Special Events Spring 2009
1. 2009 Spring Bird Count and Baillie Birdathon Highlights
2. 2009 Birding Festival Highlights
3. 2009 The Art of Flight Highlights
4. PEPtBO's 2009 AGM and Birdathon Highlights
1. PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY 2009 SPRING BIRD COUNT AND BAILLIE BIRDATHON HIGHLIGHTS
The Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory Executive Board extends a huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the Spring Bird Count and Baillie Birdathon on behalf of PEPtBO. We are happy to report that the efforts of this year’s birders and sponsors will provide approximately one-third of the total funding required to run PEPtBO for the next year. This year we tried to streamline the registration process by sending our registration material with the BSC birdathon kits.
This year's winning total of 149 species belongs to the 2008 PEPTBO Baillie Birdathon guest birder, Michael Runtz, and his partner Bruce Ripley who returned to the County to try and best Michael's total from last year. The Laphroaig Vultures finished a close second with 142 species. The best bird of the birdathon had to be the Western Grebe found off thePrince Edward Point lighthouse at 6:00 am on Saturday May 23rd. The bird was about 500 metres offshore in calm water and well seen by scope. It was found by Dave Okines and also seen by the rest of the Laphroaig Vultures team. This year's PEPTBO Baillie Birdathon guest birder, David Bird formed a team with fellow professor of Ornithology Rodger Titman, David and Jeremy Hussell and Ricky Dunn. The team ended with a respectable 117 species. David was this year's guest speaker at the PEPtBO AGM.
The
Falcon Ducks - Rodger Titman, David Hussell, Ricky Dunn, Guest Birder - David Bird. Jeremy Hussell was also a team member.
In the PEPtBO Spring Bird Count, there were a total of 169 species seen. Our records indicate 27 participants (counting the KFN team and the QFN team as one participant each, because only one member was registered). Of those, 21 participants have reported a total of $11,702 collected until now. Of special mention are David Okines and Terry Sprague, each of whom raised over $1400 dollars for PEPtBO.
Thank you to this year’s participants:
Cheryl Anderson Jeanette Arsenault Margaret Bain** David Bird Carolyn Barnes John Blaney Andrew Cadman** Joanne Dewey* Sarah Dewey* Sandra Dowds Erica Dunn Brian & Gloria Durell Nancy Fox* Lorraine Fullum- Bouchard James Kamstra Judy Kent* Rosemary Kent* Sarah Lowe Eric Machell** David Okines** Anne Robertson Mike Runtz Agneta Sand Rosemary Smith Terry Sprague Rodger Titman
*Dew Drops ** Laphroaig Vultures
To read some of the reports from this year's Birdathon teams click on the PDF links below.
Michael Runtz 2009 Birdathon Report
Baillie Birdathon Results 2009 Terry Sprague
David Bird's Baillie 2009 Report
The Laphroaig Vultures 2009 Birdathon
The 2009 Baillie Birdathon Carolyn Barnes
Dew Drops Bailllie Birdathon 2009
2. 2009 BIRDING FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Point Traverse Birders
PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY BIRDING FESTIVAL 2009
Guided Bird Hikes at Point TraverseWhile the weather was not the best, the excitement of the spring migration still brought out over 70 birders who joined guided walks with naturalist Terry Sprague along some of his favourite paths in the Point Traverse Woods, one of the most popular bird migration points in eastern Ontario. The guided hikes took place every morning at 8:00 a.m. from May 9th through to May 17th. The hikes were made possible by Quinte Conservation who donated the fees to the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory.
Spring warblers of course, were the stars of the hikes but Scarlet Tanagers, Red-headed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers also added to the annual spring spectacle.
The Bench at Point Traverse - A Great Spot to Find Birds!
To read a summary of the birds that were seen on Terry's Point Traverse hikes click on the PDF link below.
Point Traverse Birding Festival Hikes 2009
Bird Banding Demonstrations at the Observatory
Bird banding demonstrations took place both weekends, May 9th and 10th, and May 16th and 17th at the Observatory. Visitors were able to see how bird banding is done and learn about the importance of bird banding and migration monitoring and the role that the Prince Edward Point Observatory plays as part of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network.
David Okines Explained What Happens When a Bird Band is Recovered
Black Prince Winery 13370 Loyalist Parkway, Picton, Ontario
Now in its second year The Art of Flight was the product of a new partnership between the Black Prince Winery and the
Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory. The theme of the show, The Art of
Flight, celebrated the miracle of the annual migration of thousand of birds
through Prince Edward County en route to and from their nesting sites in the
Boreal forest. This theme was intended to encourage creative flights of fancy
among the participating artists. A portion of the proceeds from exhibiting artists' sales was donated to the Observatory.
A Sample of Works From This Year's Participating Artists
4. PEPtBO'S AGM and Birdathon Wrap Up Highlights
Pavillion and view at Lake-on-the Mountain
On Saturday 30 May 2009 members were invited once again to picturesque Lake-on-the-Mountain Pavillion for our Annual General Meeting and Baillie Birdathon Wrap-Up. After an excellent dinner catered by Currahs, the Annual Business Meeting was hosted by retiring PEPtBO President Eric Machell.
Retiring PEPtBO President Eric Machell Was Recognized For His Years of Service
The Baillie Birdathon Results and Awards were also presented, followed by our Volunteer Appreciation and Recognition. Retiring President Eric Machell was honoured for his years of service with the Observatory. While the final tallies are still to come for the Baillie Birdathon, it appears that we are headed for another successful year.
Volunteer Coordinator Fran Donaldson Presented The Volunteer Award of The Year to Don Craighead
We were very pleased to have Dr. David Bird in attendance as our guest birder and after dinner speaker. Professor Bird took the audience on a fascinating and often humorous journey into the reproductive lives of bird species around the world.
Professor David Bird Spoke on The Sex Lives of Birds