A touching tribute from a Young Birder and Birds in the News

I'm so touched by what a young birder named Ian Harland wrote about me on Instagram last night. So much so that I wanted to share it here! 



Sometimes, I wonder if I have made any difference in their lives, so it's nice to hear this! They are so important to me and I am so proud of them and care about them deeply! Ian has won several photography awards and was covered in Canadian Geographic and this year got chosen to be in the top 100 of Audubon with a shot of an American Dipper! You can see his shot HERE. He is off soon to Ecuador with another amazing BC young birder Liam Singh. They are going on a bird conservation photography workshop to Ecuador, where they will be taught how to promote conservation through their photography. He and the youth here just keep making us all so proud. They keep finding incredible provincial rarities and promote conservation through social media and in person in their communities. They are incredible artists like Viktor Vandereyk and Bridget Spencer who can sketch and paint so beautifully. They are all such creative and incredible photographers as well who some plan to have full time careers in it. Others want to be ornithologists. The future is looking bright, they are all such ethical photographers and birders too, which I'm so happy about. 

I wanted to talk a bit about their skills because not only are they incredible at bird identification but BC young birders have found the following provincial rarities
Chetsnut-sided Warbler and Snowy Plover found by Cole Gaerber, Slaty-backed Gull and Pink-footed Geese found by Liron Gerstman, Self found Redwing and the relocation of a Black-headed Gull by Bridget Spencer, Indigo Bunting by Toby Theriault and a Great Egret found by Liam Singh. Plus them and many other BC youth have found tons of local rarities! They have made my life so much better, so I'm glad to hear I made a small difference in theirs.

-----------------------------------------
Now for some news on birds that I have seen lately that I found interesting: Oh and if you haven't heard one of the Sandhill Crane Colts at Reifel have been killed by a Mink and the Ospreys who nested at Pitt Lake by the boat launch with tremendous disturbance lost all 3 young to eagle predation. Luckily they have rebuilt a nest on our new platforms! Here is hoping for better luck next year!

We all know climate change is affecting birds but now it is affecting tropical ones as well. A new study of Rufous-and-white Wrens in Costa Rica raises new concerns for nonmigratory tropical birds.These birds are used to warm temperatures but sadly not this warm..

Hot temperatures during the dry season reduce survival of a resident tropical bird


To read the full scientific study on the Rufous-and-white Wren click HERE

European court finds Malta guilty in bird-trapping case

A victory for birds and interesting to read about the consequences!

Bright lights attached to fishing nets stop birds and turtles dying in them, scientists say


Coral Reefs need bird poo!

UBC Study proves that crows are gangsters!

New bird habitat protected in SK!
This is great news for longspurs!

Swamp Sparrows haven't changed their songs in 1000 years!

A new film explains how Laysan Albatrosses are now LEAD FREE on Midway but they still have to deal with plastic and mice!
To read more about their plight click HERE and HERE

Birding is saving Columbia's Birds

Almost 1500 bird species face extinction and we’re to blame




If you like to feed birds this book is for you!

 Pesticides are evil!

 Why we all love Hummers!

This is not about birds but new rule in BC prevents boats from getting too close to endangered Orcas hooray there actually will be enforcement!

Comments

  1. Peter ZadoroznyJuly 11, 2018 at 8:33 PM

    Excellent -- Perhaps there are a lot of us who should say thanks for your tireless efforts. I for one owe numerous bird sightings -- of birds I never even knew existed -- to your sharing and work.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Dowitcher Identification

Image
Birders notoriously find it difficult to tell Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers apart. I have got a request to do an identification explanation on them so here goes, I hope it will be helpful. Short-billed Dowitchers and Long-billed look so similar. Using their habitat is helpful but not diagnostic. Short-billed Dowitchers tend to prefer Salt water and brackish water and Long-billed Dowitchers tend to prefer fresh water. However, I have OFTEN seen Short-billeds in freshwater and Long-billeds in brackish and salt water. Therefore, DO NOT rely on habitat. Another feature many people will tell you to rely on is spotting on the side of the flanks of Short-billeds and barring on the side of Long-billeds. Usually this is a mark that you can use but it is not always as distinct as you like. I have seen Short-billeds with a barred appearance to the flanks. It is only at the side of the breast where you have to look for this diagnostic feature for the spots on a Short-billed and t
Read more

Hawk Identification Tips from every angle (Sharpie vs Cooper and Red-tailed Subspecies)

Image
I get several questions about the difference between accipiters. The most common ones are between Sharp-shinned Hawks and Cooper's Hawks and between Cooper's Hawks vs Northern Goshawks (to a lesser degree). Next, I get many questions dealing with a certain race of buteos the Western Red-tailed Hawk and Harlan's. So I thought I would do a post on these to help answer those questions. I will deal with Cooper's and Sharpies and not Goshawks because they are much more common here and look much more alike. My friend John Reynolds inspired me to write this up. COOPER'S AND SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS EYE COLOUR - YELLOW OR ORANGE? RED? Normally a juvenile Cooper's hawk has a bright yellow eye and a Juvie Sharpie has a orange eye but some cooper's can have a dull yellow eye that looks a bit orangish. Cooper's Hawks usually only transition to the orange eye colour when they are sub adults, so in good light, it's a very very reliable feature. However you
Read more

STINT IDENTIFICATION

Image
As per request, here are some tips that I hope will be helpful in identifying and differentiating Red-necked Stint from Little Stint. I will also do a brief intro on Long-toed and Temminck's Stint... if you build it they will come right?😉 Red-necked and Little Stints look very much alike in worn breeding plumage. The amount of Red on the face, throat and breast in Red-necked Stint is vary variable). They look even more alike in non-breeding plumage, that is why it is essential to learn structural differences to separate the two. They are similar to Semipalmated Sandpipers as well as Sanderlings. Both species are often confused for Red-necked Stints. Little Stints rarely get confused with Sanderling because they have a hind toe which helps differentiate it from this species. Sanderlings in breeding or worn breeding are usually confused with Red-necked Stints but they are much larger than Red-necked Stints. Let's first start with Bills in this complicated ID proces
Read more

*Updated - The most famous Red-tailed Hawk is eating fish on the ground just like a Bald Eagle!

Image
Update - There are plans in the works to make a documentary film on this young Red-tailed Hawk who thinks he's an Eagle. You can read the latest news about that on CBC HERE . Watch this incredible footage of the little Red-tailed Hawk who grew up in a family of three Eaglets and 2 Bald Eagle Parents. He is imprinted now on Bald Eagles. He looks and acts just like one, as you can see here in the video below. He is standing over a large salmon carcass, just like a Bald Eagle would and he's eating the decaying flesh. Red-tailed Hawks like to eat voles and rabbits etc. not fish! Imprinting is usually irreversible according to raptor expert David Bird. However, I hope it's reversible so that he doesn't attempt to mate with a Bald Eagle, as the Eagle would kill him because it would view him as a Hawk. Eagle expert David Hancock said that the bird will likely starve and get killed by an eagle. He said this possibly can be prevented if someone grabs it and takes it to O
Read more

My First Mother's Day Without My Mother

Image
This is my first Mother’s Day without my mom. I am still deeply affected and afflicted with emotional pain. I took the day off from the RBA to just remember her and honour her. My dad, sister and I visited her grave with a bouquet of flowers. I cried a lot but it gives me a bit of comfort that she now has a head stone that I can touch. I didn't want to leave. I can’t believe it’s been just over 4 months since I lost her. To my Mom: Mom you were so great. You were so loved. I miss you so much today. I wish every day that you were here with Meghan, Dad and I.  I will never be truly happy again until I see you once more. Thank you for being such a wonderful mother. I will never ever forget you. I cannot wait to see you again in Heaven. Since you died in my arms, this is one of the hardest days I have been through without you. Normally I would be taking you out for brunch today, hugging you and telling you how much I loved you. Mom, you watched me take my first breath and I unfortunate
Read more