Cover image of Steller’s Jay needed for 2018 Checklist of BC Birds

BCFO’s Bird Records Committee (BRC) is presently finalizing details of its soon to be published 2018 Checklist of BC Birds.

July is the target date for publication, and we are looking for a cover photograph or image for this completely revised and newly formatted checklist. With the work of the BRC continuing apace, many new birds have been added to the database since the last checklist was published in 2007.

Given that the Steller’s Jay is BC’s provincial bird, and also the featured bird in our BCFO logo, it can’t be a surprise that we’re looking for a Steller’s Jay photograph or graphic image suitable for the cover of the checklist booklet.

Only BCFO members are eligible to submit photographs or images and all members are encouraged to do so. The final decision will rest with the BRC, which will work with a small committee of members to make the final recommendation.

There are no prizes on offer here, just the chance for fame, international recognition, and kudos from all around if your image is selected.

Please submit photos or images at 1000 pixels in the longest dimension. A larger file size may be requested for final printing, which will be in colour.

The deadline for submissions is 07 July 2018 and submissions should be emailed as an attachment to: bcbrc.chair AT gmail.com (replace AT with @; no spaces) under the subject Steller’s Jay.

 

 

Hope AGM 2018 – A Great Success

Last weekend’s (June 1 – 3) Annual General Meeting held in Hope featured many highlights. There was not only excellent birding, but efficient and effective meetings, lots of friendly socializing, a wonderful facility with delicious food supplied by the Hope Golf and Country Club, and outstanding field trips.

Intimating the good times ahead, sights and sounds of nesting Merlins, right outside the conference centre, greeted delegates as they arrived.

Important business was conducted, including the adoption of a new constitution and by-laws. BCFO is now fully compliant with the new BC Societies Act. Our new President is Marian Porter from Saltspring and new Vice-President is Gary Davidson from Nakusp. Otherwise, the Board of Directors remains unchanged.

Our Saturday afternoon talk was a highly engaging look at the nesting behaviour of Turkey Vultures as filmed and described by David Manning in his presentation “The Old Man and the Vultures”. Our banquet speakers Kelly Pearce and Scott Denkers entertained the crowd with a talk entitled “The Bird Blitz Legacy” which covered both the history of and data collected during the Manning Park and Skagit Valley Bird Blitzes.

A total of 105 species of birds were seen over the weekend, with highlights including a Black-chinned Hummingbird in Hope and Northern Waterthrushes at Silver Lake and Manning.

Look for more detailed reports on the conference, the field trips, and the outstanding pre-conference two-day trip to Princeton in the next issue of BC Birding.

Chipping Sparrow – Princeton Two-day Trip. Photo: George Clulow