Maplewood Flats
2649 Dollarton Highway V7H 1B1 North Vancouver, BC, Canada

There's been a major fall out of Pine Siskin this Autumn, I have been seeing thousands of them all around! They fly in these massive flocks, the term is a Blizzard of Pine Siskins! These massive flocks hit an evergreen tree full of cones, and you watch them going all the tree circling till they hit the last bottom branches, then it's flying over to the next loaded tree full of cones!... It's really an amazing sight to see! It's cool to see the yellow in their wings and tail feathers too!

Did you know coyotes are naturally good swimmers? While this coyote may not have been taking a dip, he was spotted by wildlife photographer and Wild Bird Trust member, Jan Bryant, on the mudflats a few months ago. Coyotes have a vast habitat, often being found across mainland BC. They are great hunters and while they mainly eat small rodents, they definitely aren't picky. They are an adaptable animal, often living close or near to humans, anywhere where they can find suitable... prey to eat. What do you think this Coyote was doing out on the flats? . . To see this and other amazing photos, make sure to register for our Artist Talk with Pierre Cenerelli This coming Sunday at 1 pm. To register through eventbrite, find the link in our bio! . . photo by: @janfbryant . . #wildlifewednesday #maplewoodflats #coyote #wildanimals See more

A Message from the Wild Bird Trust of BC on the Passing of Ernest Ignatius George Slaholt. Sunrise: February 5 1940 - Sunset: November 11 2020 Iggy passed away November 11, 2020. He was a Hereditary Chief of Tsleil-Waututh Nation. Please watch this video of Iggy speaking about this area during our 2018 Osprey Festival: https://youtu.be/p_mO6hSeZnQ... Maplewood Flats is indebted to Iggy for his frequent gifts of knowledge about these inlet currents, canoe stories, duck tales, and local knowledge. He frequently shared his Tsleil-Waututh stories with us, since 2017, about the land and water of this placelong before the Crown declared Maplewood Flats a wildlife sanctuary. The Board of Directors of the Wild Birds Trust of BC will do right by these gifts of stories and honour his memory by working for the repair and return of these lands and waters to Tsleil-Waututh. We wish that the alienation which the Wild Bird Trust of BC unwittingly caused by creating an exclusive wildlife sanctuary does not continue for future generations. Our caretaking of this place represents a mere fraction of 1% of Coast Salish Peoples’ continued stewardship. The reality is that these precious mudflats for Tsleil-Waututh is where the tide went out, and the dinner was set and were destroyed for short-term industrialization. The Wild Bird Trust of BC’s work here should best be described as humble repair, restoration, and redress for the land settlers destroyed a few decades ago when Iggy was a boy playing on these Flats. We are grateful to Iggy for his kindness and gifts of his time, frequently attending our events in recent years and putting aside these difficult truths and sharing his message of kindness, local knowledge, as well as showing everyone his love of his family and his Tsleil-Waututh People. Video by Rob Alexander, edited by Irwin Oostindie.

Song Sparrow freak out! Great to see the undertail coverts!

Halloween At Maplewood Flats This Cross Orbweaver Spider is ready!

This Sunday Wild Bird trust will be hosting an online Artist Talk and showcasing our top finalists for the annual photography exhibit. The event will be led by guest speaker and fellow wildlife photographer Pierre Cenerelli. Pierre will provide us with helpful tips for those interested in taking nature photos for photography exhibits and other helpful tips and insights. We are excited to unveil the top 20 photographs that were chosen so you too can have a glimpse into the beautiful nature and animals that call Maplewood Flats home. Hope to see you all there! Register through our Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/WBTArtistTalk Photo by: Janine Brooke @janinebrooke Sawhet Owl

October seems like the perfect time to share about a more ominous bird. Crows are often considered or thought of as sinister and creepy because of their eerie history in folklore. Many stories and legends depict these birds as menacing creatures, often associated with being messengers between the domains of the living and the dead. A gathering of crows has been named a "murder" only adding to their spooky association. But in actuality, crows are highly intelligent and curious... birds who have developed relationships with humans and are often thought to represent wisdom and memory in many different Indigenous cultures. Crows have an amazing ability to recognize and remember faces, often passing down this knowledge to their young. Crows are also a social creature and often spend most of the year with a partner or family. Twice daily in Vancouver and the Lower mainland crows will take flight to and from their roost which is located in Still Creek, Burnaby. So the next time you see a crow, don't be scared, say hello and take some time to admire this cunningly smart bird! Remember, they are still a wild animal, so out of respect for the crow and their family, keep your distance and observe from afar. Do you have a story of a personal encounter with a crow? Share yours down below! . . The Hn q min m name for crow is qulé:qe’ The Squamish name for crow is 'elá'ela . . by John Preissl IG: @preissladventuredude . . #maplewoodflats #bcbirds #crows #october #halloween See more

Rosehips are bright red to orange and can be found during the colder months of the year. These fruit-like bulbs are a delicious treat for many different critters and have been used by Indigenous people since time immemorial. They are high in vitamins and flavonoids and have an almost citrus-like taste. A rosehip will blossom into a rose in Spring and a new small green hip can be found growing behind the beautiful petals. Rosehips can be used for tea, jams and baking. Be caref...ul to always remove the seeds before eating and to leave enough for birds and other animals to enjoy. . . Hen'q'emin'em': qel'a (rose) Squamish name: Kal'kay & kalk (rose and rosebud) . . . For more Indigenous plant knowledge, check out Senaqwila Wyss' Coast Salish plant column in our Wingspan magazine, located on our website. See more