Right now, at any time of day—but especially the morning—you can hear the sounds of birds: male birds on their territories; parents attending nests; and the first broods of young birds hungrily trilling to be fed. Out of all these sounds, a few species of birds’ songs stand out. The Read more…
Living on the coast, gulls are part of our viewscape and soundscape but few people know them beyond ‘seagulls’. They are conspicuous and gregarious and seem equally at home in urban, agricultural and marine areas. Most of the gull species are in one family and all are similar in colour Read more…
Loons are large, bulky waterbirds with a distinct dagger-like bill, short neck, and long wings. Their feet are set well back on their body for maximum propulsion underwater, but make for poor mobility on land. Most people know the ethereal call of the loons, often heard on small lakes and Read more…
Cormorants are big birds with long necks and long hooked bills. The three species of cormorants frequenting Mayne Island waters are all uniformly black, but with some breeding variations. This group of species captures fish by diving and pursuing them. They propel themselves underwater by use of their large webbed Read more…
Editor’s note: we are delighted to present a series of articles by our own Michael Dunn, featuring the winter marine birds of Mayne Island. Be sure to attend Michael’s hands-on birding workshop on December 1st. The Salish Sea—our home— is an important place for marine birds and shorebirds. Did you Read more…