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5 June 2009 
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Barbados Shooting Swamp Becomes Shorebird Sanctuary

2 June 2009 – Packers Conservation Wetland lies on the border of the southeastern parish of St. Philip and the southern parish of Christ Church in the Barbados, and operated as a shooting swamp from 1982-2004. The site includes a 10-acre swamp with six ponds and four acres of mixed swamp-forest (home to a heron/egret roost), at the foot of a low wooded coral escarpment. Two former hunters have leased the land, and are financing initial restoration. Bird Studies Canada and BirdLife Caribbean have contributed additional funds to support the management of this new refuge. With sufficient rainfall and runoff this month, the wetland will be ready for use as a shorebird refuge in time for the July 15 start of hunting season.

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Guest Birder Team Completes Birdathon

Photo: Peter Taylor

5 June 2009 – Bird Studies Canada’s Guest Birder Team for the 2009 Baillie Birdathon observed 207 species on their Manitoba Big Day attempt on May 28. The “Manitoba All-Stars” (Cal Cuthbert, Ken De Smet, Rudolf Koes, Peter Taylor, and Adam Walleyn) set out from the Douglas Marsh, east of Brandon, at midnight and traveled to the extreme southwest of the province and back again, with numerous stops in between. Whitewater Lake yielded two unexpected highlights of the day – a few Buff-breasted Sandpipers, and a single Red Knot overhead. Although the team didn’t manage to break their own provincial (and national) record of 214 species, their tally was the third-highest Big Day count ever in Manitoba, and Canada!
   Thanks to all of our 2009 Birdathon sponsors. And it’s not too late to donate! To sponsor the “Manitoba All-Stars” or a participant of your choice, visit the Baillie Birdathon Donation Page and select a participant from the drop-down menu, or call 1-888-448-2473 ext. 121.

Matched Giving Programs Boost Birdathon Sponsorships

4 June 2009 – Baillie Birdathon participants may be able to increase the impact of their Birdathon contributions (and their chances of winning a wonderful prize!) by asking their employers to match their existing pledges. Many corporations match an employee’s contribution to a registered charity, either dollar for dollar or as a percentage of the total contribution. Enquire with your Human Resources Department to find out more about their “Matching Gift Program” or “Employee Giving Program.” For more information, contact Rosie Kirton at rkirton@birdscanada.org. Visit our website to view a full list of Baillie Birdathon prizes.

Canadian IBA Partners Meet in Ottawa

3 June 2009 – Bird Studies Canada and Nature Canada, Canadian co-partners in BirdLife International, organized an IBA Caretakers workshop in Ottawa last week. The workshop was expertly hosted and facilitated by Nature Canada staff members. It brought together the national partners, representatives from the five provinces currently signed on for Caretaker Networks (BC, AB, SK, QC, NS), and a guest from the BirdLife partner in Denmark who shared his experiences and expertise with the meeting participants.
   Caretakers act as the eyes, ears, and hands on the ground at Important Bird Areas. Caretakers may conduct or coordinate a variety of activities, including monitoring, habitat restoration, outreach and communication, and advocacy. We are just in the early stages of planning and launching the national network, and this workshop was a first opportunity to discuss issues of coordinated fundraising, communications, and science. Stay tuned for more information in the months ahead.

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More Piping Plovers Nest in Ontario

Photo: Brendan Toews

4 June 2009 – After a 30-year absence of breeding Piping Plovers, a pair successfully nested in southern Ontario in 2007, and four pairs of this endangered species nested in the province in 2008. We are pleased to announce that Piping Plovers are nesting in Ontario again this season. Nests have been established at both Wasaga Beach and Sauble Beach. All nests are protected from predators with exclosures, and are monitored by volunteers. Beach users are asked to stay outside of the fenced areas that surround the nests, and to look for the volunteer plover guardians for advice on how to observe the plovers.
   Volunteer guardians spend time on the beach monitoring and protecting the plovers, and educating the public about these rare birds and the efforts underway to protect them. More guardians are needed. If you are interested in volunteering at Sauble Beach, contact Stew Nutt at 519-372-8588 or saubleplover@gmail.com, or for Wasaga Beach, contact Kim Jaxa-Debicki at (705) 429-2516 or speciesatrisk@wasagabeachpark.com.
   Monitoring and coordinating protection for the plovers is a collaborative effort of government and non-government partners including the Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario Parks, and Bird Studies Canada, with important support from the local municipalities and numerous volunteers.

BC Breeding Bird Atlas on the Road

3 June 2009 – Join the British Columbia Breeding Bird Atlas team if you can as we tour BC providing workshops, meeting with regional coordinators, doing atlas blitzes, and conducting point counts. Christopher Di Corrado will tour the Dease Lake/Telegraph Creek area from June 8-14, then proceed to Whitehorse (from where activities in some parts of remote northern BC are coordinated). Christopher will give a presentation on the atlas in the Whitehorse Library on June 14 at 7 p.m., and at the Northern Lights College in Atlin on June 15 at 7 p.m., continuing to atlas the region until June 19. Contact Christopher at cdicorrado@birdscanada.org for more details.
   Dick Cannings will be the guest speaker at the 27^th annual Manning Park Bird Blitz on the evening of June 12, and will be on hand with regional coordinator Alan Burger to provide an atlas flavour to the bird blitz from June 13-14. Rob Butler will atlas the Bute Inlet area with regional coordinator Art Martell from June 7-14, and then the Pacific Rim region of Vancouver Island through mid-June.

BC Field Ornithologists Conference

3 June 2009 – The 19^th annual BCFO Conference and AGM is being held at the Ski Hill Lodge in Clearwater from June 26-28. Bird Studies Canada’s BC Program Manager Pete Davidson will give a presentation on the BC atlas on June 27, and there will be pre- and post-conference atlassing opportunities (‘square bashes’ and point counts) taking place in the Wells Gray Provincial Park and Clearwater area on June 25-26 and June 29-July 1, with Dick Cannings and regional coordinator Rick Howie on hand to provide support. Non-members are welcome to join BCFO at the conference, and the pre- and post-conference atlassing is open to all. Please contact judegrass@shaw.ca or 604-538-8774 if you are interested in joining the atlassing portions of the event.

Conserving the Bicknell’s Thrush

29 May 2009 – Bird Studies Canada has released Conserving the Bicknell’s Thrush: Stewardship and Management Practices for Nova Scotia’s High Elevation Forest.  This important document outlines what is known about the Bicknell’s Thrush (a rare songbird that nests in Nova Scotia’s high elevation and coastal forests), its conservation status, and the threats it faces across its northeastern North American breeding range. It also outlines best management practices for Nova Scotia’s high elevation forest, and actions necessary to protect and conserve the Bicknell’s Thrush. Select one of the following links to download a two-page summary version in English or French, or contact Becky Whittam at bwhittam@birdscanada.org or 506-364-5047 to request a copy.
   This month, Bird Studies Canada is working with forestry companies in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to determine whether the Bicknell’s Thrush is present in high elevation, crown forest stands undergoing pre-commercial thinning. If the species is found, BSC will notify company staff so that they may choose to follow best management practices. Funding is provided by the Government of Canada Habitat Stewardship Program for Species At Risk.

Conservation de la Grive de Bicknell

29 mai 2009 – Études d’Oiseaux Canada (ÉOC) a publié Conservation de la Grive de Bicknell : pratiques de gestion et d’aménagement dans les forêts situées en haute altitude. Cet important document traite des données actuelles sur la Grive de Bicknell (un oiseau chanteur rare qui nidifie dans les forêts côtières et de haute altitude de la Nouvelle Écosse), de sa situation et des menaces auxquelles elle est confrontée à l’échelle de son aire de reproduction du nord est de l’Amérique du Nord. On y présente également les pratiques de gestion dans les forêts situées en haute altitude de la Nouvelle Écosse ainsi que les mesures requises pour veiller à la protection et à la conservation de l’espèce. Pour télécharger un résumé de deux pages en anglais ou en français du document, choisissez l’un des liens ou communiquez avec Becky Whittam, par courriel, à bwhittam@oiseauxcanada.org ou, par téléphone, au 506 364 5047, afin d’en demander un exemplaire.
   Ce mois-ci, ÉOC et les sociétés d’exploitation forestière de la Nouvelle Écosse et du Nouveau Brunswick mettent leurs efforts en commun afin de déterminer si la Grive de Bicknell est présente dans les forêts de la Couronne situées en haute altitude faisant l’objet de coupes d’éclaircie précommerciales. Si l’espèce y est observée, ÉOC en avisera le personnel des sociétés pour leur permettre d’avoir recours aux pratiques de gestion exemplaires. Les fonds nécessaires à cette initiative proviennent du Programme d’intendance de l’habitat pour les espèces en péril du gouvernement du Canada.

BSC at Sharbot Lake Loon Workshop

Photo: Wayne Lynch

25 May 2009 – Lake Associations, Lake Stewards, cottagers across eastern Ontario, and any other interested parties are invited to attend a Loon Conservation Workshop at Oso Hall, Sharbot Lake, Ontario on June 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kathy Jones of BSC’s Canadian Lakes Loon Survey (CLLS) will give two talks – one about the past, present, and future of the CLLS, and a second about the efficacy of artificial loon nesting platforms.
   The workshop is free, and features speakers, information displays, and valuable prizes. The workshop is presented by the Frontenac Stewardship Council in partnership with Friends of Salmon River and others. For more information about attending, contact Gray Merriam at 613-335-3589 or merriam@xplornet.com or visit the website of the Kennebec Lake Association.

CLLS Seeks Volunteers for Sharbot Lake Workshop

25 May 2009 – Are you a BSC member or a Canadian Lakes Loon Survey participant in eastern Ontario’s Lake District? Can you donate a few hours on June 27 to help staff the CLLS display booth? If so, please contact Kathy Jones at 1-888-448-2473 ext. 124 or aqsurvey@birdscanada.org. BSC cannot cover expenses, but is able to provide a tax receipt for volunteer-related expenses accrued at or travelling to the event.

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