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Nov 3, 2005  Bird Flu Flies into the Cuckoo's Nest We shall leave no Tern unstoned! -The rallying cry of those zealots determined to crush any form of avian flu wherever it is found. On the day I write the weekly bird column I usually go for a long ramble in the bush. This walk is more likely to occur on days when bird activities through the week haven't given me much to write about and I'm hoping for a last minute shot of excitement. Today I went for a very long walk. I wasn't so much trying to find something to write about as I was attempting to ignore doing a story on the media frenzy surrounding avian flu. I could go on, but I have the feeling that anything I say isn't going to be about avian flu but the way the media is handling the topic. I'm going to stop now. I may write further on the topic when I learn more about it. Bohemians Return Every year in late October, an influx of Bohemian Waxwings descend on 100 Mile House. They come from their northern breeding grounds seeming to displace Cedar Waxwings who nest here, then cooperatively leave town just ahead of the influx. It's as if the absence of Cedar Waxwings creates a vacuum and ushers in the Bohemian Waxwings. This year was no different. I've watched the flocks for about 9 years now. During some years there have been substantial numbers, but nothing like this year. On October 23rd I'd heard rumours that Bohemian Waxwings had been seen in town but had not personally laid eyes on any. I kept an ear to the wind for the next few days and finally on the 26th I caught the unmistakable sound of Bohemians around town though I never saw any. On October 31st, as I stepped out of my van on Birch Avenue, I sensed a presence in the sky overhead. I looked up and stood in awe. A single flock of Bohemian Waxwings stretching for hundreds of feet passed over head. They looked like pepper, big pepper, blown by the wind. I tried to estimate the number in the flock as they tuned west. Usually my estimates are high, but if I rein in my tendency to exaggerate, I would guess there were 900 in this one flock. Initially I guessed 1000. The town of 100 Mile House is very friendly to fruit eating birds; various ornamental fruit trees line the streets. And this year the many mountain ash trees scattered liberally throughout town are laden with branch-breaking amounts of berries. Crows and Starlings gorged on many of the fruit trees from well before the Bohemian Waxwing arrival. However, even with this continuing consumption there is still left a lot of fruit left on the trees. In the last few days it's been hard to ignore the Bohemians. Generally they are scattered about town, in flocks of 40 or so, pillaging individual trees. Then they get the urge to congregate into a massive flock. A few start the action by sitting in a tall fir on Cedar Avenue. Then as if hearing a silent signal, smaller flocks gather together, appearing from all points of the compass. In a short time the fir tree trembles with activity, and just as suddenly as they gathered, they take wing, streaming over the streets. It's hard to believe that even with the amount of food available in town that this flock can be fed for more than a few days. No doubt their numbers will dwindle, with some birds moving to other areas, once food supplies drop. In a typical year we get to enjoy the presence of at least a few Bohemian Waxwings until April when they once again leave for the north. Jeepers A few days ago I received a call from someone reporting a Brown Creeper. Until learning the sound of the bird's call they may appear scarce, because their habit of hugging tree trunks makes them almost invisible. Discovering one is always a treat but they are by no means rare. Black-backed Woodpecker I can never get the names straight with the Three-toed Woodpeckers. A few days ago someone called to report a Black-backed Three-toed Woodpecker just east of town. Again, Three-toed Woodpeckers aren't rare or even scarce, but the Black-backed variety seems to be in the minority. I have never seen one around town though I have seen many Northern Three-toeds, and I never expect to see the Black-backed unless I go somewhat east of town. This sighting report was the closest to town I have ever heard of this species. Gulls For some odd reason I wanted to record the Gulls in town on November 1st, and I did record several Ring-bills over-flying the area. So far, no snow downtown, but only this morning I saw a small arm of thin ice reaching into the marsh from the east side. I'm sure the muskrats all jumped up and down on it so it's probably gone by now. To e-mail Tom CLICK HERE To look at previous column CLICK HERE |
