ISSN 1206-1611 BCFO.Ca Volume 27 Number 2 / June 2018

Newsmagazine of the British Columbia Field Ornithologists ISSN 1206-1611 BCFO.ca Volume 27 Number 2 / June 2018

Sage Thrasher, Pitt Meadows, 3 May, 2018 – see page 3. Photo by John Gordon. BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2)

Publisher BC Birding is published four times a year by the British Columbia Field Ornithologists, P.O. Box 61670, RPO BCFO Officers & Brookswood, Langley, BC V3A 1K0. A subscription to this quarterly is a benefit of membership in the society. Members will also receive a copy of the Directors annual journal, British Columbia Birds. 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 [email protected] 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 Ex Officio To submit material to this publication, contact the Editor by Immediate Past President: George Clulow, Burnaby, 604-438 email ([email protected]) or by mail at 10790 -7639, [email protected] Grassland Road, Prince George, BC V2K 5E8. Submissions may include articles about birding experi- BCFO Committees & Representatives ences, casual observations about bird behaviour, site guides, AGM Planning Committee: TBA photographs, and other topics of broad interest to birders, Archivist/ Librarian: Les Gyug preferably, but not necessarily, in British Columbia. Trip British Columbia Birds (Journal) Editor: Art Martell reports by members, both in Canada and overseas, are wel- BC Birding (Newsmagazine) Editor: Clive Keen; come. Items can be of any length up to a maximum of 2,000 Associate Editor: Virginia Rasch words. BC Bird Records Committee Chair: Nathan Hentze Deadlines (i.e final dates for submission of material) are BCFO Two-day Trips: Adrian Leather as follows. Material received after the deadline will be held Canadian International Joint Venture: Wayne Weber over to the subsequent edition. Cannings Award Committee: Wayne Weber • March edition: February 15 Featured Photographer Committee: Carlo Giovanella IOC Vancouver 2018: George Clulow • June edition: May 15 Membership Committee: Larry Cowan • September edition: August 15 Website: George Clulow, Neil Dawe Young Birder Awards Committee: Carlo Giovanella • December edition: November 15 Young Birders Program: Melissa Hafting

Advertising Rates Full page: $125 per issue or $112.50 each for four or more issues Half page: $75 per issue or $67.50 each for four or more issues Quarter page: $40 per issue or $36 each for four or more issues BCFO members are welcome to include bird-related classi- fied ads, of up to 25 words, at no cost.

Joan Nicholson came across this Greater Roadrunner on a golf course in Palm Springs, April 2018.

Page 2 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2)

Contents

Notices & Notes President’s Message ...... 4 Welcome New Members ...... 4 Notes ...... 5 Bird Records Committee Competition ...... 6 BCFO Two-day Trips ...... 8 IO Congress ...... 9 Upcoming Meetings & Events ...... 10 Young Birder Program YB Awards ...... 11 YB Overnight Trip To Tofino ...... 13 Future YB 2018 Events...... 13 Trip Reports Quetzals & Coffee – Birding in Costa Rica ...... 14 Chasing Endemics in New Caledonia ...... 16 Birding Yucatan & North Chiapas ...... 18 Features Bluebird Recovery Merritt Nesting Boxes ...... 21 Bring Back the Bluebirds Project: Cowichan Valley ...... 22 Featured Species – Pacific Golden-Plover ...... 23 Skeena Spectacle ...... 26 Regular Columns Gone Pishing – Hawk Owl ...... 24 The Reflective Birder – The Patch: Quintessence of Birding ...... 27 Conclusions Three Vultures ...... 28 New Findings Lifer Ruffed Grouse ...... 29 A New Birding Location ...... 29 Briefing: The Heavy Hand of Humans ...... 30 Merlin spotted by Sharon Godkin at Douglas Leighton, August 7, 1953–March 28, 2018 ...... 30 Tanner Ridge, central Saanich.. In Praise of BC Birding ...... 31

Cover Photos John Gordon writes: Front Cover “I photographed this Sage Thrasher at Rannie Road and Koerner Rd in Pitt Meadows on May 3, 2018. It was one of two birds that hung around for a few days …. This was probably the fastest twitch I had ever been on. I arrived at the site but there was no one around so I went up on the dyke and the bird was sitting on the bush out in the open. I shot six frames before it moved farther along the dyke. I observed it for a few minutes before it flew off and fed along the pathway….

Back Cover “May 2018 has been an incredible month for Metro Vancouver birders. This beautiful male Lapland Longspur was photographed on Iona's south jetty on May 14, 2018. The bird was found a few days earlier and reported on vanbcbirds and hung around throughout the weekend despite the hundreds of walkers, dogs and cyclists passing close by.”

Page 3 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2) the choice of Hope for the 2018 been determined, it definitely ap- AGM seemed like a logical location pears that Interior BC and more nor- President’s to hold the event, being closer to the therly areas are more attractive loca- coast and to Vancouver Island. tions for the AGM for many of our However, at the time of writing this members. Message message, registration for the Hope I will be completing a two-year AGM/conference is about half of the term and stepping down as President Mike McGrenere, President attendance at the two previous at the Hope AGM. I would like to events. And the extension trip to the take this opportunity to thank all the The Annual General Meeting and Williams Lake area was cancelled dedicated volunteers who assist with conference in Hope will be under- because only a few people had the operation of the BCFO for their way around the time that this issue signed up for the three-day trip. support and participation. These in- of the newsmagazine is released. There appears to be a correlation clude both the Board and committee The AGM is the highlight event of with the attendance at our AGMs members, most of whose names are the BCFO calendar providing oppor- and the proximity of the AGM loca- listed in the front pages of this tunities to see some great birds on tion to Vancouver and Victoria. The newsmagazine. Please take the op- the field trips, reacquaint yourself Parksville AGM in 2005, the Sidney portunity to recognize and thank with birding friends from other parts (2013) and Pemberton (2014) them the next time you see them. of the province, meet new members, AGMs all had low attendance and I look forward to seeing the con- and enjoy the hospitality offered by the Hope AGM is following this pat- ference attendees at this year’s the Hope Golf and Country Club. tern. These locations are within a AGM and enjoying some quality The previous two AGMs held in day’s trip for Vancouver and/or Vic- birding in the Hope area. Cranbrook and Tumbler Ridge had toria members and the familiarity of our largest attendance as well as ex- birds within this distance may not be cellent participation in the extension as attractive to some members as the Below: A Black-winged Stilt spotted in trips. The locations were about as diversity of birds found in other are- the El Rocio area of southern Spain, far east and as far north as we could as of the province. Although the lo- March 2018. CNK photo. hold the AGMs. With that in mind, cation of next year’s AGM has not

Page 4 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2) Notes

BCFO Directors Meetings

BCFO Two-day Trips Directors have agreed to drop the $10 charge for members attending BCFO two-day trips. The charge had proved something of an administrative nui- sance, it did not serve a clear purpose, and attendance was felt to be a member benefit rather than a money-raiser. Conservation & Education Fund Directors recognized that most of their meeting time was inevitably taken up with operational matters, which left too little to focus on the best use of the Conservation and Education fund. As a result it was agreed that a proposal would be put to the AGM to create a senior committee whose role would be to promote the existence of the fund, actively seek out suitable funding opportunities, further develop policies for conservation/education expenditures, and ensure that funds are dispensed in an appropriate and timely fashion. Birds Records Committee The BRC had proposed opening a com- BC Birding Editorial team petition to raise awareness of the correct This a belated introduction to Virginia Rasch, who goes through the draft of this steps to follow in making a Rare Bird newsmagazine with a magnifying glass (she would never allow a cliché like “fine- Report. The boards endorsed this: de- tooth comb” to slip past her) to keep errors and infelicities at bay. Virginia is a tails can be found on pages 6–7. freelance editor and copy-editor, but gives her services for free to this publication. The sister publication to this news- Virginia is not just an avid birder, but a naturalist in general, currently acting as magazine, British Columbia Birds, Vol- Vice-President of BC Nature. Any members needing her editorial services for ume 28, has included a fifteen-page business purposes – or perhaps if you’ve a book in the offing – are encouraged to report from the Birds Records Commit- contact her at [email protected]. tee – the fifth report since the Commit- tee was reinstated in 2013. Decisions were made on 68 records, and 56 were accepted. Correct eBirding Cats, Birds and Mice Chris Siddle distributed on bcintbird UNBC has received pilot funding to another useful note about correct eBird- start a study in Prince George to test the Visiting Arizona? ing, which is worth repeating here. He effectiveness of Birds-be-safe cat pointed out that the “Stationary” catego- collars. These collars work on the Thor Manson has written to say that ry must be used to cover a specific peri- premise that birds see a lot more shades since he has moved to Arizona, he will od of sustained watching. Those of us of colour than do rodents (which are no longer be able to participate in that glance out of the window on and technically colour blind), and so pro- BCFO activities. However, he is now a off through the day, and then add up the duce a warning to birds without volunteer with Tucson Audubon and bits of time, are eBirding incorrectly. reducing the ability of cats to catch Birdpal, and has already helped some Full details, which include the use of mice. The collars are far from offensive; BC birders on their trips to the area. He the “Incidental” category for those in fact some owners put them on their glances, can be found at: cats because they are fun and decora- says he gets a lot of requests, but will always prioritize BC birders. tive. help.ebird.org/customer/portal/ See www.birdsbesafe.com for de- If members would like help filling articles/2241206?t=400913 tails of the product. out their ABA lists in SE Arizona, he can be contacted at thorman- [email protected]. Page 5 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2)

Bird Records Committee Competition

a bird so far out of range that nobody sort of digital camera when they go really expected one to show up—ever. birding, be it a DSLR or a smartphone. George Clulow The perils of migrating and navigating Many rare birds are now documented long distances through often dangerous with a photograph – even ones hastily Win a Membership to weather conditions makes birds prone to taken by holding a smartphone camera appearing suddenly in unexpected to one’s binoculars. Moreover, smart- BCFO places. It is this thrill of discovery that phones in a pinch can be used to make The BCFO Bird Records Committee is motivates many birders. Documenting reasonable field audio recordings, and looking for more reports of provincially the occurrence of a rare or unusual bird, voice memo apps can be used to dictate rare birds. We know they’re out there! however, is an acquired skill, something your notes without taking your eyes off To support this effort the BRC is that may not come naturally, but rather the bird. But just because the announcing a new contest. It’s very is learned as one becomes a better and technology exists, doesn’t mean that simple to enter; just follow the rules more skilled birder. On the other hand, birders are utilizing it to its full below: taking detailed field notes might seem potential, and doesn’t mean that too much like “work,” squeezing the “classic” field tools – that of notebook • Each fully-completed Rare Bird Re- fun and joy out of our hobby. Here we and paper – are any less relevant today. port Form submitted counts as one provide a few thoughts on documenting Looking back 30 years at previous contest entry. a rare or unusual bird with the aim to rare bird reports it’s clear that much has • Reports from any time period are keep this process in line with the rest of changed. On one hand accompanying desired, but must be of species on your birding—fun! photos were almost as rare as the the Review List—see bcfo.ca/review A digital existence, from birding rarities they were documenting; on the -list – or be wild birds new to the apps and smartphones to social media other, written reports were detailed and province. and digital cameras, have revolutionized at times exhaustive. Nowadays we have the documentation of rare birds. A large the reverse: almost all submitted • Reports may not duplicate records percentage of birders now carry some documentation is supported with at least already reviewed by the BRC (see website). Is it Reportable?

Three prizes of a one-year membership Should a bird seen previously in BC, such as this Indigo Bunting, be reported to may be won. The contest is open to both the BRC? If in doubt, check bcfo.ca/review-list. The Bunting is indeed one of the non-members and current members of 157 species included in the Review List. BCFO. Note: you do not need to be the This Indigo Bunting was spotted by Anne Hogan on her deck in Prince George original finder of a bird to submit a on May 2, and subsequently photographed by husband Bob Steventon. report on it. The contest ends December 31, 2018, when a random draw will be made for the three memberships from all eligible entries. Memberships won in the contest may be used to start a new one-year membership, extend an existing membership for one year, or be a renewal for one year. An example of a fully completed Rare Bird Report can be found at bcfo.ca/brc-contest-and-guide-to-taking -field-notes.

Remember, pictures are great and strongly encouraged, but so too are written descriptions.

On Taking Field Notes

Many birders dream of “hitting the jackpot”: stumbling onto a mega-rarity, Page 6 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2) one photo, but the written Habits: What was the bird’s behaviour? wings and tail, then soft parts. The documentation is generally weak to How did it move, fly, walk, patter, dive, information that you obtain in the field practically non-existent. Many assume feed? Did it probe in the mud or pick while studying the bird—all of it— that a photo is sufficient evidence. from the surface? Was it probing in the become the foundation for one’s Rare Photos, however, do not tell the full bark or gleaning from the underside of Bird Report submission. You include story that only a detailed written report leaves? Describe anything and only what you saw and wrote down, not can. Is this decline in the written everything it was doing, by itself or what you should have seen upon documentation of rare birds due to time during its interactions (if any) with opening a field guide. Avoid the constraints? Procrastination? Not other species. temptation to change something that knowing what, how, or more you think you saw, or think you should importantly, why? We assume the Identification flashes: These are field have seen, only because you saw it answer to be an amalgam of all these marks: distinctive patterns on head, mentioned in a book. The importance of reasons. This is hardly surprising. After wings, tail, body, flashes of colour or describing the bird before looking at all, it can sometimes feel like “all work pattern that allow a bird to be identified. published references cannot be stressed and no play.” enough. This is not the time when, Many decades ago, we came across Sounds: Describe as best you can having checked your trusty Sibley everything you heard. James Fisher and Roger Tory Peterson’s guide, you say to yourself: “Hmmm… “the note-taker field drill.” We have not Important details: soft part details yeah. Come to think of it, that bird I seen it in any on-line resource. This is a (shape and colour of the bill, eye colour, saw did have a notched tail.” pity because it encapsulates all one orbital ring, leg shape and colour). Channelling biases such as these are all needs to take good field notes. It had a too easy to do, even when we’re not huge influence on how we take field Tail and wings: describe their shapes, aware we’re doing it. notes and we apply these skills today. length, colour and patterns Practise the WHICH IS IT? and DO It’s easy to forget what you need to (identification flashes [i.e. field marks]), IT! note-taking drill on common birds write down when you’re in the are often found here. so that you’ll be ready for when you adrenalin-charged moment of find that Rustic Bunting. It’s extremely discovering a rare bird. Did the bird This information will strengthen and important to learn the basic topography have wingbars? Was the tail notched or support your identification. Additional of a bird. Learn where the various rounded? Drat! I forgot to look at the details make for a more thorough and feather tracts are and how together they tail! Here then are a couple of complete rare bird submission: form patterns of colour that are mnemonics to help you remember what important to clinch an identification. All you need to scribble down in your DO IT! field guides have an introductory notebook (or dictate into your section where one can learn a bird’s smartphone): “WHICH IS IT?” and “DO Distance: how far were you from the topography. Knowing this will greatly bird? IT!” Run the drill before you look at a facilitate note taking and provide a field guide. The idea is to get as much logical structure to describing a rare detail as possible before the bird Optics: list all optics you used bird. After even a little practice, you’ll disappears. These simple mnemonics (binoculars, spotting scope, camera, be amazed at how quickly and etc). will help you get it all down: accurately you can describe a bird. Forcing us to look more closely at birds nstant of observation: The time of day I improves our observational skills and WHICH IS IT? and duration of observation. Here adds an extra dimension of enjoyment include lighting conditions (sunny, to our birding. Where and when? Locality and date. overcast and direction of light relative

Habitat: freshwater marsh, deciduous to the observer and to the bird). You can For further information about rare birds woodland, tidal flats, backyard feeding also quickly note the weather in British Columbia and their reporting, station, etc. conditions, again, in a general sense head to bcfo.ca and follow the BRC (rain, sun, snow, etc). drop-down tab. Impression: What is the bird’s general eam: list all the observers who were appearance? Small-headed, big body? T Long and skinny? Brightly coloured and with you, if relevant. gaudy or simply plain grey-brown all Congratulations over? Just some general thoughts on These mnemonics can form a mental template for getting as much as possible what it looked like in a broad general Congratulations to Bridget Spencer and sense. “It was all black with a yellow immediately into your field notebook while you’re still looking at the bird. Isaac Nelson for winning places in the head” or “It was a streaky little brown Long Point Bird Observatory Doug job” for example. Don’t rely on memory. The order in which you describe the bird doesn’t Tarry Young Ornithologists Award Program. There are just six places on Comparison: How big is it? Note this in really matter so long as it’s logical to you. The preferred method for some is this program for youth across Canada. relation to some well-known species, or Other young birders in the BCFO Young better yet, compared to birds that are to start with the general impression, Birder program have previously won nearby for direct comparison. then work into the details, beginning places: Liron Gerstman, Joshua Brown, with the head, then moving on to Cole Gaerber and Logan Lalonde. describe the upperparts, underparts, Page 7 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2)

Expected Species How the Trips Work The trip focus is on Fall migrants including peeps, Pectoral Sandpiper, BCFO BCFO two-day field trips are member Long-billed Dowitcher, American Pipit, -led, but participants make their own Vaux's Swift, Parasitic Jaeger, Wood Two-day Trips arrangement for accommodation, Duck, and many more. food, and travel. Accommodation • Day 1: all-day birding and then For overall convenience, the guides Sunshine Coast evening get together at a restaurant suggest: September 15–16, 2018 to recap the day and tally species. • Royal Reach Motel, 5758 Wharf Rd, • Day 2: morning birding, afternoon Sechelt. 604-885-7844. Leaders optional birding. Tony Greenfield & John Hodges. Alternative accommodation:

Registration Carpooling is encouraged and will be • The Driftwood Inn, 5454 Trail Ave, Adrian Leather, 250-249-5561, q- arranged on the morning of Day 1. Sechelt. 604-885-5811. [email protected] Register at least two weeks in ad- • Bayside Campground and RV Park, Itinerary vance. The leader will give specific 6040 Sechelt Inlet Rd. 604-885- details of when and where to meet. 7444. Saturday AM: Roberts Creek Jetty, Wil- . son Creek Estuary, Mission Point. Cost: No charge for members; $30 Bag Lunch. charge for non-members to cover BCFO membership. Saturday PM: Porpoise Bay Provincial Park, Sechelt Marsh, The Shores. Tally- For insurance reasons, all participants up at Saffron Restaurant, 5755 Cowrie on BCFO field trips need to sign a St, Sechelt. 604-740-0660. waiver.

Sunday AM: Smugglers Cove, Sargeant Bay. Bag Lunch. Note – The itinerary may change due to Sunday PM: Mahan Trail in Gibsons. tides, weather, and recent sightings.

Photos

Above: One of the Spotted Owls at the Langley Northern Spotted Owl Breed- ing project. (John Gordon Photo) You can see live views of a growing chick through the project’s webcam at:

fwcp.ca/owlwebcam.

Left: This Short-tailed Albatross was photographed by Melisssa Hafting at Clayquot Canyon on March 24, 2018. Melissa with another dozen people had chartered a boat from Ocean Outfitters of Tofino with the intention of finding Parakeet Auklets. Finding three Short- tails instead, along with 400 Black- footed Albatrosses, was more than ade- quate compensation.

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• BC Cascades birding tours only to professional ornithologists. For To check out the full offering of tours a good flavour of the science of the IO Congress go to www.iocongress2018.com/tours. Congress, most of us will find a one- day pass sufficient. In addition, some of our Young Birder If you are interested in obtaining a George Clulow Award winners will be featured in Fes- one-day ticket, or tickets, please contact tival events. George Clulow. Contact information is The International Ornithological Con- The Congress meets quadrennially, found in the Members area of the gress is considered the most prestigious like the Olympics, and in the ornitho- BCFO website. meeting of bird scientists in the world. logical world is an equivalent in status One-day tickets will be allocated to The upcoming meeting in Vancouver and importance. The 27th Congress will members requesting them at 20 per day this August is going to be a landmark, be the first time it has convened on the for each of Tuesday, Wednesday, once-in-a-lifetime event, offering an West Coast of the Americas – a once-in Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of the alignment of science and the general -a-lifetime event indeed. Congress. One-day passes will not public unique in the 134-year history of “Birds as a Gateway to Nature” is the grant access to Congress Registration the Congress. guiding theme of the first Vancouver Block, nor the Canada Evening. Not only will an expected ~2,000 Bird Festival (www.vanbirdfest.com) The full conference schedule with delegates mix with other pre-eminent which will run concurrently with the details of presentations will be available ornithologists from around the world to Congress. Festival events at the Van- on the Congress website in the next few share cutting-edge international science, couver Convention Centre and around weeks. Please hold your requests until but also this august group will join tens the city will showcase of the best of you are able to choose the day you wish of thousands of the public in the Van- avian science, art, film, stories, music, to attend. When making a request for a couver International Bird Festival, innovations, conservation, food, travel, ticket, please specify the exact date you which will run concurrently with the photography and optical equipment, to wish to attend. Tickets for multiple Congress. The events will jointly ex- name a few. days are possible, if space is available plore and celebrate the connections of Programming for the Festival fea- on a particular day. July 15 is the cut- “all our lives with those of the world’s tures renowned speakers such as Mar- off date for requests for these compli- birds.” garet Atwood, Purnima Barman, Jen- mentary tickets. BCFO has been involved from the nifer Ackerman and the “Birds for Finally, BCFO will have a compli- very early planning days supporting the Peace” team. Daily signature events mentary booth in the Expo area of the Congress with an early cash donation, include Aboriginal and First Nations Convention Centre. We need a member and thereby becoming one of only sev- performances, Artists for Conserva- to volunteer to person this booth for a en Congress Associates. Beyond cash, tion’s deafeningly dramatic “Silent period of time for each day of the Con- we were among the first to organize for Skies” mural, the launch of a new series gress. Again, please contact George the Congress a range of tours for the of Birds of Canada stamps, a magnifi- Clulow if you are interested. delegates. cent opening parade with over 100 All the above is to say that you We have organized, provided lead- youth in bird costumes on stilts, the might want to plan a Vancouver visit ers for, and have done the important Bird Expo, bird art, and photographic this August, and pick up on the excite- groundwork for the following birding- exhibitions and competitions. ment of the Congress and the Festival. focussed tours: What does all this mean for BCFO The Vancouver International Bird Fair members? Well, beyond the prestige of will, as outlined above, have a huge • Vancouver Island / West Coast Pela- being an important part of the Con- range of events. Most of them will be gic Birding Tour gress, we will have available, for mem- free. • Okanagan with Dick Cannings (MP) bers in good standing, a total of 100 Note: At time of going to press, the partnering with Avocet Tours complimentary, one-day tickets to the Congress. Each ticket would cost $200 VIBF website is still under construc- • Fraser River Delta, Boundary Bay: if purchased. Also, we have a very, very tion. You can check it out at: Shorebirds Focus limited number of full Congress passes www.vanbirdfest.com • North Shore Mountains birding available. These are likely of interest

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June 23 – First WESTPORT SEABIRDS pelagic birding trip of the summer from Westport, WA. Westport Seabirds will Upcoming Meetings be operating about 22 trips in 2018 from February through October. For the trip schedule and other information, please check the website at westportseabirds.com. & Events Aug. 19-20 – ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WATERBIRD SOCIETY, Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, BC Compiled by Wayne C. Weber (in conjunction with the IOC). For details, check the society The following meetings and other events are those that take website at waterbirds.org/annual-meeting. place in BC and immediately adjacent areas or that potential- Aug. 19-26 – 27th INTERNATIONAL ORNITHOLOGICAL ly include information on birds that occur in BC. Information CONGRESS, Vancouver, BC. This gathering of ornithol- on additional meetings is listed in the bimonthly Ornithologi- ogists from all over the world is a “must” for anyone with a cal Newsletter at www.birdmeetings.org and on the BIRD- scientific interest in birds. For information and to register, NET website at www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/ornith/ please visit the IOC website at www.iocongress2018.com. birdmeet.html. For most meetings, festivals and other events, the website Sept. 14-16 – PUGET SOUND BIRD FESTIVAL, Edmonds, is the main source of information, and registration can often WA. For information and to register (starting August 1) be accomplished online as well. Wherever information can be check the festival website at www.pugetsoundbirdfest.org, or obtained through a phone number or email address, we have contact Jennifer Leach at the City of Edmonds Parks Dept. included these as well; if no contact information is listed, it (phone 425-771-0227), or email her at can be assumed that none was provided by the organization, [email protected]. at least not on the date when this listing was compiled. It is usually not necessary to contact a particular individual, ex- Sept. 16 – PELAGIC BIRDING TRIP from Ucluelet, BC on cept for scientific meetings when one is interested in making the MV Frances Barkley, organized by Nature Alberta. Tick- a presentation. Names and contact information for individuals ets may be purchased at www.eventbrite.ca/e/nature-alberta- are listed whenever they are available. pelagic-trip-tickets-41032135221. For additional info, questions, comments or concerns, please contact the pelagic trip coordinator, James Fox at [email protected]. June 1-3 – BC FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS ANNUAL GEN- ERAL MEETING, Hope, BC. For further information, please Sept. 20-23 – FALL GENERAL MEETING, BC NATURE, check the BCFO website (bcfo.ca). Kelowna, BC, hosted by the Central Okanagan Naturalists.

June 2 – OKANAGAN MOUNTAIN PARK BIRD BLITZ. Full details should be in the summer issue of BC Nature mag- This annual survey of the birds of Okanagan Mountain Pro- azine, check the BC Nature website later at vincial Park near Kelowna has been held every year since www.bcnature.ca, or contact the office at [email protected]. 1993, except for two years after the huge 2003 wildfire. For information or to participate, contact the organizer, Les Sept. 26-30 – ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF WESTERN Gyug, at [email protected], or phone him at 250-769-5907. FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS at Ventura, California. For fur-

June 7-11 – WASHINGTON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY ther details, check the WFO website at www.westernfieldornithologists.org/conference.php. annual conference, Hood River, Oregon. For information, visit the WOS website at wos.org/annual-conference/current- Sept. 28-30 – ANNUAL MEETING OF OREGON BIRDING year. ASSOCIATION, Garibaldi, OR (near Tillamook). For details June 7-9 – WILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY annual and to register, check the Oregon Birding Association website (www.orbirds.org) at a later date. meeting at the Chattanooga Convention Centre, Chattanooga, Tennessee. For further information, check the WOS website Oct. 7-11 – 25th ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE WILD- at wilsonsociety.org/meetings/2018-meeting . LIFE SOCIETY, Cleveland, Ohio. For information, check the TWS conference page at wildlife.org/2018-conference. June 7-9 – ASSOCIATION OF FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS annual meeting, jointly with Wilson Ornithological Society, Nov. 17-18 – 23rd FRASER VALLEY BALD EAGLE FESTI- at Chattanooga, Tennessee. For information, check the AFO VAL, Harrison Mills, BC. For information, check the festival website at afonet.org/wp_english/meetings. website at fraservalleybaldeaglefestival.ca, send an email to [email protected], phone 604-826-7361, June 8-10 – BIENNIAL MOUNT ROBSON BIRD BLITZ. For or write the Mission Chamber of Commerce, 34033 information, contact Gail Ross at [email protected], or Lougheed Highway, Mission, BC V2V 5X8. Nancy Krueger at 250-563-7896. Dec. 14 to Jan. 5 (2019) – CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS. For June 15-17 – MANNING PARK BIRD BLITZ, Manning Pro- information on dates of counts and contact information for vincial Park, BC (based at Loneduck Campground on Light- count organizers, check the BCFO website in November and ning Lake). For information and to register, check the website December, or check the December issue of BC Birding. at hopemountain.org/programs/manning-park-bird-blitz-june -15-17-2018. Inquiries may be made by email to La Vern at [email protected] or by phone at 604-869-1274.

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Ptarmigan – Rock, Willow, and White- I recently gave a lecture to a grade sev- tailed – during a family vacation in en class to introduce them to birding, Young Birder Northern BC. Daniel has gone birding and I organized a one-hour activity in several locations, including China, about birds with them. I am also return- where he got fifty lifers in one day with ing to Costa Rica this summer for six Program his uncle Tom. His favourite places to weeks to do some research, hopefully bird are Tuyttens Road and Cheam on birds. As an active member of the Wetlands Regional Park in Agassiz. global birding community, I have also YB Awards He has volunteered at the Fraser been birding around the world (Costa Valley Bald Eagle Festival in Harrison Rica, Portugal, France, Spain, Israel, George Clulow Mills, and at Cheam Wetlands where he Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, has helped clean the park after an ice Austria, Canada, the US, etc) and have We are delighted to present below the storm and helped in building the south participated in birding tours in most of BCFO Young Birder Award recipients entrance to the park. Every year he par- these places. As well, I have participat- for 2018. ticipates in the Chilliwack and the Ab- ed in Christmas Bird Counts, and in botsford Christmas Bird Counts. His eBird’s Global Big Day. I have emailed All these young birders have: uncles Jim and Dave Beeke mentor him sightings to Melissa Hafting for the BC and help him with bird identification Rare Bird Alert. I have introduced bird- • demonstrated exceptional observa- questions. He has been birding for six ing to my family (close and extended), tional and birding skills well beyond years and participates in the Fraser Val- and to friends. All these things advance the “novice” level; ley Birding forum and enjoys posting the birding community as I contribute • shown substantive engagement in photos to his Flickr account. He uses to the global knowledge of birds and the activities of the birding commu- eBird every time he birds, and is pas- help spread this knowledge to others. nity through their accomplishments, sionate about citizen science. His fa- By making connections and participat- participation, and contributions; vourite type of birding is to scan a large ing in birding around the world, I am flock of birds to find which species is also bringing the birding community • been nominated and sponsored by a different. He loves that challenge. His closer together. BCFO member, and approved by entire family are birders and have the Executive Committee. helped to inspire him to be the birder he See is today. jerichobirdingtours.wordpress.com The Awards Program, now in its fifth year and totalling 27 awardees, contin- See flickr.com/ ues to grow as we find many young, photos/139279299@N04 Cedar Forest, age 13, Tofino keen, committed birders from around Nominated by Melissa Hafting BC. Each recipient receives a free membership to BCFO until age 18, a Cedar first demonstrated her enthusi- memorial plaque, and a stylish BCFO Zachary Fedder, age 17, Vancouver asm and knowledge of birds on the Sep- ball cap. Nominated by Jared Hobbs tember 2017 Ucluelet Pelagic trip when she was quick enough to spot the Manx In alphabetical order, the BCFO Young Zac says about himself: Shearwater that hardly any adults were Birder Award recipients for 2018 are as able to get on. She is a very intelligent, follows: sharp birder with an engaging and hu-

Daniel Beeke, age 16, Agassiz Nominated by Melissa Hafting

Daniel first distinguished himself when he managed to see all three species of

Page 11 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2) morous personality. Very good at spe- about the species and about all the birds Marnix Vandereyk, age 16, Langley cies identification, she loves to bird present on Okanagan Lake was impres- Nominated by Melissa Hafting with her best friend, Toby Theriault sive. He knew the migration routes and (2017 Young Birder Award winner). nesting behaviours and other fun facts Marnix loves to count birds and partic- However, she is also a fantastic solo about the Little Gull. He loves to bird ularly loves to come on hiking field birder, having found a Tropical King- the ABA area and recently went to Baf- trips in the mountains. He volunteers to bird this year in her hometown of Tofi- fin Island and Florida. do trail clearing with the Langley Field no, and has a BC list that many adults Kalin birds almost daily near his Naturalists. A polite, helpful and re- could only dream of. She has done sev- home in Kelowna and he is very pas- spectful birder, Marnix knows a lot not eral pelagic trips with her friend Adrian sionate about bird conservation. Under only about birds and their identification Dorst and has seen many Black-footed every photo he posts to Instagram, he but is also proficient in the identifica- and Laysan Albatrosses. Living in Tofi- educates the reader about the bird’s tion and habits of amphibians and no, a great migrant trap, she has spotted plight and issues the species is facing. mammals. He is usually the first one to many of the rarities that frequently He also provides little-known informa- spot a Pika or Hoary Marmot on hikes show up there. Cedar also loves to bird tive facts. He definitely is a future con- planned to spot ptarmigan. Marnix en- with her friend and mentor Ian Cruick- servation leader and nature steward for joys working on the farm at home shank, who has taught her a lot about the Okanagan and Province of BC. where he raises calves, sheep and rab- birds. Cedar went on a trip to Manning bits. He has found many uncommon Provincial Park with the Delta Natural- See www.instagram.com/ birds on his property such as Town- ists in August 2017. President Tom birdz.okanagan send’s Solitaires, House Wrens and Bears commented that she was so good White-winged Crossbills. As a well- she became the leader for the group of rounded nature enthusiast, Marnix will ten adult birders on the tour. She spot- Jason Roos, 14, Chilliwack no doubt continue to add to the under- ted all the birds and plants, and ex- Nominated by Melissa Hafting standing of BC’s wildlife and birdlife. plained them well to everyone. Truly impressive at 13 years old. She is an- Jason, whose favourite type of birding other young birder in the province who is owling, has a vast knowledge of will make us proud for many years to birds. His volunteer work includes the come. Chilliwack Christmas Bird Count in which he has participated for 5 years. He has also volunteered with the Eagle Festival in Harrison Mills. Jason uses Kalin Ocana, age 15, Kelowna eBird every time he goes birding, and is Nominated by Melissa Hafting

Kalin is a generous and helpful young passionate about citizen science. He birder. The nominator first met him loves to bird with his cousin Daniel while twitching a Little Gull in Pentic- (also nominated in 2018). His uncle, ton. As soon as she got to the lake to Dave Beeke, is his birding mentor, and open up her scope, Kalin came running has taught him a lot about birds and to show her where the bird was. He had identification. His whole family loves found an American Dipper there as to bird and is very supportive of his well. As they looked at the Little Gull hobby. Jason will be a valuable contrib- together, the knowledge he showed utor in the future to BC’s birding community.

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Harlequin Ducks, Bald Eagles and at Long-billed Curlew. We could not find YB Overnight Trip least 40 Black Oystercatchers it but we had many Townsend’s vocalizing. Black Turnstones, 17 Red- Warblers and over 20 Semipalmated To Tofino necked Phalaropes and Marbled Plovers. We also saw Sanderling, Murrelets were also present. Dunlin, Least and Western Sandpipers. May 11–12, 2018 The sun was shinning and it was a The youth were really hoping to see a We started eagerly on Friday at the beautiful day. Toby and Cedar were in wolf in Tofino but the tides weren’t Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal en route to the front, happy as ever spotting all the right (as they prefer to feed at low tide Tofino via Nanaimo for our pelagic. At birds for us. Toby and Cedar’s attitudes with the bears) and they are an elusive the compensation lagoon in are so uplifting they made any kids who animal, but we couldn’t complain after Tsawwassen, we saw one late female were feeling down happy as ever. You our great day. A big thank you to Mary Long-tailed Duck, 1 Black Scoter and just can’t be sad around these two. Forest for helping us out this day in Greater White-fronted Goose, As we drove out we saw Pacific, Tofino. Semipalmated Sandpiper, a Whimbrel, Red-throated and Common Loons and On the ferry home, we had at least Brant, Harlequins and many Black Red-necked Grebes in breeding 200 Common Terns and a Parasitic Oystercatchers. We got in to the plumage. The Pacific Loons truly are Jaeger as highlights. It was a nice way Whalers on the Point Guesthouse stunning. We saw many Brandt’s and to end our unexpected but great trip. and met the others. We were all excited Double-crested and Pelagic The youth learned a valuable lesson, for the pelagic the next morning. Cormorants, Brant Geese, Surf and that there is always something good to Well...our pelagic got cancelled at White-winged Scoters and a Western come out of disappointment. 6:15 am on Saturday; the same day we Sandpiper as well. were supposed to be going out at 7 am. The highlights were two Ruddy The disappointment by all was an Turnstones spotted by Bridget Spencer understatement. On top of that, there and two Wandering Tattlers spotted by Future YB 2018 Events: was heavy fog in town, making shorebirding impossible. My friend Mark Wynja had done some pre- • June 30: Manning Park scouting for us and when we tried to check it out ourselves an hour later, it • July 14: Princeton Trip (August and was still socked in. We did see an Swan Lakes) Osprey and Blue-winged Teal, a few • August 4: Pemberton Ptarmigan Whimbrel and Western Sandpipers Hike–Semaphore Lakes/Locomotive through the heavy fog but that was it; Mtn so I decided to try for a plan B. • August 22: Bowen Island – Bird By We had eleven kids from as far Kayak away as Kelowna here and I was trying to keep morale high. I called the Whale Bridget Spencer and Cole Gaerber plus • Sept 8: Hike – Mt Cheam Centre and we got on a birdwatching six Tufted Puffins Bridget and I spotted • Sept 22: Sooke Hawk Watch – Final tour to Cleland. There were four-metre together. The Tufted Puffins were a trip of the year swells at the continental shelf so we lifer for eight of the youth. couldn't go out to pelagic waters. After thanking Captain John for a Another year when we couldn’t get a great trip, we said goodbye to Toby and Above: Wandering Tattler by Cole Black-footed Albatross (on our last Cedar and headed for the ferry. On the Gaerber pelagic somehow we got a Manx way back to the ferry we stopped at Below: Tufted Puffin by Melissa Shearwater but not a single Albatross) Wick Beach to look for the reported Hafting. but we wanted to make lemonade out of lemons and that we did. John Forde was a great captain and he took us out to Cleland Island. At Cleland Island the water was very rough and we could see why the pelagic was cancelled. The green waves and rocks reminded us of Hawaii. We found many marine mammals: Sea Otters, huge Steller Sea Lions (especially the bulls), Californian Sea Lions and Harbour Seals and many birds. We saw hundreds of Pigeon Guillemots and many Common Murres that were sitting on the rocks like penguins. We also saw many Rhinoceros Auklets, Glaucous-winged, Olympic, Mew and Herring Gulls, Page 13 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2)

gasbord of new species, including Mon- nosed Coatis (they look like raccoons) tezuma Oropendola, Golden-hooded in the garden. My dad spotted another Quetzals & Tanager, Clay-coloured Thrush, Black- of our “golden birds” – the Snowcap – cheeked Woodpecker, and Tropical feeding in some nearby Verbena bush- Gnatcatcher. We walked past streams of es. I quietly ran there – what a special Coffee leafcutter ants and found a Scarlet- hummer! Finally, the sky cleared, and thighed Dacnis, as well as a fleeting we checked out the trails and the back- glimpse of a Grey-headed Chachalaca. yard of a nearby cottage. Birding in Costa Rica A staffer there pointed us to the lake. Lifers were all over, including Hook We drove past scores of Ruddy-ground -billed Kite, Green-crowned Brilliant, Doves and a Red-billed Pigeon. Our Emerald Tanager, Blackburnian War- Adam Dhalla (BCFO Young Birder) stroll around the wetlands was awe- bler, and yet another golden bird – some – loads of adult and baby North- Green Thorntail! Harry surprised us by With over 900 recorded species in an ern Jacanas, Purple Gallinules, and, gently poking a stick in a hole to draw area five percent the size of BC, my dad hidden from obvious view in deep foli- out an Orange-kneed Tarantula. We and I were hyped to go birding in Costa age, two Boat-billed Herons, one of our even got to see a Crowned Woodnymph Rica for nine days this past Christmas. target “golden birds!” bathing near a waterfall. We wrapped That hype was somewhat lost during The steep and bumpy dirt road up to up that area by driving around to local our usual “air-pains” – three long econ- Rancho was a birder’s paradise, with streams where Harry said we might find omy flights, coupled with our suitcases Bay-Headed, Passerini’s and Palm Tan- a Sunbittern – after two fails (but we temporarily going missing – again! agers flying back and forth. We even did spot a Fasciated Tiger-Heron), we (This makes a hat trick – our bags were spotted Black-cowled Oriole and Yel- were gifted with the sight of this gor- also delayed on trips to Hawaii and Ari- low-bellied Elaenia. After nearly tem- geous bird hopping from rock to rock in zona.) Still, not having a tripod wasn’t porarily getting stuck in a ditch, we the water near a soccer field. The day going to stop us from getting out in were blown away when our host ended at Hotel Bougainvillea back in the sun quickly to bird at Parque de showed us our room – near the door, a San Jose after a long drive. But we Metropolitano de Sabana. Despite the large hummingbird feeder was buzzing pushed ourselves to walk in their ex- crowds of picnicking “ticos” (slang for with Crowned Woodnymphs, Green- pansive garden in the dark and were Costa Ricans), the place didn’t disap- Breasted Mangos, and White-Necked rewarded with our first sighting of Les- point, delivering 15 lifers, including Jacobins. Our final birds before a sup- son’s Motmot. excellent views of Black-bellied Whis- per of “pinto gallo” (rice & beans) and After videoing a hilarious Yellow- tling Duck, Great Kiskadee, and Rufous some much-needed sleep were an ag- headed Caracara trying to attack its re- -collared Sparrow. gressive Violet Sabrewing harassing the flection on a roof duct, we drove south- Day two was highly anticipated – smaller hummers and a single Chesnut- east to Tarcoles River for Jose’s Croco- we were headed for “birding Mecca” headed Oropendola sharing rice and dile Tour. We stopped at a bridge over- Rancho Naturalista lodge. We woke up bananas with some Montezumas. looking the river and joined the dozens at 4 am, had a free hotel cookie and Rain and fog, common in the cloud of people gawking at the crocs below – water and were on our way. As we forests, even in “dry season,” delayed spooky! The dirt road to José’s provid- walked to our rented SUV, we spotted our tour with local guide Harry Barnard ed excellent birding – Groove-billed Inca Doves and Blue-and-white Swal- the next morning. We passed the time Ani, Rufous-naped Wren, and Hoff- lows nesting in a nearby building. After eating fried plantains and watching man’s Woodpecker. The tour was even my dad got used to the lack of driving Tropical Parula, Summer Tanager, Col- better. In addition to watching Jose’s rules, poor signage and unexpected lared Aracari, Chestnut-sided Warbler, fearless assistant Jimmy almost get highway tolls (luckily, we had Costa Olive-backed Euphonia and a White- killed feeding raw chicken to giant Rican coins), we got to a town close to American (freshwater) a last-minute stop, Ujarras ruins. We Crocodiles (don’t try got bogged down with GPS issues – this at home, folks), we this supposedly famous site did not saw Crested Caracara, show up on the screen. My dad used his Little Blue Heron, Ro- extremely poor Spanish to ask locals, seate Spoonbill, Man- and eventually a kind old man gave us grove Swallow, Neo- enough polite hand gestures to get us tropical Cormorant, there, and we even spotted some Road- Anhinga, Tricolored side Hawks and Black Vultures on the Heron, and Bare- way. The old church was beautiful and the Black Phoebes that playfully danced “… No self- along its dilapidated stone walls added respecting birder to its charm. Other lifers in the trees goes to Costa Rica there included Social Flycatcher and and doesn’t try to see Crimson-fronted Parakeet. a Resplendent Our next stop was C.A.T.I.E, a uni- Quetzal….” Adam versity biology research centre. The Dhalla photo. parking-lot trees alone featured a smor- Page 14 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2) throated Tiger Heron. We were even After that, we treated to a Basilisk Lizard doing his headed back to Save- “walk on water” routine. But the day gre for some trail wasn't over yet! While eating burritos at hiking. We found a local “restaurant,” three Scarlet Ma- tons of species, such caws flew in and ate figs in a nearby as Ornate Hawk- tree – talk about an excellent dessert! eagle, Barred Becard, And after seeing Gartered Trogon, Wil- Lineated Foliage let, Common Tody Flycatcher, Wilson’s Gleaner, Ochraceous and Collared Plover in the area, we ended Wren, and Buffy our birding with an amazing show of Tuftedcheeks. As we locals on a beach feeding fish scraps to wrapped up the walk flocks of Brown Pelicans and Magnifi- we came upon a fam- cent Frigatebirds, which swarmed, ily of Black-Handed fought, and sometimes caught the food in Spider Monkeys, mid-air. swinging through the Coffee addicts will want to emulate forest. Our day ended our first stop on day five – Finca Rosa with chasing a Tor- Blanca’s shade-grown coffee planta- rent Tyrannulet down tion, just north of the capital. Our guide a river, a meal at Ulises showed us the amazing benefits Miriam’s with a of this method (no pesticides, less ero- Large-footed Finch sion, and more birds), and we found right outside and a “...It started with a Margay, a small wild cat, just outside Squirrel Cuckoo, Mountain Elaenia, scary drive back to Arenal Observatory Lodge’s kitchen....” White-tipped Dove, and Golden- San Jose, due to a Adam Dhalla photo. browed Chlorophonia. No self- mudslide that had de- respecting birder goes to Costa Rica molished one side of the road! We drove to nearby La Fortuna for a and doesn’t try to see a Resplendent One can’t go to Costa Rica without sloth tour. We were lucky to spot sever- Quetzal. Our research told us Hotel visiting a volcano, so Arenal was our al of the two- and three-toed varieties. Savegre, in the highlands of the south- next excursion. We drove northwest, A tiny, dazzling Strawberry Poison east, offered us the best chance of find- past a Lineated Woodpecker, some Dart Frog was a delight. But we’re ing it, so we headed there next. Keel-billed Toucans and even a Yellow birders, so the best part of the tour was After a challenging drive on the -throated Toucan and arrived just in a photo session at some feeders: Russet long and winding road, we were re- time to hop on a tour. It started with a -naped Wood Rail, White-breasted warded by a spectacular vista – a cache Margay, a small wild cat, just outside Crake, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Buff- of bungalows nestled on a mountain- Arenal Observatory Lodge’s kitchen. throated Saltator, and many others side. We joined the birders there in pho- We climbed over dried lava to a view- feasted on bananas. Then, as we walked tographing Silver-throated, Flame-colored ing spot on the volcano, spotting Red- to our SUV, we spotted another gor- and Sooty-capped Tanager, Rufous- lored Amazon, White-throated Magpie geous lifer: Rufous-tailed Jacamar. browed Peppershrike, Acorn Woodpeck- Jay, Great Curassow, Boat-billed Fly- I was sad to have reached the last er, Yellow-thighed Finch, Slaty Flow- catcher, and other new species along day of our vacation. But we had one erpiercer, Collared Redstart, Talamanca the way. During the walk back down in last adventure in store – La Paz Water- & Volcano Hummingbird, and many the dark, we were amazed to find fire- fall Gardens, just north of San Jose. others. But our real hunt started early flies and nocturnal amphibians, such as Although it was raining hard, there the next day with Melvin, our guide. Cane T, Leopard Frog, and the striking were a few special moments. On the We loaded in the back of his truck and Red-eyed Tree Frog. way in, I got a great shot of a Prong- headed up the road. But no sign of a The next morning, we toured the billed Barbet and my dad was thrilled to Quetzal, “just” some giant Black Guans area with Nestor, a local guide. Species see a Black-and-White Warbler. We in a field. were somewhat reclusive, due to the had come for the opportunity to hand- Then Melvin got a call on his walkie cool weather, but we still spotted many feed hummers, using mini nectar feed- -talkie (cellphones don’t work well in lifers, such as White-throated Ant Tana- ers, shaped like flowers. We saw and/or the mountains) – another guide had ger, Rufous Mourner, Smoky-brown fed Coppery-headed Emerald, Black- spotted one nearby. We soon found a Woodpecker, Black-throated Green bellied Hummingbird, and White-bellied crowd of birders blocking the road, as Warbler, and Crested Guan. We ended Mountain Gem. Finally, the time came they searched desperately for it. After the tour by climbing a very tall and for the depressing drive to the airport. some poor long-distance looks, a gor- shaky lookout tower, where we spotted In the end, I found 203 lifers on the trip, geous male swooped in – finally, the White-crowned and Olive-throated Par- photographing most of them. If you golden bird of the trip! I got some pret- akeets. As we jumped in our vehicle to haven’t been to this very “birdy” coun- ty good pics and video. I also caught a leave, a construction worker pointed out try, add it to your bucket list immedi- fleeting glimpse of a Northern Emerald an Eyelash Viper on a tree – small and ately. And be sure to visit my website Toucanet. No photo, but at least I could deadly, but luckily, not aggressive, at (adamdhalla.com) for more photos from add another special lifer to my list. least not today. this trip.

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exotic birds, or rare ones, or representa- New Caledonia is a French territory tives of all the families of birds in the situated about 1,200 km off the east Chasing Endemics world. I figured that chasing endemics coast of Australia. It’s tropical and was a worthwhile goal. There’s some- consists of a number of islands, one in New Caledonia thing very satisfying in finding a bird large and some much smaller ones. The that can’t be seen in any other part of main island, where we spent all our Val George the world. If it’s a rare or exotic bird, time, is about the size and shape of which it might well be if it’s endemic to Vancouver Island with a population Most birders have targets for the lists a country or region, that adds to the about a third of Vancouver Island’s. they keep. This especially applies to pleasure of experiencing it. And, of The habitats range from ocean and their global life lists. One thousand spe- course, by definition, it enhances your coastal savannah lowlands (including cies is the obvious first really signifi- life list. agricultural land) to wet evergreen for- cant target for new listers. Two thou- My life list of endemics is already ests that ascend to the tops of the moun- sand would probably be the next, and looking quite respectable: Mikado tains. There are several fairly large are- reaching it requires some serious travel Pheasant, an exotic Taiwan endemic – as that have been set aside as protected and at least some mild dedication to the tick; the flightless Auckland Island Teal national parks. These parks afford the task. (now that has to be an endemic, doesn’t best opportunities for finding the en- When I reached the two thousand it, because it can’t get to anywhere demic birds. mark some years ago, I realized that a else?) – tick; Green Rosella, a Tasmani- The island is not particularly rich in serious life-style decision had to be an parrot – tick, etc. bird species. Its checklist has about 200 made. Was I going to spend the rest of Which brings me to a recent endem- species on it. The majority are birds my life – not to mention most of my ic-chasing adventure in New Caledonia. found in the eastern regions of Austral- RRSP savings – attempting to get up Last year, a relative, an ex-Brit like ia, so since both of us had done consid- into the listers’ stratosphere of four or me who is now a wildlife biologist in erable birding in Australia, we’d seen five thousand species, or was I going to Australia, asked me if I’d like to do most of them before. It was the endem- live my life less frenetically and set some birding with him in New Caledo- ics that mostly interested us. some much less demanding target or nia. This South Pacific Island has 26 The top target endemic for birders targets? I decided on the latter. endemic birds. I jumped at the oppor- visiting New Caledonia is the Kagu, a So what to target? I could look for tunity. light grey bird about the size of a small Kagu, the national bird of New Caledonia. Photo by Val George.

Page 16 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2) chicken. It spends most of its time grubbing around for invertebrates on the forest floor. It’s a very weak flyer because its wing muscles aren’t strong, so it stays on the ground most of time. Chasing the Kagu had some special attractions for us, other than that it’s an endemic. It belongs to a monotypic family (Rhynochetidae), so it would add to my list of bird families; and it’s endangered with only a few hundred surviving. It’s also the national bird of New Caledonia. We had a week in the country, but by the fourth day we hadn’t managed to find a Kagu, despite spending some considerable time in a couple of places where they were supposed to be. We didn’t have the advantage of a local guide because we’d discovered when arranging our trip that there were only two nature guides who specialized in birds and both were unavailable for the period we were there. However, one of them did give us the name of a park manager for one of the state parks that offered the best chance of a Kagu. So one morning we managed to catch up with this very helpful gentleman who told us exactly where to go to find the bird. Short story: we saw four – tick. Now to go back to the beginning. We’d rented a place for the week on the outskirts of Noumea, the country’s capital, a city of about 100,000 people. There was some forested property next to our accommodation. Our first morning whilst on our deck eating breakfast, we managed to get three of the island’s endemics feeding in the trees and shrubs adjacent to where we were sitting: a whiteye, the Green-backed Whit- eye; a starling, the Striated Starling; we were looking for. of the other endemics. These ranged and a honeyeater, the Grey-eared Hon- One species we had to see was the from the small, very colourful (red and eyeater. Needless to say, we were de- famous New Caledonian Crow. Docu- black) New Caledonia Myzomela to the lighted with our excellent start. “Looks mentaries and articles in the popular massive Goliath Imperial Pigeon, which like finding the endemics isn’t going to press have described this corvid’s is almost twice the size of our Rock be too difficult,” I said to my compan- amazing (for a bird) ability to not only Pigeons. ion. use tools but to sometimes fashion tools By the end of our week, we’d seen Not so. Although most of the en- to dig out grubs and other food. After 23 of the 26 endemics. We did hear one demics are described in the field guides the first few days on the island we were of the three we missed, the well-named, as being common or fairly common, wondering whether we were going to due to its secretive behaviour, New Cal- they inhabit dense forest where they see one. We’d heard their distinctive edonian Thicketbird but, as previously aren’t easy to see. Not having a guide call in the forest three or four times, but mentioned, I don’t count heard-only and being unfamiliar with the vocaliza- I don’t count “heard-only” birds for my birds. I judged our total to be a very tions of the birds, we had to rely mostly lists, so that wasn’t very satisfactory. satisfactory addition to my life list of on sight to identify them. By the middle However, with the help of the afore- endemic birds, especially since we did- of the week, we’d ticked off less than mentioned gentleman we did finally get n’t have a guide to help us. half of them. Then, as mentioned earli- to see a couple. er, we got some tips from the helpful Gradually, over our remaining days Above: Cloven-feathered Dove, a New parks manager who told us where the and in amongst seeing Australian spe- Caledonian endemic. best places were for each of the species cies familiar to us, we picked up most Photo by Val George.

Page 17 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2)

Birding Yucatan & North Chiapas

February 8 – 22, 2018 Nine BC birders roamed Yucatan, North Chiapas and beyond, finding with the assistance of guide Eric Anto- nio Martinez a sensational array of Mexican birds. The captions to these photographs are extracts from the trip report on the Q-Birds blog by organizer Adrian Leather. The other birders on the trip were John Hodges, Mark Yunker, John Gordon, Jan Erasmus, Ed Jordan, Val George, and Jerry and Lynne McFetridge.

Right: “We made our obligatory stop at Oxxo, en route to the delightful vil- lage of El Cedral, a beautiful spot in the interior of the island. El Cedral was like a celebration of birding. Two Couch’s Kingbirds were a much- awaited lifer for everyone.”

Left. “At Calakmul ...a Squirrel Cuckoo, audition- ing as a cuddly toy, put on quite a show. Three Keel-billed Toucan flew around. Seven Purple Martin zipped over, and a Rose-throated Becard was added. A Yucatan Flycatcher gave decent views, a Green-backed Sparrow flitted through some branches, and a Black-cheeked Woodpecker landed on a snag, The parking-lot birding certainly wasn’t too shabby!”

...Continued Right: “Of the three endemics on Cozumel, the Cozumel Thrasher (critically threatened) may already be extirpated due to a tropical storm that wiped out most of its habitat. The two remaining are Cozumel Emerald and Cozumel Vireo.”

Another extract to whet the appetite for the full report:

“Xocen offered terrific birding. We were enthralled to see and hear a Pheas- ant Cuckoo.... A Thicket Tinamou de- livered its haunting notes, and an excit- able Singing Quail joined in. We added Common Pauraque, Yucatan Nightjar, Yucatan Poorwill, and a Vermiculated Screech-Owl, which was determined to be the vocal star of the night show. Wow! This was breathless stuff, like walking through my dreams.”

Page 18 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2)

Above left: “An evening owling session on Sendero Garganta, a little downriver from Yaxchilan, provided superb looks at a Vermiculated Screech-Owl, and we also heard a Black-and-White Owl.”

Above right: “Eric was determined to get decent looks at Lovely Cotinga so we returned to Yaxchilan. The birds were actively feeding, and moving around.”

Below: “We ventured to the famous La Reserva de La Biosfera Rio Lagartos on the Northern coast of Yucatan.... A large pond provided three American Flamingo, six Little Blue Heron, four Tricoloured Heron, and four Roseate Spoonbills, but the major score was four Russet-naped Wood-Rail, including one which provided really close looks.” ….continued

Page 19 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2)

Right: “We continued along Route 186. Eric started to scan some fields, part of the Usumacinta Marshes. We were in Campeche, but very close to the Tabasco border. A shout went up, “Jabiru!” then everything went mad! Ramon saw a spot where he could pull in off the road. As we completed our turn, a guy was walking toward us, with a horse. This was José, the ranch manager, who welcomed us to look around. Of course, we were already doing that! José thought it a good idea to clap his hands to flush birds. As he clapped, thousands of Blue- winged Teal flushed. 40 Black-bellied Whistling Duck, and 100 Fulvous Whistling Duck were well seen. 100 Wood Stork were nonchalantly flying around eleven Jabiru! Two Bare-throated Tiger- Heron added to the excitement, and Grassland Yel- low Finch flushed from the trail.”

Below: “But the undoubted star of the show was an absolutely stunning Pheasant Cuckoo! It dropped into roadside scrub, but one of the guides spotted it, and Eric got the scope on it. Despite some predictable branches and leaves in the way, for the most part, we enjoyed breathtaking looks at a Pheasant Cuckoo – a dream fulfilled! I don’t know about anyone else, but I was floating on air at this point.”

All quoted text by Adrian Leather; all photographs by John Gordon.

Page 20 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2) 2014 model) now have a hinged front encouragement. I would also like to opening held shut by a bent nail. Now thank those who have allowed me to Bluebird they can easily be checked and cleaning erect the houses on their fence posts or is much, much easier. 2018 will mark property. the 25th anniversary of my “Rock on Most of the houses are numbered to Recovery Roof” nest lines. assist in their location. However, last Every spring I travel up from Van- summer, with the help of a college stu- couver to check what’s nesting. After dent, we were able to GPS all the hous- Merritt Nesting Boxes the first few years, the numbers of blue- es and then map their location. This will birds nesting seemed to level off, but make monitoring and cleaning the hous- Al Serfas then slowly started to decline. This was es much easier. I hope it will also help also very noticeable in the numbers of to encourage others to assist in monitor- Back in 1993, while up in the Merritt nesting swallows. However, last year I ing and cleaning the houses. area, I saw a Mountain Bluebird. I went am pleased to report that there has been Many of the houses have now been back to Vancouver, built eight bird- a noticeable increase in bluebird nests. in use for over 12 to15 years, and are houses and returned to the area and put In the past few years, I have also been becoming increasingly in need of re- them up. Success! Two of the houses fortunate enough to have a few Western placement. As a result, the emphasis in were occupied by bluebirds and the Bluebirds nesting in various areas as the next few years will be in replacing young were successfully fledged. I was well. There has also been a continued those in need with the new, improved hooked. In the following years since, I great increase in House Wrens. The 2014 model. have continued to put up more and more swallows are also continuing to hold I trust this information will help to birdhouses in the Merritt area. As a re- their own. inform residents who see the houses so sult, the total number of houses now As the number of houses has in- they will know why they are there. exceeds over 500. creased over the years, it is now nearly Please remember not to disturb the nest- In the first few years my efforts cer- impossible for me to check and clean ing birds or damage the houses. Consid- tainly resulted in an increase in the them all every year. Consequently, I erable effort has gone into building, bluebird population; as well as those of have requested assistance from people erecting and monitoring them so that Tree Swallows, Mountain Chickadees living in the area, especially with the the birds will have additional places to and House Wrens. The birdhouses had a cleaning. Thankfully some people have nest successfully. Your cooperation is removable roof, held in place by two offered to help in monitoring the hous- greatly appreciated. Both the birds and I nails for ease in checking. However, it es. Corinne and David Pitt from Merritt say… THANK YOU! often resulted in the roof coming off, so have been a great help in the past few a rock was placed on the roof to help years and have been doing a wonderful prevent this. Hence the nest lines be- job. Thanks must also be extended to Mountain Bluebird photographed by came known as the “Rock on Roof” the many people who have come out, or Al Serfas. lines! The new, improved houses (the stopped to talk with me, and offer their

Page 21 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2) throughout the breeding season. Ob- and foster environmental stewardship to Bring Back the Bluebirds servers with binoculars and an ocular maintain the population in the long scope observe bird behaviour and iden- term. Concomitantly with transloca- Project: Cowichan Valley tify individual birds from unique col- tions, building upon earlier efforts by oured leg bands. Nest monitoring is the Victoria Natural History Society, Valentin Schaefer done regularly once nest building com- GOERT and the CVNS have undertak- Previously considered common in Gar- mences, and individual nests are sur- en a vigorous nestbox stewardship pro- ry Oak savannahs and meadows, the veyed to assess number of eggs laid, gram on Salt Spring Island and in the Georgia Depression population of the incubation success, and recruitment into Cowichan Valley and Victoria areas and Western Bluebird was extirpated from the adult population. Hatchlings are as far north as Nanoose Bay. These the San Juan Islands, Fraser River Val- banded when ten days old and individu- boxes were placed in Garry Oak savan- ley and Vancouver Island/Gulf Islands al birds can be identified by unique leg- nahs in parks and protected areas, and by 1995. The loss of Western Bluebirds band colour combinations. Once blue- in healthy, pesticide-free agricultural was due to the cumulative effects of birds begin to incubate eggs, supple- areas and other open meadow habitats habitat loss and fragmentation, loss of mental feeding stations of mealworms on golf courses and private lands. The nesting cavities with the removal of are set up and maintained through nestbox installations focused on the snags, increased competition from more fledging. Predator guards and deterrents Cowichan Valley, Metchosin, the Saan- aggressive cavity nesters like the House are also installed in an attempt to de- ich Peninsula, and the southern Gulf Sparrow and European Starling, and the crease nestling mortality. Western Blue- Islands. widespread use of pesticides. bird pairs can produce up to three At this time the Bring Back the The five-year pilot of Bring Back clutches each breeding season but may Bluebird Project is not considering fur- the Bluebirds Project from 2012–2016 build different nests for each clutch. ther translocations. Instead, it will focus was led by the Garry Oak Ecosystem Future measures being considered to on environmental stewardship to reduce Recovery Team (GOERT) along with manage mammalian predators include: mortality through predation and inter- the Ecostudies Institute based in Olym- 1) mounting more nestboxes on free- specific competition, increase the num- pia, Washington, who headed the San standing poles with a predator guard of ber of potential nesting sites, monitor Juan Island reintroduction program, and a PVC sheath, cone, or wire wrap the progress of the existing population the Ecosystems Unit of the Province of around the tree, and 2) raising nestboxes by establishing a trail monitoring net- BC. It was supported by numerous part- higher and above fence lines. Options to work, improve relations with landown- ners with over 20 funders, including manage House Sparrows include: 1) ers and volunteers from the CVNS, small but vital support in the early criti- moving or removing nestboxes in areas pave the transition to grassroots volun- cal stages from the BCFO. with House Sparrows, 2) removing any teer-based programs and maintain the Translocations were a major strategy nest attempts, 3) installing sparrow website www.cowichanbluebird.ca used to reintroduce the species, along spookers, 4) pellet gun, and 5) live trap- with nest-box programs and habitat res- ping and euthanasia. In 2015, two live toration. The translocations involved traps caught 23 House Sparrows and an Below: Young Western Bluebirds capturing pairs of adult bluebirds from a additional six were caught in a nestbox feeding on mealworms provided by the healthy population in Fort Lewis, and four were shot with a pellet gun Cowichan Valley Field Naturalists. Washington, transporting them across The combined San Juan Island and the US/Canada border, keeping them in Vancouver Island reintroduction pro- Photo by Ryan Hetschko. temporary aviaries and then releasing gram projects involved a series of trans- them in the Cowichan Valley on Van- locations to improve short-term success couver Island. Over the years the Cowi- chan Valley Field Naturalists’ Society (CVNS) assumed the primary role with the fieldwork and subsequently the CVNS took over the project lead from GOERT in 2017. The first translocated breeding pairs to establish a founder population were released in 2012. Additional translocations were undertaken in subsequent years (2013–16) to supplement natural recruitment. The goal was to have 90 Western Bluebird adults released between 2012–16. Over the five years 36 birds were successfully translocated and the population consisted of 95 birds – 28 adults and 67 juveniles. The House Sparrow caused the greatest known source of mortality, killing nestling bluebirds to claim nests for themselves. Nesting territories are monitored Page 22 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2)

was unequivocally a Pacific Golden- Plover. Featured A decade and a half passed with no further spring records. Then, on a hunch, I decided to check the Long Species Beach Airport. In a remarkable stroke of luck, I heard a golden-plover calling Adrian Dorst’s The Birds of Vancouver as soon as I arrived, and a moment later Island’s West Coast, is now available a bird spiralled down from the sky to from UBC Press. The book covers 360 land beside the runway. It proved to be species in its 550 pages, and samples a male Pacific Golden-Plover in breed- will now appear regularly in BC Bird- ing plumage. That sighting occurred on ing. 30 April 1997, 16 years to the day after the first sighting. PACIFIC GOLDEN- Birds were found in all subsequent PLOVER years that searches were conducted at the airport in spring, demonstrating that Pluvialis fulva a small number pass through our region annually in spring as well as fall. Of 43 spring records, eleven are for April, 29 STATUS: Rare transient in both spring for May, and three in early June. All and fall. records fall between 23 April and 3 The Pacific Golden-Plover breeds June. That there are 31 records before across much of northern Siberia, from 16 May and only six after that indicates the Yamal Peninsula in the west to the that most of the spring movement oc- Bering Strait. In North America, this curs in the first half of the month. Flock species breeds only in western Alaska. size varied from single individuals to their European counterparts, North The winter range extends from Somalia family groups of five birds. Based on American birds rarely convene on mud- through coastal India, Southeast Asia, the information we have today, spring flats. We have only a single record of a Australia, and New Zealand. Most of sightings listed in Birds of Pacific Rim golden-plover at the mudflats, and it the Alaskan population makes a direct, National Park under American Golden- flew by without landing. To date, near- nonstop flight to Hawaii, a distance of Plover – five birds on 7 May 1931 at ly all of our spring records are from the 4,000 km (2,480 mi), with a small num- Chesterman Beach, and a single bird on Long Beach Airport and adjacent golf ber wintering in southern California. 18-20 May 1974 at Tofino – were al- course. In fall, sixteen records are from The latter are undoubtedly the birds we most certainly Pacific Golden-Plovers. the airport, nine from beaches, one from see in British Columbia. We would not expect to see this spe- the rocky shore, and one undetermined. Until 1993, this bird and its Ameri- cies between the end of the first week Most records are from the central west can cousin were considered to be con- of June and September. In 2016, how- coast, but there is one from the mouth specific, and the species was then ever, an apparent female in breeding or of the Cheewat River along the West known as Lesser Golden-Plover. Re- transition plumage was observed and Coast Trail. Virtually all records are of search conducted during the early photographed on Long Beach from 28 singles, pairs, or family groups. The 1980s in western Alaska, where the June to 8 July. Apparently too early to largest number recorded was seven ranges overlap, revealed that they did be a postbreeding bird, its appearance birds at the airport on 26 October 2001, not interbreed. The two subspecies were here at this time of year is difficult to and again on 17 September 2011. subsequently given full species status, explain unless it was a nonbreeding Though not impossible, a report of 30 with the Asian bird designated as Pacif- bird. For the fall migration period, there birds at Boat Basin in August 2002 is ic Golden-Plover and the American bird are 28 records after 1980, with fourteen highly unlikely, because of both the reverting to the name it had until the occurrences in September and eleven in high number and the early date. In the mid-1970s – American Golden-Plover. October. On the central west coast, the absence of photographs or a detailed Because little effort had been devot- earliest record was 7 September in description, it has been discounted. ed to distinguishing between the two 2012, and the latest dates were 26 Octo- subspecies in the field, the status of the ber in 2001 and 31 October in 2013. Pacific Golden-Plover on our coast was There were no August sightings for our unclear. With care, however, the birds region until 12 August 2017, when I can be safely identified. No spring rec- observed an adult in nonbreeding plum- The book can be ordered online at ords existed prior to 30 April 1981, age on Long Beach. There are August ubcpress.ca. The normal price is $39.95 when on a rainy day at the west end of records from Washington, indicating but BCFO members can until June 25 Schooner Cove, I found an adult male that some pass through earlier. Habitat receive a 20% discount by entering the golden-plover in full breeding plumage preferences for both golden-plover spe- code 0106-20. feeding on the beach. But why did it cies during migration appear to be iden- have white sides? A detailed written tical – treeless spaces such as airports, description from that day shows that it golf courses, and sandy beaches. Unlike

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could be. Such wild, dismissive, seemed. In the moist draws between the ingly angry eyes! grassy hill tops are open stands of slim Gone Pishing – My second owl wasn’t quite as dra- Trembling Aspens, their growth limited matic but provided me with a thrill as I by the height of the draw which shields realized that the small shape on the util- them from desiccating southwest winds. Hawk Owl ity wire that stretched over a neigh- On the breaks the snow cover is at bour’s hillside driveway really was an its thinnest and the view of the river Chris Siddle owl, an owl that allowed me to get valley is good. It’s a good place for a close enough to recognize it as a West- hungry Northern Hawk Owl looking for Guiguet the Great ern Screech-owl, an unexpected reward mice, voles, grouse and small birds. If you are in your sixties, you may re- as I walked home at dusk from school. The hawk owl is active by day and of- member when the only detailed infor- To be shown an owl is good; to find ten unusually tame, allowing the ob- mation about the owls of the province one on your own, along a route as fa- server a close approach. As exciting as was to be found in the British Columbia miliar as the one you had walked to and my “life” sighting was, I couldn’t tarry Provincial Museum’s Handbook No. 18 from school, was great. Again, the men- more than a minute or two near the owl Birds of British Columbia Owls written tal image I formed of this bird is some- because I was a passenger in a car full by C.J. Guiguet. This 67-page booklet, how far richer and more meaningful of non-birding teachers who had re- first printed in 1960, reflected the cur- than any photo I could possess. ceived their first full paycheques the rent state of knowledge about most of By the time I graduated from high afternoon before and were headed to the owls of North America since BC is school, I had been birding about six Dawson Creek for a Saturday of wining blessed with 15 of the 18 species that years and had seen most the other usual and dining. occur regularly north of the Mexican owls of southwestern BC: Barn, Short- My second hawk owl appeared border. At that time there wasn’t much eared, Snowy (during the great invasion twenty-two days later along Highway known about many owls, especially of 1967), Northern Saw-whet, and 29 on the breaks above the confluence northern species like Great Gray Owls, Northern Pygmy-Owl. of the Halfway and Peace rivers. With Boreal Owls, and Northern Hawk Owls, My parents didn’t like travelling, this bird I was able to take a little more not only within BC, but throughout perhaps because as an airman and a time, thanks to a patient driver. This North America. So Mr Guiguet had to WAAF they had been moved around a bird was perched in a roadside aspen borrow liberally from that preeminent great deal during the Second World and allowed me to get within four me- source of information, AC Bent’s Life War. Once settled in Mission they were tres without appearing disturbed. It nev- Histories of North American Birds of quite happy to stay home. However, er stopped scanning the snowy grasses. Prey. I was twelve when I wrote to Mr. they were unusually supportive of my As a test, I had the driver blow the car’s Guiguet, who replied with a kind letter birdwatching, spending much of their horn. The hawk owl didn’t even flinch, and copies of all the Birds of British rare spare time taking me on short day just kept scanning. We left him as the Columbia Handbooks published at the trips to birdy places like Pitt Polder, early winter dusk came on and a snow time. This was very generous of him. Birch Bay, and Deroche Slough. How- flurry began. The tone he adopted in this letter and in ever, this indulgence did not extend I didn’t see another hawk owl for a second one sent a year later was as past the Fraser Canyon. So I was excit- the next two years. I was too wrapped one birder to another. He took my pre- ed to escape the Fraser Valley and ex- up in learning to be a school teacher to adolescent bird yearnings seriously, and plore the Interior when I accepted my look for one. I had a hard time disen- without criticism. His letters were sup- first teaching job in Fort St John. gaging from work as an English teach- portive and phrased as if to a peer and er. There was always marking, because Northern Hawk Owls not to a child. How I relished those let- I believed the only way kids learned to On 1 November 1975, two months into ters! Guiguet’s gentle enthusiasm help write was to write, and a “good” teacher teaching, I glimpsed my first Northern set me on my life’s course, the birding read over all their work and made sug- Hawk Owl along the Alaska Highway part of it any way. gestions for improvement and left en- where it curves down the hills on the couraging little comments in the mar- My First Owls north side of the little community of gins. A good teacher also planned. Oh, I read and re-read the BC handbooks as Taylor, BC. Hills like these are locally Lord, did I plan. Every 15 minutes of a only an obsessive pre-teen can. Not known as breaks and are prime habitat lesson was planned if not partially long after reading The Owls for the first for Northern Hawk Owls in migration time, I lucked into my first wild owl. scripted. In truth I was deeply insecure and winter. The breaks line the north about my ability as a teacher and I over- On a hot August evening my parents and western sides of the Peace and its compensated my way through my first and I were slowly driving along a grav- tributaries like the Halfway and the several Fort St John winters. el road towards Norris Creek to cool off Beatton rivers. They are also an obvi- Between 1975 and 1981 everything in the stream’s icy water. I glanced out ous feature of Highway 29 which runs the side window to see (oh, heart, be I learned about Northern Hawk Owls across the tops of the breaks from Char- from field experience could be summa- still!) a Great Horned Owl glaring at me lie Lake to Hudson Hope. The breaks rized in a couple of sentences. In the just before it flew from the alders along are remnant prairie grasslands, much southern half of the North Peace the the edge of a dark Fraser Valley forest. more exposed to the warming sun and species appeared most often in March – Its yellow glare is branded in my the drying prevailing southwest winds mind’s eye even today, the mental im- May and again in November. It often, than the sheltered, shady and cooler but not always, favoured, edge habitat age more a part of me than any photo south and east banks which are forest-

Page 24 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2) such as the breaks. When one discov- was much older than Joan, and should white carpenter’s glue over the mouse, ered a hawk owl, one usually didn’t see have known better. I take full responsi- followed by a heavy sprinkling of deer much hawk owl behaviour other than bility for the following stunt.) hair gave the toy an feral quality, pro- the bird perched high atop a tree or Joan had a wind-up plastic mouse ducing a fake mouse that combined, to pole, waiting for prey (voles in late that ran on two wheels instead of back my mind, the anarchic with the gorm- spring and summer; voles and birds the legs. When we discovered that the less, like Sid Vicious meets Mr Mole. rest of the year) to make its wherea- mouse tended to spin its wheels on the Hawk Owl Number Four was our bouts known. frozen snow, we cut notches along the first test subject. He happened to be a After six years teaching in a junior edges of its wheels to give them grip. one-eyed individual, although that’s not high school, I had transferred to North Now that the mouse had snow tires, we why we picked him. He was perched Peace Senior Secondary School. Instead had to soften its unattractive plastic close to the hard snow on the road’s of 13-15 years old, I was teaching 16– appearance. A liberal application of edge, a good location on which to run 18 year olds, teenagers who for the most part were pretty seri- SATIPO TOURS www.satipotours.com ous about doing well in school. Many of the students read books, and many had had ex- INDIA: Taj Mahal, Tigers and Himalayas cellent English teachers in the April 3- 18, 2019 past, so my job became easier almost overnight. By now many people knew that I was the local “birdman” with the result that students and their parents often reported unusual birds to me. In late 1982 a Grade 11 student told me that there were a lot of owls around his parents’ ranch between Fort St John and Hudson Hope. I followed up the tip and found it quite accurate. Misguided Attempts at Owl Photography On 11 December my friend

Joan and I found six Northern Hawk Owls along less than 30 Cost: TBA (approx. $5700.00 CAN) from Delhi kilometres of road on the plat- Costs include accommodation (16 nights), meals, domestic flight, overnight train ride, 7 eau between Cache Creek (not guided jeep safaris in Bandhavgarh Park and 4 in Jim Corbett Reserve, all guide and park Cache Creek near Kamloops) fees. and the Halfway River. The habitat was ranchland with Leaders: John Vander Dol, Thomas Plath and local guides plenty of large fields, young aspen forest, a beaver swamp, Summary: With a passion for mammals and 26 visits to India, John knows where and and several patches of Black when to find the country’s star mammal and birds. This tour takes you to the best birding Spruce muskeg. sites and excellent Tiger safaris along with the iconic Taj Mahal, visiting Agra, Taj Mahal, I wondered if any birder had Bandhavgarh Park, Himalaya foothills and Jim Corbett Reserve. Enjoy the beautiful land- ever seen SIX hawk owls in scape, architecture and lifestyle of central & North India, spectacular mammals and many one day before in British Co- bird species (300-350 species). lumbia, but my pondering was short lived, because on 16 Jan- Highlights: Mammals - Tiger, Leopard, Jungle and Leopard Cat, Asian Elephant, Sloth uary 1983 not only did Joan Bear, Golden Jackal, Striped Hyena, Indian Fox, Himalayan Palm Civet, Honey Badger, and I re-locate the original six Terai and Himalayan Langur, Sambar, Spotted and Hog Deer, Indian Muntjac, Blue Bull owls along our original route, (Nilgai), Himalayan Brown Goral, Himalayan Serow, Blackbuck, Yellow-throated Marten but also spotted an additional Birds - Cheers and Koklass Pheasant, Lammergeier, Pallas’s and Lesser Fish Eagle, Tawny four closer to Hudson Hope. It and Brown Fish Owl, Great Hornbill, Great Slaty and Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Grey- was the most memorable day in bellied and Chestnut-headed Tesia, Rufous Sibia, White-browed Shrike-babbler, Black- my hawk owl experience. Ten lored Tit, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, White-capped Bunting etc.. hawk owls in one day. 16 January was also the day www.satipotours.com we tried an experiment that #330-9411 Glendower Drive, Richmond BC Canada, V7A 2Y6 could only be described as ham Cell 778 928-9206, home 604 272-9206 handed, and wrong minded. (I

Page 25 BC Birding June 2018 Edition 28 (2) our punk rodent. dead mouse tied to fishing line as a lure will say to themselves, “What could About 11 AM Joan wound up the hauled across fresh snow with a rod and one or two pictures hurt?” mouse, which we now optimistically reel, and we would let the owl have a If you live in the Lower Mainland or called the lure, and let it run along the mouse at the end of the brief period of Southern Vancouver Island maybe you snow. At once the owl swooped from attracting. Our objective, beside the have seen the so-called “owl paparazzi” its aspen perch but perhaps sensing all dubious but always strong desire to get pestering owls. Except it goes way be- was not quite right, hovered over the closer to a creature we admired, was to yond pestering. Some would-be wildlife lure without taking it. Hovering is a photograph the hawk owls in action. photographers flush owls repeatedly, foraging habit the hawk owl is well However, photography at -15 to -25 checking the backs of their digital cam- known for. The second time we ran the Celsius proved to be a miserable flop. eras each time, always hopeful that the toy mouse, the hawk owl swooped, Film froze and shattered when we ad- next image will be sharper. People push seized the mouse in one feathery foot vanced it, or was scarred by static in the with their little One Shots, and zoom and perched with it on the tip of a 15 dry winter air. Our mid-price range Canons and Nikons into thickets look- metre White Spruce. For a full minute it 1980s cameras and lenses weren’t up to ing for a better angle and use flash for perched gripping the mouse but didn’t the task of capturing a crisp hunting better detail, and squeak and gibber to reach down to attempt to eat the “prey.” hawk owl photo. After a few experi- get the owl’s attention. They trespass Finally it flew with the mouse still its ments we gave up. into barns. They carry their long lenses grasp to a snowbank at the edge of the like weapons of war across the salt Learning to Identify with the Owl forest and with its back to us mantled grass, having ignored signs that tell With our failure came a lesson learned. over the lure, then flew off, leaving the them how far some owls have migrated We put ourselves in the place of the toy mouse in a depression in the snow. just to hunt the foreshore. Photogra- owl. If as owls we lived on the edge of We tried the lure on three more phers always want to get closer. hawk owls. Bird 5 ignored the mouse survival in the harsh Peace River win- The cumulative effects of human ter, would we have found photogra- entirely. Bird 6 responded to the lure disturbance on roosting and hunting phers’ efforts intrusive? Of course. We once we dragged it through the snow owls can be massive on a local scale. could no longer rationalize that we were attached to fishing line. The owl hov- People will tell you that a photographer just two photographers taking up a few ered over the moving prey but didn’t is photographing the owl for only a few minutes of one hawk owl’s day. strike and couldn’t be coaxed to leave minutes of its life, but never mention The next time that you see a wild its perch again. The last bird we pes- that an owl’s life span is much shorter owl, try to remember the situation I tered was Hawk Owl 2 which flew in than a human’s. And where there are described in the paragraphs above. Re- from an impressive distance (well over many humans and few owls, someone sist the urge to make a photoshoot out 100 metres), hovered, and then left. is always waiting in line to photograph of the situation. Leave the owl alone. This was our only day using the toy the owl when the first guy has finished. Move on. And don’t tell anyone where mouse. We discussed how our med- the owl is, because there’s are always dling was causing the hawk owls to people who won’t/can’t make the effort waste precious calories in useless pur- to imagine themselves in the place of suit. Thereafter that winter we used a the owl. There are always people who

SkeenaSpectacle Larry Joseph

March 19–20. 2018 This image provides just a little glimpse of this great wonder of nature: the spring run of oolichans. The oolichans had spawned near the limit of the tidal reach in the Skeena. I watched a total of 50 sea lions feeding on schools of oolichan during two days. Thousands of gulls, count- less eagles, and some swans were at the location to feed on the oolichan too. The hot spots were easy to find as I drove along Highway 16 between Kwinitsa and Polymar Creek. Tall spirals of cir- cling gulls suddenly appeared over the Skeena where the oolichans had begun to spawn.

Page 26 BC Birding June 2017 Edition 28 (2) you’ll be watchful for when hints of possible when you are off tick-chasing. finery begin to reappear, and know then You’ll get to recognize individual birds The Reflective that winter can’t be too far off. and follow their varying fortunes. Will Then, you get a sense of habitat that the Red-wing with the damaged leg is hard to grasp during high-octane make it? Will the leucistic Pine Siskin Birder birding. This particular spot by the find a mate? How many of the chicks pond edge is where the Waterthrushes now following mother Merganser will Clive Keen will hang out. Those particular trees are be in her wake when they are old The Patch: Quintessence of Birding the ones from which Cedar Waxwings enough to fly? will hawk for insects. This vulnerable Patch birders are a calm lot, but Spotting an Elegant Trogon in Arizona bare patch is where yet another Killdeer when their patch is threatened you will … a Masked Tityra in Mexico... a Hoo- will decide to deposit an egg. And see a different side. Fewer wetlands poe in Spain: such moments in far- you’ll know the vegetation. When the would have been drained, and “waste” flung places might seem the pinnacle of thistles are flowering, you’ll be primed spots turned into parking lots, if patch birding; what it is all about. And yet, to watch for squadrons of new swal- birders had been there to defend them. for many of us, the true essence of bird- lows. Having a beloved patch automatically ing is found in everyday moments in Your patch also gives you the best creates a conservationist. our home patch. I admit to being a de- preparation for the times you go further So, if you don’t have your own voted patch birder. On days when oth- afield. Really knowing the birds in your patch as yet, search for one not too far ers are racing to cover all the birdiest patch makes it so much easier to know from your house or place of work. It spots of our area, I’m making my way, the birds in more distant places. It’s like has to be a spot you enjoy, or you won’t yet again, just to my treasured patch. having completed all the edge pieces in keep going there. It will help if there’s Will I see something new? Unlikely, your jigsaw, so you have something some varied habitat, and particularly if because I’m there so often. Are there solid on which to build. And when you there’s some water. Preferably, it rare and exotic species to be admired? know all the regular birds expected in should have something to offer twelve No. Patch birds are by definition a your home patch, strangers will stick months a year and have at least some homely bunch. But it doesn’t matter in out like neon. A Bobolink seen at a lo- areas that are wild rather than mani- the least. Patch birding remains the cation renowned for them might be no cured. It does not need to be a birding heart and soul of birding for many rea- great thrill, but one spotted in your hotspot, though your dogged observa- sons. patch where they’ve never been seen tions might well make it so. First, instead of the scrambled chas- before will be cause for jubilation. You’ll have found a richly reward- ing for ticks, patch birding is about sa- Because you know the patch so ing variation on the “local” theme. vouring the moment and moments. well, you’ll appreciate the subtler dif- We’re urged, for various reasons, to There is no hurry. You’ll be back again ferences made by time of day, by the think local, eat local, deal local, and in a few days. You don’t need to ago- weather, by disruptions, by the visits of shop local. There are certainly convinc- nize over IDs, because you know the predators. Perhaps best of all, you get to ing reasons to bird local. Adopt a patch, jizz, the behaviour, the preferred habitat really know and appreciate perfectly and after a while you’ll find that the of your patch’s birdlife. You don’t wal- “ordinary” birds. Spend long enough patch adopts you. watching even the plainest bird, and low in flummox over the unknown “..Those particular trees are the ones songs and calls, because you recognize you find that there’s far more to them than apparently dowdy plumage. You from which Cedar Waxwings will and acknowledge them all. Patch bird- hawk for insects…” CNK photo. ing is not, though, simply birding in the also get to partake in their world; im- slow lane. Rather, it opens the way to a depth of understanding impossible on a tick-chase. Your patch is where you really learn, for instance, about seasons. You come to know when the species will arrive, and you will anticipate and then delight in their first appearance. You’ll then see the courtship behaviour, then the nest selection, then the quiet egg- sitting, and then the first fluffies, which grow so fast into semi-independence. You’ll know when it is time for the families to leave, and when you’ll need to offer a wistful au revoir. Along the way, you have been in a position to really understand such things as moult. Those ducks, for instance, so resplendent when they first arrived, are now in eclipse, though

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Three Vultures

Dave Manning

I love vultures. All three in North America have delighted me in recent years. The Turkey Vulture came first, soaring over my Salish Sea island. Dis- covering a small chick peering at me from its nest cave was all it took to fall in love with this being. Next was the Black Vulture in Ari- zona, which I’ve been enjoying for the past several winters. The dance of the male next to his mate was enough to capture my heart and gave me some tips on how to impress my wife. The third vulture, the magnificent

southern part of the prov- the coastal region. ince, and there you’ll see So keep looking up and dream of Turkey Vultures, gliding flying with our vulture friends. effortlessly above. For a treat, journey to the Note: Dave Manning will be giving a southern end of Vancou- presentation on vultures at the Hope ver Island in late Septem- AGM. ber and watch them ket- tle in the hundreds, waiting for just the right winds to carry them . Top: Black Vulture. Left: California across the Juan de Fuca Condor. Below: Turkey Vulture Strait and on south. A chick. Photos by Dave Manning. few may winter over in

California Condor, is found in only a few select locations in the western US. The Grand Canyon and the Navajo Bridge in Arizona and Pinnacles Na- tional Park in California are good places to see them. There’s no mistaking them for any other bird, unless you hap- pen to come across a prehistoric flying dinosaur. You’re not too likely to see the Cali- fornia Condor or Black Vulture in BC. But look up any summer day in the

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New Findings

Lifer Ruffed Grouse Joshua Brown

I took this photo (right) in Coquitlam at Minnekhada Regional Park. This was a really special birding moment for me. I was very surprised to hear of a Ruffed Grouse seen in Vancouver, let alone actually getting to see it myself. When I arrived at the park in the evening, a few people were waiting with the grouse to show it to me. To my amazement it was only about ten feet away standing on a barrier on the side of the road. As I came up and got out my camera to take some photos, the grouse actually walked towards me and got even closer until it was only about two feet away. It seems ridiculous, but Ruffed Grouse has been a bird that I’ve been looking for for more than five years; I’ve been all over Interior BC and the Okanagan and even to Ontario in my search for one, and I’ve been as close as hearing them fly away from me only a few metres away on multiple occasions, so to finally see my lifer Ruffed Grouse actually in Vancouver and with such fantastic views is one of the best birding moments I’ve ever had.

A New Birding Location

John Gordon

It’s not that often that the politicians get something right but that is exactly the case with the Lower Mainland’s newest birding location. Originally a de- commissioned water treatment facility, Blakeburn Lagoons in Port Coquitlam could have easily been turned into yet another subdivision. Thankfully a decision about the future of the site went to a vote and the citizens voted with their tax dollars to have a beautiful nature park instead.

… Around the edges a small flock of Wil- son’s Warblers darted around in the shad- ows.

Ruffed Grouse by Joshua Brown. Wilson’s Warbler by John Gordon.

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dance in North America and Europe, tected areas are important for waterfowl and have decreased in South America, and that effectively administered pro- Briefing Africa and the Middle East. It must be tected areas are of special importance in noted, however, that the regions of de- regions of less effective general govern- creasing waterfowl occurrence are the ance. Further, it is clear that effective The Heavy Hand ones with fewest records. governance is crucial to favourable pro- Species level changes were gov- spects for world waterfowl populations. of Humans erned nearly entirely by the interaction Reference of governance and protected area ex- Wetlands constitute one of the most Amano, T. + 8 others. 2018. tent. GDP growth (negative effect) and important land classes on the planet, “Successful conservation of global wa- species body mass (positive effect) providing the highest levels of biodiver- terbird populations depends on effective sity and productivity. But despite the were minor factors in this analysis. Governance dominated population-level governance.” Nature 553: 199–202. crucial ecosystem services and func- changes too, with rapid declines espe- tions provided by them, they are being Summary by M. Church degraded and lost at a greater rate than cially in smaller-bodied species in areas any other land class. A principal reason of less effective governance. for their loss in most cases is that hu- From this analysis we learn that pro- mans can find no directly profitable use for wetlands. Particularly significant is the drainage and drying out (or infil- Douglas Leighton, August 7, 1953 – March 28, 2018 ling) of wetlands. Long-term members will remember Doug Leighton, an early BCFO member. At A group of investigators interested the age of ten, his family moved to Penticton, and he promptly became an enthusi- to examine more thoroughly the drivers astic birder with his friends Richard and Sydney Cannings. Doug went on to be- of wetland loss selected waterbird come a park naturalist with BC Parks before returning to Banff in 1985 to pursue a abundance as an index of wetland status professional photography career. He had great success: his photographs were in national jurisdictions around the widely published, and his award-winning photographic books appeared in several world. They made this choice because languages. He moved in 2005 to Blaeberry which became the focus of his birding there is a significant history of system- activities and research. atic observation of waterbirds in more countries than of any other possibly relevant phenomenon. The investigators recovered nearly 2.5 million count records for the northern hemisphere winter period of Janu- ary–February, covering 461 waterbird species at 25,679 wetland sites world- wide for the most recent three decades. Analyzing their data in 1ᵒx1ᵒ grid cells, they examined trends of waterbird abundance at the community level (all species considered together) and species level. In the latter case changes in individual species in each grid cell (population changes) and mean changes for each species across all grid cells (species changes) were both considered. Putative drivers of change considered at the national level included measures of climate change, GDP growth and population change, land and water use change, and effective governance. The existence of protected areas was also a criterion. At the community level, the principal driver of change is effective governance, meaning how well the authorities in a country can establish and enforce rules related to land use and wetland protection. GDP growth, population change, climate, and land and water use change were all secondary factors. Waterfowl have increased in abun-

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The Bit More interpret this event as a meaningful In Praise of As I had ten days to use after my omen. daughter’s wedding in London, I decid- Beyond argument, the greatest site ed to go to Spain for some birding. I in North America for large numbers of BC Birding just managed to squeeze into a charter migrating birds is the “River of Rap- flight leaving full from tail to cockpit tors” over Cardel, Mexico, just north of ...and a bit more door with young Brits heading out for Vera Cruz. Swainson’s Hawks from the beaches and cheap wine. Some were great plains, Broad-winged Hawks from David Sterling already well into the stuff. At Malaga I eastern North American forests, Turkey picked up a car and away to the hills to Vultures from everywhere, with occa-

find Choughs and Spotless Starlings. It sional flocks of Wood Storks and lines BC Birding is a mighty good read. Lots was hot, with a gale-force wind, the of American White Pelicans, unite in a of good stuff contributed by members. I Sirocco, off the Sahara. Visibility in the river of birds. Pronatura has taken over say “read” because it cost me $12.00 fine-sand atmosphere was poor, but in the flat roof of a hotel. While the bird extra to get a paper copy. For me, the the afternoon I noticed a stream of rap- counter’s tallywackers keep up a con- online issue is good for a quick scan, tors overhead. Honey Buzzards! In late stant click, most of us just sit and enjoy, but you can’t beat a hard copy for an afternoon I was at Tarifa where a load uttering an occasional “Wow! look at evening’s sit-down read with a glass of of raptors was pitching into a wooded that” or calling for another latte or a wine. ravine for the night. Next day was a cerveza. Hernando Cortez’s HQ, and a Back to Volume 27 No. 4, Decem- super migration spectacle. Honey Buz- huge barn where the caballeros stabled ber 2017. zards, various eagles, White Storks, their horses before marching inland to Tom Ley’s and Terry Stevenson’s Black Storks, and Eurasian Griffon the city of the Aztecs is close by. story tells about some great works for Vultures were on the wing. Bee-eaters, Saint Paul’s Island, one of the Pribi- the birds. And that was on the edge of overhead, were seldom seen but always lofs in the Bering Sea, is a famous bird the huge Chilcotin burn up. I liked heard. All heading for Morocco. A har- bazaar. Here, where you can see two Chris Siddle’s tribute to that much ma- rier blown out to sea was slowly flap- species of puffin, Least Auks, Red- ligned bird, the magpie. The magpie ping for shore against the strong head legged Kittiwakes, and Red-faced Cor- contributes a bit of colour and sparkle wind. Out there in 1805, Lady Emma morants, you get a feeling that this the to a drab winter's landscape. A magpie Hamilton’s lover, Admiral Lord Nel- uttermost part of the Earth. Down on flashing over the snowbound world is son, trashed the fleets of France and the shore, where the fur-seal beach often the only sign of life – the Sas- Spain. The battle of Trafalgar. masters proudly watch over their mates, katchewan Macaw. Young birders I am on Camlica Hill, Istanbul, Tur- snatches of Rudyard Kipling’s delight- chalked up a spectacular list of fall mi- key, embedded in a group of Danish ful anthropomorphic poem come to grants at the Sooke Lookout. and German birders, all attached to mind. Clive Keen’s contributions are al- powerful scopes. We are gathered on A fur seal reminisces: “The song of ways worth a thoughtful read. For the the deck of a little open-air Turkish tea midnight dances that churned the swell fun of it I tried to fit myself into one of house. A pair of ancient Turks sit im- to flame – The Beaches of Lukannon – the categories he mentions. I don’t. I passively drinking tea and sucking on a before the sealers came!” never had a mentor unless you count water pipe. It is a number five migra- Here, on a the hill on old Beringia, the Spruce Grouse pecking up gravel at tion day on the scale of one to five, five that 400-mile-wide land bridge joining the front door or the Great Horned Owl being tops. White Storks, some Black Asia and America into one super conti- giving a hoot from the chicken house Storks, eagles! I hear a shout “der Kai- nent, I can visualize a family of hunters, roof. There were weasels rolling eggs ser!” – Imperial Eagle. Egyptian Vul- clutching spears with broad obsidian over the floor at midnight and skunks tures, Booted Eagles, Spotted Eagles points, gazing out at the megafauna on wanting a winter's lay-up in the barn. totalling well into the hundreds. Here, the tundra. These things helped to make me a natu- where Europe meets Asia, there is “Wot’s for dinner tonight, Dad?” ralist. I was a closet naturalist for a enough human history to choke a muse- “Not beach-barbecued rare mam- good many years, packing a .22 rifle um. Below us, the ancient Roman moth steak again!” when bird watching. If seen by an Christian City of Constantinople, where neighbour I was just one of the local now, minaret spikes of Islam stick out pot hunters. As the years passed I trav- over the city’s canopy. elled the world sometimes as a tour We are being ushered into a church leader. Sometimes I landed in a foreign in Capernaum on the north shore of the The Name Game land, and with a rental vehicle struck Sea of Galilee, where Jesus preached, out alone to find new nature sights and just as a huge flock of White Storks “You Hair-crested Drongo!” served one sounds. As time flew by my desire came sweeping low over the sea to- of our members well when an expletive grew to see multitudes – migration wards us. I notice that they flew in a was required. Given a different tone of events, feeding assemblies, sea bird ragged flock not like cranes and geese voice, it could also do good service as a colonies, particularly those where a that move in V’s and long lines. I ask term of endearment. If you, too, have major event in human history happened for a delay. This host of storks is too found extra uses for a bird name, re- or there was a story or a poem not relat- good to miss! Another spectacle! One member to share it with this maga- ed to the bird numbers. of those prophets of olden times would zine.

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Lapland Longspur, Iona south jetty, May 14, 2018 – see page 3. Photograph by John Gordon.

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