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26 October 2007 
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U.S. Announces Migratory Bird Conservation Initiatives

26 October 2007 – During a recent visit to the Patuxent Wildlife Research Centre in Maryland, President Bush spoke about the U.S. Administration’s migratory bird conservation goals and initiatives. Highlights of the announcement include commitments to: further expand the National Wildlife Refuge system by restoring an additional 200,000 acres of land in the U.S. by 2009; raise $3 billion for improvements in U.S. national parks; launch three additional partnerships under the Joint Ventures program, to conserve birds along the Rio Grande corridor, in the Appalachian Mountains, and on the Northern Great Plains; and provide $4 million this fiscal year to fund bird conservation initiatives in Mexico. More details are available on the White House Press Office website. The North Jersey Media Group reports that the announcement has been met with some skepticism by groups such as the New Jersey Audubon Society and the Sierra Club. Select this link to read about their reactions.

BSC Represented at Upcoming World Owl Conference

26 October 2007 – Debbie Badzinski, BSC’s Bird Population Biologist, will attend the World Owl Conference in Groningen, Netherlands from October 31 - November 4. She will present a talk titled “A Citizen Science Based Approach to Monitoring Nocturnal Owl Populations in Canada,” in collaboration with owl survey coordinators Dick Cannings (BC), Lisa Priestley (AB), and Becky Whittam (NB, NS, PEI). The talk will give an overview of nocturnal owl monitoring in Canada as well as population trends of some of the most commonly encountered owl species. Visit BSC’s website to learn more about owl monitoring in Canada.
   The World Owl Conference will have attendees from all around the world. There will be over 100 talks on a variety of owl related topics, including surveys and monitoring, owl behaviour, population trends, habitat selection, and conservation.

Birds and People: A Major Website and Book Project

15 October 2007 – Mark Cocker (author), David Tipling (photographer), and Jonathan Elphick (researcher) are launching a major new project entitled Birds and People.
   Birds are one of the most captivating life forms on the planet, giving rise to a global network involving millions of birdwatchers. Birds have been at the heart of human cultures for thousands of years, providing endless inspiration. And on a more practical note, birds have helped to feed humankind since our origins on the African savanna.
   Birds and People, a joint venture between BirdLife International and Random House, is a website forum where anyone interested in birds and their cultural importance can discuss and place on record their experiences and observations. Many of the contributions will be used in the text of an eventual book and all contributors will be acknowledged. If you are passionate about birds and wish to get involved, visit the Birds and People website for more detailed information, e-mail markcocker@randomhouse.co.uk, or write to: Birds and People, Jonathan Cape, Random House, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 2SA UK.

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        NATIONAL

 

Watch for BSC in Upcoming Segment on CBC’s The National

26 October 2007 – Inspired by Audubon’s Summer 2007 “Common Birds in Decline” report, the new CBC documentary “Bye Bye Birdie” offers a Canadian perspective on the state of North America’s bird populations. The 13-minute piece includes an appearance by Stuart Mackenzie, BSC’s Landbird Programs Coordinator for the Long Point Bird Observatory, who spoke with reporter Joan Leishman about migration monitoring on a beautiful fall day at the Tip of Long Point. The feature is tentatively scheduled to air on The National this Monday, October 29, so be sure to watch for it!

Project FeederWatch: ‘It’s a Good Thing’

26 October 2007 – Project FeederWatch is pleased to welcome its newest recruit: Martha Stewart. Last week, David Bonter of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (which manages the FeederWatch program in the U.S.) appeared on The Martha Stewart Show to share information about birdwatching and Project FeederWatch with Martha and her audience. For details and to view the segment online, visit Martha Stewart’s website and follow the Project FeederWatch link from the October 17 episode in the Show Archives.
   If you haven’t signed up for Project FeederWatch yet, there is still time! The new season begins on November 10. Even though BSC has just mailed out the FeederWatch kits this week to all Canadian participants with our fall issue of BirdWatch Canada, it’s not too late to register for Project FeederWatch online or by telephone at 1-888-448-2473.

Baillie Fund Grants Available for Canadian Bird Research and Conservation Projects

22 October 2007 – Bird Studies Canada is now accepting applications to the James L. Baillie Memorial Fund for Bird Research and Preservation (the Baillie Fund) for the 2008 grant cycle. A portion of funds raised through BSC’s annual Baillie Birdathon fundraiser are allocated to the Baillie Fund to provide grants to individuals or groups for projects that further BSC’s mission. Since 1978, the Baillie Fund has provided over half a million dollars to almost 500 bird research and conservation projects across Canada. In reviewing grant applications, the Baillie Fund Trustees give priority to well designed projects that engage the skills and enthusiasm of amateur naturalists and volunteers to help us understand, appreciate, and conserve Canadian birds in their natural environments. There are three granting programs, each with a different application and review process. Applications for Regular Grants are due by December 15, 2007; applications for Small Grants are due by January 15, 2008; and applications for the James L. Baillie Student Award for Field Research, administered by the Society of Canadian Ornithologists, are due by February 15, 2008. For more information about the Baillie Fund grant programs, past grants, and how to apply for a grant for your project, select this link, or contact the Baillie Fund Secretary at aheagy@bsc-eoc.org or phone 888-448-2473 ext. 243.

Canadian Migration Monitoring Network Meets in Northern Alberta

Photo: LSLBO

15 October 2007 – A total of twenty people recently traveled from across Canada to Slave Lake in northern Alberta to participate in the sixth national meeting of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network – Réseau canadien de surveillance des migrations (CMMN-RCSM). Fifteen migration monitoring stations in British Columbia, Yukon, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Québec were represented at this biennial meeting, held October11-14. The program included reports from the stations and the Steering Committee, presentations on various research projects, a preview of a major technical report on population trends being prepared by Bird Studies Canada, and varied discussions about network development. Bird Studies Canada staff members Tara Crewe, Audrey Heagy, and Jon McCracken participated. Unfortunately, Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) biologists and scientists were unable to attend due to the Environment Canada budget problems, which was a major loss, as CWS is a major partner in the CMMN-RCSM. This meeting was hosted by the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory at the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation, a stunning new education and research facility built to be environmentally-friendly using the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard. The Boreal Centre is operated by LSLBO in conjunction with Alberta Community Development, Parks and Protected Areas.

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Les ZICO/IBA du Québec regroupées à l’intérieur d’une nouvelle trousse multimedia

25 octobre 2007 – Nature Québec et ses partenaires viennent de lancer une trousse multimédia afin de mieux faire connaître la centaine de ZICO/IBA (Zones importantes pour la conservation des oiseaux / Important Bird Areas) du Québec. La trousse, en format CD-ROM mais également accessible au www.naturequebec.org/zico, contient une description du programme, des cartes de localisation, des fiches descriptives des sites, des plans de conservation, ainsi que des références et des liens sur la conservation et les oiseaux. La trousse servira d’outil de sensibilisation et de vulgarisation auprès du public, des amants de la nature, des groupes de conservation et des autorités locales. Le programme de ZICO/IBA est une initiative mondiale de BirdLife International qui s’étend maintenant à une centaine de pays. Au Canada, le programme a été implanté en 1996 et sa gestion au niveau national est assurée par Études d’Oiseaux Canada et Nature Canada. La base de données en ligne canadienne est disponible au www.ibacanada.ca.

IBAs in Québec Highlighted in a New Multimedia Tool

25 October 2007 – Nature Québec and its partners have launched a multimedia kit to promote the hundred or so Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Québec. This kit, available as a CD but also online at www.naturequebec.org/zico (in French only), comprises a description of the program, site maps, descriptive sheets for each site, conservation plans, references, and bird conservation web links. This practical kit will be used to sensitize and increase awareness among the public, nature lovers, conservation groups, and local authorities. The IBA program was launched by BirdLife International and now extends to more than 100 countries. In Canada, the IBA program was initiated in 1996 and is managed at the national level by Bird Studies Canada and Nature Canada. Select this link to access the Canadian IBA online directory.

BSC Receives Grant from Ontario Species at Risk Stewardship Fund

24 October 2007 – BSC recently received a grant of $49,500 from the Ontario Species at Risk Stewardship Fund. This grant is supporting work on six Ontario bird species at risk: Bald Eagle, Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl, Hooded Warbler, Acadian Flycatcher, and Prothonotary Warbler. Funds will be used to create stewardship and educational materials, monitor wintering populations of Bald Eagles and Short-eared Owls, check Barn Owl nest boxes, and control invasive plant species.
   This grant will make an important contribution to the conservation of birds at risk in Ontario. Bird Studies Canada gratefully acknowledges the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources for their support. For more information about BSC’s species at risk programs in Ontario, visit our website.

Radar Supplements Migration Monitoring in Long Point Area

24 October 2007 – Over the decades, a great deal of work has been done using ornithological radar, but the equipment is expensive, and the data can be difficult to interpret. Acadia University’s Dr. Phil Taylor, BSC’s 2007-08 Visiting Scientist, has been working with students and colleagues to develop relatively simple and inexpensive software to refine the study of radar ornithology.
   Long Point Bird Observatory’s migration monitoring program has been collecting information on the ground for almost 50 years. Through observations, daily censuses, and bird banding, we are able to obtain a comprehensive picture of the birds that have landed at Long Point overnight and are passing through during the day. But how many birds fly over Long Point in the night, without stopping? Data collected by Dr. Taylor’s radar equipment around the clock at BSC’s Port Rowan headquarters is now supplementing information from LPBO to give us an even more detailed understanding of migration in the Long Point area. Watch BSC’s website for updates.

David Winton Bell Memorial Library Donated to LPWWRF

12 October 2007 – Recently, the Delta Waterfowl Foundation generously donated the David Winton Bell Memorial Library (DWBML) to the Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund. Charlie Bell established the library in the late 1950s, in memory of his son David who was killed in the Korean War. Since that time, the DWBML has been housed at the Delta Waterfowl Research Station located on the south shore of Lake Manitoba’s famed Delta Marsh. While at Delta, many graduate students and professional waterfowl ecologists drew upon the library’s scholarly publications and books to educate themselves about wetland and waterfowl ecology and conservation, which in turn helped them develop research hypotheses and project proposals, publish research findings, and critique the work of other scientists.
   The transfer of this library to LPWWRF will ensure that all the history, tradition, and scientific productivity associated with the DWBML will continue on into the future. The DWBML will be housed at the LPWWRF Research and Training Centre near Long Point, Ontario, but will retain its long-standing name. This addition to our research and education program will most certainly be a great asset to LPWWRF staff and to our present and future graduate students.
   LPWWRF would like to thank the Delta Waterfowl Foundation for this generous contribution, and for its ongoing support of our research and education programs.

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