Reflections on Food

Fall is moving into winter and the birds are back. They were washed in by the relentless storms of the past few weeks and, while many have simply kept on going between storms, it seems as though the winter residents are home. The food is free, the temperature mild and there’s enough for all. Part of the reason for this, of course, is the bounty of the sea. In spite of all the prognoses of doom, the tides keep bringing in new things.

There is a lot to be thankful for. The rain keeps the air clean and the rainforest healthy. The winds blow away any stagnant air and while we may get a little tired of their constancy we can remember what Sam Simpson, the first Mayor of Masset, once said: “We don’t live here because of the weather, we live here because of access to the fishing grounds.”

The ocean is as rich for humanity as it is for the wild world, and one does not have to go too far back in history to realize just how much it provided. Its riches have been bartered and traded for eons. Island people knew that some seafoods, while plentiful, did not have the oils necessary for a completely rounded diet and so the “grease trail” was developed. It was a lifeline. Dried halibut from the islands was traded for Oolichan grease from the mainland. It was a cooperative venture as it was needed for survival, and grease was an essential commodity. So, when the riches of the island were combined with the wealth of the rivers on the mainland, healthy civilizations developed. The wealthy want more wealth, and humans, fleeing the exigencies of European wars, migrated to where it could be found. And here we are.

The Birds Go Through

The riches of the sea also provide for migratory and wintering birds and it’s why they’re here. Last week over 1,000 geese landed in Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary when a dark storm blew and the rain sheeted down. The murk got murkier and the geese, almost a personification of the storm and just as dark and lovely, streamed in, row upon row. As the storm strengthened, bird numbers increased until they had landed in groups along the water’s edge. They sat quietly and waited it out. When the storm eased some splashed and preened in the rising tide while others fed on grass seeds and poked about in the shorter stubble. Then the wind died down and they flew away.

There were over 1,100 Aleutian Geese, those small geese whose numbers are rebounding after years of depredation by blue foxes that were dropped off on the Aleutian Islands for the fur trade years ago. There were also 150 Lesser Canada Geese, a handful of White-fronted Geese and over 100 Snow Geese. The major migration of Snows is on the Prince Rupert side; the islands are just on the edge of it. An interesting feature of the mixed flocks was the high-pitched calls they made. They all sounded alike. Perhaps, as they travel together, they learn from each other. The “local” Canada Geese have their own distinctive, familiar call so when the migrant flocks go through we know from the sound that migration is underway and the seasons are unfolding as they should.

The Christmas Bird Counts are coming up.

The Counts are island wide and all are welcome to participate. Tentative dates and places are: Skidegate/Queen Charlotte/Sandspit - December 18 or 19; Port Clements - December 21; Rose Spit - December 23; Masset - December 27; Tlell - December 29. Contact 250-626-5015 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.