Early Fall at Queen Elizabeth Park

Fall is in the air. The colours are changing and migratory birds are arriving to our region for the winter. There were large flocks of Dark-eyed juncos, Black-capped Chickadees, and Kinglets. These song birds can be found year round in Vancouver, but will migrate to nearby mountains or other forested regions outside the city to nest and raise their young.  Red-osier dogwood, a native shrub that thrive on the edges of wet environments, is turning a magnificent dark pink along with our native vine maples turning a deep orange/red. The non native (non invasive) Katsura trees are defoliating while creating an amazing sugary smell. It's a great time to get out and enjoy the fall colours and wildlife arriving to spend the winter in our mild climate.

On a more serious note, I spotted a Canada Goose, photo below, with a plastic floss stuck in its beak. I tried contacting the city, wildlife rescue, and the local conservatory, but the flock of geese had flown away before I could talk to someone. This was a sad, but important reminder to be more responsible with our use and discarding of plastic. Lets hope this goose can find help or dislodge the floss from its beak.

​Enjoy,

Sam

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