Another Successful Maritimes Atlas Season
3 September 2009 – Although a few very late breeders are
still hanging around in the Maritimes (e.g. Cedar Waxwing), for the
most part our birds have finished breeding and have already departed for
their southern wintering grounds. Another very successful
Maritimes
Breeding Bird Atlas season is coming to a close.
Congratulations to all of the atlas participants!
While many of us
are now using
this ‘downtime’ to relax, there are several participants submitting
their data to the atlas office or their regional coordinator, or online.
Volunteers have already submitted data for 858 squares, completed 1986
point counts, and reported 25,301 individual bird records for 2009. In
fact, this summer we surpassed the benchmark for individual bird records
set during the first Atlas (144,642). As of today, our atlassers have
submitted a total of 165,254 individual bird records. New species found
this summer included Sedge Wren singing in NB and NS, and a nesting pair
of Orchard Orioles in western NB. At long last, PE found a
White-breasted Nuthatch (a species that has eluded everyone surveying
the island for the last three years).
Most importantly, many atlassers
got into unsurveyed and incomplete squares and topped up hours and
species numbers. Some atlassers also took it upon themselves to survey
remote islands –
select this link
to read Chris Field’s field report from East Ironbound and Flat Island
in the online atlas news archives. We are excited to see final results
for the season once all the data are in!
Engaging Youth and Educators in Piping Plover
Conservation in Nova Scotia
3 September 2009 – The “Piping Plover Poster Contest”
involves youth in southwestern Nova Scotia in creating original art that
communicates key messages about protecting Nova Scotia beaches and
Piping Plovers. The contest is coordinated by Bird Studies Canada staff
and Pat Hudson of the Cape Sable Important Bird Area, with assistance
from NS Department of Natural Resources (NS DNR, who initiated the
contest).
Select this link to view the 2009 promotional
poster.
In spring 2009, the Poster
Contest reached 525 youth in grades two and three, as well as 30 staff
from 10 schools. Presentations and discussions guided the creation of
the youth artwork. Local artists and conservation officers helped select
the clearest and most original works. Works of art by Sophie Shaar, Abby
MacKinnon, Daniel Slack, Abby Garron, Hailey Greek, Taylor Fancy, and
Olivia Bell were displayed throughout communities in the region.
Bird Studies Canada’s
Nova Scotia
Piping Plover Conservation Program
gratefully acknowledges the NS DNR Habitat Conservation Fund and the
Government of Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk
for providing funds to help us reach schools. We also thank NS DNR staff
and Seeblick Printing for assisting with layout and printing.
Announcing the 11th Season of BC Coastal Waterbird
Survey
2 September 2009 – Sunday, September 13 will mark the
start of the 11th year of the
BC Coastal Waterbird Survey!
The focus of the program is to record monthly counts of seabirds,
waterfowl, and other coastal birds to identify patterns in abundance and
assess population trends. Volunteers cover the coasts of mainland BC,
Vancouver Island, and the Gulf Islands, extending as far north as Prince
Rupert and Haida Gwaii. An analysis of the last 10 years of Coastal
Waterbird data is almost complete, and we will be reporting results
soon. This Citizen Science database provides a valuable monitoring tool
to better understand changes in distribution and abundance of BC’s
coastal waterbirds. Thanks to all our volunteers!
BC Nature Fall General Meeting
2 September 2009 – BC Nature, which represents over 50
local nature clubs throughout the province, is holding its Fall
Conference and General Meeting this month. The event will be held in
Pender Harbour on the Sunshine Coast from September 11-13, hosted by the
Pender Harbour & District Wildlife Society. The event will include
seminars, field trips, and socials. Karen Barry from BSC will lead a
walk at Francis Point Provincial Park on Friday, September 11 to
demonstrate Coastal Waterbird and Beached Bird Surveys. See the
Pender
Harbour & District Wildlife Society website
for full details.
Long Point Waterfowl Studying Sandhill Cranes
31 August 2009 – A rapidly expanding Sandhill Crane
population is using the north shore of Lake Huron as a staging area
during late summer and fall. To date, no formal counts have been
conducted concurrently on Manitoulin Island, St. Joseph’s Island, and
the mainland of the north shore to estimate the size of the fall
population. In September and October of 2009, Everett Hanna (M.Sc.
Candidate) and Kate England (LPW Field Biologist) will conduct a study
to address this question.
Long Point Waterfowl is a
non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of waterfowl and
wetlands in the Great Lakes Region. If you would like to volunteer to
count cranes in September or October, or if you have information on the
locations of large flocks of cranes on the north shore of Lake Huron
between Sault St. Marie and Sudbury, including Manitoulin and St.
Joseph’s Islands, please call Kate England at 226-206-0000, or email
sandhillcraneproject2009@gmail.com.
Birds of Interior BC and the Rockies
27 August 2009 – Bird Studies Canada staff member Dick Cannings has published a new field guide entitled Birds of Interior
BC and the Rockies. This handy guide has 400 colour photographs and
covers all the birds normally expected in the BC Interior north to
Prince George, as well as the Alberta Rockies.
Select this link
for more information.
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