DARE TO BIRD

People are still emailing me about doing a Godwit Identification post. I think people may have missed the quick Godwit ID refresher post that I did earlier (probably because it was tagged onto another post). Therefore, I have re-posted it below with photos: One note all 3 of the Godwit Species have black legs and primary projections that project past the tertials longer than lore. Bar-tailed Godwits Adults in winter - The underbelly is white (with no barring as in Marbled) and the neck and breast has faint streaks with dark chevron patterns along the flanks and black legs. The bill is coloured pink on the basal half. Adults in Breeding - You won't normally see this plumage in BC but I did see them like this in Nome, AK in June and they are truly spectacular!.  Males in Breeding have their breast, underbelly and neck coloured a deep rich red. They have streaking on the nape and the sides of the breast. Their backs are dark brown and have dark mottling with white flec...

1) Trump wants to build a wall between Mexico and the US and they are looking to build one right through one of the best bird refuges I've ever been to! I loved Santa Ana, it is a wonderful place full of bird diversity and if the Trump administration gets their way the public will no longer be able to visit and the birds and animals therein will be detrimentally effected. You can read the story HERE . Hopefully, they listen to the people and care about the environmental impact on these species (including the rare Ocelot). A barrier on the levees could trap and kill the animals during floods. The birding community as a whole really needs to fight hard and protest as much as possible over this. It's a very hard battle now legally post 9/11 as it gives the gov't power to build anything even on NWR land and/or disregard endangered species. The National Wildlife Refuge writes about how you can help on their website including how to sign a petition HERE . 2) Many young p...

Mike Tabak, Peter Candido and I went shorebirding yesterday. We met up with some other friends at the dyke about 20 people we knew came out that night to see the reported 5 Bar-tailed Godwits and 1 Hudwit that Mike Tabak found yesterday. The Bar-tailed Godwits were first found in May by Ilya Povalyaev (I assume they are the same adult birds) and relocated Aug 4th by Dave Beeke at 104th St at Boundary Bay. When Ilya found the 5 Bar-tailed Godwits it was (and still is) a BC record for the all time high count of number of Barwits seen at once. I am pretty sure that the 5 Bar-tailed Godwits Mike refound yesterday are the same ones Ilya Povalyaev found in the spring, the only question is where did they go for the past 2 months? We went to the mansion at 96th St and saw 1 Stilt Sandpiper and 2 Solitary Sandpipers.  There was tons of birds out there that day. 11 Red-necked Phalaropes were present at 96th St, tons of Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers, 1 possible Hudwit (too fa...

With the constant threat and impact of Climate Change, our Canadian Federal Government stepped up to the plate. They did a great thing by protecting "Tallurutiup Imanga" or "Lancaster Sound." This area is one of the most ecologically diverse areas in the world. This area is home to polar bears, belugas, walruses and 75% of the world's Narwhal population, plus millions of migratory aectic seabirds.  The "Tallurutiup Imanga/Lancaster Sound National Marine Conservation Area" will contribute 2% towards Canada’s stated goals of protecting 5% of our marine and coastal areas by 2017 and 10% by 2020. This is an important step in the right direction to save our most endangered animals and arctic habitat. This area is very rich in biodiversity. With  cooperation and help from the government of Nunavut and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association.This National Marine Conservation Area will protect this area that is under serious threat from Climate...

Yesterday, 9 of us went to Whistler via the "Epic Rides Shuttle." We took the peak express all the way to the summit at the "Top of the World" and hiked the High Note Trail. We were hoping for White-tailed Ptarmigan but we never saw one. We are all quite used to it now, it's our Golden Goose so to speak. One day we know we will just trip over one.... Our hike was beautiful and eventful, especially when we sat down for a break and my camera bag went barrelling down the hill like a bowling ball. It was just gone at rocket speed. I expected my thousands of dollars of camera gear, wallet full of money and visa and debit cards, driver's license and phone were gone for good. I mean I saw it fly off a cliff and bounce down a rocky hill at lightening speed. I saw Hoary Marmots scatter and scream in every direction as the blue bag came careening at them full throttle. If it wasn't full of expensive gear the scene may have been comical. Other hikers saw this ...

A female Bullock's Oriole flew all the way to Ontario 2 years ago and almost died. She was nursed back to health and soon will be flown back home to BC with her own personal escort. Read the story HERE The wildfire season in BC has totally got out of hand in the province and the birds are suffering, even more so than the humans. Read about it HERE And for all you Grizzly Bear lovers, the BC government has banned trophy hunting which will come into effect next year. I have signed so many petitions to end this hunt. Its proof that together as a community and province we have a voice. We kept hitting our head against a brick wall but eventually change happened, this is why one can never give up. It's a step in the right direction after 16 years of the liberals allowing this disgraceful hunt which was all about money. I hope one day soon the government bans all hunting of Grizzly Bears for meat. There are plenty of non-threatened/endangered animals like Deer that the meat ...

Birders notoriously find it difficult to tell Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers apart. I have got a request to do an identification explanation on them so here goes, I hope it will be helpful. Short-billed Dowitchers and Long-billed look so similar. Using their habitat is helpful but not diagnostic. Short-billed Dowitchers tend to prefer Salt water and brackish water and Long-billed Dowitchers tend to prefer fresh water. However, I have OFTEN seen Short-billeds in freshwater and Long-billeds in brackish and salt water. Therefore, DO NOT rely on habitat. Another feature many people will tell you to rely on is spotting on the side of the flanks of Short-billeds and barring on the side of Long-billeds. Usually this is a mark that you can use but it is not always as distinct as you like. I have seen Short-billeds with a barred appearance to the flanks. It is only at the side of the breast where you have to look for this diagnostic feature for the spots on a Short-billed and t...

I love to express myself be it via the medium of song, art or poetry. I am inspired by poets such as Maya Angelou, E.E. Cummings and Emily Dickinson. Here is one of my latest poems: Birds flitter and flutter away  Blinding the sun rays as they play  Calling their sweet calls  Drawing me closer to home The Chickadee, the Nuthatch and the Wren  Songs carry far in the wind  Of hope and joy and love  For all things from above. Wipe your eyes, Shed no tear... In them God is here. - Melissa Hafting  American White Pelican in Richmond on Aug, 10/18 - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Western Screech Owls are listed as threatened and protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) . However, there is currently no law protecting its habitat on privately owned land. A residential development plan is afoot in the Foothills neighbourhood in Vernon, BC that would push them out of their critical habitat. Please sign the petition HERE featured in this article from the "Vernon Morning Star" newspaper.

As you probably know I run the BC Young Birder Field Program that I started in 2014. I now run the programs under the British Columbia Field Ornithologists Association who are really supportive to myself and the kids. You can read about that program HERE if you have no idea what I'm talking about. All the youth in my program have so many unique and diverse talents some paint some are the best spotters and bird identifiers on the planet. They are all eco-concious conservationists. However, a few of them have very cool photography and birding blogs that I thought I might share. They are all well worth a look and these youth are true artists! They travel all around Canada and the world photographing birds. I am proud of them for bringing awareness to conservation issues they are passionate about. Like I keep saying these kids make my life and the world a better place. Take a look: Alice Sun Liron Gerstman Liam Singh Ian Harland Toby Theriault Adam Dhalla Zac Fedd...