Newsmagazine of the British Columbia Field Ornithologists ISSN 1206-1611 BCFO.ca Volume 27 Number 3 / September 2017

A LeConte’s Sparrow spotted during the Tumbler Ridge AGM post-trip – see page 3 for details. Photo by John Gordon. BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

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

Newsmagazine Submissions To submit material to this publication, contact the Editor by Ex Officio email ([email protected]) or by mail at 10790 Immediate Past President: George Clulow, Burnaby, 604-438 Grassland Road, Prince George, BC V2K 5E8. -7639, [email protected] Submissions may include articles about birding experi- ences, casual observations about bird behaviour, site guides, BCFO Committees & Representatives photographs, and other topics of broad interest to birders, AGM Planning Committee: TBA preferably, but not necessarily, in British Columbia. Over- Archivist: Les Gyug seas trip reports are welcome but should be kept to a maxi- British Columbia Birds (Journal) Editor: Art Martell mum of 2,000 words. Deadlines are: BC Birding Editor: Clive Keen; Associate Editor: Virginia Rasch • March edition: February 15 BC Bird Records Committee Chair: Nathan Hentze • June edition: May 15 BCFO Two-day Trips: Adrian Leather Canadian International Joint Venture: Wayne Weber • September edition: August 15 Cannings Award Committee: Wayne Weber • December edition: November 15 Featured Photographer Committee: Carlo Giovanella IOC Vancouver 2018: George Clulow Librarian: Andy Buhler Advertising Rates Membership Committee: Larry Cowan Full page: $125 per issue or $112.50 each for four or more Website: George Clulow, Neil Dawe issues Young Birder Awards Committee: Carlo Giovanella Half page: $75 per issue or $67.50 each for four or more Young Birders Program: Melissa Hafting 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.

Photo right We’re currently in the midst of “is it long-billed or short- billed” season. Take a look at the one on the right, photo- graphed on August 20, 2017 at the Shelley lagoons, and see if you can come to a decision.

Page 2 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

Contents

Notices President’s Message ...... 4 Short Notes ...... 5 BCFO Two-day Trips Mini-Pelagic, October 28–29, 2017 ...... 7 AGM Pre-conference trip Report: Quesnel Area, June 7–8, 2017 ...... 8 AGM Trip Report Tumbler Ridge – Brassey Creek, June 10, 2017 ...... 10

Upcoming Meetings & Events ...... 11 Avian Encounters Cover Photos Grateful Hummer ...... 13 John Gordon writes: The Peace Riv- Mystery Bird ...... 13 er region is somewhere I had always Briefings wanted to visit. Situated in the north- The Most Perfect Thing ...... 14 ern part of British Columbia, the Ravens are Even More Like Us ...... 17 Peace is a three-thousand kilometre Ice Age Survivors ...... 24 round trip journey from Vancouver. Three days of hard-core birding Features were slated for June 11–13 follow- Scoters, and Alpine Birding Lessons Learned ...... 15 ing the BCFO convention in Tum- Better eBirding ...... 16 bler Ridge. More from Tumbler ...... 25 Twenty birders were split into two groups. Mark Phinney and Brian Book Review Paterson were group leaders. Birds: A Complete Guide to their Biology and Behaviour ...... 17 Based in Dawson Creek and led by Brian, our group visited numer- Young Birders Program ous birding hotspots including Swan Trip Report: Mount Cheam ...... 19 Lake, Road 201 and McQueen Making the Difference ...... 20 Slough. Day 2 saw us visit Fort St. Trip Report: Manning Park ...... 22 John where we birded Beaton Park and Boundary Lake, Watson Slough The Reflective Birder as well as spots in-between. Reflections on Avian Beauty ...... 26 The LeConte's Sparrow was a target bird for many in the group and thanks to our group leaders everyone had great views. These birds prefer undisturbed wet fields. On reflection I would have preferred to have pho- tographed the bird from more of a side angle but I didn’t want to risk flushing it before everyone had had a good view. Thanks to Brian Paterson for getting us on the bird. The Lazuli Bunting photo (back cover) was taken on my way home on the West Fraser Road just south of Quesnel.

Photo right: a very young Spotted Sandpiper at the famous Shelley Lagoons, early August 2017. CNK photo

Page 3 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3) to have a board member from the bers will be connected by Skype. Kootenay area. Josh Inman expressed High on the agenda will be planning President’s an interest in taking over the Treasur- for the 2018 AGM and conference. It er’s position at the end of the Tumbler was announced at this year’s meeting Ridge weekend and has now been that we are intending to hold the 2018 Message appointed as a Board member and as AGM in Hope. The dates for the 2018 Treasurer. meeting should be available in the Mike McGrenere, President Members were notified in July that December issue of BC Birding and on our mailing address has been changed the BCFO web site. June was an excellent month for and the mailbox is now located in One other major item for discus- BCFO activities with a two-day field Langley. Josh lives in Langley and the sion will be the revamping of our con- trip in the Quesnel area preceding the society mailbox must be close to the stitution and bylaws to conform to the AGM, an eventful AGM in Tumbler Treasurer’s residence for ease of requirements of the Province’s new Ridge where we enjoyed not only the checking for bills and cheques that are Societies Act. All societies in British birds but also the dinosaur history of sent by conventional mail. Columbia must conform to the re- the area and two extension trips which It is now time for the Board mem- quirements of the new act by Novem- searched for birds in the Fort St. John bers to gather together for our annual ber 2018. Art Martel is currently pre- and Dawson Creek area. fall planning meeting. Most of the paring draft changes for the Board’s We have two new Board members Board members will be gathering at consideration. When draft changes for the coming year. Gary Davidson “the Grass shack” (Jude Grass’s resi- have been approved by the Board, was elected at the AGM and it’s great dence) in September and some mem- they will be sent out to members for review and comments. A new consti- tution and bylaws will be presented to members at 2018 AGM for approval. The planning meeting will also be looking at the society finances and examining ways that the revenue might be used; discussing the field trips for the 2018 IOCongress which will be led by BCFO members; con- sidering potential locations for two- day field trips in 2018; and consider- ing the merits of a BCFO birding code of ethics. Fall migration will be in full swing in September and I hope that everyone will have the opportunity to do some birding in BC or further afield. Maybe you will be lucky enough to find a rare bird for review by the BC Bird Records Committee.

Steve Cannings Award

The Steve Cannings Award for 2017 was presented at our AGM to Dr Art Martell of Courtenay, current BCFO member, who served for many years as a biologist and administrator with the Canadian Wildlife Service and Environment Canada. We will have an article outlining Art’s many accom- plishments and his contributions to bird study and bird conservation in the next issue of BC Birding.

Photo (Art Martell left, Mike McGrenere right) by John Gordon.

Page 4 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

Point Bird Observatory. Logan Lalonde Young Ornithologist of Kelowna was one of the six partici- Short Notes pants. Workshops This training program began in the Bird Studies News, August 2017 edi- 1970s. Each year, the Doug Tarry Stu- Reminder tion, leads with a story on the Young dent Awards are granted to six appli- Ornithologists’ Workshop at Long cants aged 13–17 from across Canada, The new BCFO mailing address is: covering the costs of the workshop. ->

P.O. Box 61670 RPO Brookswood George and the Accentor Langley, BC V3A 1K0 At the Cranbrook AGM, Past President George Clulow was presented with this memento of the discovery of a Siberian Accentor in Surrey with Mandy Lu (see BC Birding, Vol 26,1). The occasion was the completion of George’s term as President of BCFO with "many thanks for his outstanding leadership, guidance, and innovative contributions." Both photographs, of the framed shot and George holding it after the presentation, are by John Gordon. Expedition in Mind?

If you have been contemplating an ex- pedition needing more participants (Haida Gwaii? Atlin? Triangle Island?), feel free to contact a board member (page 2) with the idea, to see if it might become a BCFO-sponsored and pro- moted activity.

Farewell Thayer’s Gull

Lumpers scored a rare victory in the latest AOS (formerly the AOU) check- list supplement: Thayer’s has been lumped with Iceland Gull. Hoary and Common Redpolls, though, survived the voting, and splitters got one back with the split of Cassia Crossbill from Red Crossbill. At last we no longer have to wonder why Chats are classified as warblers, as they’ve been given their own family. We also have to take care now over the spelling of “LeContes” which is changed to a single word. For more details see blog.aba.org/2017/07/2017- aos-supplement.html.

Rare Bird Alerts

Among the usual flow of rare birds re- ported at bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca the most surprising of late must be the Curve-billed Thrasher found and photo- graphed on July 7, 2017 at Francois Lake. This is the first sighting of the bird in BC, but is not the first rarity found by Keith Walker at Francois Lake. This spot, in the centre of the province near Burns Lake, regularly comes up with surprising finds, but not normally as surprising as this.

Page 5 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

To date, more than 150 teenagers (58 each), and Magnolia Warblers (57). have taken part. Program alumni are 48 species had to date been banded. To pursuing careers in research, conserva- receive reports, head to tion, environmental consulting, and some are leading birding tours. Several www.mackenzienatureobservatory. work for, or have worked at, Bird Stud- ca/documents/reports.htm. ies Canada. Logan, along with Liron Gertsman Vaseaux Lake Observatory (Vancouver) and Joshua Glant (see The banding station opened on August page 20) also took part in The Cornell 1st, with high water from spring flood- Lab of Ornithology Young Birders ing restricting the number of nets to Event, July 6 – 9, 2017 in Ithaca, New eight rather than the usual fourteen. York. During the first week, 245 birds of 29 In addition, BCFO Young Birder species were banded, including a Sharp- Cole Gaerber (Vancouver) took part in shinned Hawk and a Sora. the week-long Beaverhill's Bird Obser- In the second week, two more nets vatory's Youth Ornithologist Workshop were opened, in good time for a Cedar in Alberta. This workshop, running Waxwing invasion – 62 were banded. from July 30 to August 5, 2017, is for Over the week, a total of 219 birds were young birders 15–18, and BBO covers banded, of 24 species, including a all direct costs of the workshop includ- Black-chinned Hummingbird. ing food, travel for field trips, and pro- More information can be found at fessional instruction. More information- https://vlbo.wordpress.com . can be found at

http://beaverhillbirds.com/programs/ young-ornithologist-workshop/ . Colony Farm A detailed account of the summer’s activities of the Vancouver Avian Re- search Centre can be found at:

Bird Banding Updates http://www.birdvancouver.com/ blog_summer_2017.html

Mugaha Marsh Included in this update is an account of Between opening on July 19th and Au- their Bird of the Month: a Rufous/ gust 10th, 990 birds had been banded at Anna’s Hummingbird hybrid, one of Mugaha Marsh near McKenzie. By far two netted at the bird banding station Hybridizing Sapsuckers the most common were American Red- this summer. The excellent photographs starts (176), the next most common and discussion make for fascinating And on the topic of hybrids: in a note to being Swainson’s Thrushes (62), Least reading. ncenbird, the listserv for central BC Flycatchers and Tennessee Warblers birders, Jack Bowling wrote:

“Many know that the central interior of Newly banded Magnolia Warbler at Mugaha Marsh. Photo by Sharlene James. BC is a melting pot for three of the Sphyrapicus species of sapsuckers: Red -breasted, Yellow-bellied, and Red- naped. Mutts of the three possible com- binations and numerous back-crosses are becoming more frequently seen around Prince George. The pair in my yard is comprised of one that looks like a typical Red-breasted (but may not be genetically) and one that looks nothing like any of the others (photo, above, taken on the yard birch tree). Obviously some Red-breasted ancestry there, but I’m not sure of its other genetic path. As with Flickers here, it is likely that pure individuals will dwindle in num- bers over time.” In immediate support of Jack’s note, the only sapsucker banded this year at Mugaha Marsh, north of Prince George (see above), was classified as a hybrid.

Page 6 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

How the Trips Work BCFO BCFO two-day field trips are member -led, but participants make their own Two-day Trips arrangements for accommodation, food, and travel.

• Day 1: all-day birding and then Mini-Pelagic evening get together at a restaurant October 28–29, 2017 to recap the day and tally species. The first day of this trip will be a return • Day 2: morning birding, afternoon journey from Victoria to Port Angeles optional birding. on the MV Coho, spotting pelagic spe- cies along the Juan de Fuca Strait. The Carpooling is encouraged and will be second day will explore birding spots in arranged on the morning of Day 1. and around the Victoria area. Register at least two weeks in ad- Leader vance. The leader will give specific Heermann’s Gull spotted on an earlier Mike McGrenere, [email protected], details of when and where to meet. BCFO two-day mini pelagic trip. 250-658-8624 . Cost: Members $10 per person; non- CNK photo. Registration members $40, which includes BCFO Adrian Leather, [email protected], membership. 250-249-5561 Sunday afternoon: We’ll be birding the Victoria waterfront to Saanich Peninsu- Itinerary la, ending close to the ferry terminal so Saturday morning: Meet at Coho Ter- Saturday Evening: Tally-up in Victoria. mainland folks can depart from there. minal, Superior Street, by the legisla- Venue to be arranged on the trip, ac- tive buildings at 09:45, for ticket pur- cording to where folks are staying, and Notes chase and signing BCFO waivers. De- how many attend. • Please bring your passport. Identifi- part from Victoria at 10:30, arriving at Port Angeles at midday. Sunday morning: Meet at 8:30 a.m. at cation is required to enter the US, Lunch will be enjoyed in a park in Ogden Point Breakwater. We will first and return to Canada. (Immigration Port Angeles. (Please bring a bag be birding along the Victoria waterfront and customs on both trips.) lunch.) for rockpipers, gulls, and other water- • Walk-on passenger fare is $37 (US) birds. We then head for the Martindale for the return trip. Saturday afternoon: Depart Port Ange- area farmland, and/or chase any rarities • Be prepared to bird at the bow of the les at 2:00 p.m. arriving back in Victo- present. ship and dress appropriately. ria at 3:30 p.m. Lunch: again, please bring bag

lunch.

Below: Adrian Leather’s pre-conference group found a Spruce Grouse high up in a tree – well worth getting warbler neck. Photo by John Gordon.

Page 7 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

A Northern Mockingbird photographed by John Gordon at Dunlevy Ranch during the pre-conference trip.

Lake. We stopped at many spots along on a hot sunny day like this it was hard AGM Pre-conference this wide paved road of aspen and fir to comprehend. A beautiful spot. habitat, cleared in places for horse and Somewhere along the Soda Creek– Trip Report cattle grazing. Offering nice and birdy Macalister Road, someone spotted Brian Self habitat, Narcosli Creek produced the something long-tailed flying across the first of the many Least Flycatchers and road so we all turned back and eventual- Quesnel Area, June 7–8, 2017 Northern Waterthrushes; a second stop, ly found a Mockingbird perched in As- These two-day trips leading up to our Mountain Chickadees and Red Cross- pen/Birch. There is a lot to be said for AGM and conference have proved pop- bills. Along Redekop Road we found many eyes when birding. Shortly after ular, are often over-subscribed and al- both Sora and Virginia Rail in a pond we turned into Dunaway Ranch where ways looked forward to by the lucky on private land that our leaders had hummingbird banders from Quesnel few who make the cut. This one was all gained access to. Jean and Dave Hall’s Birding Club had been in action during of the above. farm added Evening Grosbeak; Lands the cooler part of the morning, far too Thirty birders met in Quesnel on Road, which leads down to the Fraser, hot now at 3:30 to 4:00 p.m. Diane Wednesday morning, were quickly sort- added our first Black-chinned Hummer Dunaway very generously fed us cold ed into two groups and on the road just of the day, two vireo, five swallow spe- watermelon and provided chairs for us after 6:00 a.m. on what promised to be a cies and a Western Kingbird, which sat to watch the feeders out back. Calliope hot day. We were very ably led by Adri- on a nest atop a power pole. An hour and Rufous duly turned up. This had an Leather and Brian Murland, who later we were watching two more West- been a well-organised day. arranged for us to bird an identical route ern Kingbirds bringing food into anoth- We were back into Quesnel just be- in opposite directions; we would meet er nest on Marguerite Ferry Road. fore 7:00 p.m. after stops at a pond on and pass somewhere in the middle of The forecast heat was developing Edmunds Road and Dragon Lake on the the day to compare notes and bragging nicely and at lunchtime birders were edge of town. Beer and supper in the rights. seeking shade as the thermometer ap- pub followed a very good day’s birding. Mike, Josh and I were in Brian’s proached the 30 C mark. We re-crossed Thursday was spent travelling Hwy group in five vehicles and headed out of the Fraser and headed down into the old 26 east to Wells, Barkerville and Bow- town to cross the Fraser River and turn Soda Creek Townsite, and I wondered ron Lakes. The leaders exchanged south onto West Fraser Road which why anyone would abandon such a nice groups, and as this was out and back parallels the river to Rudy Johnson piece of habitat as this. Economics along the same route, we headed out an Bridge at Soda Creek, north of Williams probably forced the move for some, but hour apart. We drew the long straw and

Page 8 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3) left at 7:00 a.m. Crossbill. On the drive out of town trip. We managed to identify 130 spe- Our first stop was Sorum Road by there was a Sandhill Crane in a marshy cies mainly due to the hard work put in the Cottonwood River, a good stop with area just off the side of the road: this by Adrian and Brian who had thorough- a dozen species singing simultaneously. bird was stained almost orange and ly scouted the routes, contacted private There were Lincoln’s and White- looked a bit bizarre that colour. Breed- homeowners and ranchers to gain ac- throated Sparrows, Waterthrushes, Red- ing Sandhills stain their back and wings cess to land and water, and worked hard starts and Ruby-crowned Kinglets all at with mud, and the clay around Wells is on the day to identify unfamiliar bird full throttle. Well, O.K. maybe the Red- just the colour of this bird. song for all of us out-of-towners. Our starts weren’t at full throttle. We headed down the gravel road to sincere thanks to you both. A stop at the T-junction with 2400 Bowron Lake Provincial Park stopping Road delivered very good looks at Ten- at times to look and listen. Adrian saw a nessee Warblers, a life bird for some, large bird clatter into the top of a and Varied Thrush singing nearby. Spruce and we eventually found said No Justa Birds Here! Stanley Pond alongside the highway bird, a female Spruce Grouse appropri- produced great looks at a singing ately enough, 70 feet up in the tree. A priceless lesson learned while on a Blackpoll Warbler which perched atop The park H.Q. area produced Common guided trip down south: a fir for as long as we wanted to admire Mergansers, Spotted Sandpipers, a “There are no Justa Birds on my trips.” it. Scoped looks were even better and flock of Pine Siskins, four species of another lifer for many. swallows and a Red-eyed Vireo. Laura Paulson, bird guide extraordi- By now the clouds had built up and On the drive back to Wells, we naire for the Santa Ana NWR, South we were into rain showers with temper- stopped a few times to play song for Texas, offered this gem of wisdom to atures 10 C cooler than the previous Boreal Chickadee without success, ran her troupe with a congenial smile. day. We caught up with the 6:00 a.m. afoul of the road crews resurfacing and starters for lunch in the Jack of Clubs grading the road, so left them to it. The It was a reminder, worth sharing, that Lake parking lot on the edge of Wells, rain set in properly about now, becom- we should take common birds serious- compared notes and moved on. A pleas- ing torrential at times and windy. We ly. We learned never to say “it’s Justa ant walk through The Meadows in were back into town before 6:00 p.m. Robin,” “It’s Justa Cowbird,” or even, Wells showed us Cliff and Barn Swal- This was a very successful two-day for those of us from the north, “Justa lows collecting mud for nests, plus Nuther Raven.” Evening Grosbeaks and a lone Red Photo by John Gordon.

Page 9 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

AGM Trip Report

Tumbler Ridge – Brassey Creek, June 10 John Gordon

Birding with birders can be a most interesting experience. Normally I photograph on my own or car-pool with another photographer. We might spend a morning or sometimes all day stalking one species. Sometimes we come up blank, other days we capture something that makes the outing really worthwhile. The advantages of joining a birding Tennessee Warbler spotted at Brassey Creek. Photo by John Gordon. group are many. The first is you’ll see a lot more species – sometimes over a hundred species in a single day. A group led by an experienced leader with Creek is a forty-minute drive north of and fir; the understory, he explained, local knowledge is the key to finding Tumbler Ridge. When we arrived it would be ideal for vireos and warblers. difficult species. Our group leader in looked just like any other areas we had Soon enough Mark has us on a Tumbler Ridge was renowned birder just driven by. Obviously Mark had Philadelphia Vireo, a lifer for me and Mark Phinney. His specialized know- scouted out the location and was able to many in the party. ledge led us to a number of eastern pinpoint a number of species before The blue skies and warmth of species not normally found in BC. A many of us could even see them. Our Saturday were replaced by torrential second group was led by Brian first stop was a gravel pit where we rain on Sunday. Despite that we still Paterson, another excellent birder. soon found several Wilson’s Snipe, went out but the inclement weather We had two mornings of birding Lincoln’s Sparrows and a Townsend’s meant the birding wasn’t as good, but before the business part of the BCFO Solitaire. that’s how it goes sometimes. annual conference. There were a It was at Brassey Creek Road that Overall the convention was a great number of trips arranged and I chose many of us got our first lifer of the trip. success: great company; new contacts the Brassey Creek option. Brassey Mark took us into the forest of aspen made; two lifers in the bag – and the added excitement of leaving for Dawson Creek for four more days of hardcore birding.

A birder's dream!

Left: a Philadelphia Vireo photo- graphed by John Gordon at Brassey Creek. Eastern vireos and warblers were targets for a number of AGM attendees. The northeast of the province offers a wide range of species rarely or never seen in the rest of the province, amply repaying the long drive.

Page 10 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

Charleston or Newport, OR. For info and to make reserva- tions, visit the webpage at Upcoming Meetings http://www.oregonpelagictours.com/p/schedule.html .

Sept. 15-17-- OREGON BIRDING ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING, at the Malheur Field Station, near Burns, OR. For & Events information and to register, check the OBA website at http:// www.orbirds.org/2017annualmeeting.html . Compiled by Wayne C. Weber Sept. 15-17-- PUGET SOUND BIRD FESTIVAL, Edmonds, WA. For information and to register, check the festival website at The following meetings and other events are those that take http://www.pugetsoundbirdfest.org, or contact Jennifer Leach place in BC and immediately adjacent areas or that potential- at the City of Edmonds Parks Dept. (phone 425-771-0227), or email her at [email protected] . ly include information on birds that occur in BC. Information on additional meetings is listed in the bimonthly Ornithologi- Sept. 21-23-- FALL GENERAL MEETING, BC NATURE, cal Newsletter at www.birdmeetings.org and on the BIRD- Vernon, BC, hosted by the North Okanagan Naturalists. For NET website at http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/ornith/ information and to register, visit the BC Nature conference birdmeet.html . website at http://www.bcnature.ca/fgm-2017-vernon/ , or For most meetings, festivals, and other events, the website contact the office at [email protected] . is the main source of information, and registration can often be accomplished online as well. Wherever information can be Sept. 21-25-- WASHINGTON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY obtained through a phone number or e-mail address, we have ANNUAL CONFERENCE, Semiahmoo Resort, Blaine, WA. For included these as well; if no contact information is listed, it information and to register, check the WOS website (http:// can be assumed that none was provided by the organization, wos.org/annual-conference/current-year ). at least not on the date when this listing was compiled. It is usually not necessary to contact a particular individual, ex- Sept. 23-27-- 24th ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE WILDLIFE cept for scientific meetings when one is interested in making SOCIETY, Albuquerque, NM. For information, check the a presentation. Names and contact information for individuals TWS conference page at wildlife.org/learn/conferences-2 . are listed whenever they are available. Sept. 28- Oct. 1-- WESTERN BIRD BANDING ASSOCIATION annual meeting, Cave Junction, OR. The meeting will be based at the Siskiyou Field Institute near Cave Junction. For 2107 Events information and to register, visit the website at http:// Sept. 1-3-- 31st ANNUAL OREGON SHOREBIRD FESTIVAL, www.westernbirdbanding.org/meeting_2017.html .

Charleston, Oregon (near Coos Bay). Field trips will include Oct. 6-8-- 18th annual RIDGEFIELD BIRDS AND BLUEGRASS a pelagic trip, and featured evening speakers are Noah FESTIVAL, Ridgefield, WA (near Vancouver, WA). For infor- Strycker and Paul Bannick. For information and to register, mation, check the festival webpage at https:// visit the festival website at: ridgefieldfriends.org/events/birdfest-bluegrass , or contact the https://www.oregonshorebirdfestival.org/ . Friends of Ridgefield NWR by phone at 360-609-0658, by

Sept. 2-- First WESTPORT SEABIRDS pelagic birding trip of the fall season from Westport, WA. This is the first of 8 trips scheduled in September and October 2017. For information and to sign up for a trip, please visit the West- port Seabirds webpage at http:// www.westportseabirds.com .

Sept. 2-- First OREGON PELAGIC TOURS pe- lagic birding trip of the fall. Four trips are scheduled from September 2 through October 28, plus one in December. Trips depart from

Late Brood

Gordon Brown had an unusual event take place in the lilac six feet from his deck: a Red-eyed Vireo decided to have either a second or very late first brood. Fledge was August 15, apparently among the latest on record. One of his photographs is to the right.

Page 11 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3) email at [email protected] , or by snail mail at PO further information, visit the festival website at https:// Box 1022, Ridgefield, WA 98642. www.wingsovertherockies.org/ .

Nov. 8-12-- RAPTOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION annual meet- June 7-9-- WILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY annual meet- ing, Salt Lake City, Utah, hosted by HawkWatch Internation- ing at the Chattanooga Convention Centre, Chattanooga, Ten- al. For information, check the RRF website at http:// nessee (advance notice). For further information, check the www.raptorresearchfoundation.org/conferences/upcoming- WOS website at http://www.wilsonsociety.org/wilsonsoc/ conferences, or contact the chairperson, Dave Oleyar, by meetings . email at [email protected] , or by phone at (206) 972- 0163.

Nov. 18-19-- FRASER VALLEY BALD EAGLE FESTIVAL, Harrison Mills, BC. For information, check the festival web- site at http://fraservalleybaldeaglefestival.ca , send an email to [email protected] , phone 604-826- Below: Katya Kondratyuk with her 2017 BCFO Young 7361, or write the Mission Chamber of Commerce, 34033 Birder Award plaque. Lougheed Highway, Mission, BC V2V 5X8.

Dec. 14 to Jan. 5 (2018)-- CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS. For You can see some of Katya’s bird and wildlife photographs information on dates of counts and contact information for at https://www.flickr.com/photos/141005852@N07/ count organizers, check the BCFO website in November and December, or check the December issue of BC Birding.

2018 Events

Feb. 21-24-- 45th ANNUAL MEETING, PA- CIFIC SEABIRD GROUP, La Paz, Baja Cali- fornia Sur, Mexico. For information and to register, visit the conference website at https://pacificseabirdgroup.org/annual- meeting .

Mar. 23-25-- 21st ANNUAL OTHELLO SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL, Othello, WA. For information, check the festival website at www.othellosandhillcranefestival.org, or contact the Grant County Conservation District at 1107 South Juniper Way, Moses Lake, WA 98837 (phone 509-765-9618).

Apr. 5-8-- HARNEY COUNTY MIGRATORY BIRD FESTIVAL, Burns, Oregon (near Mal- heur National Wildlife Refuge). For further information, check the festival website at http://www.migratorybirdfestival.com/ .

Apr. 9-14-- 136th STATED MEETING, AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, Tucson, Arizona (advance notice). For fur- ther information, check the AOS website at http://www.americanornithology.org/ content/aos-2018-meeting .

Apr. 27-29-- GRAYS HARBOUR SHORE- BIRD FESTIVAL, Hoquiam, WA. For fur- ther information, check the festival website at http://www.shorebirdfestival.com/ .

May 7-13-- WINGS OVER THE ROCKIES BIRDING FESTIVAL, Invermere, BC. For

Page 12 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

Avian Encounters

Grateful Hummer Gordon F. Brown

In June of a typical year, if you were cold and wet you’d probably be in the West Kootenays. On one of those typi- cally rainy afternoons we happened to look out the patio door, only to find what we thought was a dead Rufous male on the landing. There wasn’t a feeder on that side of the house, and while hummingbirds hadn’t been among those who tended to hit the glass, we had to assume that’s what had happened. After another half hour he was dry, ing red, and so felt justified in accepting The poor little guy was on his side, sitting alertly with head raised and the gesture as a “thank you.” wings folded back into position. I let him stay that way for quite a while longer hoping he would take off, but he Mystery Bird chose not to. Having no idea what else to do, I finally walked over to the edge The character above gave the Editor a of the deck and gently tossed him into surprise on June 29, 2017, when it visit- the air, thinking that if he could fly, he ed his feeder station. Funny looking would. He did. Goldfinch? No, it’s a leucistic Pine The next day at about the same time, Siskin. a scotch and I happened again to be sitting at the picnic table, when all of a When not rescuing hummingbirds, sudden a Rufous male exploded into Gordon Brown might be seen close view. He hovered 18 inches from monitoring a Bald Eagle nest, my face for a few seconds, and then left and using his Nikon 500 for great as quickly as he’d come. I wasn’t wear- shots such as this. Photo by Jeannie Brown. drenched and with his lower wing stuck to the surface, so I went out to collect the tiny body preparatory to a decent burial. To my amazement, however, when down on hands and knees I dis- covered in the little breast faint move- ment that would surely soon be stilled by hypothermia. Realizing my only option was an attempt to warm him, I carried him to the deck and sat at the picnic table with him loosely cupped between my hands. Initially, he lay motionless on his side, but after thirty minutes had strug- gled to a sitting position. The extent of his injuries was unknowable, but at least he seemed to be reviving; alt- hough his wings drooped away from his body, tips resting on my palm, neither appeared to be damaged.

Page 13 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

nest” (and allows the brooding parent to their streamlined body plan and their sit comfortably over them ).... But they production of elliptical eggs. Briefing 1 are all nonsense. It turns out that egg The shape of a bird’s eggs is finely shape doesn’t even depend upon the adapted, then, to the lifestyle demands shell. The combination of two factors on the bird’s body, a striking example The Most Perfect Thing* controls egg shape. First the ratio of the of the efficiency of Nature’s designs. pressure exerted on the egg (and carried Birds’ eggs! Perfectly round in two di- by the membrane that encloses the fluid *As described by T.W. Higginson in mensions, but more or less elongate in content and the chick embryo) along the the Atlantic Monthly for 1862 and the third dimension, and more or less long axis of the egg versus the radial adopted for the title of a popular book squashed at one end, much like a water confining pressure as the egg travels about birds’ eggs by T.R. Birkhead, The droplet about to fall from the tap. So along the bird’s oviduct. Second, the most perfect thing: inside (and outside) fascinating in their variations of shape pressure difference across the mem- a bird’s egg (Bloomsbury, 2016). and markings that they formerly were brane as the egg grows and squeezes the quarry of fanatical egg collectors (a against the oviduct walls. The mem- pursuit that is now illegal almost every- brane stretches and adapts its overall References where). Most of the more extensive egg shape to contain these forces so that the Stoddard, M.C. + five others. 2017. th th collections of the 19 and early 20 egg is safely delivered. The calcareous Avian egg shape: form, function, and evolution. Science 356: 1249-1254. centuries reside today in museums: the shell simply encloses the finished shape Spottiswoode, C.N. 2017. The most zoological museum at Berkeley, Cali- as the egg is laid. fornia, possesses more than 49,000 So what determines those pressures perfect thing, explained. Ibid.. (A com- eggs. Now a group of six ornithologists and why do they vary from bird to bird? mentary on the principal article: much has examined the eggs of 1,400 species The researchers propose that the degree the more readable of the two pieces.) from that collection in an attempt to of adaptation for flight, perhaps the determine why egg shape varies. most basic determinant of a bird’s over- Summary by M. Church Egg shape can be defined by two all body plan, is the underlying control. characteristics. First, how relatively Birds that are highly streamlined for elongated is the egg along its longest extended flight have narrower pelvises, axis – how “elliptical is it?” Second, so the female oviduct is more confined. Below: the new bird blind at how asymmetric is it in long section – Aerial insectivores and long-distance Vaseaux Lake, officially opened on how squashed, or pointy – is it at one migrants accordingly produce the more May 12, 2017. end? There is a huge range of combina- highly elliptical eggs. tions of “ellipticity” and “asymmetry,” And in the more ex- but certain combinations cannot occur: treme cases, the only an egg with low ellipticity (i.e., it’s way to fit a develop- nearly spherical) cannot be strongly ing chick inside a asymmetric. Consider your ordinary narrow egg is to breakfast egg (for most of us, the prod- make the egg asym- uct of Gallus gallus domesticus). It is metric. In contrast, somewhat elliptical, but exhibits only sedentary and flight- very subtle asymmetry – it’s a good less birds produce imitation of an ellipsoid (hence the de- more spherical eggs. liberately absurd satire of the “big- So swifts produce endians” and the “little-endians” in highly elliptical eggs, Gulliver’s Travels). The most nearly while those inter- spherical eggs appear to be those of the hemispheric travel- Brown Hawk Owl (Ninox scutulata) of ers, the sandpipers, South Asia; the large ratites (ostriches produce elliptical- and allies) also produce near-spherical asymmetric eggs. In eggs. The most asymmetric are those of contrast, sedentary the Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutil- tropical birds (think la). The most jointly extreme eggs trogons, parrots), (highly elliptical and highly asymmet- ratites, our domestic ric) are the famously pointy-ended eggs chickens, and most of the Common Murre (Uria aalge). owls produce rela- Why do eggs vary in this way? tively spherical eggs. There are lots of functional specula- Penguins and sea tions. For example, “seabirds’ eggs are birds such as the strongly pointy so they roll in circles murres appear to be and so do not easily fall off the cliffs an exception, but where the birds nest….” “More or less their need to fly un- asymmetry allows eggs in various derwater dictates clutch sizes to fit neatly into a Page 14 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

Scoters, and Alpine Birding Lessons Learned

Charles Helm would have been something special to sends more pictures. There are definite- document. ly some Surf Scoters too, so it seems to I have learned the hard way to make no On a better note, I do document eve- be a mixed flock of males. Sandy then assumptions with regard to alpine bird- ry alpine shorebird I encounter, some- drops a clincher: they were whistling ing near Tumbler Ridge. In the early thing which usually happens in August. incessantly, to the point of irritating her. 1990s, soon after I arrived here, I went This task is actually easy, because they Our literature sources state that only skiing up to one of the summits of Mt. are all Baird’s Sandpipers. These birds males whistle, and that Black Scoter is Spieker at the end of winter, and found are undoubtedly my favourite peeps – I far more vocal than Surf Scoter. ten Golden Eagles flying by. I thought think of them as loving their tundra I now need to apply the alpine les- that was really cool, and then thought breeding habitat so much that some of sons I have learned from the past to this no more about it. Soon afterwards my them choose to follow it right along the present situation. I should not assume friend Peter Sherrington encountered spine of the Americas to their wintering that this is a freak sighting. I should something similar further south, asked grounds. Why just Baird’s and not the question whether this could be some- the right questions, went back for more other peeps? I don’t know the answer, thing widespread that has eluded obser- sightings, and thus identified the won- but I do know that this phenomenon is vation in the past because of a relative derful Golden Eagle migration along poorly described and acknowledged. At lack of high-elevation birders. Perhaps the Rockies. I had been in the right least I am thinking critically on this because my friends and I have built a place at the right time; if only I had one. trail to Windfall Lake and built asked the right questions…. This brings me to the topic of sco- campsites there, observations like this Likewise, I wonder how many al- ters. It starts off badly yet again. On are now being made. If Baird’s Sandpi- pine falcons I assumed were Peregrine, July 30th 2016 I was the trip leader for pers are unique among shorebirds as before I realized that Prairie Falcon is a hike to Windfall Lake, around treeline some of them choose to migrate above way commoner here in the mountains. I in the mountains above Tumbler Ridge. tree-line, could scoters be the Baird’s had made an assumption about what The weather was bad, and I had to deal equivalent among ducks? Could popu- should be the most likely, without with a bunch of near-hypothermic hik- lations of the enigmatic Black Scoter, properly using my birding skills. ers. So when I noticed a flock of scoters which breeds on tundra lakes, choose to This bad habit extended to looking in the middle distance on the lake, I had follow chains of alpine lakes before at the Cigar Galaxy through a friend’s other seemingly more important issues heading for their West Coast wintering backyard telescope one night in January on my mind, like peeling off layers of grounds? 2014, and remarking to him about what my own clothing to keep others warm. I don’t know the answers to these seemed to be a star within it. I assumed Yet I do recall thinking that this was questions, at least not yet. But it is evi- that it was a nearby star in a direct line unusual and unexpected. dent that little is known about possible between me and that galaxy. In fact, I But then on August 7th 2017 Sandy interior migration routes for the western was probably the first person to see Corsi, a hiking friend, sends me some population of the Black Scoter, and I what is now known as the Cigar Galaxy duck photos that she has taken earlier think that two consecutive years of late Supernova, as it was only announced in that day at Windfall Lake. I take one July–early August scoter sightings on the media a few days later. Again, if look, consult a few books, and come up Windfall Lake are suggestive of some- only…. with my ID. But it is so unlikely that I thing significant. And I know that if I I have also learned that birders are begin second-guessing myself. I there- study this further over time and place, I few and far between in these high ele- fore send the photos on to PR_NAT will constructively use the hard birding vation haunts, so that observations up in (the northeastern BC birding group) for lessons I have learned along the way. the mountains are potentially of more help, without mentioning my thoughts. value than those in areas highly fre- My accomplished birding friends Jack quented by birders, where there may be Bowling and Mark Phinney come up less left to discover. And there may with the same conclusion as I have: therefore be lots of phenomena that Black Scoter, possibly in eclipse plum- Below: Black Scoter, courtesy of perhaps have never been recorded be- age. Extremely rare inland, just a hand- Creative Commons. fore, just waiting to be identified. So ful of known sightings. A new bird for there was no excuse for forgetting my the Tumbler Ridge checklist. binoculars when I recently climbed the Jack says that they are most likely local mountain known as The Termina- male, and that scoter molting lakes are tor. I didn’t need them when I got up little known. And he mentions a theory close to a herd of mountain goats, but that the males leave the sub-Arctic and what was that flock of a dozen big head for the high mountain lakes to white birds flying far off in the distance molt where they will be safer from at great height? Pelicans, swans…? Un- predators while flightless. fortunately, I just don’t know, but it Sandy then tells me there were about twenty ducks in the flock, and Page 15 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

idate unsupported sightings. were using, the so-called birding repu- In a future email that I will soon tations of the people you were with, Better Ebirding post I will describe what constitutes whether you had a dog with you on acceptable details and how and where your walk, I have read it all, and almost to post them within the eBird program. none of it is what I as a reviewer want Chris Siddle sent out two important If you are an eBirder, please make to read. So I’m going to provide some emails on the BCintbird listserv when sure that you read the very valuable examples, good and bad, strong and in July he took over another region as “how-to” notes that you can find in the weak, of field descriptions as models eBird moderator. They are well worth Help section of the eBird site. Thank what to and what not to write. repeating here, as most birders won’t you. For which species do you write de- have appreciated the complexities of tails: eBird moderation. • Species not on the local lists, which Email 2 means that they are very rare or nev- er before recorded in your area. If you have used the bird sightings pro- • Normally occurring species that you Email 1 gram eBird, you have noticed that next have seen earlier or later, outside to each bird species is a button labelled their normal pattern of occurrence. After doing a terrific job for three years, Add Details. Press that button and you Rick Howie has retired as the eBird will find an expandable space beneath • Confusing species like female gold- sightings reviewer for the Thompson/ the species’ name where you can enter eneyes, swifts, female and immature Nicola and I have taken his place. There a physical description of the bird that hummingbirds, juvenile sparrows, is a large backlog of unverified sight- you saw. The objective is to enter a most shorebirds, Plegadis ibises, ings that I am currently working brief but detailed description based up- female-type ducks especially Cinna- through. on your impressions at the time of the mon teals VS Blue-winged teals, Undocumented sightings, which sighting. This brief description needs to Greater and Lesser scaups, Golden would be sightings of rare or unusual be written so that it will convince the vs immature Bald Eagles, Cooper's species that are not supported by photos eBird reviewer that you know your vs Sharp-shinned hawks, Northern or carefully written field descriptions of stuff. Goshawk, and so it goes. This list I the bird, are numerous, so numerous Hopefully you’re not insulted by a will expand upon in a future email. that I feel a note about eBird documen- reviewer questioning your sighting. When I submit a list I will err on the tation is in order. Remember, as a program eBird is open side of caution and if I think my list Since eBird as a program is essen- to anyone and everyone, from the will be strengthened by a description I tially “an open campus” and anyone, rawest beginner who has never opened will write one based upon the notes I regardless of the birding experience and a bird book to the most advanced ex- made in my notebook at the time of the bird knowledge the person may or may pert, from people who are guessing at a sighting. This morning. for example, I not have, can go online and can claim bird’s identity to people who know saw my first Baird’s Sandpiper of the to have seen anything, the program is most North American species and have season. This is what I scribbled in my only as good as the details that support seen examples of their local species notebook: each sighting. My job is to evaluate the literally thousands of times. As the in- details and decide whether the sighting strument of citizen science, eBird must “BASA [Baird's Sandpiper] – is valid or invalid. I can’t do my job if contain verifiable sightings, not best golden brown upper parts the sighting comes with no details guesses, and there are only two ways with dark feather centres (physical description of the bird) or that a sighting can be verified: and buffy edges – scalloped photo attached. 1. the reviewer is convinced by your look. Long primaries extend Many birders in B.C. neglect to ap- past tail. Brown band across pend any details at all to their sightings. details that you really did see such- breast. Paler throat. Short This means that not only are many po- and-such a species black slightly decurved bill. tentially valuable sightings lost but the 2. you attach to the checklist a recog- reviewer’s workload becomes very nizable photograph you took of the A horizontal stance or pos- heavy as he or she may feel compelled bird at the time of the sighting. ture.” to write to the observer to ask for de- I'm not happy with the “band across tails. This involves drafting an email, Please note – you may not “borrow” a breast” because I really meant a brown waiting for a response, and in some photo of a bird that “looks just like your wash rather than a band. Band makes it cases entering into an extended corre- bird” from the internet or even from sound like the bird had a dark definite spondence. your own collection of bird photos. You breast band like a Killdeer has. Howev- As an eBird reviewer currently re- must use a photo you took of the bird at er, the rest of the description is OK and sponsible for the Peace River, the Co- the same time and place that your sight- would go a long way towards convinc- lumbia-Shuswap, Nicola-Thompson, ing refers to. ing a reviewer that I know what I’m and the North Okanagan, I simply do For reasons I don’t fully understand, talking about. However, there is one not have the time to ask for details, many people think Details should be omission I made that many birders when they should have been provided filled in with information like who you make, and that’s failing to write a con- in the first place. I tend to simply inval- were with at the time, the optics you Page 16 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3) cise introductory sentence like “A sand- This is indeed a complete guide, but book is astonishingly good value. How piper larger than Least and Semipalmat- one that covers more than just the biol- on earth Firefly continues to produce ed sandpipers nearby and smaller than a ogy and behaviour of birds. At 272 pag- substantial full-colour, well-illustrated, dowitcher.” Such a sentence would es, it might seem of just standard almost coffee-table type books at such a make a good introduction, and would length, but it is in fact a large, three- modest price must be a mystery to the be strengthened by my details which column volume, allowing a comprehen- rest of the publishing world. It really is would follow it. sive review of the current state of orni- too much of a bargain to miss. If you Let’s try another species. What if thological knowledge. are not inclined to read it from begin- you saw a Black-bellied Plover on the There are nine main sections. The ning to end, worry not. The book is Salmon Arms mud flats in October? first, our Tumbler Ridge hosts would be worth more than its cover price even if The bird will be in juvenile or non- pleased to hear, covers paleornithology: it is just occasionally dipped into for breeding plumage. You know from the development of today’s birds from points of particular interest. – CNK your reading at home that the species the era of dinosaurs. Then comes a full most likely to be confused with a Black discussion of anatomy and physiology; -bellied Plover are American Golden an account of the mechanics of flight; a and Pacific Golden plovers so you’re review of food and feeding behaviours; going to craft your details to eliminate a shorter exegesis of bird society and Briefing 2 these possibilities. populations; and an overview of the GOOD – A plover quite a bit larger many breeding strategies and behav- than a Killdeer, generally grey above iours. It then concludes with sections on Ravens are Even More and off-whitish below, with a big dark migration, on where birds live, and on Like Us eye and short, stout dark bill. Through the human–bird relationship. the scope I can see a prominent pale “Thorough” kept coming to mind (cf. Ravens are just like us; BC Birding, supercilium (eyebrow), a dark wash of when I took notes on the book, and, March, 2015, p.21) gray across the breast and white spots depending on the level of the reader’s as well as dark feather centres on the interest, this is either a great strength or We humans use our experience to guide back. Bird raised its wing and I saw the a minor weakness. Elphick does not decisions about future activities: we blackish “wing pits” (axillary) and cherry pick, giving just the most quota- store memories that help us plan ahead. white wing stripe on the upper surface ble and pleasing discoveries of ornithol- It has long been supposed that animals of the wing. ogists, but rather covers the range of do not have such a facility, that they act This is probably more wordy than current knowledge in a systematic fash- entirely spontaneously and do not antic- most people would make it, but it de- ion. When discussing feeding behav- ipate future situations. Studies of pri- scribes a juvenile Black-bellied Plover iour, for instance, he doesn’t restrict mates and some birds have partially to a tee. himself to sections on what is eaten, but modified this view; in particular, food It will take some practice to get concludes with a rich sec- good at written details but the benefits tion entitled Cooperation, are worth it. You will be looking at Mutualism, Commensal- birds through new eyes as it were, chal- ism, Piracy and Parasitism. lenging yourself to capture in words A lesser author would have colours, patterns, behaviour, and even done these themes much those pesky “parts of a bird” dia- less justice, treating them grammed at the beginning of every field as aberrations rather than, guide ever published. what they are shown to be, In a future email I will challenge serious feeding strategies. readers to write a few more descrip- The drawback of such tions. In the meantime, have fun adding thoroughness is that it can details to your eBird lists. at times seem that the in- tended readership might be Ornithology 101 students. I suspect that was in fact never the intention, though students would have been Book Review lucky to be provided with a text far more readable Birds: A Complete Guide to their Biolo- than most. The author also, gy and Behaviour, by Jonathan Elphick. most of the time at least, Firefly Books, 2016, 272 pages, $29.95. steers well clear of aca- demic jargon, though with- This is a highly recommendable book out ever insulting the intel- for anyone whose interest in birds goes ligence of the reader. beyond the challenges of correct identi- The main impression of fication. this reviewer is that the The title of the book undersells it. Page 17 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3) caching behaviour implies an ability to periment with 17 hours delay saw the the birds were conditioned to grab this anticipate future needs. Two research- birds gain their reward in 89% of the reward when there was no tool on the ers have now demonstrated (or, rather, trials. tray). In this, more complex, choice, the allowed the ravens to demonstrate) that Next (and after appropriate training) birds chose the tool in 74% of the trials Ravens (Corvus corax) can not only the birds were invited to select from and chose the token in 100% of them. plan for the future, but they do so flexi- amongst several objects a token that That is, they passed up an immediate bly, using past experience as a guide – they had been taught could later be ex- reward in anticipation of a larger future just like us. The researchers used two changed for food. The birds selected the one on a significant proportion of occa- types of experiment, one entailing a correct token in 143 of 144 tries and, sions. The researchers concluded that technical ability (selection of a tool after a short delay, successfully negoti- Ravens make decisions for possible with which later to recover food) and ated an exchange for food, with an ex- future conditions that are outside their one requiring some “social” capacity perimenter they had not previously met current awareness; they can use past (trading of a selected token for a food 78% of the time. After a longer delay, experience, just as humans do, to antici- reward). the birds claimed their reward in 96% pate future developments, and govern of the trials. Interestingly, in both types their actions accordingly. In this they of experiment all the birds made the outperform tool-using hominids (inc- correct choice of the tool/token in their luding orangutans, bonobos and chim- first trial and all but one bird success- panzees) and even humans of age 4. It fully converted the tool/token to a food seems that Ravens are ready to enroll in reward in that first trial. (The “first tri- kindergarten. al” success rate is important; the repeti- Reference: tions of the experiment could be inter- preted as conditioning by repetition.) Kabadayi, C. and Osvath, M. 2017. Ravens parallel great apes in flexible To see whether the birds are capable planning for tool-use and bartering. of planning for the future in the pres- Science 357: 202-204. ence of an immediate reward, both ex- periments were repeated, only this time, Boeckle, M. and Clayton, N.S. 2017. Commentary: A raven’s memo- the tray with tools or token also fea- ries are for the future. Ibid: 126-127. tured an immediate small reward (and Summary by M. Church Ravens are not habitual tool users, but can use tools when trained. The researchers employed five hand-reared Banding in Style Ravens in the study (so the basic con- straint of mistrust of humans was no Birders used to the primitive conditions of most bird banding stations will get a problem). Four of the birds took part in pleasant surprise if they visit the Mugaha Marsh station near Mackenzie. Below is each experiment. In the first experi- the latest improvement: a small building built by some dedicated volunteers to ment, the birds were first trained (i.e., serve as a kitchen for the banders and volunteers. Another enhancement this year is gained prior experience) to recover a memorial bench on the viewing stand to honour past volunteers who are no long- food from a specially designed appa- er with us. ratus using a particular tool (a straight stick). Later, they were then presented with a tray containing a stick and three other “tools,” none of which (they had been shown) could do the job of food recovery. The food-containing appa- ratus was nowhere to be seen. The birds selected a tool from the tray: if they were trading on experience they would choose the stick. Fifteen minutes later, the food-containing apparatus was pre- sented to the birds at a different loca- tion. The exercise was repeated several times. The birds indeed selected the stick – evidently in anticipation of a future food recovery opportunity – on 79% of the trials. But one bird foiled the researchers: she figured out a way to recover the food without using the stick. Absent her performance (appar- ently, she was demoted from the experi- ment for being too clever), the recovery success was 86%. A repeat of the ex-

Page 18 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

We made it safely to the top with we had great views of the winding road our eight-seater, 4WD Ford Expedition beneath us. As we continued our ascent Young Birders SUV that the kids call “The Tank.” The we stopped at a small upper lake where parking lot was full at the top but we we had our lunch. We looked at native found a spot further down the hill. The ladybugs and saw some tiger beetles. Program views were stunning from the parking After lunch we headed up the hill to- lot. wards the summit. The landscape was We sprayed our bug spray and sun- just stunning. Mount Cheam Trip screen and began our ascent. It was a Lots of people were on the trail this piece of cake in comparison to our Saturday. We met Mike Klotz and Melissa Hafting much harder Needle Peak/Flatiron hike Uday Sant coming back down the hill last year. and they told us they did not see any On July 15, 2017 seven of us hiked up As we started hiking up through the White-tailed Ptarmigan today due to the Mount Cheam in Chilliwack in search pretty stream- and flower-filled mead- large number of people. We were not of White-tailed Ptarmigan. We were ow, we had many Sooty Grouse hoot- discouraged and continued on. Bridget inspired by my friend Dave Beeke who ing, Rufous Hummingbirds, Hermit spotted a Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch recently went up there and got Ptarmi- Thrushes, Barn Swallows, Yellow- that ended up landing right in front of gan. He actually goes every year and rumped Warblers, Chipping Sparrows, her! We all got pics of it as it hopped usually gets the bird. In 2006 Roger and Dark-eyed Juncos, American Pipits, along feeding on the snow. We also Andrew Foxall and Ilya Povalyaev and Vaux’s Swifts flying low over our spotted several Townsend’s Solitaires found Rock Ptarmigan on the mountain. heads. Seeing the swifts like that was a singing and perched on trees. I rented a four-wheel drive SUV really cool sight to see, as Vaux’s We saw a pika at its burrow that because the road is not passable for a Swifts are usually high-up distant Viktor spotted and many Golden- 2WD. This is not an exaggeration; it specs. mantled Ground Squirrels, Yellow-pine was the worst road I have ever driven. We traveled by the first little lake Chipmunks and Hoary Marmots. The Even with a 4WD you need to be very where the kids found some Western Marmots were whistling all day. cautious, as some 4WD drivers got Long-toed Salamanders. The cool look- We got up to the summit where I stuck. It is a narrow winding high ing Salamanders with yellow stripes watched the kids closely since there mountain gravel road with large rolling down their backs were a first for many were sheer drop offs on both sides and hills and ditches where you can bottom of the kids. As we climbed further up slippery rocks. Some people have lost out with huge potholes and large rocks. the Mountain we had Slate-colored Fox their lives here, so it is imperative you It was an adventure, that is for sure, and Sparrows singing their beautiful songs. watch where you walk. Here we had this year the road is particularly bad. The wildflowers were just gorgeous and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches, we saw a

Page 19 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

cember 24th of 2011, in the Sawtooth Range of central Idaho, I made the choice to ride the ski lift to the summit rather than ski down the mountain. This choice seems pretty mundane, doesn’t it? Not so – near the end of the ride, as we approached a gleaming white ridge where we were to disembark, a Com- mon Raven soared out over the moun- tain, and I was absolutely enthralled. When I was in kindergarten, my school took a field trip to a local chil- dren’s theatre in downtown Seattle, where we watched a puppet show: Ra- ven and the Box of Light. Ravens are a prominent character in the native art and mythology of the Pacific Northwest where I live, and seeing this show en- sured that Ravens would continue to hold a special place in my heart from that day forward. However, until De- cember 24th, 2011, I had never seen total of at least six. The views were memories. I know from seeing White- one in life. I didn’t know it in that mo- amazing of the Fraser Valley below and tailed Ptarmigan in the field myself that ment, but the Raven that I watched sail- it is never a guarantee to see one. I also ing out over the ridge would be my know that one day all of the kids and I “spark bird.” Almost six years later, will see one together. Liron and I saw through many more choices, new one in full white plumage together on friends, rarities and misses, events and Mount Seymour in North Van, back in opportunities, and a lot of early morn- 2015 and it was a lifer for him then. I ings, here I sit in my kitchen, writing an can’t wait until I get to share that expe- article for an ornithological newsletter, rience with all the kids together. volunteering as a curator for the Uni- After coming down the awfully versity of Washington’s Burke Muse- rough 4WD-only road, we finished off um, and burying myself in the college the day with a nice meal at Tim Hor- application process as I seek my path ton's because we were all starving after into academic and, hopefully someday, our big 9.5 km hike. professional prominence in the world of the mountain ranges around us. We Another great day that we won't birds. could even see Mount Baker. We soon forget. As a young birder, it has been a watched people at the top of Lady Peak huge boost for me to become involved with awe. It was nice and sunny at the with young birder organizations and top and the kids posed for a photo for programs. For example, I attend meet- me. Making the Difference ings for my local Seattle Audubon Other couples asked me to take their Young Birder’s Club, participating in photo after reaching the summit; some field trips and events periodically. The following article is by Young Bird- stood a little too close to the edge for Melissa Hafting, a great mentor for me er Joshua Glant, aged 16. my liking. We watched Common Ra- and many others, has also been in corre- vens fly above us and also saw a Bald spondence with me for a long time Robert Frost wrote, in the last stanza of Eagle. We searched all over the summit about the BC Young Birders Program! his immensely popular poem The Road and below it for the White-tailed Ptar- One important step for me, as a teen- Not Taken, that he had taken “the [path] migan but there were none that we aged bird enthusiast, has been to attend less travelled by,” and that this choice could see. Just as Mike and Uday said summer events and camps designed for had “made all the difference.” One the mountain was extremely busy this young birders. These events are run by could say that this concept – of one Saturday with lots of people and dogs. groups such as the American Birding seemingly unimportant choice at a point We were having a great day and not too Association, Victor Emmanuel Nature of divergence having permanent and disappointed, even though it was the Tours, National Audubon Society and significant consequences – has been third hike we had done as a group now the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. These true in my own life as well. I can re- where we couldn’t find Ptarmigan. We camps accept teenagers from age 13 to member the day I became a birder, and had great birds, great people and spec- 18, and it is possible to pursue financial can even remember the literal diver- tacular views so we couldn’t complain. aid from a local ornithological society gence in my path that led to this amaz- We couldn’t have asked for a more or organization to attend any one of ing obsession that I like to call a hobby, beautiful day and now had many good them. I have previously attended Camp and hope to soon call a career. On De-

Page 20 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

Colorado in the north-central area of its by chance could change your path en- wants to be successful in the field of namesake state, and in 2018 I will at- tirely by shifting, or clarifying, your ornithology: Louisiana State Universi- tend Camp Chiricahua in southeastern interests. One example of such a shift is ty, the University of Kansas and the Arizona. This year, along with BC Andy Johnson, who talked about reori- University of Washington, among many young birders Liron Gertsman and Lo- enting his course from studying birds to others, are known to have strong orni- gan Lalonde, I attended the Young filming them as part of the Lab’s Multi- thology and evolutionary biology de- Birder’s Event (YBE) in Ithaca, New media department. partments. The critical part is making York. Based out of the Cornell Lab of This brings us to another point that the most of the school you are in, and Ornithology, this event is without a was reinforced at this event: there are seizing opportunities to make yourself doubt the most helpful of the events several different paths you can take in known by publishing papers and com- that one could attend as someone inter- the professional world of birds. There pleting research. ested in an ornithological career. is, of course, the path of becoming a On that note, it’s probably a good The 2017 YBE lasted from Thurs- professor through a graduate and then time to mention that Robert Frost’s po- day, July 6th to Sunday, July 9th. The doctorate program. Even within this em, the one I have been using as a cen- attendees stayed in Cornell’s Ecology path, it is necessary to specify what you tral theme, is in fact badly misinterpret- House on the northeast side of campus. want to focus on, like evolutionary biol- ed by almost everyone who reads it, Early each morning, several staff mem- ogy or neurobiology, among a myriad including by me, on purpose. In the bers of the Lab – among them, Chris of other options. But there is also multi- third stanza of the poem, Frost indicates Wood, Jessie Barry and Ian Davies – media – documenting birds through that both paths actually “equally lay / In led birding field trips in and around the videography, sound recording and pho- leaves no step had trodden black”; in Finger Lakes region. The beautiful roll- tography to spread awareness and aid in other words, both paths were actually ing, green hills of Ithaca were not what conservation. There is a strong techno- equally untraveled. In the fourth stanza, I was used to from back at home, and logical component with citizen-science Frost states that he will be “telling [the the birds definitely were not either. I programs like eBird – indeed, eBird tale of the diverging path] with a sigh / finished the trip with over 30 lifers, my Project coordinator Ian Davies encour- Somewhere ages and ages hence”, re- favorite of which were probably the aged us all to learn the R programming vealing that the final three lines of the warblers we saw, especially the Cerule- language to contribute significantly to poem are not a description of what ac- ans. We were given several tours of the our skills and credentials. A common tually happened, but only how he want- research halls and collections of the topic of discussion among my young ed to remember it happening. The other Lab, which were a major highlight for birder friends, and certainly myself as path might very well have led to an many at the event. well, is anxiety over our ability to make equal, though different, outcome. Rob- The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a living out of a career in birds. I have a ert Frost’s real message is thus: alt- its reputation for a reason, and seeing feeling that a good portion of my read- hough we may look back on the story the different parts of the building made ers probably sympathize with these of our lives and say that one choice we it clear as to why the Lab is a major hub feelings. I want to spend my life with made was a defining moment that worldwide for bird studies and public birds, but how am I going to do it while changed our lives for the better, the outreach. Undoubtedly the most im- still making enough money to live com- reality is that maybe the two paths pactful part of the event was hearing the fortably? After this event, I now feel aren’t so dissimilar after all. Perhaps, talks given in the Lab’s presentation more hopeful. after all, the important part is what you room each afternoon. We listened to One final, essential message make of your choice. If I had chosen to Cornell students and faculty members throughout the talks was that the col- ski downhill and hadn’t seen the raven speak about what they are doing at the lege you attend is not necessarily as at the mountain summit, would I be a Lab and, crucially, how they got there. important as what you make of the op- birder right now? It’s possible, but I Throughout the talks, one persistent portunities you seek out. Jessie Barry, can’t ever know that for sure; all I do theme became clear: there is no such program manager of the Macaulay Li- know is that I am willing to apply my- thing as a straight path in an ornitholog- brary and project leader for the Merlin self completely, to use this path that ical career. Success depends on net- Bird ID phone application, assured us I’m on to the fullest. Although I don’t working and seizing every opportunity that if you take the time to get to know know yet what I want to do, besides that comes your way. For example, at every possible opportunity, many uni- wanting to eventually end up working Cornell there is one event at the begin- versities with a biology program could with an organization like the Cornell ning of the fall semester that is a fantas- have similar opportunities as those you Lab of Ornithology, I feel confident in tic opportunity to meet professors and would find studying at Cornell. Indeed, knowing that I have options ahead of faculty members and learn about poten- it seemed to me that almost all of the me: more paths to take, more choices to tial research trips and opportunities: an prominent members of the Cornell Lab make. If you go to Cornell, or LSU, or ornithological pizza party! Like Frost’s had started their academic journey else- your state college, or wherever else you diverging path, you may find yourself where before coming to Cornell as a choose, you can get to where you want making a choice – the choice of college graduate student or even after complet- to be if you stay focused, network, seize certainly comes to mind, but also which ing their college education entirely. every opportunity – and stay open to major, which research opportunities And I will make it clear that, while I taking unfamiliar paths. It may, indeed, you pursue, and many more – each of have been singing the praises of Cornell make all the difference. which could make a major difference. throughout this entire article, it’s not Alternatively, a moment that happens the end-all-be-all for someone who

Page 21 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

mon Black Bear, right by the side of the the road was closed a few hundred me- Young Birders at Manning road. The Cinnamon Black Bear came tres past the Cascade Lookout. We very close to our car as he grazed, so looked to no avail for Grouse on the Park we stayed in the car and watched him way up. When we got up we heard Cas- from there. The kids got full frame sin's Finches, one lone Gray Jay and Melissa Hafting shots of his face. He was stunning to saw Pine Siskins. We looked at the Eight of us left Vancouver at 7:00 a.m. look at. beautiful alpine flowers, being careful on June 21, 2017 to head to Manning We started off going up the road to to stay on the trails not to step on any. Park. It was our first trip with 12-year- the Cascade Lookout to look for grouse We then heard a loud Pine Grosbeak old young birder Adam Dhalla and he before all the cars arrived. We didn’t calling. He must have been close! So fit right in with our group. We were see any grouse at all. We also did not we went down the Heather Trail and in a Suburban SUV and it was so fancy see any Pika or Yellow-bellied Mar- found a Russet Male singing his heart there was WIFI in the car, leather seats, mots as on previous trips. We had gor- away. I do love their pretty songs. It sun roof and TV screens with blu-ray geous views of the Cascade Mountains was a lifer for a few in the group. players for the passengers. We didn’t both in the U.S. and Canada when we The bugs were bad here and I was use any of this since we were birding got to the top at the lookout. glad I brought bug spray and sprayed it but it was super cool. We stopped in at We parked and immediately began on the kids who needed it. Next we Hope Airport briefly to see if we could feeding the Clark’s Nutcrackers, Gold- headed back down the mountain keep- find the reported Northern Mockingbird en-mantled Ground Squirrels and Yel- ing our eyes open for grouse but by or a Western Kingbird but no dice. low-pine Chipmunks. We also saw now all parking lots and roads were About 2 km before we got to the Common Ravens. We heard Cassin’s inundated with traffic and it was hard to lodge, we saw two black bears. Ian Finches here and a flock of Pine Gros- see any birds in the dust clouds. We did spotted the first one in the gravel pit beaks flew over that only some in the end up seeing a Mountain Bluebird, and we all got out and took pictures as group saw as they were immersed with many Chipping Sparrows and Hermit he was a safe distance away. We were feeding the rodents. Thrushes though. Ian also spotted a happy to see he was the same bear we After a good chunk of time photo- Snowshoe Hare. had seen two years ago. We could tell graphing and feeding the menagerie we When we got to the base we headed this due to the large scar on his snout, started to go up to Alpine Meadows straight for Lightning Lake where we since the road was open. Four weeks most likely from a fight with another Below: Clark’s Nutcracker by Melissa ago the flowers were not in bloom and bear. I spotted the second one, a Cinna- Hafting

Page 22 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3) had a lovely walk around the emerald there was a Red-naped Sapsucker on Clark's Nutcracker on her tummy. I had lake. It was boiling hot as we were in a the road right by the car! We hoped to to take a picture. heat wave: the temperature gauge in the see a Ruffed Grouse here which is a We may have missed some of our car read 36 degrees Celsius. nemesis bird for young birder Joshua targets (Grouse of any species but espe- We had a pleasant walk and found Brown. Unfortunately we didn’t hear or cially Ruffed and Spruce and American many Chestnut-backed Chickadees, see one and the heat was now swelter- Three-toed Woodpeckers and Gray Jays Pacific Wren; heard a Northern Water- ing. We ended up seeing the Northern to feed) but we had a wonderful day in thrush; and saw a few Western Tanager, Waterthrush as it sang loudly. This bird terrific company. Western Wood-Pewee, Hammond’s was a lifer for three of the kids and Flycatcher, and Willow Flycatcher. We since most of us in Vancouver don’t see had great views of Yellow, Wilson’s, a Waterthrush often it was a treat for us Yellow-rumped and Townsend's War- all. A Hairy Woodpecker was calling in blers and a Red-breasted Nuthatch. Just the distance along with an American More Media Attention when we were about the leave we Crow. We also heard and saw many caught sight of a Red-naped Sapsucker Yellow Warblers, a MacGillivray's Maclean’s Magazine interviewed that landed on the grass. As quick as he Warbler and a Spotted Sandpiper. Melissa Hafting on millennial birders landed he was gone. Luckily he was the By now we were really hot from the and also asked to chat with a graduate first of three we would see that day. baking sun and decided to head to the of the Young Birders program, so she By this time it was after 1:00 p.m. lodge for a freezing cold Popsicle/ice passed on the name of Alice Sun, who and time for lunch. We went to Light- cream and cold drinks. We got there is now at McGill and has won a number ning Lake and lunched with the lake as and got those and I was pleasantly sur- of birding and photography scholar- our backdrop. We were surrounded by prised to see the hummingbird feeders ships. Columbian Ground Squirrels. We saw a were rehung on the newly constructed Common Raven and its fledglings, a lodge. They weren’t there on my last Steller’s Jay and a few Clark’s Nut- visit in May. crackers. We also saw Canada Geese Here the kids had great fun feeding Below: Willa Crowley of Fort St. James with three Goslings and Tree Swallows. the Ground Squirrels, Steller’s Jays, with her BCFO Young Birder Award An Osprey flew above us several times. Clark’s Nutcrackers and Brown-headed plaque. Next we went to Twenty Minute Cowbirds. At one point Bridget had two Lake where we had Warbling Vireos, a of the fearless Ground Squirrels and a calling Mountain Chickadee, a Belted Kingfisher and Spotted Sandpiper. The best thing of all we saw was a Common Goldeneye with her seven ducklings. This was reminiscent of our last trip where we saw a Common Goldeneye with eleven ducklings. We proceeded on towards Strawber- ry Flats where we hoped to feed the Gray Jays and get an American Three- toed Woodpecker. We had success there last year and it’s my favorite place to find them. Well, on this day we dipped on both. I still can’t believe we didn’t see a single Gray Jay – they seem to be always there stealing food from the hand. We did see some nice birds along this trail and it was a pleas- ant walk despite the heat. The birds we saw on this trail were a Red-naped Sap- sucker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Chip- ping Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Yel- low-rumped Warblers, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Varied Thrush, Hermit and Swainson’s Thrushes. We walked back slightly disappoint- ed but still in good spirits because we were off now to the Eastgate to try for Waterthrush where Ilya and I had one last year. Well we got to the spot and before I could even open the car door

Page 23 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

sedentary (i.e., non-migrating) birds, able to mix with other populations. Northern Saw-whet Owl, Hairy Wood- They appear to be recent immigrants Briefing 3 pecker, Steller’s Jay and Pine Grosbeak from the south. Neverthess, Swainson’s showed definite indications of isolation Thrush, along with Sooty Grouse, has in a refugium. All four have endemic developed an island subspecies so that Ice Age Survivors subspecies on the islands. In addition, behaviour patterns must be creating a the Pacific Wren and Song Sparrow new recognizable population. (partial migrants) show indications of There are other animals as well as Haida Gwaii lies off the coast of north- endemism. These six species have ap- plants on the islands that also strongly ern British Columbia, immediately parent divergence dates in the range 20 suggest the persistence of a non- south of the end of the Alaska panhan- – 30,000 years before present (ybp), glaciated refugium, including Ermine dle. The mainland shore is a region of with Hairy Woodpecker possibly as (Mustelia ermine) and Black Bear high mountains (the northern Coast great as 70,000 ybp and Pine Grosbeak (Ursus Americana), Garter Snake Mountains) that still carry glaciers to- 120,000 ybp. These dates predate the (Thamnophis sirtalus), Sword Fern day. During the ice ages – the last of last glacial advance and for the wood- (Polystichum munitum) and Lodgepole which ended 12,000 to 13,000 years pecker, an early lateglacial interstade. Pine (Pinus contorta). Combined with ago – these mountains were buried in The grosbeak may have arrived on the the birds, some freshwater fishes and ice. Geologists have long argued over islands as early as the interglacial epoch invertebrates (snails), these species whether the ice extended across Hecate preceding the last glacial period, allow- make a strong case for the existence of Strait and covered the islands of Haida ing much time and the environmental forests here, at least at lower elevations, Gwaii. Certainly there was ice there: pressure of successive glacial episodes throughout the last ice age. Hence, there glacial sediments are witness to that. for subspeciation. The remaining two was a forested ice age refugium on the But were the islands completely inun- sedentary species (Sooty Grouse; Red- marine-dominated islands of Haida dated, or did some parts remain ice-free breasted Sapsucker) are apparently ear- Gwaii. and sufficiently temperate to maintain ly post-glacial immigrants. Neither spe- plants and animals in what biologists cies (especially the grouse) is apt to Reference call a “refugium?” have made a long over-water flight, so Pruitt, C.L., Topp, C.M., Maley, J.M, McCracken, K.G., Rowher, S., Birks, Ornithologists have now examined one may speculate that they may have S., Sealy, S.G., and Winkler, K. 2013. genetic evidence from eleven bird spe- arrived very shortly after local deglacia- cies on the islands, all of them dwellers tion when the floor of Hecate Strait was Evidence from genetics of landbirds for in the Sitka spruce forests that dominate still exposed as dry land (due to the a forested Pleistocene glacial refugium the landscape. Together they represent a much reduced sea level: there are post- in the Haida Gwaii area. The Condor 115: 725-737. high proportion of all the forest- glacial archaeological sites on the floor dwelling birds there. Birds examined of the strait). were Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fu- The remaining sedentary species Summary by M. Church liginosus), Northern Saw-whet Owl (Chestnut-backed Chickadee) appears (Aegolius acadicus), Red-breasted Sap- to be a recent immigrant. The two obli- Below: a Red-breasted Nuthatch sucker (Sphyrapicus ruber), Hairy gate migrant thrushes have high genetic spotted in the Quesnel area by Woodpecker (Picoides villosus), Pacific diversity, as might be expected in birds Nora McMuldroch. Wren (Troglodytes pacificus), Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri), Swainson’s Thrush (Stellarus us- tulatus), Hermit Thrush (C. gutta- tus), Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens), Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) and Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator). The researchers analyzed a particular gene that yields infor- mation on population divergence events (up to the level of emer- gence of a distinct subspecies), and allows a rough estimate of time since divergence. They com- pared Haida Gwaii birds (4 to 15 individuals of each species) with individuals of the same species from Washington and Oregon (south of Pleistocene ice margins), southern Rocky Mountains, and Alaska (where the dry Arctic steppe escaped glaciation). They found that, amongst the Page 24 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

More From Tumbler

Members attending the Tumbler Ridge AGM, and hearing presentations on paleo-ornithology, will be pleased to read the following media release issued by the Tumbler Ridge Museum Foun- dation in early August.

MORE FOSSIL BIRD TRACK- WAYS DISCOVERED NEAR TUMBLER RIDGE

Bird fossils are not common. One of the key sources of information on birds that lived in the Age of Dinosaurs comes from fossilized bird tracks and track- ways. Four such track sites, including Tumbler Ridge’s reputation as a global ceous Period about 100 million years some of the oldest known bird tracks in fossil bird-track hotspot. ago. the world, have previously been identi- On August 1st Dr Charles Helm On August 5th one of these speci- fied within the Tumbler Ridge escorted Dr Buckley and Dr McCrea to mens was retrieved and transported to UNESCO Global Geopark (TRUGG) a dinosaur track site he had discovered the PRPRC, where it will receive fur- by Dr Lisa Buckley and Dr Richard earlier this summer, as well as to one ther study. The previous discoveries McCrea, the palaeontologists at the brought to his attention by local resi- were incorporated into a unique and Tumbler Ridge Museum Foundation’s dent Rob McIntyre. In each case Dr special exhibit for the public in the Di- Peace Region Palaeontology Research Buckley spent time examining the sur- nosaur Discovery Gallery, and it is like- Centre (PRPRC). rounding exposed rock surfaces, and ly that these new specimens will be A recent field trip yielded two more each time her perseverance paid off interpreted and exhibited once the re- such track sites, bringing the total num- with the discovery of a handsome avian search is complete and the resulting ber of fossil bird tracks sites within the trackway. Both specimens are in rocks publication in a scientific journal has TRUGG to six, and further cementing of the Gates Formation, from the Creta- occurred. This topic of “paleo-ornithology” is Photo top: Dr Buckley with fossil bird trackway. one reason that the BC Field Ornithol- Below: recovering the fossil bird trackway. ogists chose Tumbler Ridge and the Dinosaur Discovery Gallery for their AGM earlier this year. In 2018, the 27th International Ornithology Con- gress in Vancouver, BC (to be attended by thousands of delegates from around the world), already has a post- conference field trip advertised to Tum- bler Ridge to visit the Dinosaur Discov- ery Gallery with its fossil bird tracks, the PRPRC and the TRUGG. The scientific work done by Dr Buckley and Dr McCrea was one of the main factors in the designation of the TRUGG in 2014, and such ongoing research and discoveries, and the result- ing interpretation and exhibits, will help boost the chances of successful re- evaluation of the Geopark by UNESCO in 2018.

Page 25 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3) It’s not just that birds exhibit beauty, adding something new that has no func- but they do so in an incredible variety tion at all, but simply looks good, like The Reflective of ways. Many choose simplicity. the “ears” of many owls, or the “horn” There’s the purest simplicity of the of the Horned Guan. Humans have long Fairy Tern, a bird that could almost since added touches to their buildings Birder define the concept of loveliness. You for no reason at all other than that they could imagine Michaelango weeping at look good. Birds quite clearly can do Clive Keen his first sight of a Fairy Tern – it is per- the same thing. fect. And there’s a very different sort of Beyond Aesthetics simplicity in the beauty of the Red- Reflections on Avian Beauty The beauty of birds starts to become headed Woodpecker. When I first saw more than a matter of aesthetic contem- Since learning to really look at birds one, I admit that I laughed: it was a rather than just ID them, I’ve been child’s rendition of a beautiful bird. plation when we realize that it is entire- ly due to decisions made by the birds growing steadily more aware of, and Three bright colours, straight out of the themselves, over countless generations. confounded by, the fact of avian beauty. paint box, applied with a thick brush. Darwin famously, and correctly, “Sure, birds are pretty, big deal” is the Head – bright red; body – pure white; explained the beauty of birds in terms understandable viewpoint of casual wings – dark blue; done! But having glancers, but when you’re acquainted seen the birds often enough since, I of preference for good-looking partners. Better-looking males, in particular, get with a thousand or more species, and now see in them the simple beauty of chosen in mating season, so unlike their have looked very carefully, you get to American Primitive art, or a Ted Harri- less comely rivals, they pass on their realize that labelling birds as “pretty” son silkscreen. genes, and there is a snowballing effect. doesn’t even begin to cut it. It is like Most birds that we readily proclaim describing the Alhambra as a competent as beautiful tend to be more ornate. The Modern science, infamously and wrongly, scoffed at this explanation for structure, or the Taj Mahal as an OK ornamentation is often through colour, a century. The explanation committed place to put a dead body. such as the incredible multi-colouring two crimes against the prevailing mores There’s a depth and width of beauty of the Painted Bunting, though colour is and paradigms of science. First, it ex- in birds that goes far beyond the point usually added with more artful strokes plained in terms of consciousness – the at which nonchalance on the subject is and less flamboyance. Sometimes just a inner life of the mind – which was ver- defensible. First, the beauty of birds is little colour, such as the blue around the boten. Science was supposed to assume far more widespread than most realize. eye of a White-winged Dove, can suc- either that such things did not exist, or When I first wrote that sentence, I ceed better than a rainbow. We tend to were at best irrelevant and should be looked out of the window and saw three be wowed most by the extraordinary ignored. In recent years, scientists have birds: a Starling, a male Brown-headed birds of the tropics, but many birds drawn back a little from this. An open Cowbird, and a Red-breasted Nuthatch. which are less in-your-face stunning letter by a group of eminent scientists Ordinary, everyday, ho-hum birds most can be even more pleasing when we announced that they believed, gasp, that people wouldn’t look at once, let alone look closely. Ostentation is an option in animals do in fact have consciousness. twice. But if a world-class photogra- avian beauty, not a requirement. How on earth anyone with a dog could pher were to spend a week photo- Ornamentation in birds is certainly ever have doubted this is utterly beyond graphing them, and put the best prints not limited to colour. It might be the me; it is extraordinary how theory, on show, visitors would be amazed by result of adding a rococo touch to feath- methodology and peer pressure can the beauty displayed. “I just never knew ers, and producing, say, the gorgeous overcome all common sense. But pro- that these birds are so gorgeous!” profile of a Snowy Egret or the fluted gress has been made, and Darwin’s ex- would be the response of most. Because long tail of the Resplendent Quetzal. planation in terms of sexual selectivity they are. Sometimes ornamentation comes from is no longer entirely rubbished. Practic- ing scientists worried about their repu- tations, though, continue to steer away from Darwin’s second crime: explain- ing the beauty of birds in terms of their aesthetic judgements. To get around the heresy, we are now told that a female bird will choose a male with, say, a particularly bright blue patch on his throat, because the patch “displays the bird’s fitness.” The idea is that the production of something ornate has a physiological cost, and only birds in fine fettle can afford the

“Sometimes just a little colour, such as the blue around the eye of a White- winged Dove, can succeed better than a rainbow.” CNK photo.

Page 26 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3) cost, so the female, recognizing that the The point of bringing up the Homo the general idea of what is beautiful is male is in good shape, accepts his ad- aestheticus issue is that when I was remarkably concordant in both. vances.1 musing on the topic, I assumed that an Rather than a purely subjective This explanation puts me in mind of aesthetic sense was something special thing, to be ignored in our explanations another favourite explanation of animal about human beings, something that of nature, the aesthetic impulse goes behaviour by those fearing the charge distinguished them from other animals. beyond individuals, or even species, of anthropomorphism. We’ll be shown After we discovered that other animals and needs to be recognized as a genuine footage of two young animals romping, used tools, we had to give up the idea force of nature. Sure, it’s not as strong a and an earnest voice will tell us that the of Homo faber.3 Could Homo aestheti- force as the quest for food, or for repro- youngsters are “practicing the skills cus takes its place? The above discus- duction, but in the avian world as well they need in adult life.” It will be utter- sion of beauty in birds shows not. It is as ours it can be recognized as very ly obvious to everyone without blinkers birds’ aesthetic impulse that is responsi- real, with highly persistent and persist- around their brain that the animals are ble for their appearance today. And – ing influence. Gravity, physicists tell simply having fun. Muscles and reflex- this is truly unexpected in an age when us, is the weakest of the four physical es might well be developed in play, but relativism and subjectivism rule – the forces, but weak forces can shape the the animals are playing because they tastes of birds and human beings can be universe profoundly. I for one find the enjoy it. Saying that they play to devel- seen to be remarkably similar. idea of beauty as a force of nature, qui- op the muscles and reflexes puts the When people see a male Wood etly but steadily shaping the world, to cart in front of the horse.2 Duck for the first time, they assume be a very happy one. For now, the mores and paradigms that the bird must have been carefully of science still cleave to explanations bred to look that way; it seems impossi- Notes solely in terms of functionality, but it ble that a bird fitting so closely with our 1. There would surely be far better will change. As we move further away sense of design could have simply ways of displaying fitness than devel- from mechanistic materialism, scien- sprung out of nature. And any talented oping something wholly functionless, tists will relax about the obvious fact artist, given free reign to invent a beau- which the ornate feature would be if the that animals can do things for fun. Sim- tiful bird, will never do better than to potential partner lacked all aesthetic ilarly, the “displaying fitness” gambit observe real birds, mixing and match- sense. If displaying fitness was all that will eventually be recognized for what ing the features seen. Certainly no artist was required, a mere billboard with no it is – face-saving camouflage. And has ever invented from scratch a bird aesthetic merit would be quite enough. fortunately, the behaviour of bower that is more beautiful than some created It can be no accident that something birds, which are being extensively stud- by nature. The congruence of birds’ visually pleasing is developed instead. ied with an open mind, will overcome aesthetic sense and humans’ is also in- remaining resistance to the notion that dicated by the fact that extremely few 2. Adult animals continue to play long birds have an aesthetic impulse. of the 11,000 or so bird species in exist- after they’ve developed the skills need- ence are considered by people to be ed in adult life, and I suspect that even Beyond Relativism ugly. We don’t think much of Turkey earnest commentators would find it a Some years ago I was contemplating Vultures, and the dangling neck decora- bit thin to explain adult play as just “re- the notion of Homo aestheticus after tions of a few species don’t receive polishing the skills they require in their musing on the fact that I’d put a huge many plaudits from humans, but these everyday life.” amount of time and energy into reno- are extremely rare exceptions. While vating a house, not one element of 3. 270 species of birds are now known beauty is manifested in many different which had a functional purpose. Every- to use tools. ways in both the bird and human world, thing I did was simply to make the place look better. Consider crown mouldings: utterly functionless, but they sure look good. A functionalist might at this point roll his eyes, and say I can waste my time like that if I wish, but I then sold the house, in a flat mar- ket, for 50% more than I paid for it. Most human beings are in agreement that a house that looks good is much to be preferred to one that is functionally identical but seriously lacks aesthetic appeal. The aesthetic impulse is a deep and pervasive human trait, not an indi- vidual idiosyncrasy.

“When people see a male Wood Duck for the first time, they assume that the bird must have been carefully bred to look that way.” CNK photo.

Page 27 BC Birding September 2017 Edition 27 (3)

Page 28