WINGSPAN
- making British Columbia a safer place for birds Symposium—Invasive Plant Management
October 22nd 2016
FALL 2016
Annual General Meeting
November 5th 2016
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
Dedicated to the protection of wild birds and their habitats, on the principle that all wildlife must benefit
Patrons:
Honourable John A. Fraser P.C., O.C., O.B.C., Q.C., LL.D (Hon)
Robert Bateman, O.C., O.B.C., Artist and Naturalist
President:
Vice-President:
Recording Secretary:
Treasurer:
Engineer:
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Geoffrey Bird
Irwin Oostindie
Eric W. Lovis
Adrian P. Joseph
DIRECTORS:
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Dr. Richard C. Beard
Kevin M. Bell
Geoffrey Bird
Dennis Gornall
Eric Greenwood
Adrian P. Joseph
Derek Killby
Eric W. Lovis
Irwin Oostindie
Dr. Chris Pharo
THE CONSERVATION AREA AT MAPLEWOOD FLATS
2645 Dollarton Highway, North Vancouver, BC V7H 1B1
(2 km. east of Second Narrows Bridge)
WBT Maplewood Meet & Greet Office
Telephone: 604 986 8525
Our trails are suitable for all ages and wheelchair accessible
(wheelchair accessible washrooms for physically challenged visitors
are available upon request)
Leashed dogs are allowed on the east side only
Please no dogs (leashed or unleashed) to special or regular events
AGM 2016
November 5th 2016 (please see page 15 for details)
REGULAR EVENTS 2017
(please see page six for details)
(meet at The Conservation Area Office - rain or shine)
WBT Bird Surveys 2017
First Saturday of the month 8 am.—12.30 pm.
Last Saturday of the month 8 am.—12.30 pm.
Immediate Past President: Geoffrey Bird
Past Presidents:
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Dr. Richard C. Beard
WBT FOUNDERS:
Dr. Richard C. Beard
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
ADVISORY LEVEL:
Habitat Advisor: Dr. Patrick F. Mooney
MCA Bird Checklist: Bonnie L. Hawkes
WINGSPAN Editor:
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Produced at Minerva House Telephone: 604 922 1550
DEADLINE FOR NEXT EDITION: April 1st 2017
WBT Fundraiser:
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Special Events and “Return of the Osprey” Festival
Administrator:
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Bird Feeder Maintenance Manager: Der ek Killby
WBT WILD BIRD TRUST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Executive Office:
Telephone: 604 922 1550 (until Nov.5th)
Membership Secretary:
Elsie Webb Telephone: 604 929 2379
MCA Manager:
Ernie Kennedy Telephone: 778 881 5300
Volunteer Coordinators: Ernie Kennedy, Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Al’s Saturday Nature Walks 2017
(please page six for details)
Second Saturday of the month
meet at The Conservation Area Office at 10 am for a 2 hr. walk
Rob Lyske’s Members’ Only Walks 2017
(please see page six for details)
David Cook’s Sunday Afternoon Walks 2017
(please see page six for details)
Volunteer Day
Third Saturday of the month—call Ernie at 778 881 5300 to confirm
WBT WEBSITE
www.wildbirdtrust.org
Our new website was published in August 2016
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
is incorporated as a non-profit society under
the Provincial Societies’ Act, Society # S - 31197
and is a charitable organization under the federal “Income
Tax Act” Charity # 14026 5570 RR0001
CONTENTS
Front Cover:
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
New Edition:
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Back Cover:
2
Come Play With Me: Black-tailed Deer Fawn
© John Lowman
Essence! The President’s Message—time to say goodbye
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Mudflat Biodiversity
Derek Killby
Feasting on Flowers
Al Grass
WBT’s 2017 Calendar of Regular and Special Events
View from Osprey Point
Al Grass
Berry Nice to Eat You!
Rob Lyske
About Our Covers
John Lowman
Elsie Webb at WBT’s Membership Office
Welcome Visitors!
Bird Checklist for The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
Bonnie Hawkes
Dig This—dedicated excavating by Northern Flicker
Dr. Alice L.E.V. Cassidy
Generous funding received from LUSH Charitable Giving Program
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Anise Swallowtail Caterpillar release at “Return of the Osprey” Festival 2016
WBT’s Native Plant Nursery
Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Book Sales Tables at WBT’s Annual General Meeting 2016
Notice and Agenda of Annual General Meeting 2016
Proxy and Nomination Forms for Annual General Meeting 2016
WBT Event Notice: Symposium—Invasive Plant Management
General Notices
The Kingfisher Club—An Eye to The Sky!
Al Grass
Otter Portrait: Northern River Otter at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats © John Lowman
WINGSPAN
Fall 2016
Essence!
- the President’s Message!
~ time to say goodbye ~
Terry Oaken
Liberal MLA Ralph Sultan (West Vancouver-Capilano )
and WBT President Patricia M. Banning-Lover
meet in his Constituency Office to discuss Wild Bird Trust
and our work at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
July 29th 2016
Have I ever told you how W INGSPA N got its
name? Alice Cassidy’s DIG THIS article about a Northern Flicker on page 11 stirred an old memory. As you
know, Wild Bird Trust was started from scratch with
nothing for seed money but a few garbage bags of pop
cans and bottles picked out of the ditch on walks with our
German Shepherd Daisy. It was a very humble beginning
but we were full of enthusiasm and hope—the future
looked so bright! Membership grew and came the time
we felt a quarterly magazine would “glue us altogether”.
But what to call it? I was sitting on the back
deck at Minerva House looking south pondering this
point when a Northern Flicker (we used to call them Redshafted Flickers in those days) flew across my sightline
showing me her wingspan—that’s it I thought— taking
inspiration from nature. Renowned artist Lex Alfred
Hedley provided us with beautiful covers for W INGSPAN from that first edition Winter 1994/95 to Fall 2013.
Lex and Sandra have moved to Cold Lake, Alberta to be
closer to family—we thank them both very much for all
their loyal and unwavering support over the years.
The captivating 2001 image “Come Play with Me” by
John Lowman on our Front Cover epitomizes my thoughts
about the desperate need for areas of true Sanctuary—it is why I
spent over ten years fighting to save the Park Street Marsh and
surrounding area from becoming criss-crossed with boardwalks
and casual human intrusion.
New for 2017 will be the updated re-issue of our coloured self-guided brochure—Al and Jude Grass, Derek Killby,
Ernie Kennedy, John Lowman and I have been working on it all
this year. The brochure will morph into a major signage board
at our Main Entrance opposite the Meet and Greet Office.
I am completing my term with Wild Bird Trust at our
AGM on November 5th—the day after WBT’s 23rd birthday.
Having spent a third of my life in service to the Trust and its
maturation I am now very much looking forward to returning to
personal life. My deepest thanks to Board Members, staff (both
past and present), Patrick Mooney, John Lowman and all the
Volunteers who have steadfastly supported me—we have been
a wonderful team and Wild Bird Trust has been greatly enriched by your devotion.
Imam Fode Drame and the Zawiyah Foundation
(image below) recently held a two-day spiritual retreat at The
Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats. At the Closing Ceremony Nature House Project Manager Adrian Joseph and I were
extremely honoured to be included in a Blessing which not only
blessed us but also the Corrigan Nature House, the property, the
work of Wild Bird Trust and its succession. I cannot think of a
more fitting way to end the many editorials I have written for
WINGSPAN than on this note of hope and peace.
Patricia M. Banning-Lover, President/Co-Founder
THANK YOU VERY MUCH ENVIRONMENT CANADA!
For over two decades Environment Canada very generously provided
local telephone service to WBT’s Meet and Greet Office at the head of Osprey Point Trail.
We are very grateful to Environment Canada for providing this life-line during our formative years.
On September 6th 2016, WBT installed an independent TELUS line
Our new Meet and Greet Office telephone number is 604 986 8525
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
3
MUDFLAT BIODIVERSITY by Derek Killby
The mudflats at The Conservation Area at Maplewood
Flats are the last remaining portion of a habitat that once
stretched along the North Shore as far west as Ambleside Park
in West Vancouver. These wetlands, marshes and tidal flats
were an incredibly rich source of food for a vast range of wildlife. Cougar, bear, coyote, deer, raccoon, beaver, birds and
salmon were just a few that feasted on Nature’s bounty. This
ecosystem also provided excellent breeding, nesting and
spawning habitat.
Looking out at the mudflats at The Conservation Area
at low tide we can see some of the obvious inhabitants. Mussels, crabs, oysters and clams are visible from shore, as are the
many bird species that use low tide for feeding purposes. Gulls,
crows and herons to name a few. But some things that live in
mudflats are usually unseen. While conducting surveys for
WBT’s Purple Martin Nest Box Monitoring Program I was
fortunate to see two of these lesser known species; a Ghost
Shrimp and a Giant Clam Worm.
The eggs and larvae of Ghost Shrimp are food for jelly
fish and herring while adult shrimp are preyed on by Pacific
Stag Horn sculpin, Green and White Sturgeon and others.
Derek Killby
Giant Clam Worm
at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
Derek Killby
Ghost Shrimp
at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
Ghost Shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis) inhabit Y or
U shaped burrows in sandy mudflats all along the Pacific Coast
from Alaska to California. These burrows are 20-50cm deep
and then branch up to one metre horizontally. Ghost Shrimp
feed on algae, dead plant matter and detritus. The openings of
their burrows resemble mini-volcanoes with a small mound of
cone shaped sandy debris excavated from the mudflats. Their
burrows also provide homes for a type of clam known as Cryptomya californica. These clams have their siphons open into the
burrows and are responsible for the water spout that is so often
seen at low tide. By using the burrow the clam is able to increase the depth at which it lives, avoid predators and competition for food at the surface of the mudflat.
This is known as ‘commensal’ living where one species benefits from another without doing harm to its host (the
opposite to parasitism where one benefits and the other suffers).
4
WINGSPAN
Fall 2016
Giant Clam Worms look like a cross between an earthworm and a centipede. Only on steroids! They are in the genus
of polychaete worms known as Nereidae. The one observed on
the mudflats might be Nereis brandti which is the largest (ours
was about 30-38cm long) on our coast. This polychaete worm
feeds on algae much like a garden slug eats your lettuce plants.
There are very interesting videos on Youtube, or do a Google
search, that show in great detail how this amazing creature
feeds. While not in the same family as our Ghost Shrimp these
two share some similarities, such as digging burrows in mudflats, eating algae and, one common predator—Pacific Staghorn Sculpin. The Giant Clam Worm is a favoured food of one
of our winter resident sea ducks, the Common Goldeneye. Occasionally, during winter, a careful observer can witness a
Common Goldeneye surface with an eel-like creature, usually
twisting and turning in its beak. Most likely a Giant Clam
Worm.
With these two species (Ghost Shrimp and Clam
Worm), we have a simplistic, but interesting, example of the
web or chain of life. The shrimp and the worm feed on algae,
both are prey of sculpin and, in turn the sculpin is a food source
for Caspian Terns, Great Blue Herons, gulls, cormorants,
grebes and waterfowl. This illustrates the critical role that mudflats and tidal marshes, etc., play in a healthy ecosystem.
WBT Director Derek Killby surveys and schedules for our Purple Martin Nest Box Monitoring Program and is the Bird
Feeder Maintenance Manger. He also volunteers hundreds of
hours each year at The Conservation Area turning his hand to
whatever needs to be accomplished.
FEASTING ON FLOWERS by Al Grass
“Birds eating buds” - HELP!
(UBC Garden Forum, May 18th 2009).
The call came from someone with a small orchard
on Galiano Island who observed “finches landing in the
trees and pecking at the buds ….”.
Now picture a mossy log along a forest trail with
five pink flower petals on top – the “heart” of the flower
gone. A flower or flower bud is actually quite nutritious
and it is perhaps not surprising that birds (and other animals) consider it as food. The typical flower consists of
male (anthers with pollen (protein) and nectaries (source of
nectar for energy). It is this energy rich nectar that attracts
hummingbirds and other species to flowers.
What plants at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats are potential food sources for flower and bud
predators (buds are simply near-opening flowers with developed nectar and pollen).
A short list of potential food sources includes:
Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis)
Cherries (Prunus, spp.)
Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)
Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus)
Pacific Crab Apple (Malus fusca)
Salal (Gautheria shallon)
Big Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)
Red Alder (Alnus rubra)
and hazelnut (Corylus, sp.)
are catkin bearing species.
Catkins are defined as a
type of flowering shoot in which
the axis, often long, bears many
small stalks. In Red Alder the
male (pollen bearing) catkins
dangle, the female catkins are
much shorter.
Birch trees
(Betula, spp.) are similar to alder
in these respects.
At the Conservation
Area at Maplewood Flats flower
predation has been observed in a
number of bird species. Song
Sparrow and Spotted Towhee
have both been seen feeding on
Salmonberry blossoms. Purple
and House Finch (especially the
former) are well-known predators of cherry flowers. E.H. Forbush and J.B. May note that in
spring, “Purple Finches feed
largely on insects, buds and blossoms …” They mention cherry,
blackberry, and raspberry. A.C.
Martin et.al note pear and apple
in the list of favoured plants.
Purple and House Finch have both been observed
preying on Pacific Crab Apple blossoms (Al Grass,
pers.obs). Sometimes one can find “hollowed” out buds
where the birds have eaten the contents.
In BC’s fruit-growing areas like the Okanagan
Valley, the Cassin’s Finch, a species related to Purple and
House Finch, gets itself into trouble by eating fruit blossoms. To discourage them growers resort to the use of
things like scare tapes.
Catkin-bearing trees are another good source of
blooms for birds. At The Conservation Area at Maplewood
Flats, Pine Siskins and American Goldfinch have been observed feeding on alder or birch catkins. Grouse, especially
Ruffed Grouse, are well-known consumers of hazelnut catkins and buds.
It is not surprising that birds and other wildlife
consume flowers given that many are rich sources of protein and sugars. Watch for a towhee or Song Sparrow snip
off a flower on a Salmonberry shrub. Next time you see a
flock of finches in a cherry tree in full bloom at The Conservation Area, watch carefully to see what they are doing.
References
Forbush, E.H and J.B. May: (1959 ed):
A Natural History of American Birds.
Bramhal House, New York.
Martin, A.C., H.S. Zim and A.L. Nelson.
A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits, Dover, New York.
© Robert Alexander
Male House Finch on Nootka Rose
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
5
FREE WILD BIRD TRUST NATURE WALKS 2017
Guided by Legendary Lower Mainland Naturalist
Al Grass
Although WE believe you when you tell us that your dog wouldn’t dream of chasing
wildlife it’s very hard to get that message across to nesting and ground resting birds!
PLEASE—no dogs, leashed or unleashed!
JANUARY 14th—NOT JUST MUD!! Why are tidal flats critical habitats for wildlife?
FEBRUARY 11th—DUCK TALES Dabblers and Divers at their best.
MARCH 11th—WHAT IS FOR DINNER? Maplewood’s Raptors.
APRIL 8th—A LONG JOURNEY The miracle of migration—celebrate the arrival of spring birds.
MAY 13th—THE MUSIC OF BIRDS Enjoy The Conservation Area’s birds and their music.
JUNE 10th—OSPREYS AND MARTINS They are back! - and many other birds too.
JULY 8th—SALT MARSH SECRETS REVEALED
The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats boasts the
premier example of salt marsh in Burrard Inlet. A rare supervised opportunity to appreciate this important inter-tidal
ecosystem.
AUGUST 12th—ALL ABOUT HABITAT Understanding habitat.
SEPTEMBER 9th—AUTUMN Fall migration and Maplewood’s birds.
OCTOBER 14th—FRESH AND FROSTY Birds begin to prepare for the challenges of winter.
NOVEMBER 11th—WOODLAND WONDERS
fungi.
Maplewood’s forests live with the help of beetles, woodpeckers, and
DECEMBER 9th—HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
surprises.
A winter’s day at Maplewood is always full of wonderful
SPECIAL EVENTS FOR 2017
BIG SIT 2017
TBA WINGSPAN Spring 2017
Saturday, MAY 20th meet at 6 am for the “Dawn Chorus” with Al and Jude Grass Early morning at
Maplewood is full of bird songs and calls - an experience that should not be missed. Meet at the double gates just before
the main entrance (travelling east) to The Conservation Area at 2645 Dollarton Highway, North Vancouver.
“”Return of the Osprey” Festival 2017 Weekend
TBA WINGSPAN Spring 2017
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2017 TBA WINGSPAN Spring 2017
ADDITIONAL 2017 WALKS
Sunday Afternoon Walks with David Cook 1.30-3.30 pm.
SUNDAY, April 23rd “First Nations cultural and medicinal uses of our local native plants”
SUNDAY, June 18th “First Nations food uses of our local native plants”
Summer Evening Wednesday Walks 2017 with Al and Jude Grass 7-9 pm.
WEDNESDAY, July 5th and WEDNESDAY, July 19th 7 pm–9 pm.
Two delightful evening opportunities to hear birds singing, observe wildflowers,
perhaps see bats and swifts and possibly a mother deer and her fawns.
“Members’ Only” Walks 2017 with Rob Lyske
SATURDAY, May 20th and SATURDAY, August 19th 10 am–Noon.
All walks, unless otherwise specified, meet at WBT’s Conservation Area Office, at 10 am
2645 Dollarton Highway, North Vancouver (604 986 8525) — events take place Rain or Shine!
Wheelchair accessible trails,
Wheelchair accessible washrooms for physically challenged visitors are available by request.
6
WINGSPAN
Fall 2016
View from Osprey Point with Al Grass
“May and June are months when the bushtits hatch their young
From shrubs, trees and bushes, their sack like nests are hung……...”
From Poems on Birds and Nature by Harold Cass Craven
Hearing the soft lovely voices of the tiny bushtits earlier this year was one of
the many rewards of sitting quietly at Osprey Point. In fact, the music of birds carries
beautifully here where land meets the sea. From the trees and shrubs, you can be
cheered by the flute-like song of the Swainson’s Thrush and musical voice of the
Black-headed Grosbeak. From ocean-side come the cries of gulls, ospreys, eagles and
the rattle-like sound of the Belted Kingfisher. Letting nature come to you really works
– a smaller version of the Wild Bird Trust’s annual “BIG SIT”. Flowers at Osprey
Point and Danny’s Garden put on a wonderful display of colour this year.
This lovely garden is the result of much hard work by Site Manger Ernie
Kennedy and WBT volunteers, and Jude and I thank them very much. There are fragrant flowers like Mock-Orange (a big favourite of butterflies, like the Western Tiger
Swallowtail). Other butterflies to watch for include Milbert’s Tortoiseshell, Lorquin’s
Admiral and the Red Admiral. If something goes “zipping” by your ear while resting
on the bench, it may be a hummingbird. The honeysuckle flowers at Osprey Point are
a hummingbird favourite. Watch for both Annas and Rufous hummers.
Scanning over the tidal flats one sometimes can see Black-tailed Deer crossing over. Once in awhile they stop to nibble on something – seaweed. The question
sometimes asked by Conservation Area visitors is “do deer eat seaweed?” The answer
is “yes they do”. Two common seaweeds found on shores of The Conservation Area
at Maplewood Flats are rock weed (Fucus, sp.) and sea lettuce (Ulva, sp.). Sea Lettuce
is also a favourite of dabbling ducks like American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal and
Mallard. And don’t forget to watch the crows and gulls dropping their “clams” from
high above, and then racing down to get the meat before another bird “steals” it. Evenings and early mornings are especially enjoyable at Osprey Point – even nature has
her quiet times. Enjoy and keep safe.
© Struan Robertson
Legendary Lower Mainland Naturalist
Al Grass
Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly © Al Grass
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
7
Berry Nice to Eat You! by Rob Lyske
bounty of berries. It has always been said to watch for
the Rufous Hummingbird’s return at the first sign of
Salmonberry flowering. I believe the same should be
said for the arrival of Cedar Waxwings and Swainson’s
Thrush as they arrive at their breeding grounds at the
same time branches are burdened with plump orange
and red fleshy fruit.
It is truly wonderful to find a shrub laden with
berries and catch the silhouette of a Black-headed or
Evening Grosbeak or Purple Finch as it gulps down a
meal. Western Tanagers and Warbling Vireos love to
eat insects but also take to fruit in the fall as they prepare for their southbound migration.
The Fall is fast approaching and as the leaves
tumble to bed the pathways, small bunches of tasty
morsels are left hanging in their absence. A little luck
and a watchful eye may find some surprises in the coming months. Elderberry, crab apple, ash and hawthorn
are all very good hosts for birds that we seldom see at
© Robert Alexander The Conservation Area.
Whether you find a Townsend’s Solitaire, BoA Male Cedar Waxwing prepares to feast at The Conservation Area.
hemian Waxwing, Hermit Thrush or Pine Grosbeak be
No matter the time of year, finding any species of bird sure to observe where it is perched. There is a good chance
really relies on its habitat. Another helpful resource is its food one of those fruiting wonders is the lure!
source. Shorebirds on mudflats probing for invertebrates, flycatchers sallying out for insects, or swifts and swallows feedJoin WBT Contract Naturalist Rob Lyske
ing on the wing are all helpful for viewing— after all it brings
for Member’s Only Walks 2017
our favourite birds out in the open.
Saturday May 20th and Saturday August 19th 2017
There are, however, many species that are still diffi10 am-noon
~ rain or shine ~
cult to come across as they sit quietly in a tree or shrub with a
About Our Covers by John Lowman
Front Cover: “Come Play With Me: Black-tailed Deer Fawn © John Lowman
One of the privileges of my working on a photo documentary of wildlife at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
has been permission to occasionally leave the trails to track down subjects. One morning when I visited the Park Street Marsh, an
area where visitors are not permitted, I encountered a doe and her fawn. Perhaps the fawn had not seen a human before that day
as she seemed very curious. When I slowly manoeuvred the heavy camera on its tripod to get a better angle, the fawn disappeared. Her mother kept grazing. Then I heard rustling behind me. As soon as I turned, there was a brown flash as the fawn disappeared again. More rustling, and there was the fawn a few feet behind me. Again I turned the camera. This time as she
pranced away she halted, and glanced invitingly back over her shoulder as if to say “Come play with me,” which became the title
of this image, one of my favourite memories of The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats.
Back Cover: Otter Portrait: Northern River Otter © John Lowman
One of the most effective ways of photographing elusive animals is to anticipate where they will be before they get there,
arrive before they do, and wait. On the day I photographed this Northern River Otter she was swimming across the lagoon by
WestCoast Bridge towards the point at Ocean View. Luckily I was on the bridge when I saw her, and made Ocean View long
before the otter did. I had the camera set up on the tripod as low to the ground as possible a few minutes before she arrived. As
she ambled up the beach, I took a few frames, at which point she realized she was not alone. She turned, dived back into the water and swam out about twenty feet. The otter rose out of the water to study the strange three-legged Cyclops she had just encountered, giving me this intimate portrait, another of my favourite memories of The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats.
Editors’ Note: John Lowman’s intimate Otter Portrait appeared on the Front Cover of Canadian Camera (Fall 2008 issue) and
was accompanied by his major article “The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats—Photographing Wildlife in the Jewel on the
Burrard”
8
WINGSPAN
Fall 2016
Elsie Webb
at WBT’s Membership Office
WBT Membership Secretary Elsie Webb
answers calls in Corrigan Nature House Membership Office
With the installation of our
Membership Office in Corrigan Nature
House we hope we have made membership servicing more efficient. You may
join or renew your membership over the
telephone with WBT’s Membership
Secretary Elsie Webb by speaking to her
directly or leaving her a message at the
Membership Office 604 929 2379.
If you prefer to join or renew
by e-mail please send Elsie an e-mail at
[email protected]
Mailing in your membership
form or leaving it at The Conservation
Area’s Meet and Greet Office with one
of our Receptionists are other ways of
keeping your membership current.
We are sometimes asked “How
do I know my membership is up for
renewal?” - membership renewal letters
are either mailed or e-mailed to you by
Elsie around the anniversary of the date
you originally joined or renewed.
If you have a query please feel
you can contact Elsie by telephone or email for clarification on your membership status.
Give Wildlife a Chance!
join WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
(a tax receipt will be issued for membership fees and donations)
Single Membership:
 $30 per year
 $60 for 2 years
Family Membership:
 $35 per year
 $70 for 2 years
LIFE Membership:
 $500
number in family
Donation:  $
TOTAL: $
Visa #
Expiry Date:
Name:
Address:
Postal Code:
Telephone:
Email:
Are you interested in volunteering—no experience necessary—we train! Office:  Outside Work: 
Please made your cheque payable to: WBT WILD BIRD TRUST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
124-1489 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, British Columbia V7T 1B8
WBT Membership Office Telephone: 604 929 2379
e-mail: [email protected]
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
9
Welcome Visitors!
Please practise a “no trace” visit by taking away only photographs and memories
We estimate 33,000 visitors annually enjoy the pedestrian-only trails at The Conservation Area at Maplewood
Flats. Many free events are offered throughout the year by WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia. We ask visitors to observe a few guidelines: no smoking, no beach or other fires, no swimming (pets or humans!), keep to the
trails and off the beach and sensitive areas, leave bikes in the bike rack, resist picking flowers, berries and other fruit.
We welcome leashed dogs but only on the east side of the property (not across WestCoast Bridge to avoid disturbing resting and ground-nesting birds). You may park in Environment Canada’s Staff Parking during evenings
and week-ends.
Giles and Giovana Beard
visited us in September
from
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Image:
Richard C. Beard
Images: Derek Killby
10
WINGSPAN
Fall 2016
DIG THIS
—dedicated excavating by Northern Flicker
by Dr. Alice L.E.V. Cassidy
While on a recent September road trip to inland Washington and Oregon, something my husband
and I dubbed the “Volcanoes and Woodpeckers Tour”
because of the many examples of both, we witnessed
an extended digging session by a Northern Flicker
(Colaptes auratus).
We were in Welches, located in the western
highlands of Mount Hood, Washington. Sitting on the
2nd floor balcony of our resort room, we had a great
view of the mostly natural landscaping consisting of
Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar and Hemlock. There
was little understory except for some Sword Fern and
Snowberry.
At first almost cryptic, I noticed a Northern
Flicker on the ground, pecking furiously at the dirt. I
took many photos; it was in fact difficult to get them
in focus as its head was pounding away so rapidly! It
must have worked on the same hole for over half an
hour, then paused, and hopped a short distance to start
a new digging project!
The Vancouver Avian Research Centre http://
birdvancouver.com/b_northern_flicker.html notes that
this is the only woodpecker species that commonly
digs, usually for ants and beetles. Because it was quite
hot and dry, I wondered if our flicker excavator was
seeking water too.
Either way, it was really one of the most interesting avian behaviours I have ever seen. The pictures tell the story!
Alice Cassidy is a science educator, wildlife biologist and
educational developer. She conducted field work for her
B.Sc at the University of Victoria, her Master’s at McGill
University and her Ph.D at the University of British Columbia (UBC), studying Bald Eagles, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Song Sparrows in coastal BC and New Brunswick. As a consultant, she took part in environmental impact and assessment of hydro lines on birds at Robert’s
Bank, and of a coal mine, on mammals in Tumbler Ridge.
Alice taught upper-level science and education courses at
UBC, facilitates workshops in higher education and in the
community and designs large-scale educational programs.
She is an editor and photographer, writes about the value
of nature and leads field trips to share her enthusiasm,
especially for the beautiful birds that are often right on our
doorstep!
Images: Northern Flicker © Dr. Alice L. E. V. Cassidy
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
11
Wild Bird Trust receives generous funding from
LUSH Charitable Giving Program
for our “Teaching Water Conservation” Project
by Patricia M. Banning-Lover
When I delivered my Society Report at AGM 2015 I mentioned that it was my intent to
recover the costs of the installation of our “Teaching Water Conservation” Project.
Wood Duck
Late August 2016 brought the wonderful news that our application to LUSH Charitable
Giving Program had been successful.
LUSH also generously funded the wheelchair accessible ramp for Corrigan Nature House in 2014. The recent
2016 funding application called for submission of an image. Wildlife Photographer John Lowman kindly consented
use of his Wood Duck image. John’s Wood Duck portrait appeared on W INGSPA N’s Front Cover Fall 2014—if selected, you will see John’s image on LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics pots and on their website.
The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats is on metered water—every drop used is paid for by WBT. As a
small non-profit charitable organization we endeavour to make every cent stretch as far as possible and with this valuable project we are able to
harvest year round roof
water and store it in a
partially-submerged
2,500 US gallon tank for
use as needed.
The “Teaching
Water
Conservation”
Project was designed and
managed by WBT Director Adrian Joseph, a retired Civil Engineer.
As well as its
very practical application
the project will be used as
an educational tool—
leading by example—in
the hopes that we can
encourage our members
and visitors to consider
installing a rain barrel to
help with watering vegeRichard Beard
tation at home.
“Water is Life” - WBT’s “Teaching Water Conservation” Project in our Native Plant Nursery
with WBT President Patricia M. Banning-Lover and WBT Director Adrian Joseph.
© John Lowman
Anise Swallowtail Caterpillar Release
at our “Return of the Osprey” Festival 2016
A release of Anise Swallowtail Caterpillars followed Dr. Richard
Beard’s Sunday afternoon presentation “Bring Back the Butterflies”. The
caterpillars, collected by Richard from the Boundary Bay colony, were released on the east side of the property to host plants which have been nurtured as part of WBT’s Anise Swallowtail Butterfly Restoration Project.
The two day Festival over weekend 23rd/24th July included Osprey and Purple Martin Watch with Derek Killby and Colin Clasen, a Bird
Migration Parade with Elise Roberts as part of the Kingfisher Club, Nature
Walks with Naturalists Al and Jude Grass, “Personal Disaster Preparedness”
by North Shore Management, “A Morning with Wild Birds Unlimited” with
John Morton and Mark Eburne, and WBT’s Annual BIG SIT.
12
WINGSPAN
Fall 2016
© Robert Alexander
Anise Swallowtail Caterpillar
WBT’s
Native
Plant
Nursery
by
Patricia M.
BanningLover
MCA Site Manager Ernie Kennedy
Richard C. Beard
WBT was granted a Business Licence from the District of North Vancouver for our Native Plant Nursery on July 4th
2016. MCA Site Manager Ernie Kennedy manages plant sales and inventory and will help you with your purchases—please call
him at 778 881 5300.
We also grow vegetation for our own use on the property as you can see from the image below. WBT’s Anise Swallowtail Butterfly Restoration Project managed by WBT Co-Founder/Director Dr. Richard Beard will greatly benefit from the
more than fifty plants which he germinated from seed harvested from existing Cow Parsnip and Sea Watch on the property.
Now in its 22nd year, the project’s goal is to support a colony of one of British Columbia’s most spectacular butterflies—the Anise Swallowtail Butterfly. This butterfly species was eliminated from Burrard Inlet as the tidal salt marsh was reduced to about 5% of its original extent in the last century. By reintroducing Cow Parsnip (Heracleum lanatum) and Sea Watch
(Angelica lucida) to the Park Street Marsh and area adjacent to the mudflats we are slowly reaching a critical mass of foodplant which will support this butterfly. Richard has been known to share “my life will be complete when the Anise Swallowtail
Butterfly returns to Burrard Inlet!”
Richard C. Beard
MCA Site Manager Ernie Kennedy in WBT’s Native Plant Nursery
with young Cow Parsnip and Sea Watch plants for WBT’s Anise Swallowtail Butterfly Restoration Project
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
13
Book Sales Tables at AGM 2016
THE BIRDER'S GUIDE TO VANCOUVER
AND THE LOWER MAINLAND
WBT Member Colin Clasen, writes …. consider giving
this book as a gift to any aspiring young birders, who want specific
information on where to find birds. This newly-updated book from
Nature Vancouver provides detailed information for 33 birding locations in the metro Vancouver area. This includes updated text about
species occurrence and abundance, as well as a completely new set of
high-quality color bird and location photos and detailed color maps.
The book is now available from many sources. That includes Nature
Vancouver events for $25 (no tax) and from many companies for
$26.95-plus-tax, including Wild Birds Unlimited, Backyard Bird Centre, Chapters, Amazon.ca, or directly from Harbour Publishing at:
http://www.harbourpublishing.com/titleBirderGuideVancouverRevEd
Colin will have a book sales table at WBT’s AGM on November 5th 2016 for the Birder’s Guide—it has a section on The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats co-written by WBT President Patricia M. Banning-Lover and WBT Director Kevin Bell with wonderful mages by John Lowman.
The stunning image of an Anna’s Hummingbird on the Front
Cover was taken by Michelle Lamberson giving the book an instant
“pick me up and read me” feeling.
BOOK PRICE AT WBT AGM 2016: $25 (no tax)
Payable by either cash, or a cheque made out to
“Nature Vancouver – Birder’s Guide”.
GRACED BY NATURE’S PALETTE
by Frank Townsley
with a Foreword by Robert Bateman
Published by Friesen Press
“A naturalist, teacher and guide shares his appreciation for his home province in this debut collection of gorgeous photographs and watercolours. The book offers everything you ever wanted to know about the flora and fauna
of British Columbia but didn’t know enough to ask.
The perfect gift for a friend with a mountain cabin
and a coffee table”.
Extract: Kirkus Reviews
To read the whole review: https:www.kirkusreviews.com/
book-reviews/frank-townsley/british-columbia/
WBT Member Sharon Carey will r epr esent author
Frank Townsley at our AGM on November 5th 2016 with a
book sales table featuring “Graced by Nature’s Palette”.
BOOK PRICE AT WBT AGM 2016:
$50 (no tax)
Cash only please!
14
WINGSPAN
Fall 2016
WBT WILD BIRD TRUST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
calls its members to the
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Saturday, November 5th 2016
Corrigan Nature House on Osprey Point Trail
The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
2645 Dollarton Highway, North Vancouver, BC
(2 km. east of 2nd Narrow Bridge)
12.30 pm.
Doors open at Corrigan Nature House
AGENDA
1.30 pm.
AGM, Awards and Election (WBT members only)
Please sign in at the door with Elsie Webb and Carole Gamley
and collect your copies of AGM Minutes 2015 and Financial Statements
Welcome Address
Consideration of Financial Statements
Society Report by WBT President/Co-Founder Patricia M. Banning-Lover
Awards
Election of Directors
Other Business
Refreshments will be served after the Business Meeting and before the Presentation
Presentation
To Be Announced
(please watch our website for details)
Book Sales Tables
(please see opposite page for details)
~
Please use the Nomination Form (page 16) if you wish to stand for election to the Board of Directors
NOMINATION FORMS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5 pm. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1st 2016
at out mailing address—124-1489 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC V7T 1B8
Nominations will not be accepted from the floor
Please use the Proxy Form (page 16) if you are unable to attend the Annual General Meeting
but would like a WBT Member who will be present to vote on your behalf.
A complete list of those standing for election to the Board of Directors
will be available by telephoning 604 986 8525
during regular Meet and Greet Office hours (10 am-2 pm.) on Thursday, November 3rd 2016.
PLEASE NOTE
A family membership constitutes one vote.
Members may only nominate or second one candidate for election.
A Director may nominate or second more than one candidate for election.
Free ample parking until close of the Annual General Meeting
(you may park in Environment Canada’s Staff Parking for this event)
The event is wheelchair-accessible and wheelchair accessible washrooms are available
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
15
SPECIAL EVENT
Symposium—Invasive Plant Management
Saturday, October 22nd 2016
Doors open 9.30 am. for 10 am-4.30 pm.
Corrigan Nature House
2645 Dollarton Highway, North Vancouver, BC
~ ample free parking ~ wheelchair accessible ~ tea, coffee and cookies served all day ~
~ please bring your own prepared sandwich lunch ~
~ the event is free to all on a first come basis and space is limited to eighty participants ~
To secure your seat please pre-register with Elsie Webb: Telephone: 604 929 2379
or by email: [email protected]
WBT Co-Founder/Director Dr. Richard C. Beard …. “ A hot, and getting hotter, topic is non-native invasive
plants and animals. They are spreading rapidly across the landscape, some with huge potential ecological and
financial costs. However, finding agreement on the specific risks they pose and how to deal with them is often a
challenge. Wild Bird Trust will be hosting a symposium on invasive plants and how they might be managed at
the North Shore’s only wildlife sanctuary—The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats. No sanctuary is an island. What happens on this 76 acre site will have repercussions across the North Shore and beyond because it
is a centre for learning as well as conservation”.
WBT Director Kevin Bell …. “ There is a prevailing view that all non-native species are invasive, dangerous
and must be eradicated. However, there is an emerging body of evidence suggesting this is not necessarily true
in all cases. Compelling research from the UK and the USA gives weight to the viewpoint that some species are
actually beneficial to wildlife. The symposium is designed to address both issues; to reach a balanced assessment of which plants should be retained for the benefit of Conservation Area wildlife and which plants should be
controlled.
Much of The Conservation Area is classified Brown Field because for many years it was used for industrial purposes, including the dumping of soils and other materials on the intertidal flats. As a result of the dumping 70 per cent of the plant species that now exist are non-native. How many of these species should be considered invasive? What methods should be used to control them? Do we use herbicides like glyphosate (now suspected to be carcinogenic by the World Health Organization) or can we use less invasive procedures? These
are some of the questions that will be addressed at the symposium with the objective of developing a vegetation
management plan that has the welfare of The Conservation Area’s wildlife as a main criterion”.
~ please watch our website www.wildbirdtrust.org for more information ~
SPOTTING SCOPE
gifted to Wild Bird Trust
Wild Bird Trust recently became the grateful recipient
of a KOWA spotting scope and tripod. Nola Frost approached
Naturalist Al Grass with the donation expressing the wish that
her late husband’s scope be used to help with interpretation
and education.
The image on the right shows Al with the donated
scope at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats at WBT’s
Monthly Guided Nature Walk “Autumn” on Saturday, September 10th 2016.
Thank you very much Nola. Your husband’s scope will
be used with appreciation as it will help to bring nature a little
closer in our sights!
Derek Killby
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
17
Volunteer Opportunities!
No experience necessary—we train!
Gardening, Field Work and Trails
(contact MCA Manager Ernie Kennedy
Telephone: 778 881 5300)
Reception at WBT’s Maplewood Meet and Greet Office at The Conservation Area
(contact Patricia Telephone: 604 922 1550)
All WBT Volunteers are required to fill in an application form
and sign a waiver of liability before commencement of work.
INJURED WILDLIFE?
Wild Bird Trust cannot help you
with injured wildlife.
as we do not have the facilities
or the mandate to effect rehabilitation.
Please call the experts for assistance:
Are you enjoying the
new Bird Feeding Station
at The Conservation Area?
You can help by donating seed and feed
to Wild Bird Trust by contacting
WRA in Burnaby
Telephone: 604 946 3171
(Wildlife Rescue Association)
Wild Birds Unlimited,
1190 Marine Drive,
North Vancouver, BC.
OWL in Delta
Telephone: 604 526 7275
(Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society)
Telephone:
604 988 2121
Thank you for caring
—enquiries about injured deer
at The Conservation Area
© Derek Killby
Black-tailed Deer with Fawn
at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats
18
WINGSPAN
Fall 2016
Over the past few weeks we have had several
kind-hearted enquiries from visitors regarding injured
deer. Dollarton Highway hosts swift-flowing traffic
which often pays no heed to wildlife despite District of
North Vancouver signs which request us all to “SLOW
DOWN.”
About seven years ago the injured doe, which
you see on the property this year with two fawns, was
a casualty of an accident on the highway.
Although she walks with a terrible limp she
runs like the wind when necessary and produces one
to two young every year. We see her frequently on the
trails and when she crosses the Barge Channel to visit
and browse the areas adjacent to our Meet and Greet
Office and Corrigan Nature House
An Eye to The Sky! “Look up, look down, look all
around!” There are many wonderful things happening in the sky
above you. Maybe you will be lucky to find rainbow-like colours
opposite the sun on a hot summer day—these are sun dogs. Perhaps you are spending some time identifying the different cloud
types and what they can tell you about the weather.
Wildlife Up High!
Look—and listen for migrating birds like geese and cranes.
Geese like the Canada Goose and Snow Goose fly in “vees”, usually calling all the while. Why do they fly in “vees?” Sandhill
Cranes when they are flying give a rattle like call and Trumpeter
Swans sound like someone blowing on a horn.
Where are all these birds going? North to breeding grounds or
South to wintering areas? Snow Geese, for example, at this time
of year, are headed to the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Ladner and also to the Skagit Valley. In the Spring they
are headed to Wrangel Island, Russia to their breeding grounds.
Termites and Ants on warm summer evenings termites
and carpenter ants emerge from their woody retreats to find
new homes. This is when the dinner table is set for birds like
the Common Nighthawk—not a hawk at all but a member of
the nightjar family. Its swept back wings and its nasal peet call
will identify it in flight. On a cloudy day, high above, dark
clouds may be forming—the weather is changing and perhaps
even a thunderstorm is brewing. Look high above for birds
that may remind you of swallows but with narrower pointed
wings: these are swifts. Two species to watch for at The Conservation Area are Black and Vaux’s. There is a third species
in British Columbia’s interior called the White-throated Swift.
Hummingbird Connection Scientists tell us that swifts are
related to hummingbirds—they are both in the same order.
What is an order and how does it differ from a family?
Remember to look up and look down and look all around—
keep your eyes roving and keep safe.
A Hot Summer Day
When the temperature climbs on a hot summer day, warm air
columns rise. These are called thermals. Thermal air currents
send flying insects into the sky above—perfect feeding places for
birds that catch bugs in mid-air. These include swallows, the
Common Nighthawk and swifts.
It is fun identifying the different species of swallows—Violet-green,
Tree, Cliff, Barn—and the Purple Martin.
The Rough-winged Swallow, another species, is usually seen
flying low over streams.
Some of the insects “wafted” up include beetles, flies, and dragonflies. Purple Martins and a small falcon called the Merlin can
sometimes be seen catching dragonflies overhead at The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats.
Remember the warm air currents called thermals?
They are also used by soaring birds like:
Hawks the Red-tailed Hawk is often seen soaring (making “lazy
circles”) in the sky above. The Red-tail is a Buteo type hawk with
broad wings and a fan-shaped tail: dark patches on the wings (the
patagials) will identify it in flight, along with its brick red tail.
Eagles both the Bald Eagle and the Golden Eagle soar on thermals. Sometimes you will see many Bald Eagles soaring above–
their white heads and tails gleaming in the sun. It takes 4-5 years
for a Bald Eagle to acquire its white head and tail. Sometimes an
immature “bald” can be mistaken for a “golden” Find out the differences between the two.
Turkey Vultures on a good warm day in summer it is not unusual to see a Turkey Vulture soaring high above. Often many
soar together in a kettle. High in the sky the vulture appears to
have a very small head and its wings are held in a vee. Vultures
feed on carrion, dead animals, and are an important part of nature’s “cleaner-uppers”. Did you know that vultures have a bare
head—but why?
© Robert Alexander
Adult Male Tree Swallow feeding juvenile
at a nest box beside West Pond,
The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats, Summer 2016
Text by Al Grass
the KINGFISHER club logo
was designed by Richard Smith
WBT Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia
19
WBT WILD BIRD TRUST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
1 2 4 - 1 4 8 9 M a ri n e D ri ve , We s t Va n c o u ve r, B ri t i s h C o l u m b i a , V 7 T 1 B 8
Tel ephone/ Fa x : ( 6 04 ) 986 85 2 5
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PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO 40968512
RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO
CIRCULATION DEPT.
330 - 123 MAIN STREET
TORONTO ON M5W 1A1
email: [email protected]
Otter Portrait: Northern River Otter
at he Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats © John Lowman