BC Birding – Back Issues

Posted on by

Newsletter of the British Columbia Field Ornithologists

Back issues of BC Birding are now available to members and non-members alike under the PUBLICATIONS menu. There, you can follow the history of the BC Field Ornithologists from its early beginnings in 1991 to the present. Currently Volumes 1–13 of the newsletter are available; Volumes 14 through 21 will be posted shortly. Articles are in searchable Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. Special thanks to Les Gyug for scanning the Newsletters for Volumes 1 – 13.

ANNOUNCING BCFO’S FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHERS

Posted on by

Starting today we will be showcasing some of the outstanding photography of our members  – BC birds only.

Laure Neish graciously agreed to be our first Featured Photographer.

Thank you so much, Laure, for your marvellous photographs, and for helping us to get this new undertaking for BCFO up and running.

Every three months we will feature a different photographer, and archive the previous ones for an additional nine months on the Featured Photographer page.

A small committee, Carlo Giovanella and George Clulow, has worked to produce this first showcase of photographs. You’ll find the images under the above Featured Photographer tab, or just click here, and away you go.

Want to get involved? Offer your nomination for Featured Photographer, from among BCFO members, to Carlo Giovanella <cgioattelus.net>.

Christmas Bird Counts 2012-2013 Calendar

Posted on by

The latest Christmas Bird Count calendar is now available under the CBC’s tab above. It contains all the information we have received to date.

As you will see when you go there, there are a number of new features this year.

First, is timeliness. Unlike previous years when the information here was not regularly updated, this year will be different. We are committed to update the calendar with new information within two-days of receiving it.

Second, is to report provisional results from around the Province as they occur.

With your help, we will improve the communication and engagement around CBC’s this year. Please take a look at what we’re trying to do.

 

British Columbia Birds – Back Issues

Posted on by

Journal of the British Columbia Field Ornithologists

In the tradition of the BC Field Ornithologists to disseminate knowledge of the birds of the province through peer-reviewed studies, back issues of papers published in British Columbia Birds are now available to members and non-members alike under the PUBLICATIONS menu. You can download only the main articles and notes from Volumes 1–15 of the journal; from Volume 16 on, the entire issue is provided. Articles are in searchable Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. Special thanks to Les Gyug for scanning the Covers and Tables of Contents for Volumes 1 – 15.

Birds Galore on Victoria Two-day Field Trip

Posted on by

You could almost believe the Glaucous-winged Gull pictured below was announcing the imminent departure of the MV Coho from Victoria harbour bound  for Port Angeles on Saturday.

On board were the thirteen participants in this year’s final Two-Day Field  Trip for members dressed for all kinds of weather, and ready for the birds. And we were not disappointed, getting into the birds right away as we sailed out of the harbour bound for Port Angeles, Wash. across the Juan de Fuca Strait.

With some participants on their first-ever pelagic trip, steep learning curves were the order of the day as rapid-fire sightings of birds were accompanied by equally rapid- fire explanations: the differences between Ancient and Marbled Murrelets, on the water and in flight, and key identification points for Rhinoceros Auckets and Common Murres, the latter in a variety of plumages.

The Strait was virtually windless, which probably accounted for the absence of shearwaters, but we did see three Northern Fulmars and truly spectacular numbers of Bonaparte’s Gulls, and alcids. Although we probably needed nastier weather for the birds, nary a drop of rain fell the whole two days. Mike McGrenere was thanked profusely for ordering up such excellent conditions.

Day 2 was spent around Victoria’s hotspots and they did not disappoint. The variety of gulls was tremendous, rocky shoreline shorebirds and sea ducks gave good close views, and we even had treats like this Lapland Longspur at Cattle Point.

A full report of the trip with species and numbers, and more pictures will be featured in an upcoming newsletter. Look out for it.