On the Wing

Marbled Godwits feeding in the Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: Everyone on their way to somewhere else

By Margo Hearne Migration is in full swing. The phenomenon observed this…

  • May 4, 2018
Marbled Godwits feeding in the Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)
An American Robin. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: A brief history of history

By Margo Hearne Brant numbers are increasing and shorebirds continue to rise…

  • Apr 5, 2018
An American Robin. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)
Red Crossbills enjoy an early spring seed snack in Masset. (Lorrie Joron/Submitted)

On the Wing: Spring’s tardy arrival with swans

By Margo Hearne The robins are back in full force, 78 of…

  • Mar 29, 2018
Red Crossbills enjoy an early spring seed snack in Masset. (Lorrie Joron/Submitted)
Some of the Brant home team — more Brant geese will move through Haida Gwaii soon, landing in some favourite places. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: Stormy weather in the wild

By Margo Hearne Things have calmed down after the big full-moon tides.…

  • Mar 15, 2018
Some of the Brant home team — more Brant geese will move through Haida Gwaii soon, landing in some favourite places. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)
The gulls at Skonun. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: Storms, sandpipers and Slaty-backs

By Margo Hearne The sun pours down like honey. Birds at the…

  • Mar 9, 2018
The gulls at Skonun. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)
A Common Goldeneye, ready for release. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: Oiled eagles and a bird in a bucket

By Margo Hearne It’s a no-moon month. It’s a rare event as…

  • Feb 23, 2018
A Common Goldeneye, ready for release. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)
A healthy looks out from a perch. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: Rarities, Peterson, and eagles

By Margo Hearne Rare birds come and go from Haida Gwaii. It…

A healthy looks out from a perch. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)
A flock of Dunlin sweep along the tide line. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: Birds, like people, take it easy when they can

By Margo Hearne I’m having a hard time getting with the program.…

  • Feb 9, 2018
A flock of Dunlin sweep along the tide line. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)
An adult Northern Goshawk, Stads K’un, finds a perch in Masset. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: Chickadees, reflections, and distractions

By Margo Hearne It’s a bright morning with a low mist over…

  • Feb 2, 2018
An adult Northern Goshawk, Stads K’un, finds a perch in Masset. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)
White-winged Scoters at sea. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: Final Christmas Bird Count — Hecate Strait

Hecate may be uncertain but her birds are not.

  • Jan 25, 2018
White-winged Scoters at sea. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)
Doing the count by the surging sea. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: Christmas Birds Counts — Tlell

By Margo Hearne It was a cruel wind that swept across the…

  • Jan 19, 2018
Doing the count by the surging sea. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)
A Brambling — one of many that arrive on Haida Gwaii from Asia. (Tim Wolthers/Submitted)

On the Wing: 2017 Christmas Bird Counts — Greater Massett

By Margo Hearne First there were the five unexpected Brant geese that…

  • Jan 9, 2018
A Brambling — one of many that arrive on Haida Gwaii from Asia. (Tim Wolthers/Submitted)
On the Wing: Christmas Bird Count reports from Rose Spit

On the Wing: Christmas Bird Count reports from Rose Spit

By Margo Hearne There’s no doubt about it, Rose Spit is a…

  • Jan 3, 2018
On the Wing: Christmas Bird Count reports from Rose Spit
Haida citizens at the recent House of Assembly voted to make the Northern Goshawk, or Stads K’un, the national bird of Haida Gwaii. (Berry Wijdeven/Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations)

On the Wing: In praise of goshawks and forests

By Margo Hearne Things are gearing up for the Christmas Bird Counts…

  • Dec 8, 2017
Haida citizens at the recent House of Assembly voted to make the Northern Goshawk, or Stads K’un, the national bird of Haida Gwaii. (Berry Wijdeven/Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations)
A Snow Owl stands out along the shore near Sandspit. (Peter Hamel/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: White birds and blue birds

By Margo Hearne Two young Snowy Owls didn’t survive the trip to…

  • Nov 24, 2017
A Snow Owl stands out along the shore near Sandspit. (Peter Hamel/Haida Gwaii Observer)
Snow-white Tundra Swans stand out in Delkatla. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: Strong winds and rare birds

By Margo Hearne Today the water is glassy. Ducks drift with the…

  • Nov 10, 2017
Snow-white Tundra Swans stand out in Delkatla. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)
A Peregrine Falcon looks out with a keen eye on Langara Island. (Wayne Nelson/Contributed)

On the Wing: Of Peregrines and time

By Margo Hearne The tide is falling and Delkatla is full of…

  • Nov 3, 2017
A Peregrine Falcon looks out with a keen eye on Langara Island. (Wayne Nelson/Contributed)
A northern (red-shafted) flicker shows its colours. (Peter Hamel)

On the Wing: Rats and Important Bird Areas

By Margo Hearne If it’s not cats, it’s rats. When I answered…

  • Oct 27, 2017
A northern (red-shafted) flicker shows its colours. (Peter Hamel)
Black turnstones fly with rock sandpipers. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)

On the Wing: The life or death struggle of a turnstone

By Margo Hearne A stiff northwesterly keeps the birds in shelter. Tiny…

  • Oct 20, 2017
Black turnstones fly with rock sandpipers. (Margo Hearne/Haida Gwaii Observer)
Senior Captain Orval Bouchard congratulates islanders Margo Hearne and Peter Hamel aboard the Northern Expedition for their 300th day sailing to identify birds in the Hecate Strait. (Submitted)

On the Wing: Sailing the seas together

By Margo Hearne Three hundred and counting. That is the number of…

Senior Captain Orval Bouchard congratulates islanders Margo Hearne and Peter Hamel aboard the Northern Expedition for their 300th day sailing to identify birds in the Hecate Strait. (Submitted)