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9 February 2007 
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Florida Storms Cause Whooping Crane Deaths

Young Whooping Cranes in Florida  Photo Courtesy: Operation Migration

3 February 2007 – The violent storms that hit central Florida on February 1 and 2 – causing widespread damage and killing at least 19 people – have also resulted in the deaths of 17 juvenile Whooping Cranes. The endangered birds were being kept in an enclosure at the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge near Crystal River, Florida, and it is suspected that they died either as a result of drowning from a tidal surge, or from lightning strikes reported nearby. The 18th and final member of the group miraculously survived and was found on February 4 with two Sandhill Cranes in a prairie area some miles away from the Chassahowitzka site. Updates on the fate of this survivor and the efforts to recover from this tragedy can be found on the Operation Migration web site.
  The cranes were part of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership’s initiative to reintroduce a migratory flock of the birds to eastern North America. Each year for the past six years, Whooping Cranes reared in captivity at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge have learned a migration route between Wisconsin and Florida by following ultralight aircraft flown by Operation Migration. This project will be profiled in the next issue of BirdWatch Canada, BSC’s quarterly magazine.

World Owl Conference 2007

9 February 2007 – Organizers Birdlife International in The Netherlands, the Global Owl Project, and the World Owl Trust have announced that this year’s World Owl Conference will take place October 31 through November 4, 2007, in Groningen, Netherlands. The theme for the conference is “Owls: Ambassadors for the Protection of Nature in their Changing Landscapes.” The event will include presentations and posters, technical workshops, an excursion to the Dutch National Owl-study Day, and post-conference tours. The conference proceedings will be published as a peer-reviewed book, and delegates will help to produce an Experts’ Statement on owl conservation.

World’s Waterbird Populations Continue to Decline

23 January 2007, BirdLife International – The recently released Wetlands International report, the fourth edition of “Waterbird Population Estimates,” reveals continued declines for the world’s waterbirds. The publication presents estimates and trends of 878 waterbird species spread around the world. Of these, 44% of populations for which trend data were available were found to be decreasing or have become extinct since the last edition was released in 2002. The report was based on annual field surveys by 15,000 voluntary expert observers across hundreds of sites worldwide, many of them Important Bird Areas. The new publication highlights how human impacts such as reclamation of wetlands, increasing pollution, illegal hunting, and urban sprawl are factors behind the reported population declines. For more details, visit the BirdLife International web site.
 

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        NATIONAL

 

It’s Owl Survey Time Again!

Western Screech-Owl Photo: Steve Cannings

9 February 2007 – Owl populations, like those of other raptorial birds, are important indicators of ecosystem health. Unfortunately, owls are a little harder to count than most other species of birds, but Bird Studies Canada has led the way in developing owl population monitoring protocols in North America. BSC also coordinates owl surveys across most of Canada. Owl monitoring happens mainly in the early spring when owls are in full courtship mode and are calling regularly. Owl surveyors are already out in the dark forests of coastal British Columbia, where surveying is done in February. This not only matches with the owl calling, but avoids the deafening tree frog chorus of March! Surveys in the southern interior of British Columbia take place in March, and other surveys across the country are slated for April. For more information on these important projects, visit BSC’s Nocturnal Owl Surveys web page.


BSC Joins Boreal Songbird Network

1 February 2007 – Bird Studies Canada has become a member of the Boreal Songbird Network (BSN), a coalition organized by the Boreal Songbird Initiative.  The BSN is an alliance of non-profit conservation and research organizations who share a common concern for the future of North America’s Boreal region and the birds that call it home. Stretching from Alaska across Canada to Newfoundland, the Boreal encompasses 1.5 billion acres of some of the world’s last remaining pristine habitats. The Boreal is host to up to 5 billion birds and more than 50% of the total world populations of nearly 100 bird species. BSC is committed to conserving the integrity of Canada’s Boreal forest region, and will work with its BSN partners to raise awareness in Canada and the U.S. about the importance of the Boreal to North American migratory birds.
 

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Maritimes Atlas News

7 February 2007 – The Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas, 2006-2010 completed a successful first year of surveying last fall and results are available online. Atlassers are already gearing up for their second year, with owl breeding season rapidly approaching. For more information or to participate in the project, visit the MBBA web site or email atlasmaritimes@gmail.com.
   BSC staff have added a new feature to the Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas web site: the ability to obtain summary information about an atlas square through an interactive map interface. This feature allows users to obtain the square number, a list of species currently found in the square, a square information sheet, a list of completed point counts, and a topographic map of the square. The interactive maps provide a graphical window into the atlas database and thus represent a significant time-saver for atlas participants. Check out the new functionality and experiment with summary options here. Who knows what interesting patterns you might discover!

Last Chance to Order Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas at Pre-sale Price

9 February 2007 – The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, 2001-2005 will be published in September 2007. A multitude of volunteers spent over 150,000 hours in the field to collect a phenomenal 1.2 million individual records for the 300 species breeding in the province. This atlas will be an essential resource for birders and nature lovers, and shows significant changes in Ontario’s bird populations since the first atlas was conducted over 20 years ago.
   The 9x12 inch book will contain over 700 full colour pages of photographs, maps, and charts, and will retail this fall for $96. Order before February 28, 2007 for a special pre-sale price of $67 for Atlas participants and $79 for non-participants (prices include GST, distribution, and handling). Order now on the web or call 1-866-900-7100. Profits from the sale of the atlas will support bird conservation projects in Ontario and Canada.

Birds on the Bay 2007 Opening Weekend, February 17-18

9 February 2007 – Birds on the Bay is a year-round series of events that celebrates the Boundary Bay Important Bird Area in British Columbia. Bird Studies Canada is a partner in Birds on the Bay, which is organized by the Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society. The 2007 season of events opens on the weekend of February 17-18. Pete Davidson, BSC’s BC Projects Coordinator, will be guiding a bird walk from 1:00-2:30 p.m., starting from the White Rock Museum (just west of the pier at 14970 Marine Drive) along the White Rock seafront. Following the walk he will give a presentation entitled “Discover the Wintering Seabirds of Semiahmoo Bay” at the White Rock Museum from approximately 2:45-3:45 p.m. It’s free, and everyone is welcome!

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