up on the mountainside.

Last but not least are the biogenic lakes, the small ones produced by beavers, and the large

ones produced by men.

End Note #49 - #150 March - May, 1971 (from page 246)
Editorial - Wildlife or Wild Death
We have, in recent years, seen a large increase in the number of commercially-shown and

quite heavily advertised film “showings” offered under such descriptions as “wild-life epics”

but which turn out to be trophy-hunting portrayals in which death rather than life, seems to

be the main object in view. “Discovery” was recently provided with tickets to one of these

films, “Yukon Safari”, shown to packed houses at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
As the official editor of the Vancouver Natural History Society, “Discovery” does not

see eye to eye with the rod and gun fraternity, but tries hard not to become emotional or

uptight on the subject, for a number of reasons which seem valid to your Editor. In the first

place, it is recognized that some of the best fish and game organizations, such as Ducks

Unlimited, well organized and affluent, render valuable financial support in certain areas of

conservation, even if for what many naturalists will consider most of the wrong reasons.

Further, it can scarcely be denied that fishing and hunting is carried on in the highest

traditions of the sportsman are ancient and manly sports, though, as Dr. Roderick Haig-

Brown pointed out in one of his writings, there are nowadays just too many people who

want to hunt, far beyond the ability of the game population to withstand the pressure, -

Haig-Brown’s personal reason for no longer hunting.
“Discovery’s” tendency to tolerate attitude, however, was not sufficient to suppress a

feeling of revulsion and disgust at some of the sequences in the “Yukon Safari” and the

accompanying piece “Cougar Hunt in Utah”. The photography was tolerably good, with

occasionally superb sequences, but there was little or none of the informative commentary on

the life and habits of the animals portrayed which one always looks for in a “wild-life” film.

Instead the emphasis was on killing. Find the biggest and the finest, and kill it, with

quite unnecessary sequences of butchering the gory remains. In the Cougar Hunt, it is true,

the animals were not killed but were taken alive, though the procedure was no less

sickening. Two of these splendid cats were first harried by savage dogs, and when finally

treed, the terrified creatures were then lassoed, hauled down by the neck with ropes, and trussed

up, an admittedly tricky and courageous, but not a very edifying performance which left a

very bad taste in your Editor’s mouth. But in this, he was much in the minority. The

laughter and shouts of merriment and glee from the capacity audience were if anything

more distressing that the “Epic” itself.

Whether man can bring himself to confront an unsuspecting wild animal, and calmly and

deliberately snuff out its life, must be in the final analysis a matter for his own conscience

and mental refinement. But when displayed publicly to a paying audience, with boastful

running commentary and “stirring” music, it becomes a spectator-blood-sport, and is a sad

commentary on our current state of civilization. Presumable such a film, like any other,

cannot be publicly shown without clearance from the Board of Censors. “Discovery”

wonders if nudity is the only form of nastiness these gentlemen recognize?
Notes to the Intermediates
Interested members could see the Vertebrate Museum at U.B.C. on the Birders’ Nights

mentioned in the Senior Section trips.

A car wash may be held to collect enough money for all members involved to go on a

camping trip this summer to David Hancock’s zoo on Vancouver Island. If you are

interested, in the camping trip and the car wash, please phone Heather Switzer or Sue

McQuillan. Everyone’s help in the car wash would be appreciated, whether attending the

camp or not.
Junior Section - Leader Ken Kennedy
On March 20, there will be an open house or display day. The children will be able to bring

their hobbies, pets, project or simply anything that is connected with natural history.

Parents and friends are welcome and the public will also be allowed in. It will take place at

the Junior Museum at the Vancouver Centennial Museum and Planetarium from 10:00 a.m.

Till about 1:00 p.m. If there are any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Ken

Kennedy.
For those who are new or would like to join the Junior group, just show up at the Junior

Museum on the above date at 10:00 a.m. Bring a lunch, dress for the weather, and dues are

only 50c for a full year. The age range is 6 years to 14 years old. Chow.

European Field Trip
Dr. Fred Fisher reports that final arrangements are underway for the forthcoming field trip

to Austria. A full quota of participants has been reached, and no further applications can be

accepted.
In Memoriam - Allen R. Wooton
In the death of Allan Wooton, our Society has lost a dedicated and enthusiastic member.

Allen joined the Society in 1922 and through the years served as President, Secretary, leader

of the Entomology Section, Editor of the bulletin and artist for various displays put on by

our group.

Mr. Wooton was instrumental, when President, in starting the Junior Section of the Society,

partly through his work as examiner for the Boy Scouts for their Nature Badges. He was

still an Examiner for the Scouts at the time of his death.
For many years, Mr. Wooton was on the executive of the Junior group, as well as the

Senior Section. He took many field trips for the Juniors on botany and entomology, as

well as giving illustrated evening talks.
In addition to his work for the Society, Allen served for many years on the Aquarium Board

of Directors, acting as representative for our Society. He also served on the Board of

Directors of the museum.
Mr. Wooton was interested in Alexander Camp and helped set up many nature trails for

young people’s camps.

Wherever there was work to do to further the knowledge and appreciation of our beautiful

natural heritage amongst youngsters and adults, you would find Allen Wooton there, ready

and willing to give his time and leadership.


Ornithology Section - co-ordinator Wayne Campbell
Birds for the Record - (Winter 1971)
Surfbird (10) Whytecliff Park Nov. 6 Wayne Weber

Smew (1) Lost Lagoon Nov. 14 Ed Moody

Rusty Blackbird (1) Pitt Meadows Nov. 22 Neil & Karen Dawe

Old Squaw (53) Brocton Point Nov. 24 V. Newson & M. McFeat

Virginia Rail (6) Waterfowl Refuge Dec. 6 Jack Williams

Gyrfalcon (1) Pitt Meadows Dec. 13 Jim Biggar

Western Grebe (3000) English Bay Dec. 17 Bill Rae

Emperor Goose (10) White Rock Dec. 26 Jack Williams

Tufted Duck (1) Lost Lagoon Dec. 31 Ed Moody

Anna’s Hummingbird (1) Vancouver Jan. 1 Betty Molyneux

Bohemian Waxwing (50) North Vancouver Jan. 25 Gloria Norton

Common Teal (1) Iona Island Feb. 2 Wayne Weber

Endnote #50 - March - May 1971 (from page 247)
Continuation of Vancouver Christmas Bird Count - Compiler’s Comments

All hawk and eagle counts were comparable with those figures for 1969.

Shorebirds were generally down with the exception of surfbird 68 (38). Gull totals were

also comparable with 1969 figures.

Counts of owls were impressive. Only two owls, the pygmy and long-eared owls were

missed of the possible eight we could record. Secretive owls were lured out of their resting

places by playing their calls on tape recorders; hence the all-time high of 8 Screech Owls,.

Field walkers produced 87 short-eared owls for a high, and snowy owls were also

‘abundant’ locally this year.
In most cases woodpecker counts were up slightly, this being attributed again to better

coverage. Woodland bird counts were also high for this reason.

Starling counts were about the same, however 300 more House Sparrow were counted this

year than ever before. Thrush counts were highest ever, [American] Robin 1660 (1558) and

Varied thrust 929 (310).
There was a drop of over 3,000 pine siskins from last year but an increase of 600

(American) goldfinches.

The total number of birds counted was 17,025 down by about 600 birds from the 1969

total, which indicates a fairly accurate count.

Total species seen were 137 and one additional race, namely the Thayer’s gull. This bird is

considered to be a subspecies of the larger Herring Gull; Rock Doves are not accepted by

Audubon Field Notes.
Count Highlights
The unusual birds that are seen on Count Day are exciting to hear about. Five birds new for

the Vancouver count area were seen, namely black brant (boat party), long-billed

dowitcher (Hesses’), hummingbird sp. (Mrs. Darling), tree swallow (Elias and Dorst) and

rusty blackbird (Polson and Jones). This brings the total number of species recorded in our

circle since 1965 to 178.
Birds seen during the count period (Dec. 22 - Jan. 3) include tufted duck, red-breasted

nuthatch, Swainson’s thrush and white-throated sparrow.

Memories of the 1970 count will surely include Roy Phillips’ Yule Log desert, Ken

Kennedy’s tam, the silent film, the harrowing “clutch for life”, water-drenching sail across

English Bay, Ken Kennedy’s short lunch break, the “Hollywood birders” in the newspaper,

the spacious facilities for the post mortem, wind burn and 137 species reliably reported.

R. Wayne Campbell.
Ladner Christmas Bird Count 1970 - Compiler’s Comments by Rudi Drent
On 26 December, 1970 twenty-eight observers and several helpers in 11 parties hiked 91

party miles, recording the highest number of species (125) ever found on a Ladner Count

(this was the eleventh held in the area). Notable were the following:
American Bittern: total of 5 (two parties). Why were none seen before 1963?
Trumpeter Swan: one individual, regular at Reifel Refuge since October, adds this species

to the Ladner list.

Dabbling Ducks: overall totals were down from last year (37 versus 47 thousand) but this is

probably due to the favourable conditions this year.

Blue-winged Teal: 7 seen by Ryder party, the first record since 1962
European [Eurasian] Widgeon: seen by Weber party, the first time this species was

recorded on a count day, although they winter here regularly.

[Northern] Shoveler: 120, most of them on Westham, a remarkably high count.
Red-tailed Hawk (30), Marsh Hawk [Northern Harrier] (77), the highest counts we have

ever had of these raptors; duplication was virtually eliminated by plotting all

observations on maps, noting the time of each observation.
Long-billed Dowitcher (8), the first time we have been confident about the species

wintering here (Westham Island), up to now “dowitcher species”.

Gulls: We are getting used to Glaucous Gulls on the dumps, but having 6 was a surprise;

glaucous-winged, totalling 30 thousand, certainly no exaggeration judging from our

recent roost counts: the Ryder party discovered two California gulls, the first time

we have had this species wintering.

Mourning Dove: 39, the highest count ever, (three parties)
Owls; we have seldom had such complete coverage, but in fact this is the first count with

Long-ears (Westham Island); Short-ears highest ever (54).

Bushtits &[American] Goldfinches: highest counts were (215 and 312), in sharp contrast to

the usual scarcity of Pine Siskins (lowest ever).

[European] Starling: only 4228, way down from the whopping 56,000 last year (the

decrease was general, with 9 of 11 territories reporting much lower counts) and the

lowest count since 1960) leaving out 1954-65, when coverage was less complete).

Only complete roost counts in January can tell us if the decrease is real, rather than

just a local shift.

End Note #51 - #150 - March - May, 1971 (from page 248)

Continuation Summary of Spring and Fall Pelagic Birding Trips from Tofino
Spring trips scheduled for 1971 are May 1, 8, and 15; fall trips September 4, 11 and 18.

Interested people should contact Wayne Campbell, several weeks in advance so

arrangements can be made.

The following tabulation contains 97 species reported from the past six pelagic trips. Lists

with numbers were usually kept during the voyage from Tofino. Numbers were kept for

solitary species (Albatrosses, petrels and jaegers), however for some shearwaters, gulls and

murres, numbers were estimated. The total numbers of birds at the end of the tabulation are

again estimates of number of birds seen and are included only for the purpose of a general

summary of the trips.

The following list of birds has been compiled from the notes of Bob Baker, Wayne

Campbell, Rudi Drent, David Hatler, Jack Sarles, Michael Shepard, Tom Stevens, David

Stirling, Ken Summers, John Toochin and Wayne Weber.

May May May Sept. Sept. Sept.

2nd 10th 15th 12th 13th 26th

‘70 ‘70 ‘70 ‘70 ‘69 ‘70

________________________________________________________________

Common Loon 10 5 1 2 3

Arctic Loon flocks 84 15+ 4 9

Red-throated Loon 1

Red-necked Grebe 75 8 2 12 6 4

Horned Grebe 8

Western Grebe 50 1

Black-footed Albatross 5 1 16+ 1

Fulmar 2 1 1 2 7 2+

Pink-footed Shearwater 1 13 125 3+

Pale-[flesh] footed Shearwater 2+ 1 2

New Zealand [Buller’s] Shearwater 11+ 3 25+

Sooty Shearwater 1000's 250's 50+ 900+ 800+ 600

Slender-billed [short-tailed]

Shearwater 2(?) 2

Fork-tailed [Storm] Petrel 4 3 1 4

Double-crested Cormorant 12

Brandt’s Cormorant 100's 35 60+ 247 1500 50+

Pelagic Cormorant 100's 20 few 200 10

Great Blue Heron 5 2 3 1

Canada Goose 6

[Greater] White-fronted Goose 1

Black Brant 250+ 40

Mallard 2

Pintail 1

Green-winged Teal 15 40

American Wigeon 8 17

Greater Scaup small flocks

Bufflehead 2

Harlequin 3 3

White-winged Scoter 10's 10's 22 12 15

Surf Scoter 100's 60 19 43 30 34

Common [Black] Scoter few

Red-breasted Merganser 1 1

Bald Eagle 1 2 6 1 1

Osprey 1

Peregrine Falcon 1

Black Oystercatcher 5 2 3

Semi-palmated Plover 2

Killdeer 3 1

Surfbird 10 5 10

Ruddy Turnstone 3

Black Turnstone 100+ 30 7

Whimbrel 1 4

Wandering Tattler 2 2 8

Dunlin few 4

Western Sandpiper 12 3

Sanderling few flocks 15 40 10

Red Phalarope 20

Northern Phalarope 100's 230+ 30+ 60 10

Parasitic Jaeger 3 6 2

Pomarine Jaeger 3 6 2

Skua 1

Glaucous-winged Gull 100's 32 3 215+ 3 102

Western Gull 100+ 4 3+

Herring Gull 25+ 6 2

California Gull 245+ 75 52

Mew Gull 10 8

Heerman’s Gull 5 4 31

Black-legged Kittiwake 50+ 9 4 9

Sabine’s Gull 8 500 90

Tern (unidentified) 4

Common Murre 42 10 800+ 150 1350+

Pigeon Guillemot 20 3 35 4 1

Marbled Murrelet few pairs 6 4 3 2 2

Tufted puffin 7 2 2 2(?)

Cassin’s Auklet 3 2 3 3

Rhinocerous Auklet numerous 21 4 11 6 6

Band-tailed Pigeon 1 6

Rufous-hummingbird 1 1

Belted Kingfisher 1 1 2 1

Red-shafted [Northern] flicker 1 2

Western Flycatcher 1

Tree Swallow 1

Violet-green Swallow 1

[Northern] Rough-winged Swallow 1 4

Barn Swallow 4

Steller’s Jay 3 4 3 2

Common Raven 3

Northwestern Crow 4 40 24 15 5

Chestnut-backed Chickadee 4 3

[American] Robin 4 30+ 1

Golden-crowned Kinglet 15

[European] Starling 2 12 12

Red-eyed Vireo 1

Orange-crowned Warbler 3 3 2 2

Audubon [Yellow-rumped] Warbler 1

Townsend’s Warbler 8 1 2

Wilson’s Warbler 3 2

Western Meadowlark 1

Brewer’s Blackbird 20

Brown-headed Blackbird [Cowbird] 2

Pine Siskin 2

American Goldfinch 1

Savannah Sparrow 2 3

White-crowned Sparrow 2

Fox Sparrow 1

Song Sparrow 2 4 4 2 5
Total Species 44 46 46 35 42 44
Total Number (Approx.) 7500 1000 550 5000 3800 2500

Conservation - Chairman Dr. V.C. Brink
Notes from the Conservation Committee
1. Members of the Save Our Parks Association and the Conservation Committee met

with the Hon. Kenneth Kiernan and Bob Ahrens of the B.C. Department of Recreation

and Conservation, Dec. 7, 1970 to stress the need for (a) greater support for recreational

and conservancy areas in the B.C. Lower Mainland, (b) a works program from Lower

Mainland Centres relating to parks and conservancies and (c) a larger parks budget.

Mr. Kiernan promised action on Mt. Seymour trails and actions on the Tschaikazan

Coast Range Park Survey. The Minister in addition, promised that legislation to control

the misuse of power boats, snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles would soon be enacted

by both Federal and Provincial governments. (It can be stated that plans and some work

is already under way on Mt. Seymour Trails).

2. Your committee is preparing a brief on the Federal Parks Service plans for Banff,

Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho Parks to be presented to the parks commission, April 26, in

the Hotel Georgia.

3. All who are interested in maintaining some of the natural features on the Burnaby Lake

area are urged to attend a “Burnaby Lake Day” on March 14. Details will appear in the

Press and will be broadcast. Do you want power boat races on the lake or do you want

waterfowl, gardens, and perhaps some nature trails?
4. The Federation of B.C. Naturalist is supporting a compromise on the Nitinat Triangle

associated with the recently formed “West Coast Park”. They are asking for inclusion

of Tsusiat Lake in the Park and reasonable logging control around Nitinat Lake.

Photographic Section - Co-ordinator Roy Edgell
1970 Photographic Competition Results
A word of thanks to all the members who entered the 1970 competition. To ensure a good

entry, your chairman decided not to limit the number of slides that a competitor could enter.

597 slides later, he realized he had made a mistake.
That 42 members submitted such a large number of excellent slides speaks well for the

quality of photography within the Society. This quality was also highlighted by the two

twenty minute television programmes in which our Phil Croft presented a number of the

slides.
There were too many slides to submit to the judges. Also, about 150 slides is the maximum

that should be shown for an evening’s entertainment. It was therefore decided to submit 300

slides, representing what was considered to be each photographers best work, for judging,

and present each photographers highest scoring slides at the society meeting.
While this enabled the judges and the membership to see a representative cross section of

the slides submitted, it did mean unfortunately that many beautiful slides were not shown.

Your chairman regrets this and suggests that many of these slides could be resubmitted

to future competitions.

The winning member were:
Botany Sundew Ervio Sian

Ornithology Young Hummingbird Ann Hau )Tie

Rufous Hummingbirds Ervio Sian )

Other Natural History Ram of the Rocky Crags Alma Carmichael

Landscape; VNHS Activity Yukon Aretes Norman Pursell

Macrophotography Vanessa californica Phil Croft

[California Tortoiseshell]

Conservation Forest Fire Valery May-Wetterl

Download 2.61 Mb.

Share with your friends: