Want to be a Bright Birder? It's Easier Than You Think!

Mallard Duckling, Skaha Lake, Penticton. Photo by M. Wilson

So you want to try birding (that's bird watching, not bird hunting). Here's what you'll need to get started:

• Binoculars (optional)
• Bird identification book (optional)
• An area where you can find birds (includes your backyard)

Pretty easy huh? Birding is a great hobby for all ages. It's free to do, and you can find birds anywhere in the world. With over 400 species of birds in Canada alone, it's a hobby that's always evolving and will keep you entertained for years to come, especially if you like to travel (for example, Brazil has over 1800 bird species, 234 of which are endemic, meaning they live there and nowhere else in the world).

As far as our Stewards of the Strait pledges are concerned, Bright Birders are in short supply. Which I find strange, because I'm sure that almost every person in British Columbia has at one point gone birding, though perhaps unknowingly. Did you see that American Robin digging for worms in your lawn? How about that Red-tailed Hawk soaring high above your office? You just went birding. Congratulations!

Now as a Bright Birder, there are some very important guidelines that we here at the Georgia Strait Alliance recommend you follow while you're viewing the birds. These guidelines will ensure that you not only keep the wildlife as safe and calm as possible, but it will also maximize your enjoyment of the hobby. There's nothing worse than getting too close to a bird and scaring it away before you have time to identify it, am I right?

Great Blue Heron, Stories Beach, Port Hardy. Photo by M. Wilson

If you want to try your hand at some genuine birding, here are the rules to follow (these guidelines have been adapted from the American Birding Association's Code of Birding Ethics):

• Observe and photograph birds without knowingly disturbing them in any significant way. Avoid chasing or repeatedly flushing birds.
  • Not only will this keep the birds safe, but it will ensure you enjoy the birds' natural behaviours for as long as possible.

• Only sparingly use recordings and similar methods of attracting birds and don't use these methods in heavily birded areas.
  • This one is very important. Birds use their calls to attract mates and guard their territories. If you use recorded bird calls to attract birds to you, not only are you likely stressing them out, but you could be doing them genuine harm (you may cause them to lose mates or territory, and no one wants to do that!).

• Keep an appropriate distance from nests and nesting colonies so as not to disturb the birds or expose them to danger.
  • Obviously, any mother with a giant intruder near her babies will not be impressed. Don't scare mum!

• Refrain from handling birds or eggs unless engaged in recognized research activities.
  • Don't touch anything! Besides, birds are famous for carrying lots of diseases, mites, and ticks. If you do touch a bird, clean your hands thoroughly afterwards.

• Stay on existing roads, trails and pathways whenever possible to avoid trampling or otherwise disturbing the fragile habitat.
  • This will keep the entire ecosystem safe and pristine. The birds will thank you!

• Leave all habitats as they were found.
  • This rule applies to all recreational outdoor activities. If you stop for a picnic, make sure you bring EVERYTHING back with you. This includes everything from sandwich bags to cigarette butts. And except for maybe the occasional feather, don't bring anything back with you, no matter how beautiful that empty bird's nest is.

Unidentified Sandpiper, Fishing boat off Ucluelet. Photo by M. Wilson

Lastly, now that you're a pro at responsible birding, don't forget to teach others what you've learned. If you see someone in a local park who isn't following these guidelines, it could simply be because they just don't know any better. Imagine how good you'll feel helping others to become as responsible as you!

So there you are, you are now ready to go out and discover the amazing and diverse world of birds. Please stop by our Stewards of the Strait website and sign our Bright Birder pledge. This will ensure that we here at the Georgia Strait Alliance know that there are people out there who care for the well-being of these amazing animals. While you're there, sign a few of our other pledges as well, I'm sure there's at least one that applies to you!

Enjoy your new hobby!

- Mikaela

For You I Am a Better Person

Working in the environmental sector can be both rewarding and incredibly trying and stressful. It can take years, even decades, to see any sort of positive change around a particular issue, and it’s not surprising that people in this line of work often burn out. Recently I was finding myself uninspired, frustrated and, needless to say, unproductive. So I took an unplanned two week vacation to hang out at my new home on remote Sonora Island, to reconnect with nature, and to relax and recharge.

On my very first morning off, I walked out in front of my cabin to a tiny little beach, and to my dismay found it was covered in little pieces of Styrofoam – it was in the vegetation at the high tide mark, all along the water’s edge, and floating in the water too. Just what I needed on my day off, I grumbled to myself as I angrily began picking up the garbage…a beach cleanup! Where did it come from I wondered? Don’t people know that this stuff soaks up toxins and becomes little poison pills to any creatures that might eat it? Don’t they know that mama birds feed this to their chicks and they starve to death with it choking their stomachs? Don’t they know about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a huge gyre full of plastic garbage covering an area the size of Texas?

I couldn’t possibly pick it all up. I wasn’t even going to try, but I couldn’t just walk away. So I filled up my garbage can in short order, knowing I would have to pack it out with me the next time I left Sonora. This vacation was not allowing me to forget my work, and I kept thinking about it as the days went by; especially when I went to the same beach a few days later and found more Styrofoam had washed up onto the beach…and I picked up some more garbage.

But as my vacation passed by, I began to see things in a whole new light. Who was I to be angry about picking up a little garbage on my day off, when thousands of people volunteer to do that sort of thing every day? Who was I to complain about stress and burnout when it is an honour and privilege to do this work? Who was I to resent the grief and anguish I feel about the state of the world, right down to the tiny bits of Styrofoam on “my” beach, when others fight injustices solely on their convictions while I collect a pay cheque for my efforts? 

So I returned to work two weeks after my impromptu little beach cleanup very humbled and grateful to have such a job. But even more so, I am honoured to know so many of you who do amazing things every day just because it is the right thing to do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for it is each and every one of you that prevents me from sinking into despair, and keeps me hopeful for our future. Thank you! For you I am a better person. 

Sailing, Shakespeare, Seals, Shags and Slicks!

Last weekend my family and I were lucky enough to travel to Vancouver to see the wonderful Bard on the Beach production of Antony and Cleopatra. Surprisingly it was our 12 year old son's choice. We sailed over from Gabriola Island with an 18 NW knot breeze to push us along. Glorious conditions saw us sail right to our anchorage in False Creek where we anchored for the night. A short dingy trip ashore then a detour to Granville Island for some delectable chocolate eclairs.

On our way out of Granville Island, a large crowd was gathered on the board walk under the Bridge. My curiosity piqued, I wandered over to see what the attraction was. On the dock of a fishing boat charter company some folks were feeding a Harbour Seal. As the seal came back again and again for treats I watched the intense enthusiasm of the crowd as they oohed and ahhed at its antics. Just like when the Grey Whale visited False Creek recently, it reinforced for me, once again, that people are enamored by wild marine creatures and that there is a connection between our species.

As I continued to observe this phenomena I looked more around the waterfront and could not help but notice the scum on the water's surface undoubtedly consisting of once airborne particulates, spilled hydrocarbons and oily bilge discharge. Along with a couple of plastic bags and disposable coffee cups, this made for a not very nice place for marine critters to hang out.

Why the heck as humans, when many of us love and respect wild creatures, we just don't get it when it comes to looking after their (and our) habitat? Why don't folks understand that as long as we pour, spill and throw our waste into the waters (accidentally or otherwise) we will continue to degrade the very home of the critters that give us so much joy. I guess it gets much more complex than that when we start to look at the waste created by the production and transport of everything we buy and every thing we do, but as a start we should at least look at our direct discharges to our beautiful waters!

The show was fantastic and the highlight for many was when a Pelagic Cormorant entered stage right just as Antony died in Cleopatra's arms. The bewildered bird flapped and flopped around in front of the audience as Cleopatra embraced it's appearance and somehow made it part of the show! The bird exited stage right as if on cue!

Next day we dodged the myriad of shipping in English Bay before setting course for Silva Bay. With once again a beautiful breeze we enjoyed yet another crossing of this wonderful body of water. Just outside of our home port we were treated to visit of 50+ Pacific White Sided Dolphins who rode our bow wave and cavorted around us for some time before continuing their journey north. We really do live in a most magnificent part of the world and we need to look after it.