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March 24, 2005  Ducktor and Phil Spring is officially here and where do we stand in comparison to other years? A few years ago I recorded Alpine buttercups blooming long before March 21st and this was, I thought, quite early. The 100 Mile Marsh is nearly open having only one small ice pan still attached to the south shore and with wind forecasted to continue it won’t be long before the last of the ice breaks off and deteriorates. And what about those returning birds? Here’s a blow by blow of some returning species. Robins Robins appear to have beaten or tied Varied Thrush in getting back to the South Cariboo. Often Varied Thrush are the earliest returnees. Last Saturday snow fell plunging us once more into the world of winter. Robins, in flocks of a dozen were seen scurrying around by what was left of the ornamental tree fruit in town. Out where I’m house-sitting I watched waves of Robins flying west going upstream in the direction of 100 Mile House. Perhaps they’d also heard of the ornamental fruit trees. Varied Thrush I was beginning to feel left out as neighbours reported many Varied Thrush in their yards while I saw none. It wasn’t until a few days ago while sitting in my vintage lawn chair over at Guy’s house, that I watched my first Varied Thrush of the year fly up to a low branch of a pine. It was an ideal way to view the thrush - against a backdrop of mature spruce and along the snow-shrouded shores of Bridge Creek. Some Varied Thrush will nest in locations as above, while others move as far north as Alaska. Yesterday evening, a Varied Thrush, possibly the same one, sat in a poplar sapling and treated me to a full range of its ‘tin whistle’ songs. I never knew there were so many variations. They are all based on the sound ‘hreeeh’ but some are piping calls other bubbly versions and still others the haunting, wistful, call that makes the Varied thrush one of the most mysterious sounds of the springtime western forest. Canada Geese What would spring be without Canada Geese? These hardy souls have been with us for a few weeks now. All the honkers need to sustain themselves while staking out the premium nesting territories, is a bit of green grass. Luckily there has only been one heavy snowfall that lasted a full 24 hours on the ground so pickings haven’t been too bad. I also noted a pair of Canada Geese scouting out a likely looking oxbow on Bridge Creek. They spent some time feeding with heads dipping into the creek. For a while the marsh in town had many Canadas loafing on the ice but with the ice almost gone they’ve dispersed, likely to the slopes along Exeter Road or further north. Swans We are blessed with many Trumpeter Swans in spring. This year is no exception. The large numbers of Swans have yet to arrive but every open creek mouth has at least a pair of these giant white birds. I took the time to watch a pair tipping up at the marsh and as usual Wigeon and Mallards gathered around the affable giants of the waterfowl world. With necks that work like serpentine dredges Swans reach much farther than any dabbling duck and all share in the roots and detritus brought to the top. Part of the feeding strategy seems to be a trundling action done with the large black webbed feet, at least that’s what I think I see. The Swan sits in a typical ‘waterfowl on water’ pose and shuffles its feet no doubt another way to shake up the bottom. Dark-eyed Juncos Juncos, for me, totally absent all winter, arrived in flocks a few weeks ago. Most are the Oregon type but if you study them it isn’t hard to pick out an occasional Slate-coloured Junco. These birds have almost no brown or tan colouration, only dark gray and white. I always think it looks like Slate-coloured Juncos have been swimming duck-fashion in white paint because the lower belly is so crisply marked with a circular dab in that colour. Ducks I’m dumping all the ducks under one heading since they more or less arrived when open water at the marsh presented itself. A few, as I reported before, hung out at the field at Skaday Bridge; those were mostly Pintail and a few Mallards. As soon as a lunate-shaped bit of water opened at the marsh Common Goldeneyes dropped in and their numbers have grown substantially since. A few Barrow’s Goldeneyes have touched down, but at this time of year Common’s are in the majority. Buffleheads arrived as well looking, at least to me, like water chickadees with their distinctly marked black and white heads. A few days ago I spotted two Coots. Now, they’ve either moved on or have been hiding in the cattails since the temperature dropped. A pair of male Canvasbacks slept on the water a few days ago but I haven’t seen any since. Scaup arrived a few days ago and their numbers climb each day. I haven’t yet taken the time to see whether they are Greater or Lesser Scaup but at this time of year there is a good chance to see Greater and as spring ages, only Lesser remain. Wigeon are also quite populous at the marsh. I have yet to see a Eurasian Wigeon among the American Wigeon but, as I’ve not failed to see one every spring, I look forward to that chance again. A few years ago I saw three male Eurasians at the 100 Mile Marsh thus dispelling the myth that there was only one, very old Eurasian making its appearance every year. I wouldn’t bother looking for female Eurasian Wigeons. They’re so similar to female Americans it is almost impossible. Sparrows I listened to a Song Sparrow attempting its typical song a week ago and it was almost comical. It takes a male bird a little while to get into its full-blown singing voice and this one was trying. A mystery Sparrow presented itself at the marsh yesterday. I heard its piercing call note, which was reminiscent of a Song Sparrow but not quite the same. I looked about and spied a Sparrow fluffed up in a shrub. At first I thought with its light colouration that it was a House Sparrow. They usually hang out in that particular area near some bird houses. My binocular gaze told me it was not a House Sparrow but an American Tree Sparrow as indicated by the little ‘mayoral brooch’ draped around its upper chest. It took flight right toward me and passed my leg by about two feet. It continued on to the cattail margin and called there a few seconds before the resident Red-winged Blackbird drove it off. It’s been at least 2 years since I saw a Tree Sparrow; it’s not that they’re rare here, but they can go unnoticed. Winter Wren I have come upon and bothered several Winter wrens along the creek and in a cut block several hundred feet from that watercourse. If it was not for their emphatic chirping I think few winter Wrens would ever be recorded but they can’t resist getting worked up when someone walks near their perfect hiding spots. Yesterday I was quite sure I heard one singing behind the house but it sang no more after I stood still to listen. There are some returning birds I’m forgetting right now and some birds I have yet to see. The Western Bluebird and the Western Meadowlark are two that have been recorded by others already. All in good time I say. Tame Ducks At the place I am currently house-sitting there are two tame ducks. A male named "The Ducktor," and a female, which I believe, is called "Philomena." I may have the spelling wrong on her name. Watching them I am learning a lot about duck life. They spend the night in the pen but are allowed out in the day. Watching them feed, preen, mate, and interact with the other pets is an eye opener. One thing I have learned is that ducks eat a lot of mud to get a little nourishment. To e-mail Tom CLICK HERE To look at previous column CLICK HERE |
