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Home , Brockton Point, Lost Lagoon, Seawall (Vancouver), Second Beach (Vancouver), Smew, Third Beach

I TheSite Guide I

Stanley Park, ,

by Brian M. Kautesk

Location , B.C. totem , and other historical art•- facts. Description is a multi-use Access From Vancouver International recreationalpark, adjacent to downtown and residential Vancouver, and situated Airport drive north through the c•ty to on a peninsulajutting directly into Van- the downtownarea. Stanley Park is easdy couver Harbour (). The found, being that large green patch •n shoreline, totally accessibleby over 5 the center of any Vancouver City map miles of paved promenade, To avoid traffic congestion,approaches is mainly rocky, with a few areas of to the park should be made either wa mudflats, and two public beaches.This Beach Avenue, or Burrard and Georloa walkway permitsexceptional sea-birding Streets. I recommend the latter for from shore. The water around the park those following birding itinerary, is deep and cold. The main part of outlined below. the park is second growth forest, pre- Accommodations No problemsof course, dominantly Douglas-fir, Western Red being in the heart of a major city In Cedar, Western Hemlock, Broadleaf pleasant weather, various concession Maple, with Vine Maple and Red Alder booths throughout the park are open in openings, and a general understory Camping is not allowed in the park of Salal and Salmonberry (a magnet for hummingbirds in April). There are Birdwatching Long known as a prime many that go deep into the birding area, has been only in the secludedwoods, where determined - most recent years that the park has ers can, with time, find the Hutton's been studiedmethodically and its secrets Vireo. Much ornamentalplanting is pres- brought to light. Although not an ent in the southern part of the park, officialbird ,the park is attracting great of passefines. "bird-oriented"and, if workedproperly, Maximum elevation of the park is about can give excellent results. Sea b•rds 230 feet above sea level. Also within and land highlightthe very vaned the park is an aquarium, children's playground facilities, flower gardens, #5-1630 St., Vancouver, B.C. V6G 1X2

Volume 31, Number 3 287 RAFFERTY

N. VANCOUVER

BE.4 FER L.IKE

STAN L E Y

EAGLE BROCKD NEST R OVAL

N

-- PAVEO ROAO

MILE

288 AmericanBirds, May 1977 avifauna, which has produced such di- close to observers. I once found a nest verse rarities as Yellow-billed , only 15 feet above the actual seawall King Eider, Smew, Skua, Sabine's Gull, Summer sea-birdingis confined to alc•ds Forster's Tern, Pygmy Owl, Black-and- generally; doubtless the Marbled Mur- white Warbler, Palm Warbler, and relet also nests in the park, adults White-winged Crossbill, to name just a being very numerous in summer, often few. On one October day in 1975 I with young; a nest fugitive young was found a Harris', a Tree, and a White- found near in 1970. Check throated Sparrow, all in the park at the the bushes and trees on the cliffs for same time, all consideredrather "good passetines. birds" in the . However, In winter watch for the Hafieqmn all too many birders are tempted to here. Proceeding west along the drive around the park by car, stopping seawall, we come to . for brief glimpses here and there. To Wandering Tattler has been seen here really know the park, and to reap the more than once and Glaucous-wtnged harvest from it, one must bird on foot. Gulls nest on the rock, whereas in I will begin by describing the Stanley winter, cormorants of two or three Park seawall and its birds of interest. speciesroost in trees nearby. Once you Park your car somewhereby the side are on the western part of the seawall, of the road, or adjacent to the zoo, the ocean must be watched carefully, and begin the seawail promenadein the for the possibility of pelagic strays eastern part of the park. When the increases owing to the broader ocean tide is out and a "wave" is on, check area. Although not recorded in early the mudflats near the Yacht Club and summer in the park itself, areas just a Deadman's Island for shorebirds. In few miles west have recorded Sabtne's winter beyond the Naval Station large Gull, Black-leggedKittiwake and the odd rafts of scaup and may include jaeger in early , and the summer a Tufted or European Wigeon. visitor may have a lucky sighting In At gulls often congre- winter great numbers of sea ducks and gate, sometimes in numbers, and this other waterbirds occur from the Rock to is the best place in the park to study the west entrance of the park. Common terns (August, September). In winter Mergansers also nest in the vicinity and all the sea ducks including Oldsquaw they can be seenwith their large broods can be seen in the vicinity and one throughout the summer here and at other should look for Common Murres well places around the seawall. offshore. is often good for passetines, as are the During the fail (late July to October) trails runningfrom there to Lost Lagoon, if there is a good herring run, the roughly parallel to the seawall, where entire eastern part of the park's waters both Chestnut-backedand Black-capped may be crowded with Bonaparte's Gulls, Chickadees (along with other spectes) and the rarer small gulls, especially can easily be hand-fed. the Franklin's, should be watched for. Returning again during the fall to the In the fall (mainly October) the Broad- ocean, Parasitic Jaegers (often in mobs leaf Maples above the seawall are fre- of up to four or five) may be watched, quented by Yellow-rumped Warblers and chasing the terns and gulls, often very ftingillids and should be checked for close to the seawall. September and vagrants. In winter, grebes, and October are the best months, jaegers cormorants abound all around the sea- being especially active after the huge wall. One of the park's chief attractions rafts of Western Grebes arrive at the is the nesting, in summer, of Pigeon end of September. Afternoon is the best Guillemots, on Prospect Point cliffs. time to watch the jaegers, often even Birds fly to and from their nests carrying after sunset, but this depends on the food, chatteringnoisily and passingvery feeding conditionsat the time. Ferguson

Volume 31, Number 3 289 Point is the best spot in the park for ring annually (mainly in October-No- shorebirds (and loafing gulls). During vember) and are the lagoon specialty, migration waves (especially during althoughby no meansguaranteed. Ducks storms) many species have been re- move freely to and from the lagoon, corded, but usually in small numbers. late afternoon being the best time to Peep are the usual fare in spring and watch the night-roostingflocks collect fall, with other species being possible, Many Double-crested Cormorants use Sanderling and Black (and perhaps the lagoon in the winter and Wood Ruddy) Turnstones in winter. Storms Ducks nest in the summer. Gulls loaf around the first of May may drop off on the south bank during the winter almost anything. and a Western Gull or two is usually Having completed the seawall, we present along with a few Thayer's come to the nucleus of the park, the When the lagoon is partially frozen Lost Lagoon area, which again must be during the winter, many more gulls birded on foot. The entire area in the stand on the ice edge, and must be southern part of the park, even up to studied carefully. You should see more the adjacent buildings on Thayer's then, and perhaps a larid Lagoon Drive, encompassthe very best rarity. When the Bonaparte'sGull migra- passerinebirding in the Vancouver area. tion is at its peak, up to one thousand Ornamental and exotic plants, good or more may be seen at dusk flying gardeningby the Parks Board, predomi- east to west over and into the lagoon, nance of maple, birch and alder species before leaving to sleep on the ocean. •n an open area "parkland" setting, At the west corner of the lagoon, and geographicallocation are the prime by the stone bridge, you can hand-feed reasons. When a warbler wave is on, Red-winged Blackbirds in the non- this area is the match of any. Work breeding season, as well as see many •t completely, from the tree rows above other passefines. The Park's resident the seawall, around the golf course pair of Bald Eagles is present most and tennis courts, the areas behind the of the year and nests in one of two parking lot (near the ) and nest sites (marked on the map). It down the path towards the lagoon, raised two young in 1975. Ravens are checkingall the habitat entirely around regular and probably nest in the park the lagoon. This area is excellent for Check Lake and the trails around wintering passerines and raptors. We it for migrant passefinesin spring and frequently watch Goshawks attempting fall (especially August-September). Th•s to catch the numerous park squirrels is a good spot for Townsend's and •n this area! I find White-throated Black-throated Gray Warblers, as well Sparrows every year in this area during as rails, chiefly the Sora. Trumpeter migration, and during early November and Whistling Swans are kept as display of 1973, a Philadelphia Vireo spent birds here. Check for the odd shore- at least two or three weeks foraging bird when there is exposed mud, and •n Sycamore Maples beside the tennis watch for hawks. The running courts' tea house. A few of these directly to the ocean (beside the zoo maples are also planted just south of pens) is a good spot for passefines the pool and also near at any time, as is the area behind the restrooms. These Lumberman's Arch and the zoo. Great trees are singularmagnets for passerines Blue Herons are so abundant in the during spring and mainly during late park that most birders simply ignore fall. Lost Lagoon itself hosts an intro- them. There is an active heronry duced population of Mute and (Aus- near the zoo. tralian) Black Swans, as well as attract- ing large numbersof ducksfrom October Rating Spring **** Summer *** Fall to April. Tufted Ducks have been occur- **** Winter ****

290 American Birds, May 1977 Three of of Stanley Purl.. Vattcottver. Top, Western Grebe, photo/ Joseph Van Wor. ter. Left, Tufted Duck, photo/ Russ Kin.e. Below, Sinew. photo/Philippa Scott. All fro•tt Photo Resear•'hers, btc.