The western meadowlark is seen.--SUBMITTED PHOTO DAN SCHIEBELBEIN
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Saturday marks World Migratory Bird Day, an important date in Medicine Hat with a strong meaning at the nature centre, says a park interpreter at Police Point Park.
“We do a lot of things related to birds here, we have a very nice population of resident birds that are here year-round, but we also have a large population of migrant birds that head south for the winter and then return to our area to breed and nest or move to our area or areas further north to do the same thing,” says Marty Drut. “This is just a day to focus on those birds that are migrating to and from wintering grounds.”
There are habitats in Medicine Hat birds use during their travels and there are other habitats used for those who arrive and stay, and Drut says birds depend on these habitats every year. Drut encourages people to get out and take pictures of birds in the community and to post them on Police Point Park’s Facebook page or to email them a photo with a short write-up about why that specific bird is important to them.
“The nice thing about bird watching is that it’s very COVID-compatible,” said Drut. “It’s something you can do by yourself, or with your family and it’s outdoors so you don’t have to worry about being around groups of other people and spreading the virus.”
Water birds such as swans, snow geese and different types of ducks have already migrated, says Drut. He says some stay in the Hat, while others are just moving through the city.
“After that come things that can sort of survive on berries, seeds and some of the early bugs,” said Drut. “These include robins, meadowlarks and they are already here getting ready to start their nesting behaviour.”
He adds yellow warblers and house wren will start showing up in the next few weeks and will be going through all their breeding routines. And in late May or early June, Drut says to expect other species like cedar waxwings.
“It’s an ongoing process and once we get into June, they have their nest, they are incubating eggs, raising the young and then that will go on through the summer and then the process for them starts all over again,” he said. “They will leave and head south and then we get many species that nest and breed in the north part of Canada and then they come here and spend the winter in Medicine Hat.”
He says the migration of birds is influenced each year by changes in the length of day, which influences their hormones and can cause anxiousness resulting in them wanting to move.
People who want to go out birdwatching should go to Police Point Park, Echo Dale Regional Park, Strathcona Island Park, and some bird species can be seen walking around neighbourhoods in the city, says Drut.
“We’re fortunate in Medicine Hat that the urban area has trees and large shrubs and then we’re surrounded by prairie where we can see different groups of birds in the urban environment and then different groups of birds out in the grassland area,” he said.
Drut says people can go to the Grasslands Naturalists’ website to see the Birding Trails of Southeastern Alberta document which shows where you might be able to spot certain birds throughout the region.
