June has been called the month of birds and blooms and it certainly is on the North Shore for nature lovers, with its beautiful wild flowers, butterflies and birds.
June is a migration month and you can always expect the unexpected (rarities).
There was great excitement at the Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats recently when keen birders spotted two long-billed curlews – wonderful! This large wader (shorebird) breeds in native grassland habitats in B.C.’s Interior. It can be found wintering on the beaches of southern California and Baja (Mexico). It demonstrates once more how important mudflat habitats (like Maplewood’s) are to wildlife. The Lower Mainland is one of the world’s most important areas for migrating shorebirds. Again, it was a wonderful discovery and the warm days of spring and summer will bring all kinds of amazing discoveries. Birds don’t have to be rare to be amazing, all are wonderful and have something to delight and teach us.
The ospreys have returned to Maplewood and other sites on the North Shore. The first thing they needed to do at the Conservation Area is evict a pair of Canada geese. Purple martins have also returned and what a thrill it is to hear their beautiful voices once again as they swoop through the air catching insects in flight. Martins (a swallow) winter in South America (Brazil), making an incredible 22,000 kilometre round trip annual journey.
Once at the sanctuary, they quickly claim their nest boxes. The Wild Bird Trust’s purple martin program is one of British Columbia’s great conversation stories (all the work of dedicated volunteers). An excellent spot at the sanctuary to watch ospreys, martins, eagles and water birds is Osprey Point. There is even a bench at Danny’s Butterfly Garden where you can sit and watch all the drama. It is but a short, easy walk from the office.
Warm weather also means the return of neo-tropical migrants like warblers, vireos, flycatchers, the western tanager and black-headed grosbeak. In the early mornings, the air is filled with their beautiful voices not heard since last spring. Resident birds, like chickadees, robins, towhees and sparrows, bring cheer to the outdoor traveller. For some folks it’s a challenge to remember these songs and calls once more. Excellent CDs are available, such as those by John Neville (see your local wild bird shop for best advice).
Many birds start singing well before dawn. Their collective voices are known as the “dawn chorus.” Some of the birds that are heard early in the morning at Maplewood include the yellow-rumped warbler, common yellowthroat, American robin (a real early bird), purple finch, black-capped chickadee, marsh wren and Pacific wren. Different habitats feature different birds – the wetlands are where to listen for rarities like the Virginia and sora rail. The sighting of sora rail at Maplewood was another wonderful discovery as this secretive marsh bird is rarely seen. The wetlands at the sanctuary are breeding habitats for the little Pacific tree frog. It is lovely indeed to hear them singing on the still warm evening air or early in the morning. May the tree frogs always sing!
Watch around the edges of the ponds for birds like warblers as they’re flycatching – nabbing insects in mid air!
Rufous hummingbird returned to the North Shore (some in late March) from wintering grounds in Mexico. They join the Anna’s hummingbird as the most commonly seen local species, but keep watch for rarities like the Calliope hummingbird. Look for hummingbirds doing their display flights or sitting atop a bush flashing their throats like a signal mirror.
Nature’s calendar is full of exciting things to enjoy in June from bees to birds and butterflies – a feast for the eyes and ears. Keep safe.
Al Grass is a naturalist with Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia, which offers free walks at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats on the second Saturday of every month. The next walk will be Saturday, June 11 starting at 10 a.m. Participants will look for ospreys and martins. Meet at WBT’s site office, 2645 Dollarton Hwy., North Vancouver. Walks go rain or shine. wildbirdtrust.org
