What the Heck Are You Doing Down There?

Native Plant of the Day!

2010-05-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

The Thunderbird is a mythical creature of Native American stories whose wings are so large it creates thunder with every beat of its wings. It evokes powerful imagery and this commanding animal creates a well-deserved link between bird and plant in the Vaccinium ovatum, or Evergreen huckleberry. In British Columbia, this flowering shrub is known as the Thunderbird, a fitting name. The Thunderbird is a medium-sized evergreen shrub which produces large black berries, up to a centimeter in diameter. Historically, Native American tribes would harvest the berries along the Pacific Coast, but birds also make good use of the plenty. The berries provide food and the actual bush also makes great nesting site for bush-nesting birds.

The Thunderbird has a long and rich history among both humans and birds and, as an important piece of British Columbia history, is a perfect addition to your native garden to pay homage to the integral role that birds play in our lives.

All About Identification

2010-04-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

Now that the Great Spring Migration has begun, your feeders will be visited by a whole host of different birds. Feeders are a great place to do some backyard birdwatching but to get the full experience, you will want to be able to accurately identify whichever bird it is that is munching on your seed. You can do this by looking for specific field marks. Field marks are what set different bird species apart from one another. By noting these differences, you can identify to species most birds that you see! So to help you out, here's a quick guide to field marks and identifying birds.

(Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

This picture tells you the main points to look for on a bird. These areas will have different colours, patterns, and shapes and a good bird guide will point out these areas for an easy identification. Any colours that jump out or are different from the rest of the bird will be good indicators of species. Sometimes the nape will change into another colour on the back, or the breast will be streaked, spotted, or bare. These are all good things to look at on the body.

Important things to note in this picture are the wings and wingbars.

(Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

The presence or absence of wingbars can be a clue to what species the bird is. The bars can be white, grey, cream, or other light colours. Also note any colour changes on the rest of the wing.

(Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

The head and face can hold the biggest clues to exactly what bird is in your yard. Stripey heads can be quite common and the colour pattern is a huge indicator of the bird. Check for any different colours as well as the distinctness or brightness of them. Sometimes eyelines can be quite vivid while others are faint. The same goes for eyerings (if you can get that close!).

For the best chances at a correct identification, you should have four things quickly available: binoculars, a pad of paper and pen, a camera, and a field guide. Binoculars give a close-up view of the bird in question and you can jot down any defining characteristics on the pad of paper. A camera allows you to look back at the bird later and spend time looking at field marks. And the best way to find field marks is with your bird field guide.

If you do happen to snap a shot and just can't quite figure out what bird it is, I find the Help Me Identify a Bird forum on http://www.whatbird.com/ extremely useful. You can post your picture and expert birders can tell you what it is, if the picture is good enough!

Happy birding!

Native Plant of the Day!

2010-04-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

What's so great about Prunus emarginata? After all, its common name is the Bitter Cherry and humans will definitely not find its berries to be very palatable. Luckily, birds have completely different taste buds than people and they will gobble up these berries.

It is a small native tree commonly found in southwest British Columbia as well as down the coast. Its small white flowers smell like almonds when they bloom and are a delicious-smelling addition to any garden. This tree can also send out underground shoots to reproduce and if left to its own devices, will form a thicket.

Almond smells, flowers, and a host of beautiful birds to enjoy; the Bitter Cherry tree will bring it all to your backyard.

What the Heck Presentation

2010-04-14T20:39:00.000-07:00

Well, my two presentations may have ended but the knowledge can still go on! I'm posting the presentation I used as a PDF so that anyone can download it to save and share the information. So show it to your friends, family, and neighbours and let's keep the birds happy!

What the Heck Are You Doing Down There

Plant of the Day!

2010-04-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

Today's native plant of the day is Kinnikinnick. This dwarf shrub is also known as Vancouver Jade and is native to North America, most notably in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. It is an evergreen ground-cover plant that produces lots of berries so is extremely attractive to all the berry-eating birds. The beautiful Cedar Waxwings will take a particular liking to Kinnikinnick. It can be used as ground-cover or it can be grown over a wall to add a little unique touch to your garden.
Kinnikinnick will also provide great nest sites to birds that prefer to nest hidden in shrubs. You might find yourself with some wrens, House finches, or robins! Overall, this native plant is a great addition to anyone's garden.

What the Heck?

2010-04-06T17:41:00.000-07:00

I am doing two public presentations that are full of information that I can't all put in this blog. I will be talking in-depth about the best plant placement in your yard to attract birds, what kind of feeders and food to put out, and how to quench your thirsty birds, as well as a lot of other information about the state of Vancouver's birds!

So come on out and help those birds!

Native Plant of the Day

2010-04-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

Every so often I will be posting about a great native plant that is also bird-friendly. To start us off, we have the Flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)!

This beautiful dediduous shrub is native to the Western coast of North America, from BC down through California. It needs part shade or full sun and is fast-growing and also drought tolerant (not that water is a problem in Vancouver!). It has early flowers that will attract birds to your yard, especially hummers that will visit to drink the nectar. To be the most effective, choose a currant that has red flowers; most nectar-drinking birds are most attracted to that colour!

Happy gardening!

Breeding Bird Atlas

2010-03-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

Do you want a fun way to help gather useful and important information about breeding birds of BC? Check out the BC Breeding Bird Atlas at http://www.birdatlas.bc.ca/

This website is an extremely useful tool for researchers trying to figure out exactly what these BC birds are doing during the breeding season, and how they are using habitat. Also, birds just happen to be great indicators of environmental health and climate change! So by gathering as much information as we can about them, we end up learning a lot about environment and climate.

If you register for the atlas, you can survey a certain area and note down which birds are breeding in that area. All the information from surveyors will be compiled onto the website for easy access. They also include trends for certain bird species, whether they are in decline or not.

So check this website out! It won't disappoint.

The Great Migration Begins!

2010-03-21T22:28:00.000-07:00

Well, very soon Vancouver will start seeing some migratory birds coming in! These birds may just be coming up from Washington and Oregon or, more likely, they are making an epic journey up from Mexico and South America. One of the smallest of these migrants, the little Rufous Hummingbird, makes one of the longest trips and will be very hungry when he arrives. So to welcome these tiny birds, let's start putting out hummingbird feeders. You can buy nectar formula in a store but it's super easy to make your own! The trick is to mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water and voila, cheap and easy hummer food.

To make the most of your nectar, put it in a red hummingbird feeder; that is the colour these birds are most attracted to. And finally, refill! Once the hummers learn that there is food to be had in your yard, they will keep stopping by to fill up. Be a good hummer host and keep your feeders full!

Quick Tips

2010-03-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

Coming Soon!

2010-03-20T11:56:00.001-07:00

Check back soon for information about how you can directly help birds living and nesting in your backyard!