Bald Eagles on the
Move
One of this
year's satellite-tagged birds at Port
Bruce, ON - 15 September 2009 Photo: Ron Kingswood
18
September 2009 – Bird Studies Canada is pleased to announce
new additions to our online Eagle Tracker. In June 2009, five young Bald
Eagles from across southern Ontario were fitted with satellite
transmitters. This year’s satellite-tagged eaglets (Delhi, Thor, Neetu,
Hal, and Moose) have now dispersed from their nesting sites.
Select this link to follow their movements online.
We thank all our project partners
and the funders of Destination Eagle in 2009, including: Canadian
Wildlife Service, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, LCBO Natural
Heritage Fund, Ontario Power Generation, Bud Andress, Delhi LCBO, St.
Thomas Field Naturalists, Gananoque LCBO Outlet Store, Save the River,
Thousand Islands Accommodation Partners, Thousand Islands Association,
Lions Club of Gananoque, Rotary Club of Gananoque, Frontenac Arch
Biosphere Reserve, Paul & Susan Regan, Chris McCarney, Admirals
Pass-the-Hat, Quinte Field Naturalists Association, and North Leeds
Birders. An additional word of thanks must go to all of the volunteer
nest monitors and landowners whose participation makes this project
possible.
To learn more about Bird Studies
Canada’s Destination Eagle or to see the latest developments for all of
our satellite-tagged eaglets, check out the newly updated
Southern Ontario Bald Eagle Monitoring Program website.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation
Provides
Major Support to Long Point Bird Observatory
18
September 2009 – Bird Studies Canada and the “Friends of Long
Point Bird Observatory” are thrilled to announce that we have received a
major capital grant of $64,300 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to
upgrade facilities at Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO).
The funding is
supporting several important upgrades at LPBO’s Old Cut Field Station
and Visitor Centre, including installation of a wheelchair ramp,
construction of an enclosed ‘mudroom,’ reconfiguration of the Visitor
Centre, expansion of the banding lab to provide new space for training,
and the creation of new interpretive displays and materials (including a
new Long Point bird finding guide and a large-panel outdoor birding map
of Norfolk County). As part of this process, we are also completing the
final phase of our efforts to install energy-efficient lighting and
windows throughout the entire field station, and installing new
maintenance-free roofing.
The improvements supported by the Ontario
Trillium Foundation grant will have lasting benefits for our operations,
the local community, and the thousands of birders and ecotourists who
visit LPBO each year. They also allow us to reduce our carbon footprint
and our annual maintenance costs. The work will be completed by local
contractors and volunteers by the end of December, well in advance of
our 50th Anniversary celebrations in spring 2010, when we will welcome
visitors from around Canada and the world.
The Ontario Trillium
Foundation is an agency of the Government of Ontario.
Extinct Duck on Display at ROM – Sunday Only
16 September 2009 – Extinct for more than 100 years, the
Labrador Duck once inhabited eastern North America. Only 55 stuffed
specimens are known to exist in private and public collections around
the world. In his new book The Curse of the Labrador Duck, Dr. Glen
Chilton (an obsessed Canadian ornithologist) details his globe-trotting
quest to see all the Labrador Ducks in the world. This Sunday, September
20, Dr. Chilton will speak at the Royal Ontario Museum. As part of the
book launch event, the ROM will take its own exceptionally-preserved
Labrador Duck specimen out of the vaults and put it on display for the
first time – but only from 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Visit the ROM website to learn
more.
Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas Staff
15 September 2009 – Christian Artuso, Bird Studies
Canada’s Manitoba Program Manager, has been chosen to coordinate the
Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas. The atlas is set to begin in 2010, and
already much progress has been made on laying the groundwork for the
first year of data collection. BSC is partnered with Environment Canada,
Manitoba Conservation, Nature Manitoba, and The Manitoba Museum on the
Steering Committee of this ambitious project. Please feel free to
contact Christian at cartuso@birdscanada.org or (204) 945-6816 for more
information about this program.
We also welcome the Manitoba Breeding
Bird Atlas’s new assistant coordinator, Ginger Arnold. Ginger will join
us on September 22 after completing a contract as outreach coordinator
with the Cooks Creek Conservation District. Ginger has a B.Env. and is
completing her M.Env. from the University of Manitoba. Her master’s
thesis is entitled “Northern Youth Perspectives on Environmental
Changes.” Her wide range of experience in the environmental field
includes such diverse areas as community surveys on socio-environmental
impacts, impact assessment on waterways, and volunteering at banding
stations. Ginger brings considerable experience and depth to the project
in areas such as public outreach, event coordination, proposal writing,
and communications with First Nations. We eagerly anticipate her input
in her new role.
BSC Staff Lead Nature Workshops
15 September 2009 – Bird Studies Canada’s Port Rowan
headquarters facility will be the venue for two community-based nature
workshops in the weeks to come. The courses will be led by BSC staff
Jody Allair and Ron Ridout, and are presented by the Norfolk Field
Naturalists in partnership with the Long Point Biosphere Reserve
Foundation.
On September 26 from 9:30 to 3:30, Jody Allair’s
“Introduction to Birding in the Long Point Area” session will provide
the basic tools needed to start birdwatching, and tips on becoming an
expert in identifying birds and their songs. The workshop includes an
afternoon field outing, and is limited to 25 participants.
On October
17, attend the “Digital Nature Photography 101” workshop with noted
photographer Ron Ridout, who will provide instruction on how to use a
digital camera to take great nature photos every time. A morning
classroom session at BSC headquarters will be followed by an outing to
learn photography techniques in the field. This workshop is limited to
20 participants.
The fee for each workshop is just $15, which includes a
light lunch. To register, call Shirley Rothery at 519-586-9535 or
select
this link to download a printable registration form.
BSC (Atlantic) Seeks Projects Assistant
11 September 2009 – Bird Studies Canada (Atlantic
Region) is seeking applicants for the position of Bird Projects
Assistant. This six-month internship position will commence in October
2009 and will be based in Sackville, New Brunswick. The Assistant’s
primary responsibilities will be to assist with three BSC projects in
Atlantic Canada: the Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas, the Maritimes
Nocturnal Owl Survey, and the Important Bird Areas program in Nova
Scotia.
Applicants should hold a B.Sc. or M.Sc. in biology or a related
field, and have relevant work experience. The position requires strong
communications skills and computer skills, and familiarity with birds
and the Maritime birding community. For more information on the
position, visit the
Job Opportunities
section of BSC’s website. Applications are due by September 25, 2009.
Return to Top of Page
