Michael A. Carson

Victoria Natural History Society

Victoria, British Columbia

June 1994

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Text

Background ................................................ p. 1

Scope of the survey ....................................... p. 2

Monthly checklist ......................................... p. 3

Use of the area by birdlife

The central forest area .............................. p. 4

Abandoned fields of the eastern bog .................. p. 4

Northeastern woodland margins ........................ p. 5

The winter-flooded fields ............................ p. 5

The flooded fields in spring ......................... p. 6

Comparison with 1960s observations ........................ p. 7

Comparison with Blenkinsop Lake ........................... p. 9

Rithet's Bog: The future .................................. p. 10

References ................................................ p. 11

Acknowledgements .......................................... p. 11

Figures

Map of Rithet's Bog

Birding Checklist for Rithet's Bog (4 pages)

List of adult shorebirds seen at Rithet's Bog, Spring 1994

Average number of birds seen by species per survey, by month, Rithet's Bog, June 1993-May 1994

Graph of number of species seen on weekly bird counts June to May, Rithet's Bog and Blenkinsop Lake area

BIRDING OBSERVATIONS AROUND RITHET'S BOG

by Michael A. Carson

Background

Rithet's Bog is located immediately east of the Patricia Bay Highway in Saanich, nestled in a basin on the western fringes of Broadmead. The attached map dates to the mid-1960s, at which time the margins of the basin were largely undisturbed Douglas Fir forest in the east (now treed residential development) and open Garry Oak woodland to the north, to the west (between the Highway and Douglas St., now called Chatterton Way) and to the south. Today, the northern and southern margins have both become residential: Dalewood Lane in the north (AB on map) and the Foxborough Hills townhouse complex (flanking Emily Carr Drive) in the south (EFG on map). Office development is planned for the strip between Douglas and the Highway.

Set against this massive development on three sides, the low part of the basin, Rithet's Bog itself, shows little obvious sign of change from descriptions thirty years ago. There is some concern over deterioration in water quality in the ditches, arising from stormflow runoff along streets, but the habitat seems little different, except for the abundance of trash in the ditch alongside Chatterton Way.

The land itself comprises a central core of forest, largely lodgepole pine, surrounded by fields. In the southeast, these fields have been overgrown by grasses, marsh vegetation, hardhack and shrub-sized willows. The only significant land use change compared to the 1965 map is that the northeast cultivated field (marked "3" on the map) has now also been abandoned and revegetated with hardhack, willows and other shrubby vegetation. To the north and west, the three bare fields have been used for potatoes in recent years, and are typically flooded in winter. Without this annual cultivation, it is assumed that these fields would follow the vegetation succession that took place on the fields in the southeastern part of the bog.

Though best known among naturalists for the stand of lodgepole pine, the area has also long been an attraction for birders, especially in pre-Broadmead days when Western Bluebirds were a common sight in the oak-studded rocky knolls around the bog and when larks sang in the fields (Stirling, 1965).

The land, at the time of writing, is still owned by Broadmead Farms Ltd, but negotations have apparently been under way for some time for acquisition by the municipality. Rumours have long existed as to what its ultimate fate might be, including talk of conversion to a golf course.

In view of all this uncertainty, it seemed appropriate to the Parks and Conservation Committee of the Victoria Natural History Society that a bird inventory be undertaken for the area, comparable with that previously done for the Blenkinsop Lake area (Carson, 1994), in order to document what avifauna continue to use the bog and surroundings. To this end, a one-year once-a-week survey was implemented beginning in June 1993 and continuing through to the end of May, 1994.

Scope of the survey

The survey was essentially a peripheral one. Access into the bog is currently difficult, especially in summer when tall grasses, thistles and related weedy vegetation make movement much more difficult than in winter. The route basically followed the 160- foot contour shown on the attached map. Sightings that were more than fifty metres outside this route (away from the bog) were not included in the inventory.

Public access to the route is currently available only on the east (Fir Tree Glen: DC on map) and north sides (Dalewood Lane: BA on map) and on the connecting trail between the two. There is a covered bird lookout, constructed by Broadmead Farms Ltd., about mid-way along Dalewood Lane, overlooking the northern field. Ironically all the uncommon-to-rare species seen in the winter- flooded fields were in the other two fields (seen from H and I on the map). The northern field is the last to flood in late autumn and the first to dry out in spring.

The western fields at the time of this survey were still the property of Broadmead Farms Ltd, but they could be viewed by binoculars and spotting scope from the road (Chatterton Way) or, more effectively, from the berm on the field-side of the ditch that flanks the road. The trail on the south side of the bog (GFE on map) flanks the bog-side of the Foxborough Hills complex to which the land now belongs.

Identification of some birds seen in the interior of the bog was sometimes difficult, even with a spotting scope, and, of course, many birds in bushes and trees well within the bog were simply not seen or heard. Nonetheless, the survey should provide an accurate indication of what is expected as seen from a peripheral walking trail, and it covered all habitats in the area.

In general, all surveys were done at the weekend under conditions that were, as far as possible, comparable from the standpoint of bird observation. Rainy days and windy days were avoided because of the difficulty of seeing and hearing birds under such conditions.

Each survey took between 2.5 and 3.5 hours, depending on the abundance of bird life. Starting time also varied, and can be critical in determining the success of observations in this area. In winter, for example, the low-lying bog receives cold air drainage and may be much colder than the surrounding hills; in addition, much of the bog does not receive sunshine until after 9 a.m. because of the hills to the south and east. Thus winter surveys did not start until this time, prior to which even the most persistent "pishing" failed to solicit responses. In contrast, at the height of summer, birding can be dead by 10 a.m. on a hot sunny day. Surveys at this time of the year began at 7 a.m.

In addition to these regular surveys, additional visits were made during the week, especially in the two migration periods, but also in the winter in the hope of observing exotic waterfowl or other birds frequenting the flooded fields at that time. These visits were rewarded with a total of 8 species not observed on the regular survey. On the fields, during late autumn through spring, these extra sightings included Tundra Swan, Blue-winged Teal, Herring Gull, Semi-palmated Plover, Solitary Sandpiper and Dunlin, as well as the Eurasian race of the Green-winged Teal.

Dawn-time trips in the middle of winter were also instructive: the area proved to be a major overnight roosting area for up to 350 Canada Geese and one associated immature Snow Goose. Half an hour after sunrise these geese had always moved on, dispersing to all points of the compass in a scene reminiscent of early morning frenzy at Toronto International Airport.

Some species were certainly missed in the study. Two which were reported by the Rare Bird Alert were an immature Golden Eagle in September and a Glaucous Gull in March. All these observations were combined into a monthly checklist, based on probability of observation.

Monthly checklist

The 1993-94 sightings involved a total of 118 species, ten less than in the comparable survey in the Blenkinsop Valley in 1992- 1993. These are broken down as 18 water-based species, 43 non- perching species and 57 passerines. The number of water-based species is substantially less than in the Blenkinsop Valley, the number of non-perching species is greater (more gulls and shorebirds) and the number of passerine species is slightly less.

Some of the differences from the Blenkinsop survey are due to year-to-year changes. For example, no Steller's Jay was seen in the Rithet's Bog survey, whereas the species was abundant and widespread the year before. Conversely, no Red Crossbill was seen in the Blenkinsop survey, while the woodland margins of Rithet's Bog, like most wooded areas on the peninsula, had Red Crossbills in 1993-1994. The spring migration of 1994 was also generally a relatively poor one, especially in comparison with that of 1993 (presumably because of the fine weather), and therefore the fewer species recorded at Rithet's Bog in 1993-94 may be in part related to this.

In the case of the Blenkinsop Valley checklist, the survey-year sightings were supplemented with observations listed in the card records of the Royal British Columbia Museum for the period 1979- 1988. This was not done in the Rithet's Bog study, partly because of the sheer time involved in manually sorting the cards. In addition, it had been noted in the previous search that there were relatively few listings for Rithet's Bog. Whether this is because the area is inherently less attractive to rarer species than is Blenkinsop Lake, or whether it is because the bog simply does not attract as many birders (or both) is uncertain.

In order to supplement the survey data with sightings in previous years (back to 1979), therefore, a search was made through past copies of the Victoria Naturalist, and reports were solicited from other birders. This approach yielded an additional 9 species, compared to an additional 32 species in the Blenkinsop Valley. The highlight of this search was a Bobolink seen in the fields on June 1, 1983.

The total number of species on the checklist is 127, compared to 165 for the 1979-on period for the Blenkinsop Valley.

Use of the area by birdlife

The central forest area

Only a few, short incursions were made into the forest (not part of the regular survey) and few birds were seen. The forest is probably home to at least one species of owl. A Great Horned Owl has been seen flying into the trees on several occasions. At other times, Purple Finches have been heard singing from the tops of trees, and a Western Tanager was sighted in a similar location during June 1993. Accipiters have also been seen flying into forest stand.

The abandoned fields of the eastern part of the bog

Overall this is probably the most densely populated part of the bog in terms of avifauna. Willow, hawthorn and hardhack bushes, and occasional trees and snags provide both cover and perching sites, and most of the passerines seen (apart from the strictly woodland species) occur in this area. Yet, even at the time of migration, the area somehow seemed under-utilized by birds. The best viewing sites are in the eastern pocket of the bog at Fir Tree Glen (D on map) and overlooking a small pond (F on map) at the far east edge. The area further to the southwest, which is mostly shrub willow and lacks the habitat diversity of this eastern pocket, has never seemed quite as productive in terms of bird life.

Highlights of the year in this area included sightings of both Virginia Rail and Sora during spring and summer. The former were heard calling (sounded more like laughing) throughout the winter, and at least half a dozen adults of that species, and probably twice that number, are believed to be resident in the bog. The rails are not confined to the abandoned field area: they can be found in well-vegetated ditches anywhere in the bog, even flanking Chatterton Way. Four black Virginia Rail chicks were seen with adults in one of the ditches as early as May 8 1994, possibly indicating that the rails have two broods. Hopefully something can be done to discourage the use of these ditches as local garbage dumps, especially along Chatterton Way.

At least four male Anna's Hummingbirds have been seen in the eastern part of the bog, helped by many feeders in the adjacent residences. Swallows seem to be essentially restricted to Violet- Green and Barn Swallows, though identification is hampered by the generally high-level of flight over the marsh (compared to Blenkinsop Lake where swallows frequently skim the water surface). An occasional Cliff and Northern Rough-winged Swallow have been seen, but no Tree Swallows were identified. At least half a dozen Marsh Wrens can be heard during spring and more than three times that number of Common Yellowthroat on most days. The area is dominated by Red-winged Blackbirds in spring and American Goldfinches in summer. Highlights among the passerines included the singing of Swainson's Thrush and Black-headed Grosbeak in early summer. Up to 36 Lincoln Sparrows were counted on one day during autumn migration, most of them being "pished" out of hawthorn bushes. These songbirds attract the expected birds of prey: Northern Shrike is an occasional winter visitor, Merlin is sometimes seen in autumn, and Cooper's Hawk is seen at most times of the year.

The northeastern woodland margins

Some of the most pleasant birding can be along the margins of Broadmead on the short trail between Fir Tree Glen (D on map) and Dalewood (B on map). The area hosts the usual winter assemblage of small woodland birds. In the summer of both 1993 and 1994 a few House Wrens established territory in the residential woodland margin, and of the eight common warblers on the checklist, only Townsend's was not seen from this trail. Warbling and Solitary Vireos have both been seen during migration in this area. The trail is, in some respects, comparable to Lochside Trail leading to Blenkinsop Lake, but it seems to lack the more unusual sightings found on the latter trail, such as Eastern and Western Kingbird, American Tree Sparrow and various owl species. Perhaps this is a reflection of the encroachment of suburbia.

The winter-flooded fields

The fields west and north of the lodgepole pine are cultivated for potatoes from June until about mid-September. At this time they are largely devoid of birds, though Savannah Sparrows can be found in Fall migration. The fields become flooded early in the winter and in 1994 retained water in the two fields flanking Chatterton Way until the second week of May, being drained by pumping of the adjacent ditches. The southern field is the last to dry out: a large wet area was still there at the end of May.

Over much of the winter the fields are host to various species of waterfowl. However, freezing-over seems to be fairly frequent. Apart from severe cold spells, when ice-skating rather than birding becomes the norm (and which may last weeks at a time), there is also a common diurnal pattern of freezing. Cold air drainage at night leads to a surface ice cover on the fields by early morning and this may not thaw until mid-day. Thus waterfowl usage of the fields can be intermittent, perhaps more so than on deeper bodies of water such as Blenkinsop Lake.

Overall, the waterfowl usage of the fields in winter was disappointing, being primarily Mallards and American Wigeon with the occasional Northern Pintail and Green-winged Teal. A small number of Trumpeter Swans seemed to be resident during most of the early winter, and occasional visits by Eurasian Green-winged Teal and a Tundra Swan provided more interest. The errant Peregrine Falcon or Bald Eagle, looking for a meal from a perch in adjacent cottonwoods, also provided a few moments of excitement.

Perhaps more fascinating than the waterfowl were the winter visits by gulls. Small island-strips in the main flooded field flanking Chatterton Way were frequently full of gulls during mid-winter, and up to seven species were seen. Usually the gulls are simply roosting in the field. Arrivals from, and departures to, the northwest probably indicate that the area is being used as a daytime rest stop after feeding at Hartland Avenue dump. Identification of the gulls while roosting requires some patience as well as some experience. Numerous Thayer's Gulls were present in December-January, some of them with a yellow (not brown) iris, making distinction from Herring Gull difficult to the untrained eye. According to Keith Taylor (1994, pers. comm.) about 2% of the local Thayer's Gull population has the pale yellow iris colour. Thayer's Gull numbers declined dramatically during the third week of January, presumably in response to departures for the herring spawning grounds up-island (Taylor and Harper, 1986).

The flooded fields in spring

During April and May, as water levels go down and shore areas become more prominent, the flooded fields are perhaps at their most interesting from a birding standpoint, coinciding with the spring migration of both waterfowl and shorebirds.

Up to five Northern Shovelers (none seen in winter), a pair of Cinnamon Teal, and three male Blue-winged Teal were the most interesting spring waterfowl, but, overall, the fields attracted little migrant waterfowl in comparison with nearby Viaduct Flats.

On the other hand, the fields provided an excellent opportunity to view shorebirds, especially in the early evening, with the sun setting behind the observer on approaching from Chatterton Way. Most shorebirds were found either in the southern field (H on map) often in the far northeast corner in the shelter of cottonwoods, or in the main field flanking Chatterton Way (as seen from the berm I on the map). Least Sandpipers were especially common, up to 27 at a time, occasionally joined by smaller numbers of Western Sandpipers. Killdeer nested in the smaller, southwestern field in both years, with a first brood of four downy young scurrying along the field edge as early as April 17, and a nest of four eggs seen on June 6. Both species of Yellowlegs and a Solitary Sandpiper were seen at the end of April and in the first few days of May, with Spotted Sandpipers and a Long-billed Dowitcher (which stayed for 10 days until the fields were dry) arriving in time for the Victoria Spring bird count. Several "Spotties" stayed until June 22 at least, frequenting residual puddles in the fields and the banks of the main outlet ditch, and probably were breeding. This may have resulted from the fact that this year, the first year for some time, the fields showed no signs of being used for cultivation. A full inventory of shorebirds seen between April 9 and May 16 is given in the table.

Northwestern Crows are also common in the late afternoon and early evening in spring, on their return to their nighttime roost somewhere to the northeast, and could frequently be seen tormenting the shorebirds. The noisy calls of "killdee, killdee" can dominate the evening, and almost rival the drone of traffic on the Highway. There are, however, some unexpected advantages from the presence of the crows. The definitive tail marking on the Solitary Sandpiper was only seen when a crow finally harassed it into flight!

As water levels recede during May, the foraging of shorebirds is replaced by the aerial activity of swallows as they hawk en masse for insects above the newly exposed soil. At this time of the year, especially on cloudy days, the road shoulder along Chatterton Way, being higher than field level, provides an excellent vantage spot for swallow-watching, though activity quickly subsides as the fields dry out.

At the time of the autumn migration of shorebirds, the fields at Rithet's are usually dry, but later migrants, such as Dunlin, can sometimes be found in October.

Comparison with 1960s observations

It is interesting to compare these survey data with observations (but not a formal survey) made during the early 1960s by Stirling (1965). He wrote:

"Bird life is varied and abundant on the Rithet Estate. Flooded fields around the lowland, Lodgepole Pine dominated peat bog are feeding grounds for several species of duck and a flock of Canada Geese. Wading birds such as Greater Yellowlegs and Common Snipe are sometimes present in good numbers. Spotted Sandpipers and Mourning Doves, to name two rather scarce species (south Vancouver Island) nest here. Pheasants, meadowlarks and skylarks are resident in the open fields."

Apart from the disappearance of mourning doves, meadowlarks and skylarks, the description might apply to the early 1990s too. On the other hand, it is probably no longer valid to claim that wading birds are still here in good numbers. Two Greater Yellowlegs were seen on one occasion, and two Common Snipe were seen at intervals during the winter. The evidence seems to point to a substantial decline in the number of shorebirds even though there has apparently been little change in the immediate shorebird habitat. It seems likely, but is difficult to prove, that elimination of the buffer zone of natural vegetation on the lower slopes (and their replacement by condominiums, parking lots and roads) may have contributed to this decline in bird life in the bog itself. There are also concerns about the quality of water in those parts of the ditch system that receive storm runoff from the adjacent road network, and the impact that this might have on wildlife that use the ditches.

Examination of Stirling's list of "fairly common species" observed between 1960 and 1965, indicates substantial changes from the present. Fifteen species on that list were not seen at all in the present survey: Lesser Scaup, Northern Goshawk, American Kestrel, American Coot (but reported by others in some previous winters), Western Bluebird, Mourning Dove, Western Screech Owl, Short-eared Owl, Common Nighthawk, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Tree Swallow, Purple Martin, Chipping Sparrow, Townsend's Warbler and Eurasian Skylark, with Western Meadowlark seen only rarely.

The decline in many of these species appears to be common to southern Vancouver Island, but the decrease in some may be directly attributable to the loss of open oak woodland flanking the bog on its lower slopes. Included in this category are Olive- sided Flycatcher and Chipping Sparrow, both of which have been heard on open high ground further away from the bog.

Turning to species which are now fairly common (at the appropriate time of year) at Rithet's Bog, 22 species were not on Stirling's list: Trumpeter Swan, Red-tailed Hawk, Virginia Rail, Least and Western Sandpipers, Thayer's Gull, Rock Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Bewick's Wren, House Wren, Marsh Wren, Cedar Waxwing, European Starling, MacGillivray's Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Lincoln's Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird and House Sparrow. Most of these appear to coincide with species for which there has been an increase in numbers throughout southern Vancouver Island.

Comparison with Blenkinsop Lake

Birding at Rithet's Bog provided an interesting contrast with the 1992-93 survey done for the Blenkinsop Valley. Watching pass- erines is a particularly frustrating exercise around Rithet's Bog because the birds are not concentrated along the trail (as on Lochside Trail in the Blenkinsop Valley) but are widespread in bushes and thickets that are generally hundreds of metres away from the peripheral trail. It is difficult to know whether any species were missed simply because of lack of access to the heart of the bog.

The graph shows a comparison of number of species observed on each survey compared to the 1992-93 Blenkinsop survey. Species totals were generally lower at Rithet's, especially in autumn and winter (except during the severe freeze of January 1993), the area lacking the diversity of water-based birds found on Blenkinsop Lake. On the other hand, species totals were slightly higher at Rithet's in late spring, arising from the shorebird influx, and in the summer due to the extra woodland species found in the forest margins. The best time of the year to bird Rithet's Bog, by far, is the first two weeks of May, especially for anyone interested in shorebirds.

Some birds were certainly more common at Rithet's Bog than in the Blenkinsop Valley. These include Trumpeter Swan, Virginia Rail and Sora, shorebirds (except Killdeer), gulls (except Glaucous- winged), Anna's Hummingbird, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Brown Creeper (in the woods), Common Yellowthroat and Lincoln's Sparrow.

Some species were more common in the Blenkinsop Valley. These included most species of water-based birds, owls, and many species of passerines. In the latter category, flycatchers, and vireos were generally less frequently observed at Rithet's Bog.

In terms of sightings of rare or casual species, the Blenkinsop survey (6) had a slight edge over the Rithet's Bog survey (4). The Rithet's survey mustered Snow Goose, Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle and a Glaucous Gull; the Blenkinsop survey produced Cattle Egret, Snow Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Western Kingbird, American Tree Sparrow and Yellow-headed Blackbird.

The main difference between the two areas is probably not so much in overall bird abundance and diversity, but simply in terms of the much better bird watching along Lochside Trail and around Blenkinsop Lake. In particular the hedgerows of Lochside Trail seem to concentrate most of the passerines in the Blenkinsop Valley providing close-up views which are rarely available around Rithet's Bog. Shorebird viewing with a spotting scope is, however, better at Rithet's Bog, while a greater diversity of waterfowl is available on Blenkinsop Lake.

Rithet's Bog: The future

At the time of writing (June 1994) it seems probable that Rithet's Bog will become public parkland to remain as a nature sanctuary. Broadmead Farms Ltd has just begun construction of a trail system around the bog.

>From a bird-watching standpoint, there is no question that observation will be improved by a trail system that goes deeper into the bog area. There are berms derived from the excavation of ditches around the bog that would be suitable for this purpose. It appears that the trail route to be constructed will follow these berms over much of its extent and be largely peripheral in scope. Hopefully the important eastern pocket of the bog, containing the small pond, will be avoided by the trail system. The planned trail loop largely parallels the route used in the present survey so that the bird watching information contained here should be directly applicable.

The question needs to be addressed, however, as to the impact on wildlife of opening up the bog with more trails. The answer to that question would depend to some extent on whether usage were restricted to pedestrians, and whether unleashed pets were allowed access. Two or three cats are regularly seen hunting in the bog. Waterfowl, rails and Common Snipe that use the ditches do seem to be sensitive to disturbance. Rithet's Bog seems to be one of only a few areas in Greater Victoria to provide a refuge for Virginia Rail and Sora (along with Quick's Bottom and Viaduct Flats). Any conversion of berms to footpaths would need to be done with careful planning and hopefully after consultation with the naturalist community.

A related issue is the future land use of the three fields that have been used, up to the present, for cultivation. These fields provide an important overwintering area for some waterfowl, and a day-time resting area for gulls, both groups attracting the occasional hungry raptor. The fields are also a feeding-stop for shorebirds in spring migration, at which time they are usually still partly waterlogged.

Without ongoing cultivation, it seems almost certain that these fields would change to marshland, perhaps comparable to what happened at Quick's Bottom, and as happened with the abandoned fields in the eastern part of the bog. For this reason it may be advantageous to continue farming the fields in the summer in the future, even if the bog is acquired by Saanich and made an official nature sanctuary. On the other hand, cultivation requires dry fields, and this necessitates pumping of the drainage ditches leading from these fields in spring, which may be detrimental to birdlife.

The timing of such pumping is extremely important. This year (1994) pumping appears to have begun on May 10 with almost complete exposure of the western field by May 12. By this time the northern field was already largely exposed without drainage. Water remained in the southern field until about May 17, with a Long-billed Dowitcher and Spotted Sandpipers using the habitat until then. By the time that pumping had begun on the western field, the shorebird migration had already peaked, as indicated by the data in the attached table. This year's shorebird record from Rithet's Bog is consistent with observations in previous years from other parts of Greater Victoria. In general, it seems that the shorebird migration is largely finished by May 15, and this would seem to be an appropriate date to begin pumping.

Some attention should also be given to the geographic extent of drawdown resulting from this pumping and the impact that this might have on nesting and brooding success. The only fledglings seen in the waterlogged field areas at the time of drawdown were Mallards and Canada Geese. However, some of the ditches are used for early nesting by Virginia Rail, and it is desirable that as many of these ditches as possible are left with stable water levels, without impacting on cultivation.

Though tillage is needed to prevent "infilling" of the bare field areas, this does not necessarily mean that the fields need to be cultivated every year. One possibility that the municipality might wish to consider is the creation of a permanent wetlands sanctuary here, by landscaping the fields and maintaining high water levels through the summer. Various agencies exist with the resources to act as consultants in the planning of such wetland sanctuaries. Until such time as this is undertaken, the best protection for the flooded field habitat is probably still summer cultivation.

References

Carson, M.A., 1994. Birding observations around Blenkinsop Lake. The Victoria Naturalist, 50 (4), 4-11.

Stirling, David, 1965. Bird life of Rithet peat bog and adjacent areas, Royal Oak. Report submitted to A. Cumberland, Secretary to the Commission for the Rithet Lowland Park, December 14, 1965.

Taylor, K. and C. Harper, 1986. Gulls at the Hartland Road dump. The Victoria Naturalist, 43 (1), 1-9.

Acknowledgements

Thanks are extended to Broadmead Farms Ltd and to the Grounds Committee of the Foxborough Hills complex for permission to wander on their properties. The bulk of the field survey work was shared with Gordon Hart, Tom Gillespie and Ellen Tremblay. Others who assisted on occasion were: Jerry and Gladys Anderson, David Allinson, Dannie Carsen, Aziza Cooper, Mike McGrenere, Hank van der Pol, Graham Ruxton and Mari Smaby-Stone. Gwennie Hooper and Doreen Loosmore provided records for previous years.