Late July and August, the dog days of summer, bring a relative silence to our gardens and forests as the millions of birds that inhabit them are finished for the year with breeding behavior (singing, courtship, raising young). No longer do we hear the wonderful songs of 50 species of warblers, thrushes, vireos, and grosbeaks, as the colourful breeding plumage of springtime is moulted to drabber, more muted shades that are less obvious to predators. By August many species are abandoning the Sunshine Coast and beginning their southward migration, often over long distances as far away as South America.
The spring and summer of 2015 have been notable for their heat and drought. This may prove a boon to some species that can be adversely affected by cold temperatures and rain during the critical period when they must feed a nestful of youngsters. However, perhaps the drought may also have affected insect numbers which might make insects less abundant. Indications are that barn swallows, formerly an abundant species both on the Sunshine Coast and around the northern hemisphere, have had a good breeding season. By the first week of August most of our violet-green, tree and rough-winged swallows will have departed. Barn swallows frequently raise two or three broods per year and that may delay their departure until mid-September. The same goes for the purple martins, our largest swallow, which breed in the nest boxes on the pilings at the head of Porpoise Bay.
Warm August evenings, often over our urban areas, is the best time to observe the erratic flight of the common nighthawk. These birds often gather into loose flocks that zoom around erratically gobbling up aerial insects with their huge open mouths. The biggest flock seen so far this year is 40 over Wilson Creek on July 9, but look for larger numbers in August. The nighthawks often flock with their smaller relatives, black and Vaux’s swifts.
June and July have not produced much in the way of rare birds, but Sunshine Coast birders will be afield during August and September as these peak migration months tend to produce rarities as millions of birds are on the move.
To report your sightings or questions, contact [email protected] or 604-885-5539.
