MAY and early June are exciting times for bird watchers, with waves of migrating birds moving through, or settling down to breed here.
These neo-tropical migrants include warblers, vireos, flycatchers, swallows, the western tanager and the black-headed grosbeak. They're called neo-tropical because they winter in the tropics of the New World, from Mexico to South America. Two local examples are the purple martin which winters in South America (Brazil) and the tiny rufous hummingbird which spends its winters in Mexico.
Most small birds migrate at night when presumably it's safer. Many birds do most of their singing in the early morning - it's called the dawn chorus. They sing as if to greet the morning sun, often before the sun has risen. It is thought that sound carries better in the cooler, still morning air.
Warblers have been called the "butterflies" of the bird world - they're colourful and flit about in pursuit of insects.
The North Shore is host to a nice variety of these wonderful birds including yellow-rumped, Wilson's, Townsend's, black-throated grey and the common yellowthroat. Wilson's, a bright yellow little bird who sports a black cap, is commonly seen in North Shore gardens, and at Maplewood Conservation Area. Its "cha, cha, cha," voice is very distinctive, making it an easy song to remember.
June is a month for rearing young. Broods of ducklings - mallard, wood ducks, mergansers and Canada geese can be spotted in Maplewood's wetlands. Eagle and osprey young are growing up quickly and keep their parents busy gathering food, like fish.
In shallow waters, along the shores of Burrard Inlet, great blue herons patiently stalk for fish. A good healthy population of fish is key to the survival of herons, kingfishers, ospreys, eagles, cormorants and mergansers (fish eating ducks).
The glaucous-winged gull is our common local species, but watch for ring-billed, California, and Caspian tern.
Terns do something called plunged-diving, ie. diving head long into the water with a great splash from high above. It's not a behaviour associated with gulls - helpful in identification.
Cormorants flying by will either be double-crested or pelagic. The double-crested has an orange-coloured throat (gular) whereas a good field mark for the pelagic is its white flank patches. A good place to watch for terns, cormorants, ospreys and eagles, is Maplewood's Osprey Point. And maybe you'll spot a seal or an otter too just offshore.
Always check the sky above for bird activity, for there's a lot going on up there. Five swallow species are regularly seen on the North Shore and six when you add in the purple martin. The purple martin nest box program at Maplewood Conservation Area is one of BC's great conservation stories. Listen for its call which reminds me of the crackling of a high tension power line on a chilly winter day.
Swifts may also be seen swooping about with the swallows - two species, Vaux and black occur on the North Shore. They can be mistaken for swallows, but swifts have more "sickle-shaped" wings. It is often said that when swifts gather in numbers on high, it signals the approach of stormy weather. Birds nest soup popular in Asian cuisines are made from the nest of an Asian swift. The bird's saliva, which holds the nest together, gives body to the soup. Other birds to be looked for high above are circling eagles, hawks and vultures - the sky above is a busy place.
There was great excitement recently when birders discovered a solitary sandpiper - a rare sighting on the North Shore.
Al Grass is a naturalist with Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia, which sponsors free walks at Maplewood Flats Conservation Area on the second Saturday of every month. The next walk will be Saturday, June 8 starting at 10 a.m. Meet at Maplewood Flats, 2645 Dollarton Hwy. Walks go rain or shine.
