ISSN 1206-1611 BCFO.Ca Volume 28 Number 4 / December 2018

Newsmagazine of the British Columbia Field Ornithologists ISSN 1206-1611 BCFO.ca Volume 28 Number 4 / December 2018

One of the reasons this edition was delayed: Zebra Dove on Big Island, Hawaii, November 2018. See page 16. CNK photo. BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4)

Publisher BC Birding is published four times a year by the British Columbia Field Ornithologists, P.O. Box 61670, RPO BCFO Officers & Brookswood, Langley, BC V3A 1K0. A subscription to this quarterly is a benefit of membership in the society. Members will also receive a copy of the Directors annual journal, British Columbia Birds.

Directors President: Marian Porter, Salt Spring Island, 250-653-2043, [email protected] About the BCFO Vice-President: Gary Davidson, Nakusp, 250-265-4456, Membership in BCFO is open to anyone interested in the [email protected] study and enjoyment of wild birds in British Columbia. Past President (non-voting): George Clulow, Burnaby, 604- BCFO objectives include: fostering cooperation between 438-7639, [email protected] amateur and professional ornithologists, promoting cooper- Secretary: Mike McGrenere, Victoria, 250-658-8624, ative bird surveys and research projects, and supporting [email protected] conservation organizations in their efforts to preserve birds Treasurer: Josh Inman, Langley, 604-532-0455, and their habitats. [email protected] Membership Jude Grass, Surrey, 604-538-8774, [email protected] See the website (http://bcfo.ca) for details, or write to the Clive Keen, Prince George, 250-963-9520, BCFO address given above under “Publisher.” clive_keen@ hotmail.com Adrian Leather, Quesnel, 250-249-5561, Annual Membership Dues [email protected] General Membership (Canada): $30 Art Martell, Courtenay, 250-334-2979, Junior Membership (Canada): $20 [email protected] U.S. and International Membership: $35 Monica Nugent, New Westminster, 604-220-8816,

[email protected] Newsmagazine Submissions To submit material to this publication, contact the Editor by Responsibilities email ([email protected]). Books for review should Archivist/ Librarian: Les Gyug be sent to 10790 Grassland Road, Prince George, BC V2K BC Birding (Newsmagazine) Editor: Clive Keen; Associate 5E8. Editor: Virginia Rasch. Print Distribution: June Ryder Submissions may include articles about birding experi- British Columbia Birds (Journal) Editor: Art Martell. Produc- ences, casual observations about bird behaviour, site guides, tion Editor: Neil Dawe photographs, and other topics of broad interest to birders, Canadian International Joint Venture: Wayne Weber preferably, but not necessarily, in British Columbia. Trip Featured Photographer: Carlo Giovanella reports by members, both in Canada and overseas, are wel- Membership Secretary: Larry Cowan come. Items can be of any length up to a maximum of 2,000 Two-day Trips: Adrian Leather words. Note that this is a news magazine rather than an aca- Website: George Clulow, Neil Dawe demic journal, and thus lists of references are rarely includ- Young Birders Program: Melissa Hafting ed. Deadlines (i.e., final dates for submission of material) Committees are as follows. Material received after the deadline will be BC Bird Records Committee: Nathan Hentze (Chair), Peter held over to the subsequent edition. Candido, Chris Charlesworth, Catherine Craig, Michael • March edition: February 15 Force, Guy Monty, Mike Toochin.

• June edition: May 15 Cannings Award Committee: Wayne Weber, Art Martell, Dick Cannings. • September edition: August 15 • December edition: November 15 Conservation and Education Committee: Gary Davidson (Chair), Art Martell, Gerald McKeating, Stephen Partington, Marian Porter. Advertising Rates Full page: $125 per issue or $112.50 each for four or more Young Birder Awards Committee: Carlo Giovanella (Chair), issues George Clulow, Melissa Hafting. Half page: $75 per issue or $67.50 each for four or more issues Quarter page: $40 per issue or $36 each for four or more issues

BCFO members are welcome to include classified ads, of up to 25 words, at no cost. Page 2 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4)

Contents

Notices & Notes President’s Message ...... 4 Welcome New Members ...... 4 BCFO Notes ...... 5 Bird Listers’ Corner ...... 6 BCFO Two-day Trips ...... 7 Upcoming Meetings & Events ...... 8 Young Birders Program Sooke Hawk Watch ...... 10 Kids’ Christmas Bird Count ...... 10 Two Young Birders on a First Pelagic ...... 11 Trip Reports Below: words of wisdom spotted by Quest for a Mega-rarity ...... 13 John Gordon at Green Timbers 90, H9, P4, and the Navajo Bridge ...... 14 in Surrey. Birding Big Island, Hawaii ...... 16 Flatland UK, Sept. 2018 ...... 18 Features Ghost Grouse in the Monashee Mountains 20 Tackling Asia’s Illegal Trade in Songbirds 21 Briefings Soaring Storks ...... 17 Tracking Migrants ...... 22 Ravens Out-think Pre-schoolers ...... 26 Hummingbird Acrobatics ...... 27 Darwin’s Puzzle and Rattus rattus ...... 30 Regular Columns Featured Species #4: Northern Goshawk .. 23 Gone Pishing: Merlin ...... 24 The Reflective Birder: Don’t Wait ...... 31 Book Reviews How to Be a Bad Bird Watcher ...... 28 Birds of Nunavut ...... 29

Christmas Bird Counts 2018 – 2019

The 119th CBC takes place this year between December 14, 2018 and January 5, 2019. Information on dates and contacts for the BC counts, as well as the Bird Counts4Kids, are available at bcfo.ca by clicking on the CBC’s tab.

Page 3 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) a good count with as many special always managed to get down again. I rarities as possible. have had harrowing boat trips with President’s All birders contribute to collecting waves crashing over the bow off information used to assess the dist- Octopus Point for the Duncan Count, ribution and population trends of birds and brilliant hot, sunny weather off Message in order to make important decisions Newport Beach on a yacht counting about their conservation. Increasingly, thousands of Western Grebes and The Christmas season is a time to data is being used to predict the Bonaparte’s Gulls for the Orange reconnect with family and friends, to impact of global warming on wild County Coastal Count. I always head shed commercial and work oblig- bird populations. Please consider out to a count with a sense of ations if possible and return to a more joining a count in your area to become anticipation, for I know it will be a familiar world of traditional values part of North America’s longest new experience with unexpected and customs. Giving and connecting running citizen science project. results. Consider starting a new count become more important, for a short The BCFO website is compiling if there isn’t one in your area, or time, than material pursuits. Over the this season’s locations, dates and renewing one that has been years, the Audubon Christmas Bird contact information so you may discontinued. Count has given me the spirit of the include bird counts in your Christmas I hope to see you this Christmas Christmas season as I reconnect with season. season enjoying the birds and count. old friends, make new ones, and give I “joined up” in the late 1970s and to the conservation community by it has become an important time of the Marian Porter, President, BCFO collecting data needed to monitor year for me. I have had many adventures from Edmonton, Alberta, winter populations of Western Hemi- sphere birds. Over two thousand to Orange County, California. I have localities of counts, each with a 24- been stuck in snowbanks in the Sierra kilometre-diameter circle are covered Mountains and the Butterbredt Spring Below: a Long-billed Dowitcher in a 24-hour period to find as many area of the California desert. The spotted during the BCFO two-day trip species and individuals as possible. California birders had a habit of to the Sunshine Coast (see page 7). CNK photo. There can be great camaraderie as sending me to mountain summits, but well as a little friendly competition for I had great views, good birds and

Page 4 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4)

son/Okanagan 14%, Kootenay Rockies new addition to the Main Provincial List, 7%, Northern BC 6%, and Cariboo/ and fifteen other reports of rare sightings BCFO Notes Chilcotin/Coast 5%. The remainder are were accepted. Initial details can be seen scattered widely, from the US to Fin- at bcfo.ca via the BRC tab.

Congratulations to John Reynolds, who land. has become the new Chair of The Com- 82 members opted to pay the sur- mittee on the Status of Endangered change to receive this publication via printed, mailed copy: a slight increase Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). over 2017. Featured Photographer John Reynolds, Belcarra, BC, is the sev- enteenth Featured Photographer on the Head-and-Shoulders Please BCFO website. You can see a dozen of his photographs (cropped example below) A recent trip to Reifel showed the need and read about his experience as a recent convert to bird photography at: to include in this magazine headshot photographs like the one on the left. On bcfo.ca/bcfo-featured-photographer-17- four occasions, I (editor) had been talk- john-reynolds/ ing to an unknown birder, only to realize when we were about to part that we knew each other perfectly well through correspondence. Knowing one another by sight would have made for an even more congenial day. So don’t be shy about providing one, or surprised if you are asked to do so for future editions.

BCFO Checklists

All members will have received by mail a copy of the new BCFO checklist. Copies John, a BCFO member since 2006, is will also be sent to new members as they an SFU professor, and according to the sign up. media release announcing his COSEWIC appointment, is “an internationally re- Swainson’s Thrush by John Reynolds. nowned expert in both fish and bird biology, and has been a key assessor of the status of marine fishes.” John wel- Young Birders on Gen Why comed his new role, saying it gives an opportunity to raise the profile of This excellent five-minute feature high- threatened species in Canada. lighting the Young Birders Program and its highly talented participants can still be seen at BCFO Membership www.youtube.com/watch? v=l2JHz4y5Qns Membership Secretary Larry Cowan reports that as of September 28 the BCFO had 282 regular members, including 30 new members, 23 honourary Junior Birders Award winners, three Trivia Quiz life-time honourary members, six com- plimentary memberships and six insti- Is there a bird name using more sylla- tutional members for a total member- bles than Montezuma Oropendola? If you ship of 320. This is slightly down, by can find a name using ten or more sylla- seven, over the corresponding numbers Bird Records Committee blews, send it in and see it listed in the in 2017, following five years of consid- next edition of this magazine. erable growth. Full details of the latest decisions of the The Vancouver Coast and Mountain BRC will be available in the next edition region now represents 38% of the mem- of the BCFO journal British Columbia bership, Vancouver Island 25%, Thom- Birds. The Common Ringed Plover was a

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Deadline address is known. If you do not receive Deadline for submitting listing totals is an acknowledgement. I did not receive Bird Listers’ February 1, 2019. your list. —Larry Cowan Acknowledgement

All lists received either by mail or Corner email will be acknowledged if an email

Please report your LIFE LIST TOTALS, as of December 31, 2018, for any or all of the areas listed opposite. Space is BCFO LISTING REPORT FORM provided for additional areas for additional lists you may wish to submit. December 2018 You may submit specialized lists such as birds seen above 1,500 metres in BC etc. If the list for a new area is covered Name...... Date ...... by a checklist, please provide the total number of species on the current list. ….. British Columbia (240) ….. Sunshine Coast (120) Most of the areas listed are those for which published checklists have ap- ….. Canada (350) ….. West Kootenay (150) peared. The number after each area is the THRESHOLD LEVEL, which in most ….. ABA Continental (400) ….. Creston Valley (120) cases represents 50% of the species included on the most recent checklist ….. ABA incl Hawaii (450) ….. Fraser Valley (150) for that area. You may report levels below the threshold if you wish. Space ….. World (900) ….. Blackie Spit permitting, they will be included. ….. Vancouver (190) ….. Semiamhoo Peninsula The size of the geographic areas listed varies considerably. The ABA list ….. Okanagan Valley (160) ….. Kamloops (130) will have two listings, one as ABA Con- tinental and a second ABA incl Hawaii. ….. Yukon (40) ….. Mount Robson PP (80) Last year I listed totals given for ABA Continental in ABA incl Hawaii. This ….. Northwest Territories (40) ….. Princeton (80) year totals will only be listed for the area given, i.e., if only an ABA Conti- ….. Alberta (190) ….. Salt Spring Island (110) nental, then it will only appear in the ABA Continental listing. ….. All Ticks Prov & Territories ….. Haida Gwaii

• North Pacific Pelagic Waters in- (ATPT) ….. Pitt Meadows clude all species seen more than 3.2 km (2 miles) from shore off Alaska, ….. Washington (190) ….. North America (500) BC, Washington, Oregon and Cali- fornia. ….. Victoria (120) ….. Comox Valley • Non-motorized Transportation ….. Vancouver Island (190) (NMT) consists of species seen/ (Other) heard using self-powered locomo- ….. Peace River Area (130) tion (walk, run, bicycle, canoe, etc.) ….. …………………………… ….. Sea & Iona Islands from your home location. ….. …………………………… • ATPT comprises the totalling of all ….. Westham & Reifel Islands your Canadian Province & Territory ….. …………………………… lists to create a “total ticks” list. ….. BC Winter Seasonal list ….. …………………………… Areas listed are those having three or ….. World Families (120) more members providing totals for ….. ……………………………. 2017. If more than one family member ….. Non-motorized (NMT) is submitting a list, individual forms ….. ……………………………. ….. North Pacific Pelagic Waters need to be submitted. ….. ……………………………

Email your list to lawrenceco- ….. Manning PP (90) [email protected] OR mail a completed form to Larry Cowan, #45, 12268 – ….. Prince George (130) 189A, St. Pitt Meadows, BC V3Y 2M7.

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here was, appropriately, a Marsh Wren, How the Trips Work which actually is not common here. BCFO A brief stop at Sechelt Golf Course BCFO two-day field trips are member yielded a Greater White-fronted Goose -led, but participants make their own and the Shores area provided an Ameri- Two-day Trips arrangements for accommodation, can Kestrel. A Merlin was seen at the food, and travel. turf farm on Mason Road. By this time the tide was falling suf- • Day 1: all-day birding and then ficiently to expose the sand and gravel Spences Bridge evening get together at a restaurant May 25–26, 2019 at Mission Point and so that was our to recap the day and tally species. next destination. As we arrived, we saw Leaders • Day 2: morning birding, afternoon that a wedding was about to take place Brian Murland, Adrian Leather. optional birding. just next to the vantage point we wanted to use. We hesitated about taking up Registration Carpooling is encouraged and will be position so close to the ceremony but Adrian Leather, 250-249-5561, arranged on the morning of Day 1. decided to do so anyway. It was a pub- [email protected]. lic space and birders had travelled from Register at least two weeks in ad- all over BC to be there. I don’t think the vance. The leader will give specific Itinerary wedding party was bothered by us, ex- details of when and where to meet. Saturday AM: Spences Bridge, Oregon . cept perhaps when we shouted out Jack. Lunch at Ashcroft Bakery. Cost: Members $10 per person; non- “Whales!” as two humpbacks passed members $40, which includes BCFO close by the shore. The sun actually Saturday PM: The Slough, Nicola Val- membership. appeared during the ceremony, creating ley. Tally-up at The Inn at Spences very pleasant conditions for birding and Bridge (two dinner choices, plus a veg- getting married. etarian option; please inform the inn of Birding highlights included seven any food restrictions). that is exactly what happened on the Pectoral Sandpipers which put down Sunday AM: Venables Valley. Lunch at BCFO trip to the Sunshine Coast in briefly, all three species of Scoter found Horsting’s Farm, Cache Creek. September 2018. What is more, both locally, an Osprey, and a murmuration these events occurred at the same loca- of about 500 Surfbirds around the Sunday PM: Optional birding at Pavil- tion. Read on to find out more. White Islets, about a kilometre off- ion or Upper Hat Creek. Eight birders attended the visit shore. which was hosted by Tony Greenfield Saturday dinner was at Saffron, a Possible Species and John Hodges. Unfortunately the restaurant in Sechelt, where we had a Say’s Phoebe, Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Sunshine Coast did not live up to its tally-up of the species seen. Falcon, Golden Eagle, Clark’s Nut- name and much of the time there was On Sunday it was raining again but cracker, Chukar, Lewis’s Woodpecker, heavy rain. we birded at Sargeant Bay. The rain Harlequin Duck, Lark Sparrow, Nash- Everybody met at the head of Por- eased off a bit but did not stop com- ville Warbler. poise Bay in Sechelt, in the rain, for pletely. The best birds here were a some evening birding on the Friday, Green Heron, an Osprey and a Wilson’s Accommodation followed by dinner at the nearby Light- Snipe being chased by an Anna’s Hum- house Pub. mingbird. Two birders thought they • The Inn at Spences Bridge, 3649 An early start on the Saturday had heard a Gray Catbird but did not see it, Hwy 8, Spences Bridge, everyone standing at the foot of Roberts dismissing the sounds as an aberrant Tel# 1-877-354-1997. Please call Creek pier at 7:00 am in the rain. As the Red-winged Blackbird. However, in the the inn direct when booking, and rain got heavier, we abandoned the afternoon, a local birder went to look mention BCFO to receive a dis- birding and went to dry out in a coffee for the Green Heron but found the Gray count. shop in Wilson Creek. Wilson Creek Catbird instead. • Acacia Grove RV Park, 3814 River- estuary was the next location and we By the time we left Sargeant Bay it view Ave., Spences Bridge wanted to be there before the tide came was raining hard again. So, we decided Tel# 250-458-2227. in and covered the mudflats. Around to go to the Halfmoon Bay Café until 9:00 am we braved the rain, which had the weather was suitable for birding at reduced in intensity, and found a Pecto- our next stop, Smugglers Cove. In the ral Sandpiper on the rapidly shrinking end, we never got there. The continuous exposed mud. Other highlights in the rain led some people to decide to go Trip Report area were a flock of Surfbirds, a Bew- home. A few brave souls spent a few ick’s Wren and a Cooper’s Hawk. minutes birding from the dock at Two-day Visit to Sunshine The next stop was a return to the Halfmoon Bay but even they eventually head of Porpoise Bay, where it had decided to go home. Coast stopped raining, and we found a variety A grand total of 75 species were It is not often on a BCFO trip that one of ducks and four Long-billed Dowitch- noted on this two-day field trip. sees whales and attends a wedding. But ers. We crossed the road and had a walk around Sechelt Marsh. The highlight Page 7 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4)

2018 EVENTS Dec. 14 to Jan. 5 (2019)– CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS. Upcoming Meetings For information on dates of counts and contact information for count organizers, check the BCFO website in November & Events and December, or check the December issue of BC BIRD- ING.

Compiled by Wayne C. Weber 2019 EVENTS The following meetings and other events are those that take place in BC and immediately adjacent areas or that potential- Feb. 14-17– WINTER WINGS BIRDING FESTIVAL, Kla- ly include information on birds that occur in BC. math Falls, OR. For information and to register, please check For most meetings, festivals and other events, the website the festival website at http://winterwingsfest.org . is the main source of information, and registration can often be accomplished online as well. Wherever information can be Feb. 15-18– The GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT, obtained through a phone number or e-mail address, we have sponsored by the National Audubon Society, Cornell Labora- included these as well; if no contact information is listed, it tory of Ornithology, and Bird Studies Canada. For infor- can be assumed that none was provided by the organization, mation and to participate, check the GBBC website at http:// gbbc.birdcount.org . at least not on the date when this listing was compiled. It is usually not necessary to contact a particular individual, ex- Feb. 25-28– ANNUAL MEETINGS, SOCIETY FOR NW cept for scientific meetings when one is interested in making VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY and THE WILDLIFE SOCIE- a presentation. Names and contact information for individuals TY, WASHINGTON CHAPTER at the Great Wolf Lodge, are listed whenever they are available. Grand Mound, WA (near Olympia). For details, check the For a detailed listing of birding festivals all over North SNWVB website at http://thesnvb.org/annual-meeting ; regis- America, please check the Cornell “All About Birds” website tration info should be posted by November or December. at this URL: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/birding-festivals . Below: Adrian Dorst reports that on October 27, 1,000 Snow Geese and at least 1,150 Cackling Geese were on the ground in the Tofino area. The Snow Geese below were photographed by him at Long Beach Airport.

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Feb. 27- Mar. 2– PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP, 46th AN- PO Box 2633, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0, phone 1-855-342- NUAL MEETING, Kauai, Hawaii, USA. For information 2473, e-mail [email protected] , or check the and to register, visit the conference website at website at http://www.wingsovertherockies.org . https://pacificseabirdgroup.org/annual-meeting . May 9-10– Joint Meeting of the ASSOCIATION OF PRO- Mar. 15-17– 17th ANNUAL WINGS OVER WATER FESSIONAL BIOLOGISTS (APBBC) and COLLEGE OF NORTHWEST BIRDING FESTIVAL, Blaine, WA. For in- APPLIED BIOLOGY, Thompson Rivers University, Kam- formation, please check the website at https:// loops, BC. For further information, please check the website www.wingsoverwaterbirdingfestival.com at https://professionalbiology.com/professional-development- or contact Debbie Harger (phone 360-332-8311; email networking/annual-conference . [email protected] ). May 16-19– LEAVENWORTH SPRING BIRD FEST, Mar. 16– First WESTPORT SEABIRDS pelagic birding trip Leavenworth, WA. For information, email in- of the year from Westport, WA. Westport Seabirds operates [email protected] or check the festival web- about 20 trips per year from April through October. For the site at http://www.leavenworthspringbirdfest.com . trip schedule and other information, please check the website (http://westportseabirds.com ). May 16-20– MEADOWLARK NATURE FESTIVAL, Penticton, BC. The schedule of events and registration may Mar. 22-24– 21st ANNUAL OTHELLO SANDHILL not be available for awhile, but please check the festival web- CRANE FESTIVAL, Othello, WA. For information, check site at http://meadowlarkfestival.ca . the festival website at http:// www.othellosandhillcranefestival.org , or contact the Grant June 21-23– BC FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS ANNUAL County Conservation District at 1107 South Juniper Way, GENERAL MEETING, Golden, BC. For Moses Lake, WA 98837 (phone 509-765-9618). further information, please check the BCFO website at a later date (https://bcfo.ca/2019-agm-golden-june-21-23 ). Mar. 23-Apr. 7– BRANT WILDLIFE FESTIVAL, Quali- cum, BC. For information, phone Robin Rivers at 1-866-288- June 24-28– 137th STATED MEETING, AMERICAN OR- 7878 (in Greater Vancouver, 604-924-9771), e-mail rriv- NITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, Anchorage, Alaska. For fur- [email protected] , or check the festival website at http:// ther information, check the AOS website at http:// brantfestival.bc.ca . www.americanornithology.org/content/upcoming-meetings .

Apr. 11-14– HARNEY COUNTY MIGRATORY BIRD FESTIVAL, Burns, Oregon (near Malheur National Wildlife Refuge). For further information, check the festival website at http://www.migratorybirdfestival.com/ . Registration Below: a moment from Birds on Parade, at the Vancouver opens on February 11. International Festival of Birds. “Ladies on a roll” is

Apr. 12-14– OLYMPIC BIRD FESTIVAL, Sequim, WA. photographer John Gordon’s suitable caption. For information, visit the festival website at http:// www.olympicbirdfest.org , or contact the Dungeness River Audubon Center by phone (360-681-4076) or by e-mail ([email protected] ).

Apr. 17-23– GODWIT DAYS, Ar- cata, California. It’s a little way away, but Godwit Days is one of the premier birding festivals in North America. For information, check the festival website at https://godwitdays.org . Registration opens in December.

May 3-5– GRAYS HARBOR SHOREBIRD FESTIVAL, Aber- deen, WA. For information, contact the festival office at PO Box 470, Montesano, WA 98563 (phone 360- 289-5048) or check the website at http://www.shorebirdfestival.com .

May 6-12– WINGS OVER THE ROCKIES FESTIVAL (22nd annual), Invermere, BC. For information, contact the Pynelogs Cultural Centre,

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neat was seeing a late Osprey that cir- lagic Cormorants. cled over the ocean. I decided to give the youth the op- Young Birders We never did see a Broad-winged tion to chase a Brown Pelican, Palm Hawk, which was what we had hoped Warbler and Northern Mockingbird at for and the activity was starting to real- Cattle Point but they wanted to go and Program ly die down and people began to leave, try for Skylarks and look for the other so we left to chase the Red-throated Red-throated Pipit that Jeremy Gatten Melissa Hafting Pipit found by Geoffrey Newell the had found (where the Skylarks were). night before at Saanichton Spit. I love Since we get almost annual Palm War- Saanichton Spit, it’s so peaceful there blers and Mockers on the mainland they Sooke Hawk Watch on the First Nations land and a real wanted to focus on finding the Pipit beautiful spot. because it was a mega and they seem to Sept. 30, 2018 We looked all over in every corner only show up in the Victoria/Saanich On the ferry from Tsawwassen we had of the spit but we could not find the area. one Parasitic Jaeger right off the ferry Red-throated Pipit. However, we did So we travelled to Longview Farms jetty as we were 30 seconds into our find many American Pipits, two Greater (formally Vanreight Bulb Fields). We departure. We also saw lots of Bona- Yellowlegs, Surf Scoters, Western walked up and down the fallow field parte's Gulls, Red-throated, Pacific and Sandpipers, Savannah Sparrows, Com- and we found the large flock of almost Common Loons and many Brandt's mon Ravens, Common Loons, Pigeon 300 American Pipits. We found two Cormorants. When we got off the ferry, Guillemots and some Brandt's and Pe- Lapland Longspurs, two Eurasian Sky- we drove straight to Aylard Farm at Beechey Head in Sooke. It was the official hawk watch put on by the Capital Regional district, so there were tons of people out and about. As we walked up the hill on the 20-minute hike with our scopes, we heard several Pacific Wrens. Last year, we had an incredible time with huge hawk kettles but this year there was far less action. There were no thermals for the hawks to really ride, but we still had a great time. We got to chat with old friends like Kevin Neill, Geoffrey Newell, Ann Nightingale, Kim Beardmore and Mike McGrenere. We also got to meet the new BCFO president Marian Porter and her friend Dan Alcroft. The weather was not that warm but we did get to see humpback whales from a seawatch from the top. We also saw many Turkey Vultures in a kettle. We saw hundreds of Band-tailed Pi- geons which was a treat. We also saw a couple of Evening Grosbeaks and doz- ens of Red Crossbills that perched in front of us for excellent views. We got to see Red-tailed Hawks, Cooper's Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks and a Peregrine Falcon that zoomed in front of us chasing Band-tailed Pigeons. We also had a lone Bald Eagle fly by and we heard a Northern Pygmy-Owl calling softly. (We had two Northern Pyg- my-Owls here last year as well.) We saw a large flock of late Violet-green Swallows with some Vaux's Swifts mixed in. We also had a Long-billed Dowitcher fly right over us calling. On the ocean, in addition to the Humpback Whale we saw several Heer- mann's Gulls, Common Murres and Pelagic Cormorants. What was really Page 10 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) larks (always a highlight with the youth), many Savannah Sparrows, a Golden-crowned Sparrow, Canada Geese and a rare-for-the-area Hairy Woodpecker. Hairy Woodpeckers are not rare on Vancouver Island but you rarely see them flying over a dirt farm field with no large trees around. It was apparently the first Hairy Woodpecker for the hotspot! We eventually found the Red- throated Pipit as we were immediately alerted to the call. It was a BC bird and lifer for almost all of the youth in the group. We heard the distinctive loud “seep” call twice. We saw the bird fly up in the large flock. We kept walking in the fallow field to flush the flock and we flushed several American Pipits but never the Red-throated again. We tried for an hour and a half after first finding Above: White-morph Northern Fulmar. Below: Buller’s Shearwater. him but sadly could not relocate him for All photos by Melissa Hafting. photos or to make a recording. I wish the days were longer so we was sitting and drinking from the pud- lagoons at Somass Estuary. We saw lots could have chased the Palm Warbler dles on the car deck. After we went of bear scat but no physical bears and a and Northern Mockingbird as it would back to our table and resumed eating, great variety of birds including a pure have been a lifer for two of the youth Mike Toochin noticed a second passer- Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker. As but summer is gone and the short days ine fly in. This one seemed a bit bigger we walked two kilometres in to the are now upon us. It is amazing how but we never could make a conclusive spot, I saw the Tropical Kingbird from quickly time flies. I am nostalgic for ID as we saw the bird only briefly once a great distance. It was so far I wanted summer and for all the great young more. to walk closer to clinch the ID. As we birder trips we had this year. So many The night before I had chased Kevin finally got there we got good looks but of the youth are 18 now and it is their Louth’s Tropical Kingbird in Delta but the bird was skittish and kept dropping final year in the program. Having I promised the two Young Birders that down, but we were happy to get him, watched them blossom and grow over we would look for the reported one in especially Bridget. the years, I will miss them. I am how- Port Alberni. Bridget needed it for a BC As we were standing there I got a ever so proud of the young birders now bird so we went straight to the sewage rare bird report text about a Vermilion in the community who will continue to Flycatcher in White Rock. It was BC’s enhance it and be great conservationists first record and we were all the way on through their hobby and future careers. the West Coast of Vancouver Island. For a moment our happiness dissipated but we quickly remembered where we were and how lucky we were to be here Two Young Birders on a and to be going on a pelagic the next First Pelagic day. Sadly that bird was never seen again by anyone. On October 21, 2018, I took two young We headed straight for the Co-op in birders, Cole Gaerber and Bridget Tofino where we planned to buy our Spencer, on their first true pelagic. We lunch and breakfast for the next day. went out with twelve of my friends Before I could even start the car my (including one from the Yukon) on a friends Cameron Eckert and Joachim trip with Ocean Outfitters out of Tofi- Bertrands texted me to let me know no. None of our Young Birder pelagics they found a Tropical Kingbird at the were successful at finding, believe it or Co-op! You mean we just walked four not, a Black-footed Albatross, so this kilometres and you can just drive up to was our top goal. a Kingbird? Well we got to the Co-op As we were having breakfast on the and walked straight to the bird sitting ferry, Young Birder Bridget Spencer on the wire. He was actively fly- noticed a small passerine flying by and catching and we watched him catch a after closer inspection we realized it large bug. I couldn’t believe that I had was a Pine Siskin – a new ferry bird for just seen three Tropical Kingbirds in us all. The poor thing was so tired it less than 24 hours in BC! That's never

Page 11 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) happened to me before and I doubt it boat. Seeing the happy smiles on these they sliced his fingers open with their will happen again. two youth as they saw their first Black- razor sharp bills. Ouch! After grocery shopping we ended footed Albatross also warmed my heart. As we were cruising around we the night with a delicious dinner at A fishing boat makes or breaks your were greeted by a male northern fur Sobo, but before we even got into the pelagic, so it is always essential to find seal, which was waving his flippers at restaurant I spotted a Barred Owl which one. A dragger is always preferred be- us, four Humpback Whales and Dall's was a new Port Alberni County bird for cause they drag up more fish which Porpoises riding the wake of our boat, us all. We stayed at the fabulously reno- creates more smell, which is needed to which was really cool to see. They al- vated Tofino Marina Resort and went to bring in the tubenoses. We weren't always remind me of little Orcas even bed with dreams of Red-footed Boobies lowed to chum on the boat. though Orcas eat them. and rare petrels. It took us an hour to find a fishing We saw many Cassin’s Auklets that We had stunning weather on our vessel. We did not find a dragger like were too full to fly off the water and trip. We went out with a few bumpy we did when we found the three Short- Mike and Sharon Toochin were the waves but beautiful sunshine and mini- tailed Albatrosses in March 2018, but only ones on board who got to see two mal fog. We were really worried about we did find a Longliner. The Longliner Tufted Puffins in non-breeding plum- the fog since on Saturday (the day be- rightly called "Fear Knot II" dissipated age. The rest of us had to settle for Rhi- fore) there was thick pea-soup fog and our worst fears and was actively fishing no Auklets. We did see some uncom- you could barely see in front of you. for rock fish and lingcod. Longliners mon beautiful Black-legged Kittiwakes Well on Sunday it was warm, not rain- are really bad news for albatross and though, not to mention some definitive ing and no fog! We couldn't believe our cause thousands of their deaths every Red-necked Phalaropes and possible luck. Were we really in rainy Tofino? I year, as the birds chase fish on the lines Red Phalaropes that were too distant to mean it was October after all. and drown on the hooks. Draggers are ID to species. The two young birders I brought even worse, but with new simple cheap One of the coolest birds we saw on over ended up getting four lifers: Flesh- technology like putting lights on their the trip was a Sandhill Crane which was footed Shearwater, Short-tailed Shear- nets, commercial fishermen can save flying around with the Black-footed water, Buller's Shearwater and yes, fi- many of these birds. Seeing the Buller’s Albatrosses. David Bell even got a pho- nally multiple Black-footed Albatross- Shearwaters with their gorgeous back- to of both the Crane and Albatross in es! Two adults on board also got lifers wing pattern really had us all in awe. one shot. in the Short-tailed and Flesh-footed After we left the Longliner, we end- On the way back in we saw harbour Shearwaters. ed up finding two huge natural feeding porpoises, California and Steller's Sea There were no lifers for me but it is frenzies. This was where we would pick Lions and the most adorable marine always a joy to be out on the water and up our two Flesh-footed Shearwaters mammals – sea otters! It was so cute see great birds like Flesh-footed, Short- among others. It is not often to come watching them lie on their backs with tailed and Buller's Shearwaters. My across such large feeding frenzies. I their paws up in the air. favourite bird of the day, though, was can’t forget to write about the Sooty We tried hard looking for a Manx the Black-footed Albatross. I am al- Shearwaters! We saw over 600 of them Shearwater close to shore but came up ways in awe of their incredible wing and they are never tiring to look at. We empty. I never did see a Laysan Alba- span and subtle beauty and cute cries as got to see many of them actively fishing tross that I had hoped for either. But it they tear into rock fish. We saw over and coming up with fish in their didn’t matter; it was one awesome trip 100 of them trailing behind the fishing mouths, which you don't often see. in beautiful weather. We were surprised that we had seen In the inshore waters we did see a no Fork-tailed Storm-petrels and no Heermann’s Gull, some Pacific Loons South Polar Skuas. The Long-tailed and a Bald Eagle dive bombing a poor Jaegers had already headed south but Cackling Goose. Everything else in we did see one Pomarine Jaeger. We shore was expected. were all kind of surprised we didn’t see As we got back into the dock we a Parasitic. However, we were thrilled saw the thick fog rolling in and we real- to see some Short-tailed Shearwaters. ized just how lucky we were that we Some sat on the water and others flew had that small window to do our pelagic close by the boat allowing for some so successfully. Another great pelagic good photos and looks for this difficult in BC shared with two wonderful ID. Mike Toochin later gave us some youth. I can’t wait for the next pelagic very helpful ID tips that none of us in 2019 where I hope to finally get a were aware of on board which will Parakeet Auklet. surely help us on future pelagics. We didn’t see many Pink-footed Shearwaters, only 15, but we saw a good number of all three morphs of Northern Fulmars. Young Birder Cole told us all about how he was fishing off Haida Gwaii and the Fulmars came to his boat and when he fed some by hand

Page 12 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) my as a sister species of the Tibetan minibus through a vast treeless land- Rosefinch, Carpodacus roborowskii, scape beneath an ever-changing sky. Quest for a which occurs in the same high-altitude The Yangtze River, China’s longest, habitat and with which it associates rises in this part of the Tibetan plateau. (Sangster, G., Roselaar, C. S., Irestedt, Commonly seen birds included Saker Mega-rarity M., Ericson, P.G.P. 2015. https:// Falcons, Upland Buzzards, Horned doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12323.) Larks, and several species of snow Anne Murray Muzika’s trek was cut short due to finches, with ducks, egrets and Black- health issues but the following year, necked Cranes on the occasional wet- In June, 2018, I joined a ten-day June 2013, he returned to Yeniugou, lands. Little Owl, Wallcreeper, Hill Pi- BirdQuest tour into Qinghai and Xin- found the finch again and took more geon, Great Rosefinch, Tibetan Lark, jiang, China, the primary purpose of photographs, reconfirming the sighting. Tibetan Sandgrouse, and Ground Tit which was to look for the rare Sillem’s This news obviously excited the birding were among the other birds seen en Mountain Finch, Carpodacus sillemi. world so in 2014, Mark Beaman, Gen- route. The vast Kekexili Nature Reserve This bird has been observed by only a eral Manager of BirdQuest, a well- has abundant mammals too, including very few birdwatchers since its ini- Grey Wolf, Tibetan and tial discovery in 1929. Red Fox, Tibetan Ante- The story of the bird’s identifi- lopes, Tibetan Gazelles, cation is interesting. Two speci- Kiang (wild asses), Wild mens were first collected by J. A. Yak, Blue Sheep, mar- Sillem in September 1929 at an mots, and pikas. altitude of 5,125 metres, in a re- Arriving at Xidatan mote mountainous area of southern Scenic Area we met up Xinjiang, near the Karakorum Pass, with our camp crew and during the Netherlands Karakorum four-wheel drive vehicles, Expedition. They were misidenti- and headed up a dirt road fied and labelled as Brandt’s Moun- towards base camp. We tain Finch, Leucosticte brandti, a planned on a three-night widespread Asian species, and camp, but the weather was tucked away in a drawer in a Dutch poor. That night, I was museum. This is where Cees S. very cold in the tent, de- Roselaar, of the University of Am- spite a Thermarest mat- sterdam’s Zoological Museum, dis- tress and thick sleeping covered them in December 1991, bag. while he was searching for snow Setting off early the finches among the drawers of bird next morning, ice sheets skins. He recognized the finches as were lying in the river an undescribed species, named it valley as the drivers nego- Leucosticte sillemi, and wrote the Only fifteen or sixteen people have ever seen Sillem’s Moun- tiated the rocks and silty first authoritative description tain Finch alive. Anne Murray, who took this photograph, is washout with difficulty, (Roselaar, C.S., Bull. B.O.C. 1992 one of them. and rain began to fall. 112/225-31). There was not much veg- In June 2012, French nature pho- etation, just bare gravel tographer Yann Muzika (www. thewil- and rocky hillsides. The altitude was dernessalternative.com) was on a long, established British tour company, orga- nearly 5,000 metres (15,000 ft), and we arduous trek into the uninhabited Ye- nized a birdwatching expedition by four felt the effects as we left the four-wheel niugou (Wild Yak) Valley in Qinghai -wheel drive vehicle to the same loca- drives and started to slowly hike uphill. (one of two valleys with that name in tion and successfully found the finches. At this point the weather deteriorated the province; this one is not far from the The way was now open for a regular faster, with the rain turning to sleet and Kunlun Pass). Feeling unwell, Yann tour to see Sillem’s Mountain Finch! a crash of thunder and simultaneous was resting at his campsite at 5,000 me- Hannu Jännes from Finland was our flash of lightning forcing us all into a tres, when he got brief views of a bird BirdQuest tour leader and our Chinese low huddle on the ground. It then began he did not recognize. Taking some guide, Mr Da Wen, organized all the snowing in earnest. We trudged around quick photographs, he was later able to complicated logistics. Participants on for some time, without seeing any birds. confirm, after identification of the mys- the tour, besides myself, were: Karen Meanwhile, Dave had stayed back with tery bird by Krys Kazmierczak of the Rose, my eBirding friend from Austral- the drivers as he had injured his knee Oriental Bird Club, that he was the first ia, Max Berlijn, a Dutch birder, for earlier in the trip, and suddenly called naturalist in 83 years to see a live Sil- whom the Sillem’s Mountain Finch had us up on the radio: he had a Sillem’s! It lem’s Mountain Finch! Furthermore, particular significance, Werner Mueller, was a male, in with a group of Horned this location was 1,500 km east of the a photographer from Switzerland, and Larks, pushed down the mountain by previous discovery in Xinjiang. Subse- Dave Haigh, an English birdwatcher. the snow. There was nothing for it but quently, following DNA analysis, the We met up in Yushu, Qinghai and spent to hike back down to the vehicles in the finch was assigned its rightful taxono- several days birding while travelling by snow, but of course by the time we got Page 13 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) there the finch had left. We tried search- day before, over 5,100 m. We headed part of our tour into the Taklamakan ing on nearby slopes but only succeeded up the steep slopes scanning the open desert, Xinjiang, in search of local en- in exhausting ourselves in the thin air! landscape for birds. A call alerted us, demics. That evening, I had little appetite, and there they were: a pair of Sillem’s Seeing the Sillem’s Mountain Finch- but by adding some more bedding and Mountain Finch! We were able to sit on es, the privilege of only a handful of extra clothing layers, I at least had a the damp ground and admire them as birdwatchers, was a huge highlight of warmer night’s sleep. The next morning they approached closely, unwary of my trip to China, for which big thanks was brighter, and the snow had melted humans. A female was particularly are due to the BirdQuest organizers, to off the ground, revealing a few delicate obliging. Hannu got sound recordings Hannu and Da Wen, and to my fellow alpine flowers and many jagged stones. and we took photos. Tibetan Rosefinch- travellers. Hannu had a new strategy and we drove es and Horned Larks fluttered and further up the rough terrain in the four- called around too as the day warmed. Anne Murray will be giving a talk on wheel drives, beginning our hike a cou- We were all elated! her China birding trip on May 9, 2019 ple of kilometres farther up the valley, We struck camp that evening, a day at the White Rock and Surrey Natural- and two hundred metres higher than the early, gaining more time for the second ists meeting.

90, H9, P4, and the Navajo Bridge

Gordon Brown perfect day in the desert. The coffee in 2014 and released a year later. Nei- seemed even better than usual, in spite ther of these birds had reached breeding We had visited Marble Canyon and of my having to grind beans in the maturity and so couldn’t have been a Navajo Bridge on the Colorado River, washroom where the only plug-in is parent to the fledged nestling I was hop- just upstream from the start of its jour- found in a campground without ser- ing to see; they were simply flying to- ney through the Grand Canyon, a num- vices. Having left lawn chairs to claim gether as friends. Condors are very so- ber of times hoping to see the Califor- our site, we drove back to the visitors’ cial and have a strong hierarchy within nia Condors but with only limited suc- centre at the bridge and got a surprise that social structure, so it’s not unrea- cess, having scored as many shut-outs the moment we pulled into the parking sonable to see two juveniles, close in as sightings. I’d managed to photograph lot: through the windshield I could see age, flying together. As we watched, an the birds on a couple of occasions, but two large birds flying above the canyon, uninvited guest joined the party when a never really to my satisfaction. This luckily on the open upstream side as raven rose up to harass 90 for a few year, however, held special hope be- viewed from the old bridge. After a minutes. cause in an after-dark conversation with hasty and inaccurate park I was out of In observing the birds, the one-year the park ranger patrolling Lee’s Ferry the van in seconds and hitting the difference in their ages was discerned campground we learned that there had ground running, camera in hand. by relative development of the white been a wild birth this year, at a nest site The birds bore wing tags #90 and underwing pattern: P4’s is almost pure in the canyon wall downstream from #P4, the former a three-year-old female white, while 90’s is much greyer, and the bridge, and that the nestling had hatched in captivity and released in by head colour: P4’s has attained some fledged only two weeks prior to our 2017, the latter another female hatched pink, but 90’s is still primarily grey. visit. I admit to having become all too enthused at the prospect of photographing such a young bird. Navajo Bridge is actually two bridges. The “old” bridge was built in 1929, a steel spandrel-arch structure which by 1995 had been deemed too narrow for modern traffic, and was replaced by a wider version of virtually identical con- struction. The two bridges sit side-by- side, spanning the spectacular red walls of the canyon and linking the Navajo Reservation on one side with the Ver- milion Cliffs National Monument on the other. The original bridge is now restricted to pedestrian traffic, and provides a spectacular way to experience the canyon, the river, and occasionally the birds. Our only full day at Lee’s Ferry dawned clear and windless, a rare and

Page 14 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4)

They gave me what was probably less than ten minutes of graceful soaring, back and forth along the canyon, before slipping away to the southwest and probably the Vermilion Cliffs feeding station. 90 was the last to leave and as I turned to watch her disappear I saw that I hadn’t even managed to shut the camper’s door. Regarding identification, the San Diego Zoo assigns each bird a unique three-digit StudID number which it will bear for life, but the wing tags, comprised of two numbers (often a contrac- tion of the StudID number) or a number and a letter, can change throughout the bird’s lifetime. All condors in the population also bear wing-mounted radio transmitters, the latest iteration of which – remote satellite telemetry – is currently used on only a sample group: the 50-gram (about the weight of a the huge black bird against the hot red Canyon National Park. She maintains small egg) GPS transmitters are solar rock was something to behold. From an up-to-date database for the Arizona powered and able to collect the coordi- the pink head and solid white under- and California condor populations on nates, speed, heading, and elevation of wing I knew this was an adult. It bore the Grand Canyon website, and I’m a bird on a minute-to-minute basis. wing tag #H9, and later we learned it most grateful for her help. Optimists that we are, Jeannie and I was an older female, hatched in 2008 decided to return late afternoon, just in and released in 2011, the dam of the case we might encounter birds returning fledgling I was after and whom she had to roost under the old bridge; it’s likely likely just fed. All photos by Gordon Brown. that 90 and P4 had emerged from such Unfortunately, this was as close as I roosts just before we arrived. This time came to the young bird, but I did also I was able to park more acceptably, and learn that its sire was #54 whom I had we commenced a leisurely stroll out managed to photograph in 2013. He is onto the bridge. Almost immediately, something of a success story in the wild lightning struck again; we were barely population because for fourteen years beyond the near abutment when I saw a he has managed to avoid the lead-bullet condor flying above the river toward poisoning that has claimed so many the bridge, again on the open side, but condors. In years of insufficient game this time below the top of the canyon; attrition, the wild birds feed primarily on carrion left by hunters, who are now being encouraged to adopt copper bullets. But, because the program is dealing with a societal element typically entrenched in its ways, progress is slow. An online database called “studbook” provided some of this information, but it is four years out of date and of no help at all with the younger birds. The current information was provided by Miranda Terwilliger, Wildlife Biologist, at Grand

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So far, birding was child’s play, but except for the obliging and interestingly Birding Big different Hawaiian Coot and Hawaiian Goose (Nene) – see the back page – the endemics proved a distinct challenge. It Island, Hawaii meant heading to high ground, where the endemics were managing, just, to survive the onslaught of introduced Clive Keen mosquitoes and mongoose. The only November 12–20, 2018 endemic that really cooperated was the …Yes, I did get the Palila, but more Hawaii Amakehi, which I saw a num- about that later. I should first say that ber of times on all five days I was at being a small island, Hawaii, Hawaii high level. (it’s named twice, like New York) I managed to find the Hawaiian doesn’t offer a huge number of ticks, Hawk, Apapane and I’iwi by stumbling but the quality makes up for it. There around on my own, but it took three are four categories of birds there: intro- days of effort. The I’iwi, fortunately, is duced suburban birds, long-distance sensational: a bright-red nectar feeder migrants, introduced game birds, and with a yellow scimitar of a bill. It then the endemics. They all offer some- would have repaid the days of trek on thing special for BC birders. hang out. After the abundance of the its own. With only two birding days It took seconds on my first morning suburban birds, I was not surprised that left, though, I signed up for two guided in suburban Kona to appreciate the Pacific Golden-Plovers were popping tours through Hawaii Forest & Trail. quality of the introduced suburban up everywhere, but did get a surprise This company has access rights to ob- birds. The soundtrack of Hawaii – the when six White-tailed Tropicbirds flew scure places, and has vehicles capable Zebra-Dove chorus – was all around around a cliff face. Most of the other of negotiating rough 4×4 terrain. me, and binoculars weren’t really need- migrants were ones with which BCFO The Palila proved much the easiest ed to see them or the abundant Com- members would be familiar, but it was of the high-level birds. Though it is mon Mynas, Spotted Doves, Java Spar- good to have close views of them, in- very rare, and found in just one small rows, Yellow-billed Cardinals, Japa- cluding Least Terns and Wandering area, it is not too hard to find once you nese White-eyes and Saffron Finches. Tattlers. The first of the introduced get to the exact spot. The Hawaii Ele- These highly attractive birds seemed gamebirds – Gray and Erckel’s Franco- paio was a bit more of a struggle, and I everywhere. A few minutes’ walk from lins – also wandered along nearby for was very lucky to get a decent photo- easy photographs, but the Black graph. The Omao, Hawaii Creeper, Frankolin, which is supposed to be an Akepa and Akiapolo’au, though, easy roadside tick, always skipped off proved a real challenge, with just one or before I could get my camera in focus. two sightings each over two days of The gorgeous Khalij Pheasants provid- searching. I got a hug from the guide by ed ample compensation, giving me managing the only sighting of the some of my most pleasing images. Akiapolo’au, locating it by sound: it is

Above: Yellow-billed Cardinal. Top: Gray Frankolin. Right: Khalij Pheasant. CNK photos. the house added Yellow-fronted Canar- ies, African Silverbills and Common Waxbills, all worthy contestants for beauty competitions. Birding seemed remarkably easy, and my target of 30 lifers seemed no problem. My host decided that snorkelling was the right thing to do next, so I was taken to where long-distance migrants

Page 16 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) the nearest thing to a woodpecker on the island, and I heard the pecking sound it makes with the bottom part of its Swiss-army-knife bill. It’s hard to believe that the bill actually works. The upper bill is very long and curves through ninety degrees as a grub- extraction device, and would seem to get completely in the way of the straight hole-drilling lower mandible. At the end of the trip, I’d spotted all the endemics and was just one short of my target of 30 lifers. As a holiday location, it of course had a great deal of the obvious things to offer, to which can be added an excellent locally brewed IPA and superb classical music radio station. Far more could be said about all these things and about the birdiest locations, but it’s best to con- clude by saying that any readers planning to visit the island is welcome to contact me for tips and suggestions: [email protected]. Right: the Palila. CNK Photo.

searching for the next rising air current. distance travelled. Leaders covered a The subject-birds travelled within larger thousand kilometres or more (up to Briefing 1 flocks that included older, experienced 4,000 km), reaching well into North birds. The researchers observed that the Africa. Followers typically achieved juvenile storks could be classified either 1,000 km or less; birds from central Soaring Storks as “leaders” – birds that characteristi- Europe reached Spain while Spanish cally flew ahead of the others – or as birds reached Gibraltar or Morocco. Many birds migrate in large groups. “followers.” The leaders appeared to be Followers might fall behind their origi- This raises interesting questions about more efficient at finding and riding nal flock and join a following one. whether the flight habits of individual thermals. They reached higher altitudes, There was also higher mortality among birds and their overall trajectory (i.e., glided farther, and engaged in less flap- the follower birds. the route to their final destination) rep- ping flight than the followers. The latter The researchers speculate that dif- resent innate behaviour or are socially nevertheless sought to follow the lead- ferences in body aerodynamic proper- learned by observing the experience of ers into the thermal currents. No corre- ties or behavioural characteristics may fellow travellers. Researchers have lation could be found between migrato- distinguish the birds’ migration success. gained some insight into these ques- ry behaviour and the birds’ individual The former might affect their gliding tions by studying the autumn migration characteristics, such as body size or sex, trajectory in particular (i.e., rate of sink- of juvenile White Storks (Ciconia cico- nor with experience in the nest. Howev- ing versus forward speed). It seems, as nia) from southern Europe to tropical er, birds with more pre-migration flight well, that with experienced adult birds Africa. The storks mostly pass the sum- experience flapped less and tended to in the same larger flocks, the leading mer in central and eastern Europe with be leaders. Leaders showed a less regu- juveniles may simply be more adept at an outlier population in Spain. The fo- lar flight pattern in thermals, presuma- social learning – that is, they may them- cus of the research was on juveniles in bly as they sought to optimize lift with- selves be more efficient followers. order to record the apparent cues they in the turbulent air stream. In contrast, Overall, the observations reveal that a used on their first migration. Twenty- followers circled more regularly and complex pattern of physical ability and seven birds, some originating in west- gained altitude more quickly, presuma- social learning mediates the birds’ mi- ern Austria and some in eastern Spain, bly by learning from the flight pattern gration. were each fitted with radio-transmitting of the leaders where to position them- Reference GPS units and accelerometers in order selves for maximum effect. All the Flack, A. + four others. 2018. “From to track their flight. birds improved their ability to navigate local collective behavior to global mi- Storks are soaring birds; they seek thermal currents as they accumulated thermal air currents (updrafts) which experience. gratory patterns in white storks.” Sci- ence 360: 911-914. they ride to altitudes of up to 1500 me- Differences in flight efficiency add- tres, and then glide for long distances. ed up, over the first four weeks of the Summary by M. Church Between thermals they must flap while migration, to a substantial difference in

Page 17 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) The Lincolnshire Wolds rise from the flats and over- Flatland UK, look the North Sea and the Wash. The highest point is the village of Normanby le Sept. 2018 Wold, at approximately 551 feet (168 metres) above sea And a review of the new Nikon P1000 level. The birding up there is better in the springtime John Gordon when the woodlands are full of birdsong. During my visit Most of my UK visits have concentrat- the best birding was on the ed on the west of the country with bird- coastline. ing trips in Gwent (Wales) and Frampton RSPB is just Gloucestershire. I have also visited the south of Boston, Lincoln- Farne Islands for the Artic Terns, Atlan- shire, from which one group tic Puffins, Razorbills and Guillemots. of the Pilgrim Fathers set This time, though, I visited Lincoln- out. I was lucky enough to visit Framp- shire, one of the least-populated coun- coast, but throughout my stay the winds ton on three occasions as during migra- ties in the UK. were south-westers. Even a trip to noted tion it is arguably the top wader destina- The land is flat like the Canadian migrant trap Spurn Point with top bird- tion in the UK. I saw flocks of two prairies. Most of the county is only four ers John Clarkson and Phil Hyde failed thousand-plus Black-tailed Godwits, feet above sea level and there are tradi- to produce anything of note. Ruff, Spotted Redhank and numerous tional windmills scattered across the John and Phil were two of three Lin- Little Stints. The latter was a bonus es- countryside. These are now tourist at- colnshire Bird Club members I had ar- pecially after dipping on the Boundary tractions, with some still grinding grain ranged to meet before leaving Vancou- Bay stint earlier in the month. or converted to tearooms where local ver. Both have seen a formidable 500+ I was there at the optimum time for produce and crafts can be bought. His- UK birds and their stories about twitch- migration, but the much-needed easterly torically, Lincolnshire would have been es in Shetlands and Scilly Isles were winds had all deserted the region, re- primarily wetlands, most of which, un- riveting. They went to great lengths to sulting in a distinct lack of vagrants. fortunately, are now long gone, diked, take me to as many locations as time Easterly winds normally blow birds drained and turned over to large tracts permitted. If indeed there had been any- from the continent toward the UK's east of arable land. thing unusual they would have heard about it. Below: A migrating Wheatear on the beach at the North Sea Observatory, photo- The weather could have been better. graphed by John Gordon with the Nikon P1000. Top: A Ringed Plover, rather Strong south-westerly winds kept the more easily seen in Lincolnshire than in BC (see page 5). much-sought-after continental vagrants offshore, and torrential rain put a damp- er on my attempts to fully test out my new P1000 camera – more on that later. Keeping the camera dry took prece- dence, only whipping it out when an opportunity arose. I had also made arrangements to meet up with BirdingPal Steve Keithtley, who agreed to show me his patch. One such stop was to Frampton Marshes RSPB. The area is as good as any of the more fabled locations in nearby Cley and Minsmere. Neither were showing any birds that couldn’t be found in Lincolnshire. That was fine with me, as it meant less driving down narrow country lanes and more time birding. Steve had formally been county recorder and was very well connected with everyone we met in the field and through his Bird Guide App. A few days into my trip Steve texted me about a Spotted Crake at Gibraltar Point about fifteen miles from my base in the market town of Louth. I’m told that even some local birders had never seen one so it was an opportunity I Page 18 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) couldn’t let pass. Before I could make kon Coolpix P1000. This 24– my way there myself I received a call 3000mm superzoom camera from Louth birder John Clarkson: he is a handful. It is as big as any was already on his way over to pick me pro DSLR although much up. We were soon at Gibraltar Point. lighter – it can be carried all The marshes at Gibraltar Point pro- day without any discomfort. vide valuable breeding habitat for Black At 3000mm the lens is a slug- -headed Gulls, rails and other wetland gish F8 and with overcast birds. Marsh Harriers hunt over the ad- skies the shutter speed plum- jacent fields and in the Fall Pink-footed meted, making shooting Geese begin to arrive. Skylarks and handheld difficult. I had to Meadow Pipits can often be seen over- bump the ISO to 400 which is head. my usual default for birding. John found the Spotted Crake in less Many frames were lost due to than five minutes. Rails are quite shy the low light especially at and it took off as soon as we got our maximum zoom or just put it bins out. Undeterred, we went walka- down to operator error. bout on the reserve looking for anything I had a lot of fun with the that might have arrived overnight. P1000, photographing some Overhead John pointed out the V- birds I wouldn’t have been shaped skeins of Pink-footed Geese able to get with my D500 and arriving from the North. We watched 200–500mm lens. The P1000, Pied Wagtails – both UK sub-species with its 128 optical zoom, and the European version. We moved to has greater reach even than scopes, never captured had it not been for the another hide where John pointed out which are normally used at up to 60. massive range. One minute I was photo- how to differentiate between Common When enlarged, the P1000 files at the graphing five-hundred geese and then and Spotted Redshank. Both are autumn 2000–3000mm range can look like wa- zooming into just one bird in the flock. migrants from Scandinavia and Iceland, tercolours, but the ability to grab shots Having shot the earlier Nikon P900 the latter having a finer and slightly and then go home and closely inspect since it first came out I will say that at upturned bill. In the air Common Gulls the finer details of plumage etc. is inval- times the replacement P1000 will drive (Mew Gulls) wheeled around as did uable. you crazy and other times you will be numerous Herring and Black-headed The P1000 is not a substitute for a very happy that it’s in your camera bag. Gulls. Snipe (Common Snipe) were DSLR, and does not replace it in any roosting on the edges of the reeds. Hun- way. The files at the 2000mm range and dreds of Black-tailed Godwits sat mo- above will certainly not please some. Note: John Gordon has a longer review tionless, eyes half-closed ever ready in But when the light is good and a bird is of the P1000 on his blog at the event a predator pounces. within 30 feet or so the P1000 can produce a very decent image. Other P1000 thecanadianwarbler.blogspot.com images work well in the blog form as a The Nikon P1000 method of communicating one’s travel etc. Some of the images I would have For this trip I brought both my usual travel kit, a Nikon D500 with 200– 500mm lens, and the just-released Ni-

The photographs on this page are not ones that John Gordon would normally display, as they are pushing the cameras (and photographer) to their limits. Nevertheless they show what can still be achieved under extreme conditions.

The Pied Avocet to the right was photographed with the P1000 at Gibral- tar Point at 7 frames a second at full resolution.

The Skylark at top right was just a speck in the sky when photographed with the Nikon D500 and 200-500mm F5.6 Nikon Zoom.

Page 19 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4)

and to a lesser extent Ruffed Grouse. location of this sighting would suggest On that day, Jeff was hunting with a White-tailed Ptarmigan as the species Ghost Grouse in his pointing dog, who normally upon with the closest range. Reviewing avail- smelling game will indicate the pres- able eBird records (eBird, 2018) as a the Monashee ence of a bird by stopping and remain- source of sightings of this species re- ing still until Jeff approaches and flush- veals an individual ptarmigan seen in es the bird. His dog came to point just extreme northwest Idaho, approximate- Mountains off the forest road that he was walking ly 75 km to the southeast of the current on, and upon reaching him, Jeff imme- sighting. However, this option is refut- David Bradley and Jeff Landry diately noticed a white bird five metres ed by the fact that at this time of year off the road perched on a fallen log, adult White-tailed Ptarmigan have yet Leucism is an abnormal plumage condi- about 15 metres in front of his dog. Un- to undergo definitive prebasic molt and tion caused by a genetic mutation that sure at first of the bird’s identity, Jeff would have at least some darker feath- prevents pigment, particularly melanin, decided to try to approach the bird to ers likely primary feathers. However, from being deposited properly in a obtain a better look. His observations the photograph below shows that this bird’s feathers. Due to this mutation, are that the bird had a physical structure bird has no dark feathers on the head birds may in some cases display plum- most similar to a Spruce Grouse, with (B), the flank (C) or the tarsus (D). An age that is generally paler in colour and an upright posture and rounded head alternative idea is that the bird is a leu- that therefore appears diluted, bleached shape. As with most of the Spruce cistic ptarmigan, as found in Colorado or faint. Alternatively, a leucistic bird Grouse in this area, Jeff was able to get by Braun and Martin (2001). There the may display a pied or pie-bald plumage fairly close; he approached slowly to a authors found two female White-tailed pattern with patches of white, contrast- distance of about five metres and took a Ptarmigan in a much paler plumage ed with normal plumage colouration in picture. After doing so, he tried to move than that of nearby birds during late other feathers. In extreme cases, leucis- closer to get a better look, but the bird July to August. They collected one of tic birds may appear in a pure white flushed almost immediately upon re- the birds and inspected the other in the plumage, with feathers much like that initiating movement towards it. Unlike field, and determined that neither had of an albino bird, but with normal col- most of the Spruce Grouse in the area, molted from winter plumage into their ouration of body parts such as eyes and which usually flush off the ground into nuptial or postnuptial plumage. These feet. In captivity, these pure-white leu- a nearby tree, this bird flushed and con- birds still retained some darker feathers cistic birds are often artificially selected tinued flying downhill and quickly out around the neck and head, in contrast to for; however, in the wild this condition of sight, so following the bird was not the photographed bird (C). Of note is is far more unusual, as it often results in possible. The entire sighting lasted ap- that the bird does not appear to have a a loss of crypsis and the subsequent proximately one minute. red eye or pinkish beak (B), as is typi- capture and predation of affected indi- The identity of this fascinating bird cal of albino birds, which strongly sug- viduals. Additionally, leucistic birds are can be determined in several ways. The gests a leucistic individual. usually unable to attract a mate, and so only photo that was taken by Jeff was In conclusion, we feel that it is most persistence of the genetic mutation is on a mobile phone. This image shows likely that this bird is a leucistic Spruce unlikely, further contributing to the rar- the bird in subalpine forest dominated Grouse. ity of the condition in the wild. by young conifers with a diameter at In this note we report on the occur- breast height of approximately 20 cm. rence of leucism in a game bird, most The bird appears to be perched on a log likely a Spruce Grouse, found by Jeff on the ground, presumably Landry while hunting for grouse in the originating from previously cut Rossland Range of the Monashee timber. A close-up of the bird Mountains, BC on September 22, 2018. (Figure 2A) shows that its gen- At 11:00 am, approximately 20 km eral shape and size is clearly north of the town of Rossland at an ele- that of a grouse or ptarmigan vation of 1,650 metres, Jeff entered a species in the Phasianidae fam- relatively large area that comprised of ily. many exposed rocks with a moderately Based on distribution, the dense, young forest. The composition candidate species are Spruce of the forest seemed to be primarily Grouse, Ruffed Grouse, Dusky ponderosa pine, with minor amounts of Grouse, or White-tailed Ptar- spruce and aspen. This area was sur- migan. The Ruffed Grouse is a rounded by various blocks of recently small grouse with a noticeable clear-cut forest, with young softwood crest, giving a peaked head regrowth, an older planted softwood shape, while the Dusky Grouse forest, and more diverse blocks of ma- is a much larger species than ture forest. While hunting, Jeff was on a Jeff describes. One identifica- generally west-facing slope of moderate tion suggestion by a profes- grade. Normally while hunting near sional biologist is that this bird there, he notes that in the general area it may be a ptarmigan, and the is very common to see Spruce Grouse Page 20 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4)

Tackling Asia’s Illegal Trade in Songbirds

supplied to the bird markets by com- Southeast Asia’s songbirds from further Chris R. Shepherd & Phillip Cassey mercial breeders in Indonesia; however, decline or extinction, and to recover commercial breeders are apparently these species. The ASTSG focuses on a Illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade mixing Javan Pied Starlings with Asian number of priority themes, led by vice- in Asia, especially Southeast Asia, is Pied Starlings in captivity which is like- chairs, including: (i) trade monitoring threatening hundreds of species, and ly to have reduced the likelihood of and policy interventions; (ii) ex situ pushing many to the brink of extinction. there being a pure source of Javan Pied conservation breeding programs; (iii) Of the approximately 850 bird species Starling stock for conservation breed- education and community engagement; native to Southeast Asia, 52 are current- ing. (iv) genetic research; and (v) in situ ly assessed as being Critically Endan- Indonesia is not alone in this crisis, research on wild populations. gered by the IUCN Red List of Threat- and songbird species throughout South- The ASTSG is ultimately aimed at ened Species. At current rates of over- east Asia are increasingly threatened. guiding conservation and research ef- harvesting and habitat conversion it has However, there is hope. In September forts, informing national and interna- been estimated that one-third of South- 2015, a group of dedicated researchers, tional laws and policies, raising aware- east Asia’s bird species will be extinct conservation practitioners and other ness and reducing demand. Further- by 2100, with at least 50% of these rep- stakeholders came together in Singa- more, the ASTSG will provide updated resenting global extinctions. pore for the first Asian Songbird Trade information and recommendations to Among the groups of birds most Crisis Summit, hosted by Wildlife Re- BirdLife International to aid in future threatened by the trade are the passerine serves Singapore (WRS). During this IUCN Red List status assessments. The songbirds. Within Southeast Asia the summit, a Southeast Asian Songbird formation of the ASTSG will greatly demand for songbirds, to be kept as pets Working Group was formed, and com- assist in catalysing effective conserva- and for songbird competitions, is enor- menced planning for a conservation tion of Southeast Asia’s songbirds, but mous and involves hundreds of species strategy. Later, in 2016, the Conserva- much work remains to be done. and millions of individual birds each tion Strategy for Southeast Asian Song- year. Indonesia is at the heart of this birds in Trade; Recommendations from A fully referenced version of this article the first Asian Songbird Trade Crisis is available from the editor on request. crisis. Bird markets can be found in most major cities and towns throughout Summit 2015 held in Jurong Bird Park, Indonesia, with some of the world’s Singapore 27-29 September 2015 was rarest songbirds openly for sale, and in launched. This plan put forth a list of many cases in direct violation of nation- priority species in need of urgent ac- al laws and regulations. tions to prevent them from extinction, Many species of songbirds are van- and laid out a number of recommenda- ishing, with some so near to extinction tions and action points to enhance con- that a mere handful remain, and others servation efforts. It also called for the only known from captive specimens. establishment of an official IUCN SSC The Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group, Garrulax rufifrons, endemic to the is- to officially represent the Southeast land of Java in Indonesia, is a prime Asian Songbird Working Group and example. The species has received vir- lead the conservation planning and deci- tually no attention from biologists, ecol- sion making. In February 2017, a sec- ogists and scientific ornithologists, and ond summit was held, again in Singa- no studies have been conducted on it in pore, bringing experts together to share the wild, yet qualitative information updates on developments since 2015, suggests that due to illegal trapping for and to discuss opportunities including the songbird trade, the species is near- campaigns by zoos and behavioural ing extinction, and is currently now change strategies to reduce the unsus- known from only one site. tainable demand for wild songbirds. The Javan Pied Starling (Gracupica One of the recommendations from these jalla) is another Indonesian endemic in summits, and the Strategy, was to better dire straits. This species has vanished formalise the working group, and in from the wild, largely unnoticed due to May 2017, the IUCN SSC Asian Song- the species being included with the bird Trade Specialist Group (ASTSG) Chris Shepherd, a BCFO member now widespread Asian Pied Starling (G. con- was launched. located in Big Lake Ranch in the Cari- tra.) All the evidence points to this tax- The ASTSG is tasked with the im- boo, is Vice-Chair of the IUCN SSC on being virtually, if not totally, extinct plementation of the Conservation Strat- Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group. in the wild, due to trapping for the song- egy for Southeast Asian Songbirds in bird trade. This species is frequently Trade, and ultimately to prevent any of Page 21 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4)

more than three times as powerful as because factors such as topography and date, the next most important. Tempera- the location of favoured “refueling” Briefing 2 ture contains some of the information places will affect bird movements with- of the other variables, however, inas- in the continent. Nonetheless, the medi- much as it reflects northward warming an level of prediction for spatial varia- Tracking Migrants as the season advances and the synoptic tion was 70%. occurrence of warm southerly winds The researchers concluded that the Billions of birds take part in annual favourable for migratory flight. Howev- current model yields sufficient infor- migration flights. On the way, millions er, all of the candidate predictors named mation to allow steps to be taken, in- of them perish in collisions with build- above have some influence. The final cluding darkening buildings, pausing ings, automobiles, power lines and model accounts for 79% of the variation wind turbines, and modifying aircraft wind turbines. Building and other lights in springtime migratory bird numbers flight plans, to mitigate part of the inev- attract birds and magnify the toll. Mi- over the continental United States. itable mortality associated with the gratory flights are concentrated on cer- The predictive capacity of the model birds’ journey. On a larger scale it tain nights when weather conditions, was tested by estimating the numbers of might also aid health officials con- such as winds, temperature and absence migrants from archived past weather cerned with the spread of avian-borne of precipitation, are favourable for the forecasts and comparing the answers diseases. No doubt the future will bring birds. Hence flight nights are difficult with the forecast period radar data. For better radars and improved models, ena- to predict in advance, so it is difficult to 24-hour forecasts, the model accurately bling a significant reduction of migra- plan actions, such as turning off build- forecast 75% of the migration intensity tion mortality. ing lights and idling wind turbines that 24 hours ahead and 71% of the ob- might reduce the losses. served intensity three days ahead. It Reference In the continental United States, the retained 62% fidelity even at seven Van Doren, B.M. and Horton, K.G., 143 stations of the Next Generation days advanced forecast. 2018. A continental system for fore- Weather Radar (NEXRAD) network, According to the radar records, mi- casting bird migration. Science 361: which cover most of the country, can gration begins in early March and ac- 1115-1117. pick up radar reflections from birds in celerates to a peak in the first half of flight as well as from meteorological May, then falls off steeply by the end of Summary by M. Church phenomena. Researchers have now de- that month. Year-to-year variation in veloped methods to isolate the bird sig- timing is found to be about ten days. natures and count them. The results are The radar data indicate that, at the peak, represented as numbers of birds in 100- as many as 600 million birds may be in metre-altitude bins from the surface up the air over the United States, many of Below: A welcome fall migrant – to 3,000 metres. The radar signals are them destined to cross the Canadian American Tree Sparrow photographed rendered into bird numbers by assum- border. Local predictions of migration by John Gordon at Cecil Green, UBC, ing that each individual has a radar intensity are more difficult to achieve November 2018. “cross-section” (reflecting area) of 11 cm2. This number is typical of a medium-sized songbird and representative of migratory species averaged all together. The data are then represented as numbers of birds per cubic kilometre of air space. With the use of the radar records, 23 years (1995– 2017) of springtime nocturnal migration data were obtained over the continental United States. The researchers then used the North American Regional Reanal- ysis, a standard representation of daily weather conditions over the continent, to relate the migration numbers to weather conditions. They investigated twelve meteorological and geographical potential predictors, including air temperature, NS and EW windspeed, surface barometric pressure, date, longitude, latitude and altitude. Temperature turns out to be the most important factor in “explaining” migrating numbers – Page 22 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) the population of this subspecies in bird and an adult were seen on a few Canada was estimated at just over 1,000 occasions, and possibly overwintered in Featured individuals and it was therefore consid- the mid-coast region. ered threatened. The government of We have only two records for May British Columbia has likewise red-listed and two for June. A bird was seen on Species, No. 4 this subspecies. the upper Kennedy River on 1 June Breeding season home ranges for 2005, and at Sarita Lake on 9 June Northern Goshawks may be as large as 2014. An additional August sighting Northern Goshawk 4,500 ha for females and 6,000 ha for occurred on the upper Kennedy River Accipiter gentilis males. During the breeding season, gos- on 16 August 2010. Two birds were hawks are known to hunt Red Squirrels, seen on 29 December 2014, a juvenile Status: Rare resident. Retreats to more grouse, ptarmigan, jays, thrushes, on Stubbs Island and an adult at the end remote areas in summer. Breeds. woodpeckers, and crows. I could find of Sharp Road in Tofino. June records little information on the specific loca- are generally very rare, except to re- The Northern Goshawk is a superb tion of nests on the west coast, other searchers trying to determine population hunter, inhabiting many forest types and than the fact that nests have been found numbers on the island, and those results adapted to pursuing its prey even near Jordan River and in the Walbran are not readily available. through fairly dense forest vegetation, Valley. Three of our observations involved for this large raptor is remarkably agile. Because this is a forest hawk that birds with prey. On two occasions, a Its breeding range covers forested areas uses stealth in hunting, and because it Northern Goshawk was seen feeding on across Canada, Alaska, and the northern tends to nest in mature forest far from a freshly caught Northwestern Crow. In and western United States. It is a largely human habitation, it is rarely seen dur- the winter of 2012/13, and again in the sedentary species on the coast. In the ing the breeding season. Nearly all rec- following two years, both an adult and a interior, it is reported to move south in ords we have, therefore, are from the juvenile Northern Goshawk were seen large numbers in some years. period October to May, after birds have repeatedly frequenting an area where Two subspecies occur in British Co- dispersed from their breeding territories Eurasian Collared-Doves congregated at lumbia. A. g. atricapillus is found to take advantage of a much larger area a feeder outside Tofino. In February throughout the province east of the for hunting. In 1978, Hatler et al. listed 2015, an adult was observed nearby, Coast Mountains. The subspecies, A. g. eight records for the west-coast region. feeding on a chicken. In the past, many laingi, also known as the Queen Char- Today we have 67 records. Most are birds were undoubtedly shot by rural lotte Goshawk, inhabits the Pacific from the central west coast, but two are residents for such behaviour, and this coastal rainforest and breeds throughout from Kyuquot Sound, where, on 25 may occur occasionally even today. southeast Alaska, Haida Gwaii, and April 1990 and 15 October 1991, I saw The Northern Goshawk on Vancou- Vancouver Island. Some authorities single birds at the mouth of the Tahsish/ ver Island is seriously threatened by the include the BC mainland coast in its Kwois River, and another is of an im- continued logging of its habitat. A 2007 range, while others do not. Of speci- mature perched in a tree in Nasparti report commissioned by the US Wild- mens re-examined, a significant number Inlet on 7 August 1981. life Service Alaska Region, the Queen of coastal individuals were found to Charlotte Goshawk Status Review, have characteristics of both subspecies, states unreservedly that “clearcut log- even on Vancouver Island. ging significantly degrades habitat by If we regard birds inhabiting the creating large forest openings devoid of Pacific rainforest as a distinct popula- prey.” Second growth is little better, tion, as does the US Fish and Wildlife according to the report. “Dense second- Service, there are estimated to be 360 growth stands that follow may be suita- pairs on the BC coast and 300 pairs in ble for some prey, but these prey are southeast Alaska. A population invento- largely unavailable to goshawks be- ry for all of Vancouver Island conduct- cause the stands are too dense for the ed by the Wildlife Branch of the BC birds to effectively hunt.” On Haida Ministry of the Environment from 1994 Gwaii, according to the same report, the to 1998 resulted in 51 goshawk detec- population is already so precarious it is tions and the location of 19 nesting ter- unlikely to survive. Unfortunately, the ritories. In addition, 16 territories were practice of leaving some trees surround- located by others, bringing the total of ing a known nest site and logging the known nesting territories on the island rest is entirely inadequate and is a reci- to 35. Population estimates are based on pe for the bird’s continued decline. such evidence. The Canadian Northern Most sightings on the west coast occur in fall. There is one record for Goshawk Recovery Team estimated This is an extract from Adrian Dorst’s that there were 165 breeding pairs on September, eight records for October, and fourteen for November. Sightings The Birds of Vancouver Island’s West Vancouver Island, not a large number Coast, UBC Press, which covers 360 for an island of 32,134 km2 (12,408 drop off somewhat during December, 2 with seven records, but there are eleven species in its 550 pages. The book can mi ). The Committee on the Status of be ordered at ubcpress.ca. Endangered Wildlife in Canada records for January, six for February, (COSEWIC) stated in its 2013 report that eight for March, and seven for April. In the winter of 2014/15, both a juvenile Page 23 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4)

coursed, creating panic among the al- the Merlin, in giving up early, was re- ready restless birds. The little falcons ceiving their message and not wasting Gone Pishing worked the edges of the fields, often too much time chasing them. engaged in tail flights, chasing a long- Some observers have reported Mer- spur from behind. Although dramatic, lins hunting co-operatively in pairs. Chris Siddle these chases are often unsuccessful for Sometimes, as in Saskatoon, the attack the Merlins. Flocking is an effective involved one bird flying along a tree MERLIN anti-predation strategy used by many line, flushing waxwings, while the sec- species in addition to longspurs. ond Merlin followed behind, attacking I didn’t catch sight of the bird speeding disturbed singles. When another raptor, Prey low over the shore until it was passing like a Northern Harrier, disturbs previ- Principal prey of breeding Merlins var- me. It was slender and very fast, and for ously hidden songbirds, Merlins can a second I wondered “Mourning ies across its range. The figures I found take advantage of the situation and pur- in the BNA account were for the north Dove?” but then in a flash of pleasant sue the prey. Is this true co-ordination, and west of its North American range. recognition realized the bird was a Mer- or just the Merlin using the situation to In urban Saskatoon principal prey was lin in “fast contour-hugging” flight its own advantage? House Sparrows; in Alaska it is Ameri- (Bildstein 2017) along Goose Lake near Besides flushing and chasing a small Vernon, hunting the shore at maybe 40 can Tree Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, bird, I have seen a Merlin use a slightly and Lapland Longspurs; in rural Alber- km/hr for shorebirds, pipits, longspurs, different tactic. BX Dog Park is a field ta Horned Larks, and Chestnut-collared and sparrows that had strayed too far at the foot of a steep wooded hill on its Longspurs; in Montana Horned Larks, from the sheltering grasses. south and southeastern sides. While Lark Buntings, Vesper Sparrows. This If I had to name one favourite bird walking my dog there in late summer, I out of the 10,000+ species of the world, selection for prey clearly does not take noticed, for several evenings, up to 100 into account Merlins breeding along the the Merlin might be my top choice. It’s Red-winged Blackbirds gather in the coasts where shorebirds become signifi- a minimalist’s dream of a raptor, a com- tallest Ponderosa Pines to sing before cant prey. It also doesn’t address the pact, graceful little killer. What it lacks flocking away to the cattail beds of diet of Merlins that overwinter in the in bright colour it makes up for in Swan Lake to roost for the night. One interior of North America, where, in the speed. Merlin literature, and there’s a evening a Merlin left its customary northwest at least, Bohemian Wax- fair bit of it since the bird is found perch atop a pine snag and flew straight wings in their fruit-eating hordes are across the Northern Hemisphere, often and level for about 150 m over the field commonly preyed upon by Merlins. uses the words “compact” and “dash” to at tree-top height and straight through At what speeds does a Merlin at- introduce this fast species. Compact it the crown of the pine where blackbirds tack? is, one of the world’s smaller falcons, had gathered. There seemed to be no In straight migratory flight Merlins weighing in at 160–170 g for males and delay as it passed through the crown; it have had their air speed clocked at an 220–240 g for females (compared to must have had less than a second to average of 39 km/hr. A captive Merlin America Kestrel 80–143 g males, 86– attempt a grab at a blackbird. The Mer- in straight flight flew at 35 km/hr. But 165 g females), making the Merlin lin emerged from the crown still headed during a shallow stoop, this same cap- about the same size as a kestrel but sig- in the same direction, as the blackbirds tive increased its air speed to 70 km/hr nificantly heavier. I like to think the exploded from their perches to head for (Sale 2015), certainly fast enough for extra weight translates into strength their roost early. This unsuccessful at- its impact to stun or kill small prey. needed to subdue its mainly avian prey. tack reminded me more of a Cooper’s An interesting study of Merlins at- The American Kestrel has a wider or Sharp-shinned Hawk’s perch-and- tacking European Skylarks in winter range of prey from insects, rodents, and wait attack than that of a Merlin’s but it was carried out by W. Cresswell on the small birds. The Merlin focuses much does illustrate that as far as tactics go, Tyninghame estuary in East Lothian, more upon small birds, even those as the Merlin is quite adaptable. Scotland. When attacked, besides flying heavy as a Rock Pigeon. Juvenile Merlins are said to often for its life, a skylark may remain mute, Another common attack pattern in- sally from perches to catch late summer sing poorly, or sing well. The Merlin volves the Merlin “jumping” a single dragonflies. I have seen Merlins doing attacking had no way of knowing what bird by surprise. This may involve us- this, but so far because the juvenile and its potential prey would do. Skylarks ing the landscape as cover, or fast con- the adult female so closely resemble that sang well when being pursued by a tour-flying, such as I described at the each other, I cannot swear that the birds Merlin escaped at least twice as often as beginning of this piece or spotting the catching dragonflies are all juveniles. skylarks that sang poorly and four times prey while the Merlin is perched or fly- Merlins have benefitted from the more often than larks that didn’t sing at ing European settlement of central and all! Also a Merlin pursuing a full sing- Although I have seen Merlins chas- western North America. Townspeople ing bird did so for the shortest distance ing prey a few dozen times, one planted ornamental shrubs and trees memory stands out. On a late Septem- before giving up the chase. Cresswell’s that bear fruit like Mountain Ash ber- data show clearly that Merlins called ber day in the early 1980s an estimated ries. The annual crop attracts swarms of off the chase of full singing skylarks 10,000 Lapland Longspurs were feed- Bohemian Waxwings which, along with early. Cresswell hypothesized that larks ing in the farm fields at the tiny farm House Sparrows, become prey for Mer- in good condition with enough energy community of Nig Creek 100 kilome- lins that have moved into towns. Amer- tres north of Fort St. John. Among the both to fly well and sing a full song ican Crows and Black-billed Magpies, clouds of longspurs three Merlins were advertising their fitness, and that Page 24 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) also favouring parkland within urban boundaries, build nests that Merlins usurp for their own nesting. With plenty of prey throughout the year, some Mer- lins have ceased migrating south for the winter, or move into town for the winter from the countryside. Urban hunting is not without its problems. Merlins and their prey col- lide with plate glass. Also, buildings can sometimes provide desperate prey with refuge. This didn’t stop a White- horse Merlin mentioned in Birds of the Yukon that chased his prey into the bay of a downtown garage, killed the pigeon and consumed it in front of interested human spectators. After a Merlin has killed a bird, his problems may have just begun. I encountered a Merlin trying to walk its very dead Rock Pigeon prize along the inner edge of a sidewalk in Salmon Arm. It reminded me of a Warner Brothers cartoon of a baby hawk trying to persuade the rooster, Fog Horn Leg Horn, that he has been captured and should allow himself to be taken away by the tiny predator. The Merlin was A male Merlin watches Goose Lake, Vernon, for prey. September 2017. searching for a secure spot at which to Photo by Chris Siddle. pluck its prey, prior to eating it. Pluck- ing takes from 5–15 minutes. Because and tidy. However, you have a sparse Breeding Merlins often select utility poles and dusting of down on your shoulders, not Like all falcons, the Merlin has no street lamps as plucking posts, it’s not something you would tolerate if you song, but as Gary Davidson of Nakusp unusual for a trickle of feathers, includ- had noticed it. The feathers cannot have can tell you, come spring the Merlin ing hundreds of tiny contour feathers, to been on your jacket very long.” announces his presence with an in- shift down from the Merlin’s plucking. “But where did these wretched sistent, noisy, slightly shrill “kee-kee- Several times in downtown Vernon I feathers come from?” kee-kee” that fades and rises on the air have seen human pedestrians pass “There’s a lamp post above the traf- over Nakusp’s municipal campground through a shower of feathers coming fic light at Main and 30th. While you where a grove of pines has provided from the top of a power pole where a stood waiting for the light to change, a Merlins with nesting sites for at least Merlin is plucking its prey. Concentrat- Merlin that has made the post a favour- 35+ years. The female has a similar call ing on their cell phones or just preoccu- ite perch, plucked the feathered prey he but slightly lower pitched. Courtship pied with other matters, many a person has just captured.” I reach out and take involves aerial displays by the male has become an oblivious temporary a feather from my friend’s shoulder to including “power flying” where the resting place for a few feathers. I have examine it. “House Sparrow,” I would male in strongly flapping flight rolls fantasized about becoming Sherlock say. “Looks like the unworn greater from side to side alternately showing Holmes to amaze people with my ob- covert of a juvenile, if I’m not mistak- his back and his belly. Males and fe- servational and deductive powers: en.” males are known to power fly together. “Astonishing, Holmes-Siddle!” re- Less intense with no flapping is the “You have within the past hour plies my suitably impressed friend. “rocking glide.” One of the most com- walked by the intersection of Main mon male displays typically performed Street and 30th Avenue,” I observe to a When not dusting people with stray around the nest site is the “flutter friend visiting me. feathers, Merlins commonly cache food flight” following a circular or figure- “Yes! But how could you possibly in breeding season and in winter. So do eight path. Both sexes soar near the nest know that, Mr. Holmes/Siddle?” their distant relatives, American Kes- in territorial displays (BNA). “Simple observation and deduction, trels. Food may be hidden in a conifer In Vernon I live about half a kilome- sir. I noticed as soon as you came into or on the ground. Cached resources tre from nesting Merlins. Another pair the room your worn but highly polished may be retrieved by Merlins to see or two nests among the tall Douglas- shoes. From this and from the general them through periods of bad weather firs, Ponderosa Pines and spruces of appearance of your clothes, though not when hunting is poor, and sometimes as Vernon’s East Hill. Call me shy, but the newest, but well cared for, I de- a meal eaten just before roosting for the prolonged periods of hanging around an duced that you take care to appear neat night. elementary school or standing around

Page 25 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) back alleys of residential neighbour- female for about the first seven days to Merlin’s nocturnal nemesis, the larger hoods increases my self-consciousness maintain their body temperatures. Con- owls such as Great Horned Owl known to an excruciating level, preventing me tour feathers first appear in sheaths be- to predate Merlins. from keeping long watches near nests. tween 9–11 days; tail feathers break Since it is known that Merlins have from their sheaths between 15–17 days. In a publication like BC Birding a de- moved into towns across western North The chicks fledge at about 29 days after tailed bibliography seems out of place America during the last half century to hatching and are dependent upon their and takes up space, so I have abbreviat- take advantage of resident populations parents for another 1–4 weeks, remained references consulted for this article. of House Sparrows and wintering Bo- ing neat the nest site (BNA 44, 1st ed.). Richard Sale’s monograph The Merlin hemian Waxwings, where the little fal- Once old enough to forage on its (2015) was invaluable, as was Keith cons have happily taken to nesting in own, the juvenal Merlin looks very Bildstein’s Raptors, The Curious Na- old crow and magpie nests, I will just much like an adult female, and under ture of Diurnal Birds of Prey (2017), have to keep looking for a Merlin nest normal field condition, is difficult or the Birds of North America Merlin ac- on public property where I can watch impossible to separate. The adult fe- count 44 (1st and 2 versions). Brian the birds in solitude. male has a slate-brown rump and upper Wheeler’s recent field guide, Birds of When the stick nests of corvids are tail coverts that contrast with the dark Prey of the West (2018); Cramp’s not available for nesting, Merlins will brown of its back. The rumps of imma- Handbook of Birds of the Birds of Eu- nest on a ledge on a cliff, or in a tree tures are the same colour as their backs rope, the Middle East and North Africa, cavity, or even make a shallow scrape (Temple 1972). This is difficult to see Vol. 2 (1980); Palmer’s Handbook of on the ground. The female lays 1–7 since Merlins typically perch in a high North American Birds – Vol. 5 (1988) eggs (usually 4–5) which are incubated place, their rumps out of sight. There and S. Temple’s paper on sexing and about 30 days since the laying of the are also differences between immature aging Merlins (1972) were very useful. last or penultimate egg. The male sexes in the shade of the pale tail bands Regional works consulted include shares in a mostly minor way with the but nothing really helpful to the birder. Campbell et al’s The Birds of British incubating, with his main role that of Unable to differentiate the ages, I have Columbia, Vol. 2 (1990); Frank provisioning the female. Most of the resorted to writing “female-type” or Beebe’s Field Studies of the Falconi- time the male plucks the prey, usually “female-like” in my field book for formes of British Columbia (1974); Sin- removing head and wings, at a favoured brown-backed birds. clair et al’s Birds of the Yukon Territory plucking post often within 150–200 m Rural-hunting Merlins fly up to 15 (2003) and The Atlas of Breeding Birds from the nest, but sometimes he deliv- kilometres into urban areas to roost for of British Columbia 2008-2012 online. ers the prey unprepared. the night, selecting the leeward side of The chicks require brooding by the conifers, warmer and safer from the

future, but might also be regarded Four of the five birds took part in each simply as a special adaptation restricted experiment. In the first, they were ini- Briefings 3 & 4 to the business of assuring a food sup- tially shown the box which, without a ply. Can such birds really plan in a stone, they could not open; it was then flexible way for anticipated future con- removed from their presence. An hour Ravens Out-think ditions? To find out, two Swedish re- later they were presented, in a different Pre-schoolers searchers trained five captive and hand- place, with a tray containing a stone reared ravens to attempt tasks involving and three distractor items. The birds One supposes that the behavior of ani- forward planning that the species does each selected an item. After another mals (other than us) is entirely mediat- not perform in the wild (thus eliminat- fifteen minutes, they were again shown ed by their current environment and ing the possibility that the birds would the box. The ravens had selected the condition, that they live in a stream of respond to the tasks by performing stone 89% of the time (over 414 trials current consciousness. This is not en- some innate adaptive behavior). The each), and successfully unlocked the tirely true. Great apes are known to birds were trained to choose a tool – a box 86% of the time when they pos- plan flexibly for future anticipated con- stone of a particular size – with which sessed the rock, for an overall success ditions both in terms of tool use (a tech- they could operate a mechanism to rate of 77% of the trials. But one raven nical skill) to achieve a desired end and open a box containing a food reward (a confounded even the scientists: she in bartering (a social skill) for certain technical task), and they were shown figured out how to open the box with- outcomes – usually involving immedi- that other objects (“distractors”) could out need of the stone! Next, they tried ate or future access to food. These are not open the box. They were also the bartering trial. Each bird was given complex behaviours that have been trained to select a token which they the opportunity to select a token from assumed to be limited to hominoids could offer to a keeper for a food re- each of three trays that also contained (great apes and us). Also, apparently, ward (a bartering transaction). distractor items (so they could accumu- not true. Consider your Common Raven The birds were then subjected to late three tokens each). Over 48 trials (4 (Corvus corax). four experiments designed to test Corvids are known as food cachers 12 trials each) they selected the token whether or not they possess planning in 143 of 144 chances. After 15 minutes (and pilferers of each other’s caches), skills for the future. Each experiment behavior that might be interpreted as the keeper showed up with food and the included both a tool and a token trial birds successfully negotiated 77% of evidence for conscious planning for the and was repeated six to fourteen times.

Page 26 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) their tokens. very rapidly, and are deployed to facili- create greater centripetal accelerations. The second experiment extended the tate navigation through a cluttered However, within a species heavier indi- waiting period between stone/token space at high speed. This, in turn, ena- viduals were slower (sounds much like selection and the opportunity for reward bles the birds to avoid hazards and to us – as a generality, bigger is faster, to 17 hours (overnight). Over both obtain nourishment in a complex vege- unless overweight). Greater rotational tasks, the birds selected the appropriate tative environment. A group of re- speed and faster turns also are associat- tool in 41 of 42 trials (98% success) searchers has studied hummingbird ed with lower wing loading – hence and successfully claimed the reward in flight by filming captive birds in flight larger wing area – while radius and 39 of 42 chances (93%). in a large enclosure at very high fre- speed of turns are strongly associated In experiment 3, the ravens were quency (200 frames per second). They with wing aspect ratio (the ratio of tested for self-control in light of future filmed 207 individuals, representing 25 length to width of the wing, hence wing expectations (implying deliberate for- neotropical species. (There are at least shape). The interplay of musculature ward planning in light of experience). A 338 species of hummingbirds.) They and wing characteristics in these com- small food reward (less than the poten- also measured body mass, wing size parisons leaves open significant evolu- tial ultimate reward) was placed on the and shape and muscle capacity of 263 tionary degrees of adaptive freedom: tool/token selection tray. Would they birds and calculated species-average neither small wings nor small size is take it for immediate gratification, or values. necessarily disadvantageous since one would they select the tool or token in From preliminary studies on a single might be compensated by strong devel- anticipation of a richer future reward? Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna), opment of the other. Hence some of the They were first presented with the tray the researchers defined three basic clas- correlations reported above may be with the small food reward but no tool ses of hummingbird motion: translation, quite variable between species. In sum- or token. They all did the sensible thing turn, and rotation. Translation was fur- mary, hummingbird speed is primarily and grabbed the grub. But, presented ther subdivided into horizontal acceler- determined by musculature, while wing with the full tray, they preferred the ation, horizontal deceleration and development strongly influences turns tool/token in 73% of the trials, even change of velocity (i.e., net acceleration and rotations. Larger birds with low though that reward appeared only later in 3-space). Turns were subclassified as wing loading are the fastest and most – after a 15 minute delay. In the re- pitch up, pitch down, and yaw (change manoeuvrable hummingbirds. maining 27% of the trials they invaria- in horizontal direction), while rotations It is well-known that different hum- bly again took the immediate reward. In were subclassified as smooth arcs and mingbird species occupy different ele- the last experiment, the birds were giv- pitch-roll turns (i.e., banked turns: vation bands in tropical mountains. en the choice of immediate reward or PRTs). For each motion a quantitative Among all the performance metrics the “ticket” to a future reward, the char- measure was defined. For example, for examined in this study, only the use of acter of which they did not know. They the arc turns, turn radius and average PRTs was correlated with elevation in chose the future 100% of the time. velocity in the xy-plane were measured the natural environment. Birds at low The results strongly confirm the from the film records and maximum elevations with lower wing loading use ability of the ravens to plan flexibly for centripetal acceleration was calculated. PRTs more. But it has also been ob- the future in light of experience. Their For PRTs, heading change and duration served, in other work, that low eleva- abilities match those of the great apes, of the action were measured. Finally, tion birds when moved to high eleva- but are certainly the result of independ- the proportion of the bird’s turns that tion reduce their use of PRTs. This sug- ent evolution, birds being in effect fly- were of each type was calculated. Each gests perhaps some influence of air ing dinosaurs whose evolution diverged of the 25 observed species exhibited all pressure – an environmental factor – from that of the mammals more than of these “performance metrics,” though affecting wing performance. It appears 300 million years ago. with varying frequency. that the birds do not quite have perfect And their abilities clearly outmatch The performance metrics were aver- control over their performance. the abilities of humans at age four. aged for each species tested, and com- The experiments described in this pared with the measured physical traits report were conducted in the Humming- Reference of each species. They are strongly cor- bird Aviary, Department of Zoology, at Kabadayi, C. and Osvath, M. 2017. related, especially the metrics of turns The University of British Columbia. Ravens parallel great apes in flexible and rotations, indicating (not surpris- planning for tool-use and bartering. ingly) a connection between the birds’ Science 357: 202-204. References musculature and body architecture, and Dakin, R., Segre, P.S., Straw, A.D. and their flight capabilities. However, the Altshuler, D.I. 2018. “Morphology, birds could be identified as to species muscle capacity, skill, and maneuvering from performance metrics only 34% of Hummingbird Acrobatics ability in hummingbirds,” Science 359: the time, suggesting significant varia- 653-657. bility among individuals. In compari- There is no doubt that these diminutive Wainwright, P.C. 2018. “How hum- son, physical traits translated into cor- birds are the champion avian acrobats. mingbirds stay nimble on the wing.” rect identification 65% of the time. Ex- They hover; they fly backward; they Ibid. 636-637 (Commentary). amining individual metrics, it was turn on a dime; and they do it all at found that birds with greater body mass seemingly breakneck speed. These abil- Summaries by M. Church. and, therefore, musculature, perform ities reflect a capacity to integrate sen- faster translations and rotations and sory information and make decisions

Page 27 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4)

often poetic. This is his comment on some BCFO members bridling at all seeing “The LBJ of all LBJs,” a Hedge this, and the truth is that Barnes likes Book Reviews Sparrow: potential Bad Birdwatchers more than Good Birdwatchers, because the future There he was against the cold blue sky, of birds, and preservation of their habi- 1. How to Be a Bad Birdwatcher every feather picked out by the low win- tat, lies with them, not us. His advice is by Simon Barnes ter sun, and he sang his song of spring always aimed at the Bad but it should and gave it absolutely everything. It was not be lost on those aiming higher. “Set Clive Keen a song that made the whole day better. out with high hopes and low expecta- A common bird: a rare moment. tions… revel in what you see rather I make no apology for reviewing a book than what you want to see,” for in- that has been around for more than a Barnes’ frequent irreverence will of course not be to everyone’s taste. He is stance, is great advice even for those decade. I’m doing you – unless you are seeking their 933rd life tick. fortunate enough to have come across rather derisive, for instance, about twitching. What it really amounts to, he A great book. Buy it, read it, and this book already – an enormous fa- then buy lots more for presents. vour. It deserves to be up there in the says, is chasing after some storm-blown creature that has landed somewhere all pantheon with The Natural History of Selborne, the second-most-read book of wrong, and catching a glimpse before the poor thing expires. At another point Below: not rare, but special. A Merlin all time. at the Shelley lagoons, Prince George, But first, the ambiguous title. It does he says that we should “Revel in nature, not hunt for scalps.” I can imagine August 30, 2018. CNK photo. not mean “How to cheese off serious birders,” but rather “How to get enormous pleasure from birdwatching even if you’re not very good at it.” And enormous pleasure in birds is what the book is all about. Birds are life-enhancing: they bring joy when you see them, and it is a constant joy to share your life with them, and to share that joy with fellow humans. By turns instructive, funny, inspiring, wise, irreverent, and poetic, it is at all times entertaining and perceptive. Take the question Why does it matter if you can name a bird? Barnes tells us, “You feel noticeably different about Jane than you do about that woman from accounts.” That nails it. And isn’t birdwatching all about chasing rarities? “Birdwatching at its best is not the chasing of the rare, but the untroubled contemplation of the special.” Barnes’ distinction between the rare and the special is one of his many eye- openers. An avocet is not rare – “Go to Minsmere … and you won’t be able to chuck a brick without hitting an avocet.” But an avocet is special: “The sort of creature that normal mortals are not fit to see.” I read that section just after the Mer- lin pictured opposite had buzzed all around me and then perched just yards away. Not rare at all, but it gave the greatest birding thrill of the year. “Not rare but special” sums things up perfectly, helping us understand why some birding moments can count for far more than the 932nd life tick. And Barnes by no means discounts ordinary birds. I mentioned that he is

Page 28 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4)

ents (regular non-breeding species), lars (of places, notable historical stu- 2. Birds of Nunavut, edited by irregularly recurring visitors, and acci- dents, and context) are also indexed. J.M. Richards and A.J. Gaston dentals. Two listed species are extinct Volume Two also contains a checklist, (or thought so). In addition to the for- which gives only the birds’ names (in Michael Church mal (Latin) names, names are given in English) and breeding status (that is, no English, French and, when known, information on seasonal occurrence), Vancouver, UBC Press, 2018; 810 pp Inuktitut or Innuinaqtun (westernmost and a list of 19 additional unconfirmed in 2 vols. ISBN 0-7748-6024-6. Also Arctic Nunavut). Each species account species. available as a pdf document, ISBN 0- opens with a short paragraph giving A word about the more than 800 7748-6026-0. $125 for each; $150 general information on the status of the colour illustrations: they are superb, when purchased together. bird in Nunavut and its principal defin- and superbly produced on the high ing characteristics. For breeding birds quality, bright paper. Generally, several Nunavut is a recently established the subsequent three to five pages de- views of the bird are given, showing (1999) Canadian Territory consisting of scribe the bird’s abundance, appear- principal plumages, and, for breeding the eastern and northernmost portions ance, subspecies, distribution (with a birds, photos of chicks and eggs in the of the former Northwest Territories, and map), behavior, habitat, diet phenology, nest. But they do not always highlight extending as far west as 110°W in the breeding strategy and, finally, the bird’s the key diagnostic marks for field iden- Arctic islands and to 121°W on the formal status in Canada. To fill out the tification, although these are usually mainland. Nunavut encompasses nearly accounts, especially of distribution, given in the written account. Again, this all of the unique environment of Cana- population trends and habits, the au- is not a field guide. da’s high Arctic, including nearly all of thors have ransacked essentially the All in all, this is a production of the Arctic islands and inter-island wa- entire literature of Arctic ornithology which the editors, contributing writers terways. This pair of volumes is the and the list of references is a major re- and photographers, and UBC Press can first authoritative survey of all the birds search resource all by itself. There are be proud. But inevitably, it is a work in known to have occurred in this most 145 known breeding birds. Birds not progress. There will surely be species remote and forbidding region, currently positively known to breed in Nunavut added in the years ahead, and more to 295 species. Printed on 8½11 inch are described on one page each. be learned about the occurrence and paper of high gloss and weighing in at Volume One includes the species habits of many of the species already 3.2 kg it is a work for study and refer- accounts for all non-passerines, of identified. The authors certainly know ence – it is no field guide. But it is an which there are 194, including 104 this: they include information on where absolute tour de force, comparable in known breeding species. Of the 119 to send your notes of new findings. passerines described in Volume Two, quality with The Birds of British Co- This review also appeared in Nature lumbia, another landmark ornithologi- only 41 are known breeders. A high proportion of the passerines occur only Vancouver's Discovery 2017. Michael cal reference work from UBC Press. Church is a geomorphologist and long- The book is the work of eighteen au- in extreme southwestern Nunavut, adjacent to the Manitoba border, where the time birdwatcher who spent ten seasons thors, including the editors, with notes in the Arctic ranging from Baffin Island from more than 150 additional contrib- northern fringe of the boreal forest ex- tends into the Territory. Although both to northern Alaska in the last years be- utors. fore the beginning of detailed ornitho- The introductory sections, in addi- volumes contain a complete table of contents, an index (to both volumes) is logical studies. tion to thorough descriptions of the ge- ography and ecology of the region, in- provided only in Volume Two. It is an excellent index, giving all bird citations Below: an Arctic Tern photographed by clude essays on the history of ornitholo- John Gordon at the Iona South Jetty on gy in Nunavut. Valuable information under Genus headings in English, French and Latin. Many other particu- September 2, 2018. Arctic Terns are rare was recorded as early as 1795 (by Sam- visitors to the lower mainland. uel Hearne) and the first half of the 19th century (John Richardson), but most focused, species-specific work post- dates 1970. Nunavut ornithology is a young science. Nonetheless, conservation is a key issue discussed in the book as is the issue of monitoring the birds. There is also a discussion of climate change and other threats. Contributors are keenly aware that the magnified effect of climate change in the Arctic, and the effects of development that will gather pace with that change, are both concerning and an opportunity – in these matters all the birds are canaries. In the species accounts the birds are classified as resident or seasonal breeders, suspected seasonal breeders, transi-

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they are 760 times more abundant on infested islands. This finding may be the rat-free islands. The scientists stud- particularly important for the prospect Briefing 5 ied the ecological consequences of this of reef recovery after thermal bleaching dramatic difference in seabird density events. And beyond this potential indi- between the two groups of islands. rect effect on reef recovery, the phos- Darwin’s Puzzle and Rattus By assessing species-specific quan- phorus also delivered by the seabirds is rattus tity and quality of guano and bird resi- directly effective in enhancing reef dence times, they determined that the thermal tolerance. During the Beagle voyage Charles Dar- nitrogen input per hectare on the rat- Here, then, is an exceptional se- win encountered the coral atolls of the free islands was 251 times greater than quence of observations illustrating how central and south Pacific. Fitzroy on those that are rat-infested (190 kg/ birds play a critical role in the processes (captain of the Beagle) directed surveys ha/a versus 0.8 kg/ha/a). Almost all of and character of the entire ecosystem in around several atolls so Darwin learned that nitrogen is imported from feeding which they act, and also the conse- their marine topography. He developed areas far at sea where net primary pro- quences of introducing a destructive a theory of atoll formation that, remark- duction is estimated to be hundreds to exotic species into a stable ecosystem. ably, remains relevant today. But he thousands of times greater than in the The role of the birds is rarely so clearly remained puzzled by one outstanding immediate vicinity of the atolls. By demonstrated as in this remarkable question; what is the source of the nu- tracing nitrogen isotopes peculiar to the case. It provides a powerful example of trients that support the rich marine and marine environment, the scientists con- the importance of sustaining native bird terrestrial life that is found around the firmed that the imported nutrients are populations in every environment. reefs and on the central islands? The taken up both by island vegetation and References answer turns out to be the seabirds that by reef fishes. In particular, they found nest on the islands but forage far at sea that, as a result, damselfish around the Graham, N.A.J. + five others. 2018. “Seabirds enhance coral reef productiv- in waters much richer in food resources reefs of rat-free islands grow faster and ity and functioning in the absence of than in the vicinity of the coral islands. were larger at any given age. Total reef- invasive rats.” Nature 559: 250–253. Their droppings (guano) provide essen- fish biomass was 48% greater around tial imported nitrogen and phosphorus those reefs. Herbivorous fishes are par- Commentary by Knowlton, N. 2018. “How rats wreak havoc on coral reefs.” to fertilize terrestrial life on the islands ticularly important to reefs for they con- Ibid. 190-191. and marine life around the reefs, both sume the benthic algae that otherwise directly and via rainfall-runoff water. might smother the corals. The scientists Summary by M. Church. A remarkable inadvertent experi- found that reef crests adjacent to rat- ment in the uninhabited Chagos Islands, free islands are grazed nine times a in the mid-Indian Ocean (at about 7°S., year, compared with 2.8 times for rat- 72°E.), demonstrates the powerful effect of the birds. (The islands are administered by the Unit- ed Kingdom, which maintains a military base on the principal island.) Black Rats (Rattus rattus) were introduced to the islands from merchant ships in the late 18th century. Today, some islands are infested by rats and some are rat-free. Nesting seabirds are abundant on rat-free islands but, due to nest predation by the rats, rare on islands that host rats. Seabird species include terns, tropicbirds, shearwaters, noddies, frigatebirds and boobies. Investigators selected six rat-free islands and matched them to six topographically similar rat-infested ones. At 1,243 birds/ha on rat-free islands versus 1.6 birds/ ha on rat-infested ones, Page 30 BC Birding December 2018 Edition 28 (4) for close-by bushes and trees. And this ing. After fifteen minutes, he was ready means that your perspective has to abandon the course. But after an The Reflective changed, and you start to focus on a hour, he felt his life had changed. He much smaller world. could see where flies had landed, where I first discovered the magic of per- a caterpillar had been, where a casual Birder spective shift while rockpooling in human movement had smudged the North Devon, England. Rock pools – tracks of a tiny spider. He then looked Clive Keen known as “tidal pools” in North Ameri- around him, and found there were

The following article spent some years ca – are a naturalist’s delight, but you tracks simply everywhere. gathering dust, since I suspected that have to learn how to look. I’d start my Now back in my very small spot in no magazine editor would ever be will- rockpooling by strolling along a good the midst of bushes, I find that as well ing to publish it. But, come to think it, stretch of beach and looking into each as my kidneys, my digestive system is I’m a magazine editor now. pool as I passed. I might see the occa- in tip-top and enthusiastic order, which sional crab, or perhaps a stranded fish, necessitates a longer stay, and no longer along with the usual anemones, but I in a standing position. So now the abil- Don’t Wait For Me wouldn’t see all that much. After a ity to focus on a smaller world gets a While I, Um ... while, though, I’d stop at one of the boost. An importunate fly is swatted, Notwithstanding timid editors, this es- more likely looking pools, and sit and – fascinating this – almost immedi- say is about the occasion, known to all down. ately gets carried away by an ant. By birders, when you’ve been out birding For the first five minutes, I’d see staring at some bark, I get to see not for a couple of hours and the early pretty well nothing I’d not already seen just why bark is a larder for some spe- morning coffee makes its presence felt. on my walk. Then, after I’d almost cies, but why Brown Creepers go up a You walk on a bit, but eventually rec- started to get bored, I’d catch a bit of tree, while Nuthatches go down. Not ognize that you are too far from the movement, and realize that an apparent- having a book to read, I find fascination nearest facility. (The current euphe- ly empty winkle shell was occupied by all around me. Best of all, on this occa- mism is “comfort station,” “washroom” a hermit crab. Once I’d focused on the sion, I find that the Old Man’s Beard, now being too indelicate for the hospi- hermit crab, and readjusted my vision hanging from a tree just inches from my tality industry.) So eventually, you de- to its Lilliputian world, I’d realize that face, is not just structurally interesting, cide to do what comes naturally, and there were in fact hermit crabs all round but has an eminently practical use. head off the path for some peaceful the pool. I just hadn’t seen them, be- communing with nature. cause I was looking for something in a And, halfway through such com- higher size category. Having changed “Nuthatches like to go downwards.” muning, you hear the sound of a bird my perspective, I’d next notice that Photo by the author. you’ve been hoping for all morning. It’s there were some shrimps best not to spring into action too quick- swimming round. They are ly, you might have discovered, nor rush semi-transparent, so unless off in a state described by that nice you know what you are word “dishabille.” But it’s a fact that a looking for, you look surprisingly high proportion of interest- through them, not at them. ing birding observations come when Having fine-tuned my vi- you are concerned with something not sion again, I’d come to real- specifically birdlike. Why is that? ize that there were shrimps In the spirit of empirical science, I all over the place. After half recently conducted an experiment – yes, an hour of such steady vi- it was selfless of me, I know – to find sion-realignment, I’d get to the answer. The first observation was recognize the rock pool as that while in temporary solitude, most bursting with life. sounds made by my companions and A friend had an analo- me (OK, not all) cease. No footsteps. gous experience at a week- No rustling. No conversation. So that long course on animal distant drumming of a Three-toed tracking. Early in the Woodpecker is a lot more likely to be course, he was told to spend heard. The scamper of a rabbit, the an hour looking at a wood- sound of a falling pine cone, the call- en table top. After five notes of a Chickadee – all these things minutes he asked what he stand out in clear relief. (Bad choice of was doing it for. He was words, that: relief.) told just to keep on looking. But it’s not just a matter of hearing. After ten minutes he started Since you’ve a certain need for privacy, to wonder why on earth you’ve picked a spot where people he’d travelled across the can’t see you, and as a result, you can’t continent and paid big see them, or much of anything except bucks just to stare at noth-

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More from Hawaii: an endemic Hawaiian Goose, an endemic Hawaiian Coot, and a definitely-not-endemic Mongoose. The introduced Mongoose is one of the many serious challenges now being faced by Hawaii’s dwindling native birdlife.

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