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20 August 2010 
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1^st World Seabird Conference, Victoria, BC

20 August 2010 – Today is the final day of regular registration for the 1^st World Seabird Conference, being held at Victoria Conference Centre from September 7-11, 2010. The detailed conference program, featuring over 700 presentations reflecting the work and research of over 1300 individual authors, presenters, and convenors, is now available on the conference website. The event is a collaboration of 26 professional seabird groups and societies from around the world, with the support of Bird Studies Canada, and is drawing many of the world’s most renowned seabird biologists and marine conservation champions to BC. At present, 700 attendees are registered from about 40 countries. The conference is aiming to provide a framework and blueprint for seabird science, information management and exchange, and management/conservation activities for the next decade.
   Conference leaders hope to close the meeting with an announcement that they have formed a new global governing body to address seabird monitoring and conservation. There are also several field trips scheduled for registrants. Open to the public are a Conference Expo (with limited space still available for Exhibitors), a seabird film festival, and a seabird art exhibition. Visit the conference website to reserve your space today!

Bluebird Society Conference

16 August 2010 – The Ontario Eastern Bluebird Society is hosting the 2010 North American Bluebird Society Conference at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington from September 9-12. The event’s theme is “Cavity Nesters – Back to Basics.” In addition to presentations on bluebirds, the conference will also include sessions on birds such as swallows, owls, and the Prothonotary Warbler. On Friday, September 10 at 7:15 p.m., Bird Studies Canada’s Ontario Program Biologist Elisabeth van Stam will speak about the Chimney Swift in Ontario, and BSC’s role in conserving the species.
   The conference brochure is available from the Ontario Eastern Bluebird Society website, and the registration form is part of the brochure. (Note: there are still a few openings on the September 10 luncheon boat tour of Hamilton Harbour.) For more information about the conference, contact Bill Read at 519-620-0744 or info@billreadsbooks.com.

GBIF Meeting

16 August 2010 – The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario (BIO) was host to the North American Regional Nodes Meeting of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) on August 11 and 12, 2010, on the University of Guelph campus. The meeting was an opportunity for those involved with biodiversity studies to share their experience and discuss recent advances in technologies. Bird Studies Canada Senior Scientist Denis Lepage made a presentation entitled “The Avian Knowledge Network and Some of the Lessons Learned from the Birding Community.” Visit the BIO website to view the meeting agenda; copies of the PowerPoint presentations should also be available from the same site soon.

Corrections to AOU Taxonomy Update

9 August 2010 – Further to the news item “AOU: Taxonomic Changes” in the August 6 edition of Latest News, the AOU has announced that three errors have been noted in the 51^st supplement. The North American species of Black Scoter will retain its common name (i.e. the common name is not changing to American Scoter, as previously announced). The errors have been corrected in the online checklist, and a correction will be printed in the next issue of The Auk. Visit the AOU website to view the corrections.

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An Eagle Named Delhi

Photo: Ralph Hocken

20 August 2010 – A video featuring the Southern Ontario Bald Eagle Monitoring Program  has been released on YouTube. The segment, which was filmed during Bird Studies Canada’s 2009 Bald Eagle fieldwork, follows BSC staff Jody Allair (Biologist and Science Educator) and Debbie Badzinski (Ontario Program Manager) as they band and affix a satellite transmitter to a young eagle at a nest near Long Point.
   The video was produced by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. The scientific team is accompanied by Bill Peat and Josephine Winrow of the LCBO store in Delhi, Ontario, who raised money for the purchase of the satellite transmitter. Bill and Jo named the bird they sponsored “Delhi,” in recognition of their community’s strong support of their fundraising efforts. Select this link to view the video on YouTube.
   Satellite transmitters help scientists track the movements of juvenile eagles hatched in southern Ontario through BSC’s “Destination Eagle” program. To date, Bird Studies Canada has outfitted 26 Bald Eagles with transmitters, to determine the movements and habits of juvenile birds once they leave the nest. Visit our online Eagle Tracker to view recent eagle movements – including those of Delhi, who is still transmitting, and is currently spending time east of Québec City, near the Québec and Maine border.

2010 Birdathon Proceeds Exceed $200,000

18 Aug 2010 – The amount of money raised by the 2010 Baillie Birdathon has passed the $200,000 mark! Please keep those pledges coming in. The proceeds support bird research and conservation. It’s not too late to donate, so if you haven’t done so already, please visit our website to sponsor a participant. Special congratulations and our warmest thanks go out to the 2010 guest birders Bill and Carmen Lishman, who observed 109 species on their May 22 Birdathon day in the Ganaraska forest and Scugog Township. Thank you, Birdathon participants and sponsors!

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New Season of BC Coastal Waterbird Survey

16 August 2010 – As fall approaches, ducks, loons, grebes, and other waterbirds begin to return to British Columbia’s coastal areas to spend the winter months. The 12^th season of the BC Coastal Waterbird Survey will soon be underway! This program is one of the only long-term coastal monitoring programs in BC that helps identify population and distributional changes in overwintering waterbirds. The new survey season starts on September 12, and monthly counts continue throughout the winter and during the summer at many sites.
   To all of our returning volunteers, welcome back, and best wishes for a good winter birding season. We are always looking for new volunteers to participate in this program. If you are interested or have any questions, please contact us at bcprograms@birdscanada.org or 1-877-349-2473. Visit our website for more information about this program, including detailed instructions and a downloadable data form.

Manitoba Atlas off to a Flying Start

Black-headed Grosbeak Photo: Harold Stiver

16 August 2010 – The Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas is enjoying an extremely successful first season of data collection. Already, more than 400 volunteers have registered as participants (far exceeding first-year expectations), and data is pouring in. Atlassers have turned up several surprises, including the first breeding records of Black-headed Grosbeak and Western Tanager in the province. The atlas appears to be well on the way to redrawing the range maps, with species such as Black-capped Chickadee, Eastern Bluebird, Gray Catbird, Pine Warbler, Northern Parula, and Red-winged Blackbird being recorded as much as 200 km north of their previously mapped ranges; Bonaparte’s Gull and Tundra Swan were confirmed breeding more than 200 km south of their expected ranges.

Young Ornithologists Complete 2010 Workshop

Photo: Mike Burrell

16 August 2010 – Every year, the Doug Tarry Young Ornithologists’ Workshop provides six keen teen birders from across Canada with the opportunity to learn about birds, without cost. On July 30, six students descended on the Long Point area for a unique combination of education and fun. During the 10-day program they were introduced to many aspects of bird-focused field biology, including daily bird banding at Bird Studies Canada’s Long Point Bird Observatory, learning about migration monitoring and nest searching techniques, and exploring the unique ecology of the area.
   A “Big Day” was conducted on August 6; the group tallied 112 different bird species, a respectable total for early August. Other special events included hummingbird banding with David Okines, preparing study skins with Mary Gartshore, and a visit to the University of Western Ontario’s Advanced Facility for Avian Research. Everything wrapped up on August 8, and when all was said and done, everyone had made some great new friends and gained some valuable new skills. These young ornithologists will have the opportunity to return to LPBO as interns and volunteers in the future, to continue to hone their expertise.

LPW Seeks Scientist

13 August 2010 – Long Point Waterfowl is seeking a skilled scientist with a strong background in applied or theoretical research involving waterfowl and wetland ecology and management issues. The LPW Scientist will: assist and supervise staff and LPW-affiliated students; design and implement biological surveys and research projects; conduct the analysis of large, complex biological data sets; publish scientific papers; and develop, implement, and assist with university courses and other LPW educational initiatives, among other duties.
   The LPW Scientist will hold a Ph.D. in biological sciences, or an M.Sc. with sufficient and relevant work experience. The position demands a high level of organization, initiative, personal management skills, analytical skills, and communication skills. The closing date for this competition is October 30, 2010, for an anticipated start date of January 3, 2011. Visit the Job Opportunities section of our website for full details of the position and the application process.

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