Register for the
5^th North American Duck Symposium

Great Backyard
Bird Count,
February 13-16,
2009

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6 February 2009 
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Register for the 5^th North American Duck Symposium

6 February 2009 – Long Point Waterfowl and the University of Guelph are co-hosting the 5^th North American Duck Symposium and Workshop (NADS 5) to be held in Toronto from August 17-20, 2009. NADS 5 will showcase current research in duck ecology, conservation, and management from North American and European researchers. Examples of plenary sessions include “Riches of the Boreal Forest: Waterfowl Populations and Conservation Challenges,” “Predator Management at the Landscape Scale: The Delta Experience,” “Implications of a Changing Great Lakes Ecosystem for Ducks,” and “Linking Harvest, Habitat and Human Dimensions: An Update.”
   NADS 5 is open to all who have a keen interest in duck ecology and management. Online registration for NADS 5 is now available. Limited early bird prizes are available for those who register before April 30. The organizers of NADS 5 would also like to announce the third call for paper and poster presentations. Please check out the NADS 5 website for detailed information on paper and poster submissions and descriptions of plenary sessions.

Great Backyard Bird Count, February 13-16, 2009

5 February 2009 – Next weekend, people of all ages and experience levels will participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), an annual continent-wide event coordinated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. On one or all of the count days, February 13-16, participants choose a favourite location (such as their back yard, a local park, or a wilderness area), and count the highest number of birds they see at any one time. Tallies are submitted online, and anyone interested can view the reports from across the United States and Canada. Scientists use the information to track the abundance and distribution of birds from one winter to the next. Visit the Great Backyard Bird Count website for more information on how to participate, or to see reports from previous years.

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2008 Baillie Birdathon Results Released

5 February 2009 – Final results are in! In 2008 the Baillie Birdathon raised more than $227,000 for bird research and conservation, breaking the all-time record yet again. Bird Studies Canada would like to thank all participants, sponsors, prize donors, naturalist clubs, and bird observatories involved for their dedication in ensuring this continuing success. Visit the BSC website to learn more about the Baillie Birdathon and to view the lists of the “top ten” birders and conservation organizations for 2008.

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Ontario Bird Banding Association to Meet at BSC Headquarters

4 February 2009 – All are welcome to attend the annual meeting of the Ontario Bird Banding Association at Bird Studies Canada’s headquarters in Port Rowan on Saturday, February 28, 2009. Featured speakers include Dr. Grant Gilchrist on the conservation of Common Eider; Heidi Scherr on Double-crested Cormorant research; and BSC’s Chief Scientist, Dr. Phil Taylor, presenting on the use of radar in avian studies. Registration is only $5. Additional workshops will be held on Sunday, March 1. This meeting is an excellent opportunity to learn more about bird banding in Ontario. For more information, contact Audrey Heagy, aheagy@birdscanada.org, 1-519-586-3531 ext. 166.

À la recherche de participants additionnels pour inventorier les hiboux nocturnes au Québec

4 février 2009 – En 2008, Études d’Oiseaux Canada a lancé avec succès l’Inventaire des hiboux nocturnes du Québec (IHNQ). Cent participants ont adopté 105 routes d’inventaire. Le lancement de ce programme de recherche à long terme a été possible grâce au soutien financier du fonds commémoratif Albert B. Kelly de l’organisme Protection des oiseaux du Québec et le support, en nature, offert par le Service canadien de la faune d’Environnement Canada. Cette année, la Fondation TD des amis de l’environnement a aussi généreusement accordé un soutien financier à ce programme. De plus, comme l’année passée, Junco Technologies a offert gracieusement un nichoir pour un tirage au sort, auquel tous les participants du programme ayant soumis leurs données avant le mois de juin seront éligibles.
   L’IHNQ se réalise en bordure des routes et utilise la repasse de chants pour stimuler les hiboux à vocaliser. Chaque route est de 18 km dans un paysage forestier. Les routes sont constituées de dix arrêts intercalés aux 2 km et les inventaires ont lieu en avril. Cette année, l’objectif est d’augmenter notre effort d’inventaire dans le nord et l’est du Québec méridional. Pour s’inscrire ou pour obtenir plus d’information, S.V.P. communiquez avec Andrew Coughlan (au 418-649-6062 ou sans frais au 1-866-518-0212; acoughlan@oiseauxcanada.org) ou visitez la page Internet.

Québec Region Seeks Additional Nocturnal Owl Surveyors

Northern Saw-whet Owl Photo: Ethan Meleg

4 February 2009 – In 2008, Bird Studies Canada successfully launched the Québec Nocturnal Owl Survey (QNOS), with 105 survey routes being adopted by 100 participants. The launch of this long-term research program was made possible through financial support from Bird Protection Quebec’s Kelly Support Grant and in-kind support from Environment Canada’s Canadian Wildlife Service. This year, the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation has also generously granted financial support to the program. Furthermore, like last year, Junco Technologies has kindly donated one of their nest boxes as a prize for a raffle open to all participants who submit their data before June.
   The QNOS is a roadside survey that uses playback calls to elicit vocal responses from nearby owls. The survey is conducted once a year, in April. Each 18-km-long route is located in a forested area and comprises 10 stops positioned 2 km apart. This year, our objective is to increase our survey effort in northern and eastern Québec. To register or to receive further information, please contact Andrew Coughlan (418-649-6062 or toll-free at 1-866-518-0212; acoughlan@birdscanada.org) or visit the Québec Nocturnal Owl Survey web page.

Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas Updates

4 February 2009 – After a great 2008 season, atlassers for the Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas have completed last year’s efforts by sending us, or by entering online, all of the data they gathered. We received a great deal of data in January, as our deadline for online data entry was January 31. Our team is now starting to plan our next season, which will be our fourth field season. In preparation for the rapidly approaching owl season, we are working on a guide for owl atlassing, so that our atlassers can learn a couple of tricks for that specific group of birds. As well, we’ve put a lot of effort lately into searching for additional data from different sources, such as nature forums and government databases. We can’t wait for the first reports of breeding evidence for 2009!

Mise à jour sur l’Atlas des Oiseaux Nicheurs des Maritimes

4 février 2009 – Après une très belle saison 2008, nos atlasseurs ont donnés un dernier effort en nous envoyant, ou en entrant en ligne, toutes leurs données recueillies. Nous avons reçu beaucoup de données durant le mois de janvier dû au fait que la date limite d’entrée de données était le 31 janvier. Notre équipe commence maintenant à planifier notre prochaine saison qui sera notre quatrième saison sur le terrain. Nous sommes aussi en préparation pour la saison des hiboux, qui arrive à grands pas, et notre première initiative est la création d’un guide pour faire l’atlassage pour les hiboux. Ce guide donnera quelques trucs à nos altasseurs afin de chercher pour ce groupe d’oiseaux spécifiquement. De plus, nous avons mit beaucoup d’efforts dans la recherche de données additionnelles provenant de différentes sources tel que les forums de discussion ayant pour sujet la nature, les bases de données gouvernementales, etc. Nous avons déjà très hâte à notre premier indice de nidification de l’année !

Maritime Volunteers Comb Beaches for Dead Birds

3 February 2009 – Bird Studies Canada volunteers for the Maritimes Beached Bird Survey worked hard over the last 10 months, conducting 161 beached bird surveys on 62 beaches across the region between April 1, 2008 and January 25, 2009. Seventy-one beached birds were found during that period, including 25 Northern Gannets, 9 Herring Gulls, 7 Great Black-backed Gulls, 4 Dovekies, 2 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 2 Common Murres, 2 Common Terns, 2 Double-crested Cormorants, 1 Black Duck, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Black-crowned Night Heron, 1 Black Scoter, 1 Great Cormorant, 1 Mallard, 1 Ring-billed Gull, 1 Red-throated Loon, and 10 unidentified birds.
   Data are used to examine sources of mortality in pelagic birds. Some carcasses are collected for further study. For example, Dr. Pierre-Yves D’Aoust of the Atlantic Veterinary College on Prince Edward Island conducted necropsies on three birds to determine cause of death. Two Northern Gannets were determined to have died by drowning (likely in gillnets used in the herring fishery), and one Dovekie was determined to have died due to starvation. Thanks to all our volunteers for their efforts to date!

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