Comments for Bird Canada

Comment on The Great Horned Owls of Sikome Lake by Saturday Snapshot March 9: Great Horned Owl | Ripple Effects

Saturday Snapshot March 9: Great Horned Owl | Ripple Effects — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:41:33 +0000

[...] No matter. It was a great sighting for me. And I know where to find them now. Apparently, this is father owl and his family is famous in the birding community. They even have their own WEBPAGE. [...]

Comment on Evening Grosbeak by Pat Bumstead

Pat Bumstead — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:09:14 +0000

What an excellent question. You made me wonder about their name as well so I did a little digging. There is an excellent article on the origin of their scientific and common names on the Tails of Birding blog. They are now placed in the same Genus as the European Hawfinch, but they still don't 'sing' in the evening!

Comment on Reifel Bird Sanctuary by Pierre Cenerelli

Pierre Cenerelli — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:36:10 +0000

This is indeed a fantastic place to do birding and did so twice this year (so far). One of the best in Canada, I would say, especially given that it is relatively easily accessible (if you have access to a car).

Comment on Evening Grosbeak by Pierre Cenerelli

Pierre Cenerelli — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:33:36 +0000

Great blog and good observations! Will post further reflections about all this tonight, if I can.

Comment on Reifel Bird Sanctuary by Cindy Boucher

Cindy Boucher — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:08:10 +0000

Looks like a great place. Enjoyed your article.

Comment on Evening Grosbeak by Jamie McMillan

Jamie McMillan — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:32:57 +0000

Commercial forestry just doesn’t get it. Spray the caterpillars and you also spray its predators and parasites. Beautiful as they are, I doubt if Evening Grosbeaks have any effect on budworm numbers, but other insects probably would. Their populations can rise in step with the budworm and overwhelm it. Spray them and what do you get: another budworm outbreak in a few years time.
Anyway what damage do the budworms actually cause? Do they kill the trees? Most defoliating caterpillars here in Europe may cause foresters to panic, but the tree just misses a growth year and comes back next year when the caterpillar population has,inevitably, crashed.
Mixed plantations would harbour more predators and would help, but the main thing is to stop spraying.

While I’m here can anyone tell me why they are called Evening Grosbeak? I have a romantic vision of a pioneer frontiersman trudging back to his log cabin after a hard day’s woodchopping and namimg them after watching them coming in to roost in the treetops (like our European Hawfinches).

Comment on Evening Grosbeak by Pat Bumstead

Pat Bumstead — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:55:48 +0000

Multi-species planting would be the solution to almost all conservation problems, as it re-creates natural forest and habitat. The forestry industry, however, prefers monoculture plantations for easy of harvesting. Guess who wins.

Comment on Reifel Bird Sanctuary by Karen

Karen — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:38 +0000

It looks like an awesome place to visit. $5 is a bargain to boot.
It would be a thrill to see Northern Pintails & Sandhill Cranes that close up.
It’s always extra special to see a bird for the first time … congratulations!

Comment on Reifel Bird Sanctuary by Tammy

Tammy — Thu, 23 May 2013 04:08:02 +0000

I practically lived there. Went almost every weekend. I participated in the Ladner CBC and we had our post count in the museum. I also volunteered there throughout the year and always during the Snow Goose Festival. I miss everyone there. You are almost guaranteed a lifer when you go, there are just so many birds. John Ireland, when he worked there as manager, always seemed to know where a rare one was and told us where to look. Someday I will visit again, but until then I will just have to bird here in Ashcroft.

Comment on Canada’s Shorebirds – Part 3, Calidrids and Turnstones by Dan Arndt

Dan Arndt — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:15:17 +0000

Thanks again for the heads up, Rick! I guess when I originally processed the photos from that weekend I mis-labelled a few of them. I hope the new photos meet your approval! I do appreciate that though! I am a bit of a shorebird pedant, and I hope I didn’t mislead too many people!

- Dan