DARE TO BIRD

I was thrilled to see my 500th bird for Canada and 465th for BC today at the Deering Bridge in Port Renfrew. It was also a lifer for me. I had only seen Tundra Bean-Goose prior to this in Oregon. I got to see not one but 2 Taiga Bean-Geese today! A pair that was first found a few days ago by Emma Young-Wood; a visiting birder from Ontario! This is the first record for BC and only second record for Canada. I’m so glad they are sticking for all who want to take the long drive to see them!  Thanks to the Pacheedaht First Nations for allowing birders to view the birds on their lands. 2 Taiga Bean-Geese in Port Renfrew, BC - Photos: Melissa Hafting

During our Christmas Bird Count for Youth held at Reifel Bird Sanctuary in December. Kris Cu from Birds Canada came to interview a few of the young birders (with parental permission) for a video for Birds Canada to promote the annual Christmas Bird Count. The three youth who spoke Rose, Naomi and Leo did so well! Check out the video narrated by Yousif Attia below: Thanks to Birds Canada for featuring these wonderful youth and to all the youth that came out for our count!

I gave a sound bite to the Globe and Mail for an article they were writing on ethical owl photography and they used many of the young birders’ photos from our previous field trips where we saw owls which was nice to see. You can read the article HERE   Bridget Spencer’s Great Gray Owlet photo is just one of many young birder’s photos featured in this ethical owl article. We took this photo during a field trip to Kamloops in years past.

The proposal to ban lead shot for hunters in BC is up for public commentary. It is more expensive to switch to copper bullets but Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles and Turkey Vultures and other raptors die from lead poisoning every year from eating carcasses contaminated by lead. Please voice your comments HERE on the BC Gov't website to help get this ban enacted. Commentary closes on Feb 13th at 4:30pm