This past week has been full of excitement for my Grade 9 students as they prepare for their upcoming sailing trip in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia. I’ve been busy with my own preparations as well, so I thought I would keep things simple this month and showcase a few of the birds that our group of normally land-locked adolescents may see during their week-long adventure on Canada’s spectacular Pacific coast.
Harlequin Ducks may still be hanging around on the coast when our trips occur earlier in the year. They are found along rocky coastlines where the crashing waves are likely reminiscent of their summer breeding grounds among mountain streams and rivers.
Black Oystercatchers are easily spotted by their carrot-like noses and their loud whistled call.
Common Murres are, well, common along the coast where they fill a penguin-like niche diving for fish.
Great Blue Herons are migratory in Alberta but year-round residents on the west coast. They have always seemed to me more approachable in this environment as well, with this bird coming in to land just a short distance away.
The Spotted Towhee is another species that is a migrant in Alberta that occurs year round on the west coast. This individual gave great views but they typically feed on the ground among dense bushes, their presence made known by loud dietary advice to “Drink! Drink, Teeaaa!”
It’s a duck, it’s a duck with a long-tail – let’s call it a Long-tailed Duck (better than the old name anyway…). These ducks breed in the Arctic, winter along the coast, and cause excitement when they show up in small numbers on the reservoir here in Calgary every fall.
My favourite West Coast bird: it has a horn on its beak, it’s related to puffins, and it has racing stripes on its face – the Rhinoceros Auklet.
The Northwestern Crow is a separate but very closely related species to American Crows. Perhaps they will once again be considered subspecies but, for now, they’re an easy “tick” for visitors to Vancouver Island and I will continue to try and fail to hear the difference in their voice.
Nice list of birds… and great shots of the flying birds, too. I would love to add the Rhinoceros Auklet and Common Murre to my life list.