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.

Falcon Ducks Birdathon Team

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.

pdf icon Michael Runtz 2009 Birdathon Report

pdf icon Baillie Birdathon Results 2009 Terry Sprague

pdf icon David Bird's Baillie 2009 Report

pdf icon The Laphroaig Vultures 2009 Birdathon

pdf icon The 2009 Baillie Birdathon Carolyn Barnes

pdf icon Dew Drops Bailllie Birdathon 2009

 

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2. 2009 BIRDING FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

Point Traverse Birders

 

PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY BIRDING FESTIVAL 2009

Guided Bird Hikes at Point Traverse

While 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.

Bench at Point Traverse

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.

pdf icon 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.

 

Banding Demo

David Okines Explained What Happens When a Bird Band is Recovered

 

 

 

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3. 2009 - THE ART OF FLIGHT

 

Black Prince Winery Sign

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.


Art  of Flight

Art of Flight Display

A Sample of Works From This Year's Participating Artists

 

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4. PEPtBO'S AGM and Birdathon Wrap Up Highlights

 

Pavillion at Lake on the MountainView from Lake on the Mountain

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.

 

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 Award

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.

 

David Bird

Professor David Bird Spoke on The Sex Lives of Birds

 

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