Project
FeederWatch

Tour Bhutan
with BSC

News from
BirdLife
International

Un Compañero
Neotropical

Erratum: Ongoing
Risks to Gulf Birds

Bird Studies
Canada
Main Page

5 November 2010 
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24^th Project FeederWatch Season

5 November 2010 – Every winter, more than 15,000 birdwatchers throughout North America volunteer for Project FeederWatch, a joint program of Bird Studies Canada and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Participating in this annual survey of birds that visit backyard feeders is easy and fun! At regular intervals from November to April, ‘FeederWatchers’ count the kinds and numbers of birds at their feeders, then submit their observations. The results help scientists detect and study winter bird population trends.
   The next Project FeederWatch season begins in just one week, running from Saturday, November 13, 2010 until Friday, April 8, 2011. Participation is free for Bird Studies Canada members. Visit our website to learn more about Bird Studies Canada and Project FeederWatch, or call us at 1-888-448-2473 to sign up. In the U.S., select this link.

Tour Bhutan with BSC

Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Photo: Eagle-Eye Tours

5 November 2010 – Together with Eagle-Eye Tours, Bird Studies Canada is pleased to offer a fantastic journey to Bhutan. This Magical Kingdom offers the finest birding in the Himalayas, and a wonderful cultural and travel experience with seemingly endless highlights.
   Search for 400 species, in mountain forests covered with flowering rhododendrons. Specialties include Satyr Tragopan, Ward’s Trogon, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Himalayan Monal, Ibisbill, Wallcreeper, and Beautiful Nuthatch!
   BSC staffer Dick Cannings will lead the tour, which will take place from March 30 to April 15, 2011, for a price of $5995 CDN from Kathmandu. For more information, contact Eagle-Eye Tours at 1-800-373-5678 or travel@eagle-eye.com, or visit the Eagle-Eye Tours website.

News from BirdLife International

1 November 2010 – The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity met in Nagoya, Japan from October 18-29. There has been a great deal of recent activity by our BirdLife International partners.
   Delegates at the meeting celebrated a historic deal to save biodiversity and the planet. BirdLife and the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat signed a Memorandum of Understanding  to enhance cooperation in support of effective implementation of the Convention.
   BirdLife launched a new publication outlining how birds can help focus effective action toward meeting 2020 biodiversity targets.
   BirdLife also unveiled a new map showing the location of over 10,000 of the world’s most important sites for birds and biodiversity, and their protection status. The map shows the global network of Important Bird Areas identified by the BirdLife Partnership. Select this link to learn more and to view the map.
   For these stories and more, visit the BirdLife Community website.

E-Book: Un Compañero Neotropical

29 October 2010 – Un Compañero Neotropical, the Spanish version of John Kricher’s book A Neotropical Companion, is now available free for download. Since the first printing of the Spanish translation, Birders’ Exchange (which provides birding equipment and educational materials for scientists, conservationists, and educators throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean) has donated more than 11,000 copies of the book to bird conservation and education organizations, universities, eco lodges, and individuals throughout Latin America. Select this link to download an electronic version of the book from the American Birding Association website.

Erratum: Ongoing Risks to Gulf Birds

Please note there was an error in the version of this story that appeared in the October 22 edition of Latest News. The fourth sentence should have read: The Audubon teams counted nearly 10,000 individual birds in surveys of 10 areas that had been heavily oiled and 13 others that received little or no contamination.
    The full story can be found here.

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BSC Seeks Postdoctoral Fellow

1 November 2010 – Bird Studies Canada is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to conduct research on bird population distributions and trends. The individual will have the opportunity to work with extensive in-house databases that include multiple breeding bird atlases, migration monitoring data, and various other regional and national bird surveys. Requirements include a Ph.D. in ecology with demonstrated interest and expertise in statistical modeling and population ecology, preferably with a focus on birds.
   The position will be funded through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research and Development Fellowships (IRDF) program; applicants are encouraged to review eligibility details on the NSERC website prior to applying. The successful candidate will work with BSC to submit an application to NSERC under the IPS program. Please note that BSC will only fill the position if the IRDF application to NSERC is successful.
   Applicants should submit a cover letter, a CV, and copies of up to three relevant papers via email to Dr. Phil Taylor, Chair, Selection Committee at philip.taylor@acadiau.ca no later than December 20, 2010. Please include “Application for BSC IRDF” in the subject line of your email. For a more detailed description of the position and application requirements, please visit the BSC website.

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Short-eared Owl Sightings Needed!

Photo: Ron Ridout

5 November 2010 – Bird Studies Canada is continuing to monitor Short-eared Owls this winter as researchers across North America and Europe try to learn more about this poorly-understood owl that is classified as a species of Special Concern in Canada.
   Using satellite and radio telemetry, and volunteer-supplied observations, Bird Studies Canada (Ontario Region) has tracked large- and small-scale movements of Short-eared Owls in Canada for the past three seasons, and plans to continue during winter 2010-2011. To assist in this important project, Bird Studies Canada asks citizens to report any sightings of Short-eared Owls this winter; please include the date, location, time, number of owls seen, and the type of habitat in which they were observed.
   If you would like to report a sighting, or if you’re interested in volunteering to monitor known roost sites across southern Ontario (or know of a site that hosts wintering Short-eared Owls), please contact Kathy Jones, 1-888-448-2473 ext.124, volunteer@birdscanada.org.
   Data from this study will allow the determination of seasonal habitats occupied by the owl, and identify important breeding and wintering sites. Updates on our satellite-tracked owls are available through our Owl Tracker.

2010 Christmas Bird Count for Kids

3 November 2010 – Join Bird Studies Canada for our first annual CBC 4 Kids on Saturday, December 11, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at BSC’s main office in Port Rowan, Ontario. The CBC 4 Kids was established in 2007 in Sonoma Valley, California by Tom Rusert and Darren Peterie, whose successful annual event is now being conducted across North America. This program is geared toward nature enthusiasts aged 8 to 15, and will begin with a “Birding Basics and Binoculars 101” session to prepare participants for their bird count.
   Each participant (and accompanying parent) will be part of a small birding team, led by an experienced birder, and will record the number of bird species and individuals found along their survey route in the Long Point area. After the survey, all teams will regroup at BSC for lunch and a tally of the results. A special demonstration, featuring live birds of prey from the Canadian Raptor Conservancy, will conclude the day.
   Please bring your own binoculars and bird field guide if possible (if not, these will be provided). For more information and to register in this exciting new event, please email Jody Allair at jallair@birdscanada.org or call him at (519) 586-3531 ext. 117.

Manitoba Atlas: Fruits of Our Labour

25 October 2010 – Drum roll please… The Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas is pleased to announce that species maps from our first year are now viewable on our website (under “Data and Maps,” click on “Bird Maps”). Keen observers will notice two salient features from these maps. First, Manitobans and visitors did an exceptional job on atlassing over a wide area in year one; and secondly, we have already documented many species farther north of their expected ranges (and even a few farther south). Prairie readers can read about all the exceptional finds in the upcoming issue of Blue Jay. The Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas seems destined to redraw the range maps for many species. Please email us at mbatlas@birdscanada.org if you think you can help us do this!

 

Give the Gift of Bird Conservation with Bird Studies Canada Shopping for unique nature-themed presents this holiday season? Bird Studies Canada’s store has the perfect gift for you! We offer a wide range of high-quality products, and the proceeds support our bird research and conservation programs. Browse our online gift store for apparel, books, CDs, puzzles, games, and much more. Order online or call us toll-free at 1-888-448-2473. Please order by December 6 to guarantee holiday delivery. For only $35, you can give someone special a Bird Studies Canada gift membership. Benefits include a subscription to our quarterly magazine BirdWatch Canada and free participation in programs such as Project FeederWatch, the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey, and the Christmas Bird Count. And you will receive a charitable tax receipt for the full amount of the membership! Order online or call Rosie toll-free at 1-888-448-2473 ext. 141. If you wish to support the Long Point Bird Observatory, a Project Recovery certificate makes a wonderful gift, and your ‘adoption fee’ funds LPBO’s migration monitoring operations. The frameable certificate includes a full-colour photograph, details about when a real bird (of a species of your choice) was banded at LPBO, and information about the species’ range and habits. Adopt a wild bird through Project Recovery on the BSC website. Thank you for buying a bird-friendly gift this holiday season!

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