Download March 2012 - Nature Vancouver

Illustration by Mark Wynja
VOL.35 NO.7
MARCH 2012
UPCOMING BIRDER’S NIGHTS
THURSDAY, APRIL 5
WETLANDS, SAVANNAH, AND URBAN GARDENS:
BIRDS IN ZIMBABWE
WITH PETER WARD
An illustrated talk about birding in Southern Africa in the
rainy season. Peter Ward will show some recent photographs,
including birds of many different habitats. Themes such as
bird parasites and hosts, birds seldom seen and often heard,
and the miracle of nest weaving will be discussed. Amazing
areas such as the Chobe River floodplain and the Bvumba
mountains rainforest will be visited.
Peter Ward's interest in bird watching started in Africa, back
in the sixties, and he has since been an avid birder. He is a life
member of BirdLife South Africa, and a member of Birdlife
Zimbabwe. He was one of a group of volunteers who worked at
the Point Reyes Bird Observatory when it was first founded,
and started doing sound recordings of California birds with a
simple cassette recorder at that time.
Working with Ken Hall, and with improved equipment, he
documented the sounds of the majority of songbirds in British
Columbia, and published several educational CD's to help
naturalists learn to identify birds by ear. He has been an
active member of VNHS for several decades.
Recently Peter has volunteered with the Reifel Bird Sanctuary,
participating in a program of swallow box construction,
installation and servicing. To date, with support from Ken,
John Toochin, June Ryder and Delta Naturalists, about 120
Tree Swallow boxes have been built and installed at Reifel
refuge, at Sea/Iona Islands, and at Big Bar Lake (near
Clinton). Working with Delta Farmlands and Wildlife Trust, our
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
COST: $2.00
volunteer group has constructed 24 boxes for Barn Owls, and
these are presently being installed at sites with interested
farmers.
Peter is a hydrologist and river engineer and has recently
worked on a number of fisheries projects in BC (Capilano,
Alouette and Coquitlam) and on the Kootenay River, for
remediation of habitat that has been damaged by hydropower
projects.
OTHER UPCOMING MEETINGS
OF NATURE VANCOUVER
Thursday March 22
Annual Photography Showing & Awards Presentations
Unity Church – 42nd Ave at Oak St starting at 7:30pm
Thursday April 26
Nature Vancouver Annual General Meeting & Social
Unity Church – 42nd Ave at Oak St starting at 7:30pm
The Annual General Meeting of Nature Vancouver will be
followed by annual award presentations to volunteers.
A new publication titled, Nature Vancouver: A
1994-2010, will also be launched at this meeting.
Portrait
After the awards, an informal social get together will give
members a chance to mingle with and thank the volunteers in
person. Coffee, juice and light refreshments will be served.
Please bring finger food to share if you wish. Do not forget to
bring your favourite coffee mug to avoid using styrofoam cups.
page 1
OTHER EVENTS
FOR
BIRDERS
MAPLEWOOD FLATS CONSERVATION AREA
MARCH-APRIL BIRDING FIELD TRIPS
NOTE: There are often more birding trips listed on the
website http://naturevancouver.ca/ than are in the Vancouver
Naturalist or WT.
Saturday, March 24 - Birding field trip to DeBoville
Slough/Minnekhada Regional Park
Join us for a half day birding trip to Coquitlam's DeBoville
Slough/Minnekhada Regional Park. Osprey, hummingbirds, and
swallows should be back on their breeding grounds. Spring
migrants should also be moving through the area. With luck we
should catch a glimpse of Sandhill Crane, Red Crossbills, Bandtailed Pigeon and Western Meadowlark. Meet in the parking lot
adjacent to the washroom facilities at Cedar & Victoria Drs. in
NE Coquitlam at 0900. We will position an appropriate number
of vehicles in the parking area off Quarry Road in Minnekhada
RP for our return trip. Larry Cowan 604-465-1402
Saturday, March 24 - Signs of Spring in Burns Bog
Join an early spring walk in Burns Bog with a leader from the
Burns Bog Preservation Society. Dress for changes in the
weather, and wear sturdy shoes or boots. Tour will last for
approximately 2 ½ hours. Meet tour leader Janis at Planet
Ice, 10388 Nordell Court, Delta, at the south end of Alex
Fraser Bridge at 10:00 a.m. (Toilets and free parking courtesy
of Planet Ice). Cost is $5 per person. Space is limited to 20
people, so please contact Cynthia Crampton at 604 738-1405 if
you want to attend.
Sunday, April 1 - Capilano River Regional Park
Join us for an easy hike in Capilano River Regional Park. Dress
for changes in the weather, wear sturdy shoes as trails may be
slippery at this time of the year and bring lunch and water.
Meet at 10 a.m. near the White Spot in Park Royal Mall, West
Vancouver. Elevation gain: Approx 100 metres. Duration:
Approx 4-5 hours, depending on the pace of the participants.
Difficulty Rating: B5. Please contact Nellie Bacou or 604–221–
1620. See Capilano River Regional Park map.
Saturday, April 7 - Spring Birding at Iona Island
This is the first of a Series of Birding Field trips to be
held on the first and third Saturdays of April to June
2012. Meet at the parking lot at the West end of Ferguson
Road, Iona Beach Regional Park, at 8 a.m., or telephone the
Leader, Colin Clark, 604 274 5379 if you require a ride from
the Bridgeport Canada Line station. Trips will last about 3
hours. Wear suitable clothing and boots (some narrow muddy
trails).Theme is to follow the changing Seasons at Iona.
All levels of birders are welcome to join the Wild Bird Trust’s
monthly bird survey of Maplewood Flats Conservation Area,
North Vancouver. This survey is conducted on the first
Saturday of each month. Meet at 0800 in the parking lot of
the Pacific Environment Science Centre, 2645 Dollarton
Highway. If the gate is closed, park adjacent to the highway.
For details, please contact Janice Wilson, Bird Survey
Coordinator at 778-279 3216.
On the second Saturday of each month, you’re welcome to join
the Wild Bird Trust’s Nature Walks with Al Grass at
Maplewood Flats Conservation Area. Meet at 1000 in the
parking lot of the Pacific Environment Science Centre, 2645
Dollarton Highway. If the gate is closed, park adjacent to the
highway Next walk October 8.
HASTINGS PARK SANCTUARY
Members of the Hastings Park Conservancy’s Environmental
Committee and guest naturalists lead nature walks through the
Sanctuary in Hastings Park. Next walk: March 24 for
further information, contact Pat Miller at 604-294-1272.
SQUAMISH ESTUARY Squamish estuary monthly bird counts
are held on the first or second Sunday of each month,
depending on the tide. For these half-day counts, meet at
0700 (April to September) or at 0800 (October to March) at
the Howe Sound Inn and Brew Pub at the end of Cleveland
Avenue in downtown Squamish. All levels of birders are
welcome to participate. The count usually lasts until 1300, at
which time we meet back at the Brew Pub for lunch. For more
information, contact Judith Vetsch at 1-604-892-3340.
BIRDING IN STANLEY PARK: Join naturalist Catherine
Aitchison for a two-hour walk in Stanley Park to identify
migratory and resident birds and learn bird-watching skills.
Meet at the Lost Lagoon Nature House at 0900 on the last
Sunday of every month (except December). By donation to
SPES.
TERRA NOVA NATURAL AREA
On the third Saturday of each month, anyone interested in
birds is welcome to join the Nature Vancouver’s monthly bird
survey of the Terra Nova Natural Area in Richmond. Meet in
the Terra Nova parking lot at 0800 (October-March) or 0700
(April-September). For details please contact the coordinator, Eric Greenwood at 604-737-4724. The Nature
Reserve is reached by driving west on Westminster Highway
past No.1 Road, and following it through the Terra Nova
residential area.
BIRD SURVEYS AT UBC FARM
Every third Sunday of each month, join in a bird survey at the
UBC Farm. Meet at 8am (March to August) and 9am
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
page 2
(September to February) at the main gate to the farm. The
farm is located on the UBC south campus off Westbrook
between 16th and Southwest Marine Drive. The farm is
normally locked on Sunday but the group has a key. Currently
the key is held by Sue Kay-Downs (604-569-3058). As the
holder of the key, Sue is our leader, contact person and scribe.
The survey is very informal, experts and beginners are all
welcome to help and learn. The gate has to be closed again
once we start so punctuality is helpful.
VISIT THE WEBSITE FOR
MANY
MORE PROGRAMS
www.birdsonthebay.ca
Wednesday March 14
9am – 12pm
Delta Nats Casual Birding Walk
Anyone can participate in the Atlas. All
you need is a pair of binoculars and some
birdwatching experience or the desire to
learn about birds. You need to be able to
identify birds correctly but you do not
need to be expert - all records are
welcome. All data are entered on-line
and the results will appear on the web site
http://www.birdatlas.bc.ca
Chickadees in Winter
Join Tom and his informal birdwatchers for a 2 ½ hour ramble
through the beautiful natural regional park overlooking
Boundary Bay. Enjoy the abundance of resident and migratory
inhabitants, including shorebirds, waterfowl, raptors, and
smaller birds. Bring binoculars, if you have them. The outing
will end with beverage and snack at the historic Cammidge
House. No charge for event, voluntary donation for snacks.
Meet: Cammidge House in Boundary Bay Regional Park in
Tsawwassen (Delta).
Host: Delta Naturalists
Info: 604-940-9296 or [email protected]
Saturday March 17
(also March 25) 9:30 – 11:30am
Great Blue Herons of Colony Farm Regional Park
The heron colony at the mouth of the Coquitlam River, a
Wildlife Management Area adjacent to Colony Farm Regional
Park, is one of the six largest in BC with between 50 – 200
birds during the breeding season – mid February to early
April. Join the Burke Mountain Naturalists and Colony Farm
Park Association on easy walks to learn about these birds'
interesting feeding habitats and why they are considered
species at risk. FREE
Meet: in the Regional Park parking lot at the end of Colony
Farm Road (off Lougheed Highway Hwy #7) at 9:30am (watch
for park signs for Colony Farm Regional Park)
Hosts: Burke Mountain Naturalists and Colony Farm Park
Association
Info: www.bmn.bc.ca or 604-937-3483
Sunday March 25
9 am – 11 am
Discovery Walk: Birds of a Feather
How do Black-capped Chickadees manage to survive the rigors
of winter at high latitudes? For survival, chickadees have
three things going for them: they’re insulated, they’re active,
and they have a good memory. Thanks to a half-inch coat of
feathers, the Black-capped Chickadee maintains its body
temperature at 100° Fahrenheit, even when the air is 0°
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
Spring is just around the corner and the birds and the bees
are getting prepared. Join naturalist and expert bird watcher
Cathy Aitchison for a two-hour exploration to spot some
beautiful bird life in Stanley Park
Meet: Stanley Park Nature House at Lost Lagoon
Cost: by donation to SPES
Host: Stanley Park Ecology Society
Info: 604-718-6522 [email protected]
page 3
A
WINTER WONDERLAND FOR BIRDWATCHERS
The geese are pure white with black wing tips, but when they
have been grubbing in the mud, their head and necks often
become stained rusty-brown.
They will feed for a couple of months around Westham
Island before heading to the Skagit Valley, WA for the
midwinter period. Long skeins of snow geese then return
through the Fraser estuary on their springtime migration to
their breeding grounds on Wrangel Island, Russia.
All these winter visitors are here to escape the harsh winter
weather up north. Great care should be taken not to disturb
them, particularly when taking photographs.
In the past, owls have been harassed by photographers keen
to get the perfect “shot” and this upsets both the birds and
other people who are hoping to see them.
Please keep your dogs on leash near birds and respect the
rights of farmers and landowners; wintering birds are often
found on private farm fields, so please do not trespass to
observe them.
Photo: David Blevins
Enjoy these beautiful creatures before spring comes and
they flock elsewhere.
Winter is here, bring with it some new visitors from the
north.
Anne Murray is the author of two books on nature and our
local environment: A Nature Guide to Boundary Bay and
Tracing Our Past: A Heritage Guide to Boundary Bay,
available at local bookstores. Visit www.natureguidesbc.com
for details.
Three interesting species of “snow birds” demonstrate how
important the habitats of the Fraser River delta are at this
time of year.
White, sparrow-size birds, called snow buntings, spend the
winter in small numbers locally, frequenting jetties,
causeways, and roadsides near the coast.
They can be very inconspicuous, the white patches on their
plumage blending well with their surroundings.
Accustomed to the wide open spaces of the tundra, these
little birds are not at all shy and can be approached quite
closely as they search around for seeds on the ground.
Snowy owls share a similar Arctic white and grey colour
scheme. They roost in the open so are easily seen in coastal
grasslands.
Always popular with birders and photographers, these
spectacular, large owls periodically disperse southwards,
forced from the tundra by diminishing food supplies every
five or six years.
A southward irruption is here. In 2005, eighteen of these
birds could be seen through the winter months, resting on
logs outside the Boundary Bay dyke, and in 2006 a handful of
birds visited. This year, dozens have already been spotted.
Tens of thousands of snow geese have arrived for the winter
at the mouth of the Fraser River, where they feed on sedge
rhizomes and the remains of the potato harvest.
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
Unlike Brown Pelicans, which dive from above to capture fish,
White Pelicans feed by forming a group. They swim in a line,
and – while herding a school of fish – all dip their heads at
once. The pelican’s broad bill spreads its huge pouch, as the
bird pushes through the water. As each bird lifts its head,
water drains out of the pouch, and the fish go down with a
gulp. Both Brown and White Pelicans have been declining. But
fortunately, conservation has helped and their numbers have
increased.
page 4
OBSERVING BIRDS
LANDING SKILLS
OF CORMORANTS…
This winter, a large group of Double-crested Cormorants have
roosted in a tall Cottonwood above the Sammamish River trail
in Bothell. On occasion, I have seen more than 80 birds in this
one tree--the sidewalk below is almost completely white, an
obvious challenge to trail-walkers!
It made another long sweep downstream and back. This time, it
found a branch that was unoccupied but so totally botched the
landing that it almost flipped upside down before heading off
down the slough once again. When it finally returned,
apparently totally chagrined, it flew off to another tree some
100 m away and landed, all by itself. It was still there, pouting,
when I finally had to board my bus.
Scott Ramos
This evening, one bird in the group had perched on a branch
really too thin for support. When another bird made an
attempted landing, the first bird lost its footing and had to fly
off to find a new perch. Of course, the cormorant is not so
agile that it can just flip around and land anew. Instead, it
must fly off some distance; make a sweeping turn before
heading back to the roost, sometimes requiring more than one
pass. When this bird finally returned and tried to grab a
perch, it irritated the current perch-holder and, so flustered,
missed its target altogether.
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
page 5
BURNABY LAKE BIOBLITZ
Planning is beginning for the 3rd Annual Burnaby Lake BioBlitz
and now is the time to mark it on your calendars! The BioBlitz
will run from 4pm on Friday May 11th until 4pm on Saturday
May 12th, 2012.
In 2011 we found 359 species! The total species count is at
488 species found across both years of the event! We know
there are even more out there and we need you help surveying,
identifying species or taking the public on surveys. We are
especially hoping that some of you with expertise in
invertebrates can come and help us since this group is virtually
unrepresented in our counts.
More details will follow in the spring as we continue with
planning, but please pass this save-the-date request on to
anyone you know who would be interested. And let us know if
you want to participate in 2011.
If you have any questions, or would like to know more about
this
amazing
event,
check
out
our
webpage
http://bioblitz.burnabylakepark.ca/ (it has yet to be updated
with the 2012 info, but has information, results and activities
from the past two years of the event) or send me an email.
Thank you for considering volunteering and helping to make
this event possible.
Stella Ramey
604-420-3031
Park Interpreter
Central Area Parks Metro Vancouver Parks
O.W.L.'S ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE
SATURDAY APRIL 28 & SUNDAY APRIL 29
10am - 3pm
For those who haven’t attended the OWL annual Open House,
it is the only time where the public is able to tour “behind the
scenes” and get a better insight at what OWL does. Some
areas such as the medical room, inside interim cages, and
outdoor cages which are normally off-limits are open for the
public to see however, there are certain areas that will remain
off-limits to ensure the health of the birds. There will also be
the opportunity to see a few of our educational birds and learn
more about them. There will be a fundraiser garage sale, gift
area, and raffle drawn on Sunday as well. So mark your
calendars because it is an interesting and memorable annual
FREE event!
Meet: 3800 – 72nd St., Delta
Host: Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (OWL)
Info: 604-946-3171 [email protected]
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
VANCOUVER AVIAN RESEARCH CENTRE NEWS
The Vancouver Avian Research Centre has just posted
spring dates for Bird Monitoring and Banding and Bird
Identification Workshops.
Bird Identification Workshop:
* April 28 - 29
Bird Monitoring and Banding Workshop:
* May 11 - 13
* June 8 - 10
The Bird Identification Workshop is designed for beginner and
intermediate birders who may wish to participate in citizen
science projects such as the BC Breeding Bird Atlas or similar
programs or who just want to take their bird knowledge and
identification skills to the next level.
This course covers groups, topography, field marks, song,
habitat, molt, ageing and more and includes a guided field
session to the Colony Farm banding station. Although
developed for beginner and intermediate birders the
ornithological aspects of the course benefit even the most
experienced birders and the workshop is invaluable for birders
traveling overseas.
The Bird Monitoring and Banding Workshop is designed for
people with little or no bird banding or bird in the hand
experience and provides a fantastic opportunity to see birds
up close and personal, to learn about their plumage, molt
sequences and life habits.
Most of all, these workshops are designed to be a fun and
interesting experience and a way to take your interest in birds
and the environment to the next level. See what people who
have attended the workshops have to say and why the average
rating from course participants is 9.5 out of 10!!
http://www.birdvancouver.com/testimonials.html
page 6
BACKYARD BIRDER
WITH
AL GRASS
SO MANY SISKINS!
This winter (2011-2012) has been a big one not only for
redpolls but also for siskins. Some backyard feeders have
reported 70, 80 or more of the hungry birds at their bird
stations.
The Pine Siskin is one of the species being tracked by the
Irruptive Bird Survey: Go to Bird Source and click on
Irruptive Bird Survey results
www.birdsource.org/ibs/IDguide.html. Here you will find lots
of information about this phenomenon, as well as maps showing
where the birds are, and where they’ve been.
Pine Siskin
Photo: Al Grass ©
Siskins and their kin, redpolls and goldfinches, love nyger
(thistle) and black oil sunflower. In order to cut down the any
mess you can provide sunflower chips, i.e. oil sunflower with
shells removed (a.k.a. hearts or meats). For nyger, you’ll need
a special thistle feeder or thistle sack, but chips work fine in
regular tube seed feeders.
Give your feeder(s) a good cleaning in order to help stop the
spread of Salmonella disease amongst the birds, and never let
the seeds go mouldy which can cause other problems.
BIODIVERSITY CENTRE
FOR WILDLIFE STUDIES
HAVE YOU VISITED THE WEBSITE LATELY?
HTTP://WWW.WILDLIFEBC.ORG
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
Enjoy siskins – great nomads of the bird world. I love their
“zeeeep” call – it’s like running your thumb nail over a plastic
comb says John Neville, bird song expert from Salt Spring
Island (and producer of excellent bird song CD’s) – now that
spring is just around the corner…..
Cheers
Al
page 7
NEW REPORT
ON
RAPTOR POPULATION TRENDS
The Raptor Population Index (RPI) has released a new report
showing that the majority of North America’s 26 species of
migratory raptors (a group that includes hawks, falcons, kites,
ospreys, harriers, eagles, and vultures) are either recovering
or in stable condition. Unfortunately, the American Kestrel is a
stark exception. Long-term declines of this tiny, colourful
falcon continue to alarm conservationists, who are calling for
increased efforts to monitor populations and identify causes
of the decline.
RPI is a cooperative partnership among four leading raptor and
conservation organizations: Bird Studies Canada, Hawk
Migration Association of North America, HawkWatch
International, and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.
See
http://www.bsceoc.org/organization/images/news/RPIPressRelease2Feb2012.pdf to read a press release about RPI’s new
continent-wide assessment of population trends. Full results,
including conservation status reports and an online resource
featuring easy-to-read maps of population trends for each
species, are available on the RPI website. http://www.rpiproject.org/
flock of Dunlin and then estimates were compared to assess
the amount of variation between count estimates. Photos were
taken of the flocks counted, and precise counts were then
made using a computer to determine the actual number of
Dunlin present. Preliminary analysis determined that count
estimates can vary greatly. In order to improve consistency,
we have developed a new tool that describes tips and
techniques for counting large flocks, and also includes a photo
quiz. The information is applicable when counting flocks of
shorebirds, ducks, or other birds that congregate in large
numbers.
Go
to:
http://www.bsceoc.org/volunteer/bccws/Resources/EstimatingShorebirdFloc
kSize.pdf to download the tips and quiz, which will soon be
posted to the program webpage as well.
To learn about ‘magic mud’ and the importance of biofilm to
BC’s shorebirds, read the article by Bob Elner, Scientist
Emeritus with Environment Canada, in this week’s Vancouver
Sun, or listen to the podcast interview with Dr. Elner on CBC
Radio’s “As it Happens” from February 8. Environment Canada
is a partner in the Pacific Flyway Shorebird project.
BSC JOINS PACIFIC COAST AND CANADIAN
INTERMOUNTAIN JOINT VENTURES
STEERING COMMITTEE
NEW RESOURCE FOR BC COASTAL
WATERBIRD VOLUNTEERS
As part of a new Pacific Flyway Shorebird project led by U.S.
Forest Service and their International Programs Copper River
International Migratory Bird Initiative, Bird Studies Canada’s
British Columbia Program is partnering with groups in the U.S.,
Mexico, and South America conducting a hemisphere-wide
survey to assess the distribution and abundance of Western
Sandpiper and Dunlin on their wintering grounds and at
migration stopovers. BSC’s BC Coastal Waterbird Survey will
be included in this project.
To provide guidance for volunteers when counting large
shorebird flocks, BSC’s Rob Butler and Pete Davidson, and the
Canadian Wildlife Service’s Moira Lemon, held a field-based
training session at Boundary Bay on January 7, 2012 for
surveyors who cover sites in the Fraser Delta area where large
flocks of Dunlin overwinter. Each person counted the same
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
Bird Studies Canada is pleased to announce that it has
accepted an invitation to join the Steering Committee of the
Pacific Coast and Canadian Intermountain Joint Ventures. Both
Joint Ventures are part of the continental approach to bird
conservation under the North American Bird Conservation
Initiative (NABCI) umbrella, and are now focused on all bird
species. The Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture covers a
wide swath of the British Columbian interior. The Canadian
portion of the Pacific Coast Joint Venture covers much of
coastal British Columbia, including the Coast Range Mountains,
extending internationally to cover much of Alaska, coastal
Washington, Oregon, and northern California. Pete Davidson,
Bird Studies Canada’s British Columbia Program Manager, will
represent BSC on the Steering Committee.
page 8
NEW BOOKS
Dutson, Guy. Birds
of Melanesia: Bismarcks,
Solomons, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia. 2012.
Princeton University Press. Paperback: 447 pages. Price:
$49.95 U.S.; Amazon US].
SUMMARY: Melanesia harbours an amazing range of endemic
bird species and subspecies, many of which are poorly known.
Birds of Melanesia is the first comprehensive field guide to all
501 species found in the Bismarck Archipelago, Bougainville,
the Solomons, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia. This beautifully
illustrated guide features 86 color plates that depict almost
every species -- including many endemic subspecies -- and many
of the plates are arranged by island group for easy reference.
Detailed species accounts describe key identification features
and distribution, as well as key features for all subspecies.
Distribution bars are also given for all species except extreme
vagrants. This title includes:

Covers all 501 species recorded in Melanesia, 204 of
which are endemic

Features 86 color plates that illustrate almost every
species

Provides detailed species accounts

Includes distribution bars for all species except
extreme vagrants
IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: A must have for those birding
the region!
Van Nieuwenhuyse, Dries et al. The Little Owl:
Conservation, Ecology, and Behavior of Athene
noctua. 2011. Cambridge University Press. Paperback: 574
pages. Price: $39.99 U.S. [Amazon US].
SUMMARY: Our understanding of the basic biology of owls is
poor compared to that of other bird species. The little owl,
Athene noctua, has become one of the best models for
biological and conservation research, due to its commonness
and the fact that it occupies nest-boxes very easily. In this
unique book the authors synthesise the substantial literature,
and detail current information regarding the little owl. They
discuss its wide-ranging ecology, genetics and subspecies and
population status by country. In addition, they outline a
strategy and monitoring program for its conservation. The
book features an outstanding bibliography of literature on the
little owl, listing publications dated from 1769 to 2007, in
many languages, including Russian, English, French, German,
Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Dutch. Whilst being an
invaluable
resource
for
academic
researchers,
its
straightforward style holds undoubted appeal for amateurs
and enthusiasts.
IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: A must have for those with an
interest in the little owl or in owls in general.
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
page 9
ARE WE THERE YET?
Posted on September 18, 2011 by volantbc
Sharp-tailed Sandpipers have always held an allure for me. For
starters, they are rare here in British Columbia (and absent
from the rest of Canada). Although present along the coast
every autumn, usually from mid-September into October, they
are always exciting to find. Part of this rests on the fact that
they are an Asian bird. This alone, in my eyes, sets them apart
from other equally-rare species occurring locally that are
otherwise found in North America, such as Hudsonian Godwit.
In coastal BC they can be expected in places such as Reifel
Bird Sanctuary and Iona, but they have the ability to show up
anywhere, and even inland. Another intriguing fact is that
virtually all the Sharp-tailed Sandpipers that turn up in North
America are juveniles. In addition to their relative scarcity,
another alluring factor is their appearance. They stand out
from other shorebirds with their bright chestnut cap, buffy
wash across the breast, and bright rufous edging to scaps,
coverts and tertials.
consideration, and that is predation. You can think of avoiding
predators as a risk-minimizing strategy, but as the result of
predation is death, it’s really a survival-maximizing strategy,
and in that sense may actually be the greatest driver in the
evolution of migration strategies. At any rate, now when you
fill up the car there is a hungry monster potentially hiding
behind the pumps, and the longer you spend fuelling the
greater your chance of getting eaten! To add a greater
complexity to the situation is that not all birds leave at the
same time. In the world of arctic-breeding shorebirds,
typically adult females migrate south first, followed by the
adult males, and lastly the juveniles (though for Sharp-tailed
Sandpiper adult males head south first).
In the case of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, adults migrate from
their breeding range in north-east Russia, through continental
East Asia and then onwards to wintering areas in and near
Australia. Many juveniles (possibly tens of thousands), on the
other hand first make an ~2300 km detour eastwards to major
shorebird stopover locations in western Alaska. On the
surface, such behaviour seems neither time nor energyminimizing. Lindstrom et al. found that Sharp-tailed generally
arrived in their study site in early September and departed on
average at the end of September (to be exact, departing on
Sep. 27 and Sep. 29 for males and females respectively).
Individual birds had a median minimum length of stay of 12
days, upwards to a maximum of 33 days. That is, most birds
spent approximately the month of September in Alaska. An
earlier paper covering more areas of Alaska found birds
present from late August until early November.
Adult Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (photo: Wikimedia Commons).
The juveniles are even more colourful and striking in my
opinion.
In the February issue of The Condor, a paper by Lindstrom et
al.1 helped explain why juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpipers are as
common as they are in North America, while adults so scarce.
But before delving into specifics, let’s take a look at the broad
view of shorebird migration. The general, well-known idea is
for a bird to get from its breeding grounds to its wintering
grounds, and vice versa. However, there are a number of
different strategies a species/individual can employ. A bird
can migrate using a time-minimizing strategy, or it could use an
energy-minimizing strategy. The two are not necessarily
exclusive. We can use the analogy of driving a car crosscountry. In a time-minimizing strategy you would get in your
car, fill the tank, and drive as fast, as long and as far as
possible before filling up the tank again. In an energy
minimizing strategy you would get in the car, fuel it up, drive
at the most fuel-efficient speed, and probably put it in neutral
downhill. For example, falcons may be good at time-minimizing
while the soaring raptors are much better at energyminimizing. Of course there is a third, equally important
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
Migration Routes of Adult (solid lines) and juvenile (dashed
line) Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Map from the USGS Alaska
Science Center webpage accessed here:
http://tinyurl.com/3smn4sf
page 10
When the birds first arrived in early September they were
relatively lean, carrying just slightly higher fuel loads than
their lean body mass, and their rate of fat deposition was low.
By mid-September, however, the rate of fuel deposition
increased markedly as birds began to fatten up for migration,
often doubling their weight. With tanks full, it is estimated
that these Sharp-tailed Sandpipers can then make a single
flight in still air of nearly 10,000 km! It is postulated that
these birds join the ranks of other trans-oceanic migrants,
such as the Bar-tailed Godwit and Ruddy Turnstone, in making
a single, non-stop flight from these staging grounds in Alaska
to wintering grounds in Australia.
There are a couple of things to consider here. First is that the
staging area is relatively free of predators. Such a high fueling
rate would not be possible if under constant attack, especially
as it’s been proven in other species that high fuel loads
increase the risk of being captured. The second is that this
predicted long-distance flight would not be possible if not for
such a rich stopover location. We can then start to see that if
other stopover locations along the East Asian-Australasian
Flyway are (a) more dangerous and/or (b) less profitable, that
a safe (from predators, pathogens, etc.) but long-distance
trans-oceanic flight might actually be advantageous, despite
that initial detour.
we see in other adult sandpipers (the juveniles having just
grown a new set of flight feathers don’t have this same
constraint); at any rate, adults appear to be a time-minimizing
migrant.
As you can see, we’ve just barely skimmed the surface of the
evolution of migratory pathways and strategies. The different
life-history strategies even within a species can help us
birders predict when and where to look for birds. And if you
are successful in catching a glimpse of a bird such as the
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, take a moment away from admiring its
beauty or rarity, and consider just how improbable it is that
it’s here at all, and just how far it has yet to go.
1
Lindström, Å., R.E. Gill Jr., S.E. Jamieson, B. McCaffery, L.
Wennerberg, M. Wikelski, and M. Klaasen. 2011. A Puzzling
Migratory Detour: Are Fuelling Conditions in Alaska Driving
the Movement of Juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpipers?. Condor
113: 129-139.
WHY BIRDS DON’T LIKE TO
WATCH MOVIES
So how does the evolution of migration in Sharp-tailed
Sandpipers impact birders in British Columbia? Well, we can
see that the chronology of sightings in the province fits with
the period of when birds show up in and migrate from Alaska.
In addition, it explains why all of our birds are juveniles. And
since most appear to leave Alaska directly for wintering
grounds, it explains why we see only a fraction of the birds
that occur in Alaska.
Of course, many additional unanswered questions are raised.
For example, are our birds the ones that do not attempt a
trans-oceanic flight? If not, where do they go? The lack of
winter and spring records in North America indicates that
they must either perish, make a different trans-oceanic flight
to the wintering grounds, or winter at some unknown location in
the New World and make an even more remarkable trans-ocean
flight up to the Siberian breeding grounds from there. (I think
they likely make their way to the wintering grounds
eventually). Are our birds the ones that did not sufficiently
fatten up, either due to disturbances or other unknown causes,
to make the great flight? Are the birds we see simply lost, or
is this an established alternative migratory pathway? Or is it
that our birds are ones that actually started out over the
ocean but got blown off-course or forced to seek land due to
unfavorable weather conditions? (Personally I think if this
were the case we’d see larger numbers of birds involved,
rather than the 1 or 2 birds usually seen at any given location
or time). And why don’t adults use this same strategy? For this
last question, the answer may very well have to do with molt as
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
Most of us have experienced the frustration of seeing a film
on the computer hacked into different still images because the
computer couldn't process the information fast enough to give
us a fluid picture of the movie. Once the computer gets up to
speed — that speed being twenty-four images flashed at us
for every second we're watching — we see motion, not
pictures. Sped up a little faster, and we'd still see motion, not
pictures. We wouldn't be able to distinguish between one and
the other. That is the limit of our temporal resolution, or the
number of times our mind and eyes can 'update' the picture
we're seeing.
Temporal resolution measures how well we can tell two
stretches of time apart, using our eyes. There are many
animals that do it better than we do.
Birds' eyes, for example, have excellent temporal resolution.
Their critical flicker frequency - the term used to denote
when our eyes convert a series of light changes into continuous
motion - is much higher than any human's CFF. This lets them
see any change in the light, generally caused by motion of some
page 11
kind, much faster and more accurately than we can. We're not
just talking about graceful, gliding birds of prey. A test done
on chickens showed that they had a critical flicker frequency
of 43 to 83 cycles per second — that's well above a human's
CFF.
Our feathered friends' facility with temporal resolution may
come from the structure of the cones in their eyes. Birds have
an odd 'double cone' structure in their eyes that allows them
to detect ultraviolet light. Studies showed that chickens
managed higher CFFs than humans when they were exposed to
both visible and UV light. A lack of either light slowed them
down. Birds' eyes are also larger and have a higher density of
rods and cones, which may fire off signals to the brain more
continuously than the cells in human eyes do.
This double cone structure is shared by certain reef fish and
octopuses, who may very well share birds' abilities to notice
movement and flickers before humans can. There could be any
number of animals that see the world change faster than we
do.
But birds don't just kick human ass in the visual department.
They also have different auditory temporal resolution. Birds
were able to detect differences in harmony and tone about
twice to four times as fast as human subjects. That's right:
chickens hear and see faster than you do.
Which brings me back to the most crucial insight offered by
these studies: Why don't birds ever go to the movies? You've
always wondered. You know you have.
The problem is that movies are made for human levels of
temporal resolution. Take a bird to a movie and it see the film
as a progression of slides. Plus, it will hear the audio problems,
or the warbles in an actor's voice, long before we will. Add to
that the fact that it will see the film in much different
colours, if any UV light is bouncing off the screen, and you can
understand why movie theatres are not full of chickens. At
last, one of the great mysteries of cinema has been solved by
science.
By Esther Inglis-Arkell
INJURED SWANS RESCUED
IN
DELTA
In a very well-run operation on Saturday both injured Juv.
Trumpeter Swans that had been in a field at the northern end
of 34th Street near River Road West were captured by
twenty volunteers from Burnaby Lake’s Wildlife Rescue
Association. In a very well lead and equipped operation they
managed to capture the swans quickly and with little stress in
spite of very poor weather conditions.
OBSERVING BIRDS
SQUIRREL
KILLS A TOWHEE
One of my rainy day pastimes is watching the bird scrimmage
at the feeder out my window. From time to time a resident
Douglas squirrel decides to try to chase off the competition
and goes madly dashing from one bird to another. The birds
simply fly hop a short distance and when the squirrel goes
after another bird they hop back to about where they were.
Its sort of like a mad game of tag where the squirrel is always
"it".
Yesterday there were 3 towhees, a couple of song sparrows
and a few Juncos feeding on the ground when the squirrel
showed. For about ten minutes the mammal dashed from bird
to bird, back and forth, stopping occasionally to review his
progress, or lack of. There was a towhee which seemed a bit
slow to fly, whether it was just not concerned about the
squirrel too much or ill is unclear. About the third time the
squirrel ran at this bird, it fly hopped a short distance, the
squirrel turned and started going the other direction. The
towhee immediately flew back to original place and the squirrel
pivoted, made a 180 and in one hop jumped on the towhee.
There were several seconds of feathers flying and squirrel
bird rolling around when the squirrel stepped back and the
towhee was down on the ground. The squirrel sniffed it, then
turned and chased a sparrow and continued chasing birds. I sat
in the window watching the towhee on the ground and I kept
expecting it to get up. It never did. I finally went and checked
it, and it was cold dead with an apparent broken neck.
I have heard of squirrels taking baby birds at nests. I have
never heard of one killing an adult. Anybody have any
experience with this? Or do I have the only killer squirrel?
Rob Sandelin
Naturalist/Teacher
Hopefully we will find out what caused them both to have
similar wing damage.
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
Richard Swanston
page 12
BIRD EMOTIONS
DO BIRDS HAVE FEELINGS?
one another in many ways, including sharing companionship
throughout the year just as human mates will.

Fear: Frightened birds exhibit several behaviors that
demonstrate their fear. Quick flight and escape is the
most common reaction to fear – the same fight-or-flight
response humans use – but other fear indicators include
freezing in place, increased respiration rate and alarm or
distress calls. These are all similar fear indicators to
humans freezing in fear, accelerated heart rate and
screams of fear.

Anger: Anger is one of the emotions most commonly seen in
birds. Angry bird behavior might include threatening
postures, hisses or other intimidating noises and even
lunges, wing slaps and other attacks. Backyard birders
frequently see this type of behavior at feeders, and birds
can also demonstrate anger in the field when their
territory or nesting area is invaded.

Grief: Grief is a complex emotion and just as all humans
react differently when grieving, birds can also react
differently, in many cases with behavior that may not be
recognized as grief. For example, if a grieving bird were to
shut down (denial), its behavior may appear unchanged.
Birds have been documented as obviously looking for a lost
mate or chick, however, and listless behaviors and drooped
postures are common indicators of grieving birds.
By Melissa Mayntz, About.com Guide
Are these pigeons really in love?
Photo –© Peter Harrison
While there is no scientific agreement about whether or not
birds feel emotions, birders who watch their feathered
friends can readily see evidence of bird emotions in their 
different personalities and behaviors. Birds cannot
communicate their emotions directly to us and though behavior
clues can be ambiguous, those behaviors can readily
communicate a wide range of emotions to observant birders.
Pet Birds and Emotions
Pet bird owners have an opportunity that birders rarely see –
they can bond extensively with their individual pets, and
through those bonds they grow familiar with their birds'
moods and emotions, from stress and loneliness to joy and
excitement. That familiarity leaves no doubt that pet birds
can and do feel emotions, but without as much intimate
interaction with wild birds, it can be difficult to see the same
emotional depth in backyard birds.
How Wild Birds Show Emotions
While the range of emotional expression of birds can be hotly
debated, there are prominent emotions that can be seen in
many wild birds.

Love: Gentle courtship behavior such as mutual preening or
sharing food shows a bond between mated birds that can
easily be seen as love. Parent birds are just as caring
toward their hatchlings, which may be a demonstration of
parental love. While these emotions may not last beyond
one breeding season or brood, they can be strong bonds
nonetheless. Birds that mate for life may show love toward
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
Happiness: Pleasure can be seen in birds through exuberant
behavior such as singing when it is not necessary to attract
a mate or defend a territory or the playful games of
intelligent corvids. When birds are happy, they may also
make soft purring calls or other noises that could be
equated to a human humming in happiness.
Emotion or Instinct?
Bird emotions are not at all distinct, and there is much debate
over whether behaviors that might be perceived as emotional
are really heartfelt expressions or just instinctual behavior.
For example, a pair of birds engaged in courtship behavior may
no have any emotional connection to one another, but could
simply be seeking the most viable mate to produce strong,
healthy offspring. Similarly, other behaviors can also be
defined in terms of a bird's survival – fear is necessary to
evade predators, anger helps defend a territory or feeding
area, grief is an attempt to recover the effort from a lost
mate or chick and joy could simply be humans
anthropomorphizing birds in human-like terms. The debate is
two-sided, however; human emotional behavior has similar
survival purposes in terms of choosing a mate, avoiding danger
and staying healthy.
Using Bird Emotions to Be a Better Birder
Whether or not birds actually feel emotions, birders who can
pick up on the subtle, emotion-like clues in bird behavior can
take advantage of those clues to improve their birding skills.
page 13



If birds seem happy with certain foods – eating it quickly
before other foods are consumed, even becoming bold
enough to be hand-fed with that food – offering more of it
will attract more birds to the backyard.
If birds are angry at the feeder and consistently fight or
threaten other feeding birds, adding larger feeders or
moving feeders further apart can help increase personal
space and reduce birds' stress.
If birds show fear, birders can back away and leave the
birds in peace or look around for other potential threats,
such as a nearby predator, a passing hawk or another
object that might be causing birds’ distress.
Birds may or may not have emotions, but emotion-like behavior
can provide fascinating insights into how birds act, and birders
who carefully observe every bird they see can read emotional
clues to learn even more about birds' lives.
‘MAGIC MUD' UNCOVERED ON VANCOUVER
TIDAL FLATS KEY TO
SHOREBIRD POPULATIONS
The scientists say the results could have big implications,
especially for ports that may have been unknowingly destroying
prime shorebird — and biofilm — habitat.
Mud in the intertidal zone has long been considered "just
mud," says Elner. "It wasn't regarded as particularly
productive, or particularly beautiful. So it's never been a
valued resource."
Biofilm — or as Elner describes it "this magic carpet of
biofilm" — alters that picture dramatically.
Biofilm is a dense, mucous-like layer that forms on mud. It is
created by bacteria and diatoms that settle out of seawater
and secrete mucus that binds them to the mud so they won't
wash away with the tide.
The film is composed of mucopolysaccharides, which is an
easy-to-digest, high-energy food. Elner says it also appears to
contain nutrients that keep the birds in good shape for
migration and reproduction.
The researchers from Japan, Britain and British Columbia's
Simon Fraser University explored six intertidal sites in Japan
and Canada, and looked at 30 different shorebird species from
red-necked stints to dunlins.
They sifted through the birds' droppings, examined their
mouth parts, and set up high-speed video cameras to watch
the birds racing across inter-tidal flats, rapidly feeding as
they went.
The analysis revealed the birds use their beaks — and hairy
tongues — to suck up biofilm. The smaller the birds the more
likely they are to consume large amounts of the high-energy
goo.
"Biofilm feeding is indeed widespread," the researchers report
this week in the journal Ecology Letters.
Photo: A February 2012 hand-out shows a Western Sandpiper
slurping up the "magic carpet of biofilm" at Roberts Bank, just
south of Vancouver on the Fraser River Delta. The biofilm,
which scientists say is high in energy and nutrients can make
up to 70 per cent of shorebirds' diet.
The "magic" in the mud was first uncovered just south of
Vancouver where up to half the world's western sandpipers
touch down to refuel as they migrate north.
Now the gooey, paper-thin biofilm has also been found to be a
key bird food on the other side of the Pacific, revealing what
researchers say is a "missing link" in the avian world.
Biofilm can make up to 70 per cent of the diet of small
shorebirds, which slurp up the stuff like energy drinks, says
Environment Canada researcher Robert Elner, who led the
international team that reports its study findings this week.
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
They say the connection between shorebirds and biofilm is not
only a "missing" but a "critical" link that could lead to better
understanding of the birds, many of which are declining in
number globally.
Biofilm was never been thought of as a bird food until
Japanese researcher Tomohiro Kuwae, of the Port and Airport
Authority in Yokosuka, teamed up with Elner and his colleagues
to examine why as many as a million migrating western
sandpipers flock to the mudflats at Roberts Banks south of
Vancouver each spring. They reported in 2008 that the
sandpipers, which had thought to have been feeding on bugs
and worms in the mud, were slurping up the "snot-like" biofilm.
The new study says the feeding behaviour of the sandpipers at
Roberts Bank is not unique.
"It's not just western sandpipers, it's all small shorebirds
worldwide are doing this," says Elner, who is retired from
Environment Canada but continues to do research for the
department's wildlife service.
page 14
Biofilm is common to many aquatic ecosystems but the
researchers say some tidal flats have currents and conditions
more conducive to producing large amounts. Just how resilient
the biofilm is to port and industrial activity is an open
question.
Wildlife ecologist and study co-author Ronald Ydenberg, at
Simon Fraser University, notes that Rotterdam's Europort in
the Netherlands "obliterated" bird habitat. But he says others
ports, such as the one at Seal Sands in Britain, are known for
bird watching.
"There is a way to do it well, and a way to do it poorly,"
Ydenberg says of port development.
Elner describes Roberts Bank as the "ecological crucible" of
the Fraser River delta: "You've got huge economic pressures
there; you've got huge ecological values."
And biofilm has added a sticky new component
environmental assessments of proposed developments.
to
Roberts Bank is not only a key stop for migrating birds but
home to Deltaport, western Canada's busiest port and its fivekilometre long causeway that cuts across the mudflats.
It is hard to know how the port affected the biofilm and
sandpipers when it was first built decades ago, but Ydenberg
says recent port expansion does not appear to have had big
adverse environmental effects. "I believe it is possible to
accommodate both," Ydenberg says of birds and ports.
But the scientists say there are plenty of unanswered
questions about how the birds and biofilm would fare if the
Deltaport expands, or if there were a spill at a fuel terminal
being proposed by Vancouver airport.
Darrell Desjardin, director of environmental programs at the
Vancouver port authority, says future port expansions are
being designed with biofilm in mind.
"It is a valued ecosystem component, and something we take
very seriously," says Desjardin.
Read more:
http://www.canada.com/life/Magic+uncovered+Vancouver+tidal
+flats+shorebird+populations/6116041/story.html#ixzz1ltWX
AKw1
By Margaret Munro,
Postmedia News
February 7, 2012
SPRING PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS
WITH RON LONG
NOTE: DATES IN VANCOUVER NATURALIST ARE INCORRECT.
DIGITAL PHOTO WORKSHOP
Saturday March 17
9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary (Delta) in the Lecture Hall
Cost: $35.00 for members of Nature Vancouver and other BC
Nature Clubs. Non-members: $45.00
Limit 15 students
This workshop will include a lecture and question period in the
morning, a shoot at midday and a critique later in the
afternoon. This class is for anyone who still has questions
about digital photography. Please bring your camera, camera
instruction book, an empty memory card, notebook and pen,
lunch and snacks. Coffee, tea and juice will be provided. Also
bring clothing for the outdoor portion.
PHOTOGRAPHY SEMINAR (COMPOSITION)
Saturday March 24
9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary (Delta) in the Lecture Hall
Cost: $35.00 for members of Nature Vancouver and other BC
Nature Clubs. Non-members: $45.00
Limit 15 students
This seminar will provide information and techniques that will
significantly improve your photography regardless of the kind
of camera you are using. The seminar is fully illustrated with
hundreds of photographs to demonstrate the techniques being
discussed. COMPOSITION will provide many suggestions and a
few simple guidelines to improve your compositions. Please
bring your camera, an empty memory card, camera instruction
book, notebook and pen, lunch and snack. Coffee, tea and juice
will be provided.
PHOTOGRAPHY SEMINAR (LIGHTING)
Saturday March 31
9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary (Delta) in the Lecture Hall
Cost: $35.00 for members of Nature Vancouver and other BC
Nature Clubs. Non-members: $45.00
Limit 15 students
Photography, of course, depends on light but light effects are
extremely variable. How you use these effects can make a
different, between a stunning photograph and a boring
snapshot. This class will provide insights into the awareness,
understanding and application of naturally occurring light
effects. Please bring your camera, an empty memory card,
camera instruction book, notebook and pen, lunch and
snack. Coffee, tea and juice will be provided.
TO REGISTER FOR ANY OR ALL OF THESE COURSES
Please phone or email Jude Grass at 604-538-8774,
[email protected], and then mail a cheque payable to Nature
Vancouver – Photography workshop (date), to 17375 27A
Avenue, Surrey, BC V3S 0E9.
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
page 15
OWL
ORPHANED WILDLIFE REHABILITATION SOCIETY
NATURE VANCOUVER
BIRDING SECTION COMMITTEE
ELECTED TERM 2011-2012
Jude Grass – Chair
Adrian Grant Duff
Julian Hudson
Martin McNicholl
Wayne Weber
.
VANCOUVER RARE BIRD ALERT
604-737-3074
Sponsored in part by:
We Need Volunteers!
It goes without saying that our volunteers mean everything to
O.W.L. If you have a genuine interest in helping wildlife,
especially birds of prey, we could use your help. Experience is
not necessary, just the willingness to learn. Volunteers must be
at least 13 years of age and have received a tetanus shot in
the past 5 years. If you would like to learn about the care and
handling of these wonderful birds, we are always accepting
applications for new volunteers for the following:
Bird care
Rescues and pick-Ups of injured & orphaned raptors
General maintenance
Gardening & landscaping
Painters
Construction, building/roofing repair
Public tours
School tours / classroom education
Annual Open House
Fundraisers such as the Spring Hootenanny
Gift area
Offsite displays
Contact our office at 604-946-3171 between and 10:00am and
3:00pm daily to schedule an interview.
Meet: 3800 – 72nd St., Delta
Info: 604-946-3171 [email protected]
The Wandering Tattler is published September to April by
the Nature Vancouver Birding Section.
BE A CONTRIBUTOR TO TATTLER
Please contribute to YOUR Birding newsletter by sending in a
summary of your field trip, telling about a new bird book, or an
upcoming event, talk, or outing about birds, or some interesting
behaviour or action of a bird or birds you observe. Deadline
for submissions is the 21st of the month.
The Wandering Tattler March 2012
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page 16