April and May are exciting times for birders as approximately 60 species of birds either arrive to spend the summer with us or migrate through our area to points further north. New species of birds arrive on a daily basis from the south, some that wintered in California and Mexico (rufous hummingbird, golden-crowned sparrow), some in central America (willow flycatcher) and others from as far afield as the Amazon basin (purple martin) and even Argentina (pectoral sandpiper and common tern).
Birders are always anxious to reacquaint with the new arrivals and perhaps to compare arrival dates from year to year.
One very obvious indicator of the season has been the tens of thousands of geese migrating over and along the Sunshine Coast. The first snow goose flock of the year was noted on April 8 and they have been daily since then. Greater white-fronted geese and Canada geese have also been noted. The flocks can be observed flying high overhead in long chevrons, and are frequently only heard as they are very loquacious during their long migratory flights. The three species can be identified by their calls even if they fly over at night. The geese will return over the Sunshine Coast in October.
I caught the early morning bird chorus on April 12 (not the dawn chorus) and reveled in the amazing variety of birds to be heard. In less than five minutes I heard (but did not see any of them) 10 different species.
I live on Redrooffs Road among a mixed forest habitat of fir and cedar, alder, maple and arbutus. Birds heard were American robin, spotted towhee, a Pacific wren singing its head off and newly arrived white-crowned sparrows, yellow-rumped and orange-crowned warblers and ruby-crowned kinglets all singing in the tree tops.
A rufous hummingbird zoomed around and visited the feeder and a pileated woodpecker could be heard banging away on a snag. However, I was particularly intrigued by the northern flickers. Many people are familiar with these members of the woodpecker family as they love to drum on metal chimneys and flashing in the springtime. This behavior announces their territorial claims to other flickers who might be thinking of encroaching. Surprisingly, I could hear four flickers all drumming simultaneously on different chimneys, and all producing identifiably different sounds. It was like an orchestra.
To report your sightings or questions contact tony@whiskeyjacknaturetours.com or call 604-885-5539.
