May 13, 2017 — GREENWOOD, BC (BG)

"The air is filled with farewells to winter, the parting guest, and signs multiply that spring approaches. Buds are bursting, birds are calling, and beauty is looking into the matter of spring millinery."

Situated in a beautiful expanse of southern British Columbia, Greenwood naturally attracts a great variety of birds. Since the late 1800s, people here have enjoyed their presence and been concerned with their general welfare. Today we'll look at a few interesting historic references, and also focus on the current bird population and local prospects for birding.

Our historic newspapers hold a great array of news reports, editorial commentaries and anecdotal stories that make reference to the region's bird population. Like so many places around the world, the return of migrating birds to Greenwood was a harbinger of spring and a reason for renewed hope and determination.

"While the Boundary is luxuriating in beautiful spring weather, with buds bursting and birds singing and frogs making melody, the Canadian Northern is completely crippled in Manitoba and the territories, by snow storms and severe weather."

References to the birds were used to make all sorts of good points, from advice on how to live life properly…

"The skylark seeks the upper air and there sings her sweetest song. The crow lights upon the carrion and holds a feast. Each bird is true to nature. When you hear something disparaging of a friend, don't look wise and smile approval, and when you hear something meritorious don't look doubtful."

…to descriptive pronouncements on area facilities, like a local ferry that survived the winter, but by spring 'looked like a last year's bird's nest, with the horse hair lining taken out, and the twig skeleton hanging from a leafless bough'.

Along with a number of references to Greenwood 'jail-birds' (escapees from the cells beneath the courthouse), there are many mentions in the Boundary Creek Times to local mines that were named for birds. Among them:

Golden Eagle mine at Brown's camp
Gold Bird and Humming Bird mines
Bird of the Desert mine at Clark's camp
Snowbird mine at Kimberley camp
Mockingbird mine at Myers Creek
Red-bird mine at Main Kettle River
Camp Bird and Ravenswood mines

Not surprisingly, the local bird population helped to feed the men in these mining camps, and many other local residents as well. The Times kept its readers up-to-date on the population of game birds and hunting season dates, with the occasional anecdote tossed in for the sake of levity:

"A Hunting Episode. George Spence has deservedly earned a local reputation as a sportsman, and many a deer has fallen to his deadly aim. The other day, however, he started with his pockets full of ammunition and Winchester in hand to try and replenish the camp's larder. Not far from home he met two fool-hens [grouse] enjoying a morning's repast. Here was a chance, and "George" plugged away at the birds till his cartridges were expended and his temper much ruffled. The birds meanwhile continued to quietly fill their crops, seemingly indifferent to the presence of an intruder, though occasionally giving him a furtive glance from their stupid eyes. This so enraged the local Nimrod that seizing a club he avenged the waste of his shots, returning with his victims triumphantly to camp. But he will not hear the end of this adventure for many a day." (BCT Oct 1896)

While many a bird got eaten in the Greenwood camps, local residents continued to promote a more protectionist mood on the birds' behalf. For example, one Times editorialist gave a poke at some of the ladies responsible for helping to decrease the bird population, calling out the "lasses who are all heels and no souls, whose head gear is in imitation of an African Chieftain's umbrella of state, who faint at a pinpoint but display delight at dead birds for their personal adornment."

On a more serious note, we find the members of Greenwood society who were concerned with protecting the bird population and natural habitats. Local newspapers published their letters to the editor and articles sharing these concerns. In one issue, the Times featured a piece on Sir James M. Lemoine, one of Canada's notable naturalists, about whom they write:

Victorian Birds and Flowers print

"The love of birds, which led him forty-five years ago to write his first contribution to periodical literature on land and sea birds around Quebec for the "Canadian Naturalist," is a dominating note in his life. His splendid collection of Canadian birds in the museum of his home attests his loyalty to his feathered friends"

The Times ran several news reports on the subject of bird protection and conservation efforts:

"A correspondent of the Victoria Times protests against these new [B.C.] regulation placing a bounty on the big horned owl and the golden eagle. It is claimed that these splendid birds are a benefit rather than otherwise and in any case it would be a pity to have them exterminated." (BCT Jun 1909)

We can also get a sense of where bird conservation efforts were focused by looking at turn of the century Game Laws that regulated Greenwood hunters. It's interesting to see how many birds are on the list who fall outside the bounds of the Waterbird and Game Bird categories typically hunted for food. Managed protection was extended to the following:

Waterbirds: Plover, Bittern, Ducks of all kinds, Heron, Gulls

Song, Perching & Grassland Birds: Meadowlark, Skylarks, Thrush, Linnet, Robins, English blackbirds and Insectivorous birds

Game Birds: Grouse and Quail of all kinds, Prairie Chickens, English Partridge, Cock & Hen Pheasant

It's surprising to see that anyone would have a reason to hunt small birds like Meadowlarks and Thrush, yet they were among the regulated birds. Farmers were only permitted to shoot Robins in their gardens during gardening season. Also protected were eggs of protected birds

In a June 1910 issue of the Times we find mention of the Kettle River Game and Fish Protective Association. Among their various naturalist activities, they were dedicated to "the protection of all our game and song birds, our deer, beaver, etc., which in the past have been so ruthlessly destroyed."

Before moving on to talk about Greenwood's current bird population, a final bit of down-home advice from a Times editorialist:

'Just because you can't keep the birds from flying over your head is no sign you can't keep them from building nests in your hair.'

Birding in Greenwood

Greenwood and local surroundings offer a diversity of natural environments, which shelter many species of birds. These habitats range from mountains to lowland forest, rolling hills, rough rock screes, mining ruins, grasslands and lowland pasture, streams, wetlands, lakes, and the urban green we call our 'city'. The birds attracted to these surroundings are just as varied: perching birds and songbirds, woodpeckers, owls, raptors, game birds and waterfowl.

If we were to identify every species of bird that has visited Greenwood, even over the last decade, it would no doubt be a very long list. Over just the last year, this writer has seen at least 57 different species of birds in Greenwood (listed below).

In an effort to encourage local residents and visitors alike to spend more time enjoying the beautiful birds of Greenwood and the Boundary, we are taking this opportunity to launch a new section of BeautifulGreenwood.com: Birding in Greenwood.

Starting with this short list of birds we've sighted in Greenwood during 2016-2017 and photos of some, we would like to invite all our readers to help us grow the list. Please send us the names of any birds you've see in the area that are not yet on the list. And we'd love to receive your photos of any and all local birds. Even if they're already pictured, we'll include your photos in the digital gallery. Let us know, whenever possible, what month/year you made the sighting, and where.

By collecting this information and sharing it online, we hope to encourage other avid birdwatchers to come visit Greenwood and enjoy our local birds. The Okanagan is a world famous destination for birdwatchers, and the Meadowlark Festival in Penticton (now in its 20th year) draws a huge crowd each year. Many of these birders will be unfamiliar with the Boundary region, and would surely appreciate the shared resource.

Victorian Birds die-cut

Loosely grouped, here are the birds we've seen in Greenwood this year
(Visit the Birding Gallery for pictures):

Bushtit
House Wren
Song Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
White Crowned Sparrow
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler

Pine Siskin
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Nuthatch

American Goldfinch
Purple Finch
House Finch
Song Thrush
Evening Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)

Robin
Spotted Towhee
Brewer's Oriole
Meadowlark
Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Cedar Waxwing

Steller's Jay
Tree Swallow
Eurasian Collared Dove
Mourning Dove
Magpie

Red-wing Blackbird
European Starling
American Crow
Common Raven

Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Calliope Hummingbird

Downey Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker

Barred Owl
Great Horned Owl
Coopers Hawk
Redtail Hawk
Common Nighthawk
American Kestrel
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture

Canada Goose
Ringneck Pheasant
California Quail
Chukar Partridge
Wild Turkey

Common Merganser Duck
Belted Kingfisher
Great Egret

For those interested in Birding, here are a few helpful resources. First, we highly recommend the bird guidebook, Birds of Interior BC and the Rockies by Richard Cannings (who is also our local MP). This full-color bird guidebook has lots of helpful information on identifying birds, comparing similar species, etc.

Birds of Interior BC and the Rockies by Richard Cannings

There are a few webpages for local birders, in the Okanagan and Kelowna, and a good discussion forum for birders in the Thompson Okanagan.

FOOTNOTES:

Boundary Creek Times:

Mar 1, 1907
Apr 19, 1907
Aug 19, 1904
Apr 12, 1907
Oct 3, 1896
Sep 3, 1909
Mar 3, 1911
Jun 4, 1909
Sep 9, 1899
Jun 3, 1910
May 17, 1907
Mar 11, 1910