Bird Babble

On this episode we talk to the Rocky Point Bird Observatory Education Director Kristine Heilmann and Lead Educator Renee Cenerini who are just getting settled into their new roles with the organization. With World Migratory Bird Day on May 8, 2021 Kristine and Renee decided that maybe, just maybe something bigger could be hatched to celebrate the birds in Victoria, BC.

Check out the Rocky Point Bird Observatory website at rpbo.org to see what is being planned for World Migratory Bird Day as well as some amazing events planned for the first Victoria Bird Week presented by the Rocky Point Bird Observatory during the week of May 8th -16th. 

The Birds Canada Great Canadian Birdathon is also taking place on May 8th and several members of the observatory are banding together as The Rocky Pointers. Robyn and I will be joining the team as The Bird Babbler's Big Day and you can help support bird conservation as well as RPBO by making a donation in the team links above.

The Rocky Point Bird Observatory is a non-profit organization and relies upon donations and grants to operate. If you would like to support the organization or this podcast you can do so by following this link: Donate to the Rocky Point Bird Observatory

To find out more about the Rocky Point Bird Observatory visit rpbo.org

Please be sure to visit and follow us on the Bird Babble Podcast Facebook Page and the Bird Babble Instagram Page

If you have any questions or comments, they can be sent to us at [email protected]

Music for this Bird Babble episode is provided with thanks by Purple Planet and their website can be found at purple-planet.com

On this episode we talk to the Rocky Point Bird Observatory Seawatch Coordinator, Daniel Donnecke during an actual observation session. Daniel's passion for this project is second to none and it's evident during the discussion when the migrating birds come into view!

The Rocky Point Bird Observatory is partnering with Power To Be to conduct MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) at their Prospect Lake, BC location this year. To find out more about this project you can follow this link: Maps Project

Seawatch observations are recorded using eBird and you can check out what birds were seen during this episode by following this link: Seawatch eBird Checklist

Also, here is the eBird checklist of our walk to the Seawatch location with a recording of the Pygmy Owl that we heard by following this link: Aylard Farms eBird Checklist

 

The Rocky Point Bird Observatory is a non-profit organization and relies upon donations and grants to operate. If you would like to support the organization or this podcast you can do so by following this link: Donate to the Rocky Point Bird Observatory

To find out more about the Rocky Point Bird Observatory visit rpbo.org

Please be sure to visit and follow us on the Bird Babble Podcast Facebook Page and the Bird Babble Instagram Page

If you have any questions or comments, they can be sent to us at [email protected]

Music for this Bird Babble episode is provided with thanks by Purple Planet and their website can be found at purple-planet.com

Winter is working its way out the back door which means that the Rocky Point Bird Observatory is getting ready for another exciting year. Actually, a lot of its members and volunteers have been busy over the winter months so we decided to touch base with Ann Nightingale to get some insider information of what we can expect this year.

 

Link to Dave Bell's published paper

Donate to the Rocky Point Bird Observatory

To find out more about the Rocky Point Bird Observatory visit rpbo.org

Please be sure to visit and follow us on the Bird Babble Podcast Facebook Page or on Bird Babble Instagram .

If you have any questions or comments, they can be sent to us at [email protected]

Music for this Bird Babble episode is provided with thanks by Purple Planet and their website can be found at purple-planet.com

2020 .... It's been a crazy year but the Rocky Point Bird Observatory was able to complete the MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship), the Fall Migration and Northern Saw-whet Owl projects after having to implementing COVID-19 protocols earlier in the year. On this episode we talk about the some of the final banding numbers and thank the banders, volunteers and board members that made it happen.

 

Donate to the Rocky Point Bird Observatory

Rocky Point Bird Observatory Blog

To find out more about the Rocky Point Bird Observatory visit rpbo.org

Please be sure to visit and follow us on the Bird Babble Podcast Facebook Page or on Bird Babble Instagram .

If you have any questions or comments, they can be sent to us at [email protected]

Music for this Bird Babble episode is provided with thanks by Purple Planet and their website can be found at purple-planet.com

On this episode the Fall Migration Project has come to an end for 2020 but the owls are continuing to arrive including one very special visitor. Owl Bander in Charge Jannaca Chick and Robyn talk about their amazing night at the Rocky Point banding station.

 

Pictures of the Long-eared Owl on the Bird Babble Facebook Page

Donate to the Rocky Point Bird Observatory

Rocky Point Bird Observatory Blog

To find out more about the Rocky Point Bird Observatory visit rpbo.org

Please be sure to visit and follow us on the Bird Babble Podcast Facebook Page or on Bird Babble Instagram .

If you have any questions or comments, they can be sent to us at [email protected]

Music for this Bird Babble episode is provided with thanks by Purple Planet and their website can be found at purple-planet.com

On this episode we visited the banding stations during operating hours for both the Fall Migration and Northern Saw-whet Owl projects. Banders David Bell (passerines) and Nicole Richardson (owls) take us through the process of banding birds.

Northern Saw-whet Owl Video Facebook Link

Rocky Point Bird Observatory Blog

To find out more about the Rocky Point Bird Observatory visit rpbo.org

Please be sure to visit and follow us on the Bird Babble Podcast Facebook Page or on Bird Babble Instagram .

If you have any questions or comments, they can be sent to us at [email protected]

Music for this Bird Babble episode is provided with thanks by Purple Planet and their website can be found at purple-planet.com

It's owl season at the Rocky Point Bird Observatory and the best way to find out more about the cute little Northern Saw-whet Owls is by talking to the project coordinators Jo & Mike Motek. It's also been pretty smokey around the banding stations during the Fall Migration project but there have been a few surprises found in the mist nets.

To find out more about the Rocky Point Bird Observatory visit rpbo.org

Please be sure to visit and follow us on the Bird Babble Podcast Facebook Page or on Bird Babble Instagram .

If you have any questions or comments, they can be sent to us at [email protected]

Music for this Bird Babble episode is provided with thanks by Purple Planet and their website can be found at purple-planet.com

Really rare birds are very hard to find but our guest on this episode has been lucky enough to see a couple of amazing rare birds over the past year including the first record of a Grey-tailed Tattler for BC and Canada! Joachim Bertrands talks to us about some of his adventures before heading out to see another rare bird that arrived while we were recording.

Joachim's 2015 Scandinavia Adventure

CBC Coverage of the Grey-tailed Tattler

 

To find out more about the Rocky Point Bird Observatory visit rpbo.org

Please be sure to visit and follow us on the Bird Babble Podcast Facebook Page or on Bird Babble Instagram .

If you have any questions or comments, they can be sent to us at [email protected]

Music for this Bird Babble episode is provided with thanks by Purple Planet and their website can be found at purple-planet.com

On this episode we have a conversation with Mike McGrenere about how bird census is done at the RPBO migration monitoring stations. Also updates on Seawatch, MAPS which is now complete for 2020 and the Fall Migration which is now entering into the 4th week with some interesting birds being banded so far.

The Rocky Point Fall Migration Blog

The Tatlayoko Lake Bird Observatory Blog

 

To find out more about the Rocky Point Bird Observatory visit rpbo.org

Please be sure to visit and follow us on the Bird Babble Podcast Facebook Page or on Bird Babble Instagram .

If you have any questions or comments, they can be sent to us at [email protected]

Music for this Bird Babble episode is provided with thanks by Purple Planet and their website can be found at purple-planet.com

On this episode we talk to Jacquie Taylor and Brielle Reidlinger who are with the Cowichan Bring Back the Bluebirds Project. This amazing organization is working to reintroduce Western Bluebirds which disappeared from southern Vancouver Island in the late 1990's due to habitat loss and out-competition by invasive cavity-nesting species such as the house sparrow.

 

Cowichan Bring Back the Bluebirds Project links

 

https://cowichanbluebird.wordpress.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/CowichanValleyBluebird/

 

https://www.instagram.com/cowichan_valley_bluebirds/

 

https://cowichanbluebird.wordpress.com/contact/

 

 

Also, the RPBO Fall Migration Project is now underway after uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic and there have been a few surprises so far after the first week of operations. 

 

To purchase the 36 bird Art Cards you can do so at  http://rpbo.org/art_bird_cards.php

 

To find out more about the Rocky Point Bird Observatory visit rpbo.org

 

Please be sure to visit and follow us on the Bird Babble Podcast Facebook Page or on Bird Babble Instagram .

 

If you have any questions or comments, they can be sent to us at [email protected]

 

Music for this Bird Babble episode is provided with thanks by Purple Planet and their website can be found at purple-planet.com