Rare Birds & Summer Plants

A rare bird in Paradise Meadows was reported on the VIBC Birds Yahoo Group - an American Three-toed Woodpecker! According to the Victoria birder, "The Three-toed was foraging in the Mountain Hemlocks beside the trail junction at the far southern end of Battleship Lake - at this junction the eastern fork leads to Lady Lake, and the western fork leads to Lake Helen MacKenzie."

The notice was  posted on Sat. 6th however the bird was seen on Wed. 3rd. Although these birds breed in the sub-alpine  they are very rarely seen.

A walk around the Centennial Trail at the close of a brilliant sunny day today revealed more flowers emerging.

Deer-cabbage

Green-flowered bog-orchid

Early blue violet

Green-flowered bog-orchid, common butterwort, early blue violet, three-leaved goldthread, and deer-cabbage are among the newest blooms.

Western bog-laurel

Globeflower

Bee visiting Jeffrey's shootingstar

White-flowered rhododendron

White-flowered rhododendron and false azalea blooms are increasing. Alpine white marsh marigold are still abundant, interspersed with  swaths of shootingstar, and accented with globeflower, western bog-laurel, pink and white mountain-heathers.

Clasping twistedstalk

Mountain arnica

Clasping twistedstalk, mountain arnica and mitrewort species are also emerging.

Some unusual bird behaviour also - a Steller's Jay feeding alongside a log began covering its unknown meal by spreading its wings with a display known as 'mantling' - usually observed with raptors  as they try to protect their food from other predators!

By the way, belated thanks to the unknown hiker who turned in a wallet found on the trail  - it will shortly be re-united with its owner!