Staffing
Changes at BSC’s Long Point Bird Observatory
Stu Mackenzie
(left) and Yousif Attia (right)
8 August 2008 – Stu Mackenzie (Long
Point Bird Observatory’s Landbird Program Coordinator for the past
several years) has been accepted into a Masters of Science program at
University of Western Ontario in September. Lucky for us, Stu won’t be
traveling far, since he’ll be conducting his research on landbird
migration at LPBO, under the co-supervision of Dr. Phil Taylor (on
sabbatical from Acadia University as BSC’s Chief Scientist) and Dr.
Chris Guglielmo (University of Western Ontario). Stu will be using radar
ornithology and sophisticated telemetry to study how landbirds ‘decide’
what they do at major stopover sites like Long Point. It’s noteworthy
that Stu first arrived at Long Point as a teenage participant in LPBO’s
Young Ornithologists’ Workshop (YOW). Many of our teenage YOW
grads have gone on to get degrees in biology, and several (like Stu)
have pursued advanced degrees in ornithology.
Meanwhile, Yousif Attia (formerly
LPBO’s Assistant Coordinator) is stepping into Stu’s shoes as the new
Landbird Program Coordinator. Yousif has a tremendous amount of
ornithological field experience under his belt, both at Long Point and
elsewhere, and will be a terrific asset to LPBO programs. Backing Yousif,
Ross Wood has been hired as the Assistant Coordinator for the fall. Ross
has been a long-term Volunteer Field Biologist for the Observatory’s
migration monitoring program for a number of seasons and has worked on
several species at risk projects for BSC in recent years.
BSC Seeks
Chimney Swift Monitors in Ontario
6 August 2008 – Chimney Swifts are
listed as Threatened in Canada, but more information is needed to
determine why they have declined here by almost 50% over the last 20
years. BSC has begun an exciting partnership with the McIlwraith
Naturalist Club in London, Ontario to monitor numbers, behaviour, and
movements of that city’s seasonal Chimney Swift population. A main
objective of this project is to develop a standardized monitoring
protocol that can be shared with other communities.
We are seeking volunteers in
London to observe selected chimneys for about one hour per week, from
mid-August to early October. Although this project targets London, we
are also interested in documenting nest and roost sites from across
Ontario, so please contact us if you know of these locations, or would
like to monitor in other communities. To participate, email BSC Species
at Risk Biologist Elisabeth van Stam at
evanstam@birdscanada.org
or call 1-888-448-2473 ext. 173.
BSC Bids
Farewell to Catherine Poussart
31 July 2008 – Québec Projects
Coordinator Catherine Poussart has resigned from BSC to accept a
position at the Québec Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife (MNRW).
Catherine has been a valuable asset to BSC for nearly seven years. Her
Masters research through Laval University focused on the breeding
biology of Snow Geese in the Canadian Arctic. Catherine joined BSC in
2002 as the Project NestWatch Coordinator, and since then coordination
of the Québec Marsh Monitoring Program has been a major part of her
work. This year she helped to launch the first season of the Québec
Nocturnal Owl Survey.
As the biologist in charge of
bird-related projects for the Québec Ministry of Natural Resources and
Wildlife, Catherine’s work will include implementing the small game and
Wild Turkey management plans. She will also represent the MNRW on
multiple committees (such as the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture and the
Atlantic Flyway Council, technical committee). Catherine will be fondly
missed by her BSC colleagues, and we wish her continued success in her
new position.
ÉOC dit au revoir
à Catherine Poussart
31 juillet 2008 – Catherine Poussart,
coordonnatrice des projets pour le Québec, a récemment démissionné d’ÉOC
afin d’accepter un emploi au Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de
la Faune du Québec (MRNF). Catherine a été une personne de grande
importance pour ÉOC pendant près de sept ans. Ses travaux de recherche
de maîtrise, entrepris à l’Université Laval, on trait à l’écologie de
nidification de la Grande oie des neiges dans le haut arctique canadien.
Catherine a joint ÉOC en 2002 à titre de coordonnatrice canadienne du
programme de suivi des oiseaux nicheurs. Depuis, elle a coordonné le
Programme de surveillance des marais du Québec et elle a participé à
lancer la première saison de l’Inventaire des hiboux nocturnes du
Québec.
À titre de biologiste responsable
de l’avifaune au Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune du
Québec, Catherine mettra en œuvre les plans de gestion du petit gibier
et du dindon sauvage. Elle sera aussi la représentante ministérielle du
MRNF sur plusieurs comités (tels le Plan conjoint de l’habitat de l’Est
et la Voie migratoire de l’Atlantique, comité technique). Catherine sera
regrettée de ses collègues d’ÉOC, et nous lui souhaitons le meilleur des
succès dans ses nouvelles tâches.
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