Warmer temperatures got off to a slow start this spring in the qathet region, but the next few days look promising for gardeners and those seeking the sun, after a cold and wet month of March and start of April.
The Weatherhood station is indicating clear skies, with sun this afternoon and a high temperature of 18 degrees by 4 pm today. However, the temperature will drop to a chilly two degrees overnight.
Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26, temperatures will be similar to today, with no chance of rain.
This time of year folks walking near shorelines and beaches in qathet may spot sandpipers on the ground and other migrating birds. According to the BC SPCA, researchers from Simon Fraser University have discovered that approximately half of a shorebird’s diet is made up of a paper-thin slime of biofilm found on tidal mudflats. That means, sandpipers and birds such as red-necked stints and dunlins spend a lot of time eating on the ground, so they have the energy to go to their next stop, which could be hundreds of kilometres away.
BC SPCA emphasizes that each disturbance (by a human or dog) is time and energy wasted. In April and May places such as Cranberry Lake and Duck Lake will see a plethora of waterfowl building nests among the grasses along waterways.
BC SPCA warns that if folks spot male ducks and geese patrolling pathways near the water, this is a signal to keep dogs out of the grassy areas along shores. Dogs often flush birds off their nests, sometimes stepping on the nests and damaging eggs.
Join the Peak’s email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
