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Keeping Land Safe for BirdsBy Richard Gregson - Chair BPQ Sanctuaries Committee
Bird Protection Quebec (BPQ) has a long tradition of acquiring and holding land as sanctuaries for birds and other wildlife within Quebec. We are the only bird-focused organization in Quebec to do this and we are conscious that the small parcels of land we own are held in trust for nature and the future his is hugely important work that we, as a conservation charity, are proud to be able to engage in.
Our first sanctuary was a small island (Île-aux-Perroquets) in a bay off the lower north shore just before the Quebec – Labrador border. We acquired this island, with its rich diversity of sea birds, including Atlantic Puffin, way back in 1937. That acquisition set our feet on a long path that culminated, just before Christmas in the creation of the enormously important 459-
hectare Alfred Kelly Nature Reserve in the hills between Piedmont and Prévost about an hour north of Montreal. This area, rich with forest, lakes, cliffs, and a multitude of birds — including 22 of the approximately 27 species of raptors recorded in Quebec — provides opportunities for lovers of wildlife to visit and enjoy the bounty of nature that the area contains. The new land lies immediately adjacent to a small bird reserve we already own just south of Piedmont, to which it is now attached. As well as ensuring the conservation of exceptional natural habitats and the safeguard of species at risk, public access will be maintained to allow for light recreational activities and the discovery of nature.
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An aerial view of the Prévost cliffs at the southern end of the new Alfred Kelly Nature Reserve
Photo: courtesy of the Nature Conservancy of Canada
THE SONG SPARROWB
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The Song Sparrow
The Newsletter of Bird Protection Quebec
Editor: Jane Cormack
Vol: 53-4
Contents1 Keeping land safe for birds2 President’s message4 Conserver des terres pour les oiseaux6 Winter bird course7 Alfred Kelly8 About Moulting9 Feeding the Birds
10 Awards11 Crossword12 Parlons d'oiseaux/Bird Views14 eport15 Spring Speakers16 The 75th Christmas Bird Count18 Field trips
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The President’s ColumnAt a recent Board meeting, I signed a cheque made out to the Nature Conservancy Quebec for $250,000 to assist with their purchase of about 1,000 acres of land in the Piedmont area north of Montreal. This signing was the culmination of a considerable amount of work during the year by our Finance and Sanctuaries Committees, and in particular Board members Marie-Hélène Gauthier, Jean Harwood Gregson and Richard Gregson. They spent countless hours reviewing legal documents, developing a process for reaching Board agreement over the summer, answering many questions raised by our Board, in particular reassuring Board members about the financial implications of this donation, meeting with NCC, and generally stick-handling this land purchase on our behalf. The Board approved our commitment at the meeting on September 8.
This significant contribution is actually part of a commitment of $350,000 that BPQ has made to the NCC. Additional payments of $50,000 will be made in December 2011 and December 2012 subject to certain conditions being met. Given the fact that the sum total of our previous land purchases over the years has been about $400,000, this financial commitment was not without considerable soul-searching within the Board. After all, the great recession of 2008-09 was fresh in most people's memories. Certainly BPQ investments were hit hard by the crisis and there were worries about our ability to finance all our other activities, such as our Research and Support Grants Programs. In the end, there was near unanimous agreement that this purchase was important to assist NCC's ecological land conservation work in Quebec; without our assistance the acquisition may well have fallen through. I think it is fair to say that BPQ is in rather a unique position in Quebec: a charitable organization committed to land conservation with enough discretionary money to make a difference.
Doubtless you are going to hear a lot more about the ecological significance of this property which will be appropriately named after BPQ's main benefactor as the “Alfred Kelly Nature Reserve”, absorbing the two Kelly properties we own there. Certainly without the Kelly legacy and the wise management of his donation, BPQ would never be in the financial position we are in today.
I think that our involvement with the purchase of the Alf Kelly Sanctuary represents an exciting new chapter in our history. While we have previously contributed funds for the purchase of conservation lands owned by others, the scale of this contribution is much more significant. This time the purchase will not end our involvement, as two Board members, Marie-Hélène Gauthier and Alain Goulet, will represent us on the new board set up to manage the property. This direct involvement with NCC, the most important conservation organization in Canada, will be significant in raising public awareness of BPQ. Since we own sanctuaries, and share ownership or have agreements on others with the NCC, we are hoping that the synergism of this new level of partnership will eventually benefit all our sanctuary operations.
Jeff Harrison
Tel: 514-486-4943 email: [email protected]
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Bird Protection Quebec is the operational name of The Province of Quebec Society for the Protection of Birds. - Established January 4, 1917. Bird Protection Quebec/PQSPB is a registered charity. All donations are tax deductible.
Charity Registration # 11925 2161 RR0001.
Principal Officers
President - Jeff HarrisonVice-Presidents - Richard Gregson & Marie-Hélène GauthierTreasurer - Jean Harwood GregsonSecretary - Jean Bacon
Newsletter Contacts
Newsletter Editor: Jane [email protected]
Birdviews: Pierre [email protected] after 7:00 PM
Contact BPQ:[email protected]
Bird Protection QuebecP.O. Box 43, Station BMontreal QC H3B 3J5Tel: 514-637-2141
Website and Membershipwww.birdprotectionquebec.org
Email discussion group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Songsparrow
The Song Sparrow ISSN 1710-3371Legal Deposit: National Library and Archives of Canada - Publication Mail No. 40044323
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Of course, this is an enormous piece of land and far beyond the scope of BPQ’s finances to purchase by ourselves. We were honoured to be approached by our friends at Nature Conservancy Canada (CNQ – Conservation de la Nature Québec) and asked to join our resources with theirs and those of the federal and Quebec governments in making sure that this vitally important piece of land be removed once and for all from the threat of property developers and made off limits for hunting and all motorized vehicles (including snowmobiles).. As major partners in the creation of this nature reserve, we will be working for many years to come, alongside NCC, the mayors of Piedmont and Prévost, and a very active local group Comité regional pour la protection des falaises (CRPF) to turn this land into the Alfred Kelly Nature Reserve –named in honour of our greatest benefactor, who lived in Piedmont and whose legacy to our charity helped to make this possible. As members and supporters of Bird Protection Quebec, we can all be immensely proud of this development. Let’s join together to develop its full potential for the pleasure of future generations of naturalists. The NCC has granted BPQ a conservation servitude over the area that will guarantee the land is safe forever.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada with its partners, including BPQ, will continue to allow access to this new reserve, while remaining mindful of the need to protect fragile habitats and promoting activities compatible with its conservation mission. By 2013, a master plan will be developed in collaboration with all of the local and regional stakeholders. Thus, the site’s development will bring together conservation, education and good management to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
On April 30, 2011, the CRPF will be holding an “open house” with the theme of Discovering Birds of Prey and providing opportunities to learn about the reserve and to follow guided walks in the forest. Members of BPQ will be there with an information booth and we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible — late April, what better time to drive out into the countryside and start watching the birds again? Later in the spring — on a date to be announced – one of our regular weekly birding field trips will visit the reserve and in company with an experienced local guide we will wander the trails looking for some really good birds and taking the opportunity to discover as individuals what we have been able to help to create. This is one field trip that no member of BPQ should miss.
So, what is this reserve like and what does it contain?
As you drive north from Montreal towards Mont Tremblant, you will see to the east an area of highland between the two communities of Prévost and Piedmont. Just to the north of Prévost at the southern end of the new nature reserve
This area is rich with forest, lakes, cliffs, and a multitude of birds — including 22 of the approximately 27 species of raptors recorded in Quebec
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is an extensive rocky cliff overlooking a small lake. In recent years, this cliff has been home to breeding Peregrine Falcons and many of the trails into the forest start from this area. The second of the cliffs that make this region special is a little smaller and lies south of Piedmont. This cliff has been in the possession of BPQ for the past quarter century. We inherited the small nature reserve at its foot that was put together over many years by Alfred Kelly, about whom a separate article appears in this edition of The Song Sparrow. This cliff rises sheer from a wooded area accessible from the road and is home to Common Ravens amongst other species. During the winter snows, deer regularly seek out the base of the Piedmont cliff, where they find good shelter from the worst of the weather. About halfway between the two cliffs but at a higher elevation, you will find a moderate-sized area of lake and marsh that attracts many birds in spring and summer and holds a fine selection of plant, amphibian, insect and reptile species characteristic of the region. The bulk of the reserve beyond these cliffs and lakes is classic lower laurentian forest and simply teems with life of all sorts.
The CRPF have created a couple of informative introductory videos that will introduce you to the reserve – you may view them by following these two links [http://youtu.be/_pL40BXSfGU ] [http://youtu.be/LdZmiNAiI2w ]
The Alfred Kelly Nature Reserve forms a superb counterpoint to the long-established BPQ reserve at Philipsburg adjacent to the US border beside Lake Champlain. We hope that all members of BPQ will join in welcoming this new territory into the ranks of protected sites in Quebec and will enjoy visiting and acquainting themselves with its wildlife. We extend our thanks to all those members of the board of directors of BPQ who labored so hard during the summer of 2010 to ensure that the NCC could finally realize their dream of saving this land for all time.
Conserver des terres pour les oiseauxPar Richard Gregson, président comité des sanctuaires de POQ
Protection des Oiseaux du Québec (POQ) possède une longue tradition d’acquisition et de détention des terres en tant que sanctuaires pour les oiseaux et autres animaux sauvages au Québec. Nous sommes le seul organisme orienté sur les oiseaux qui a cette tradition et nous sommes conscients que les petites parcelles de terrains que nous possédons sont détenues en fiducie pour la nature et pour l’avenir. Nous sommes très fiers d’être engagés dans ce travail extrêmement important en tant qu’organisme de bienfaisance. Le tout premier sanctuaire que nous avons acquis est une petite île (Île-aux-Perroquets) située dans une baie au large de la Basse Côte-Nord, avant la frontière Québec - Labrador. Nous avons acquis cette île, avec sa diversité riche en oiseaux de mer dont le macareux, il y de cela très longtemps, soit en 1937. Cette acquisition nous a mis sur la voie de conservation de plusieurs îles, marécages et forêts ayant abouti juste avant Noël à la création de l’impressionnante Réserve Naturelle Alfred Kelly, cette dernière étant d’une superficie de 459 hectares située dans les montagnes entre Piedmont et Prévost à environ une heure au nord de Montréal. C’est une région riche en forêts, possédant une multitude d’oiseaux, lacs, falaises, 22 des quelques 27 espèces de rapaces enregistrées au Québec et qui représente d’excellentes occasions pour les amoureux de la nature de visiter et de profiter de la générosité que la nature nous réserve. Ce nouveau territoire est immédiatement adjacent à un petit sanctuaire d’oiseaux que nous possédons déjà, juste au sud de Piedmont. En plus d’assurer la conservation de ces habitats naturels exceptionnels et la sauvegarde d’espèces en péril, l’accès au public sera maintenu pour des activités récréatives légères et de découverte de la nature.
Bien sûr, l’acquisition de ce territoire énorme va bien au-delà de nos capacités financières. Nous sommes honorés d’avoir été approchés par nos amis de Conservation de la Nature du Canada (CNC- région du Québec) afin de joindre nos ressources à celles des gouvernements fédéral et du Québec pour assurer la protection de ce territoire extraordinaire des menaces des promoteurs immobiliers et de le rendre inaccessible aux motoneigistes et aux chasseurs. En tant que partenaires majeurs à la création de cette réserve naturelle, nous allons travailler pour plusieurs années aux côtés de CNC, des maires de Piedmont et de Prévost et d’un groupe local très actif, le Comité régional pour la protection des falaises (CRPF) afin de transformer ce territoire en la Réserve Naturelle Alfred Kelly – nommée en l’honneur de notre grand bienfaiteur, qui a vécu à Piedmont et dont son legs à notre organisme de bienfaisance a contribué à rendre le tout possible. En tant que membres et supporteurs de Protection des Oiseaux du Québec, nous pouvons tous être très fiers de cette évolution et qu’ensemble nous travaillons au développement à son
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plein potentiel de ce site pour des générations futures de naturalistes. CNC a accordé à POQ une servitude de conservation sur tout le territoire le mettant ainsi hors de danger pour toujours.
Conservation de la Nature du Canada et ses partenaires, incluant POQ, continueront à permettre l’accès à cette nouvelle réserve, tout en restant conscients de la nécessité de protéger les habitats fragiles et de promouvoir ces activités compatibles avec sa mission de conservation. Pour 2013, un plan directeur sera développé en collaboration avec tous les acteurs locaux et régionaux. Ainsi, l’aménagement de se site rassemblera les objectifs de conservation, d’éducation et de saine gestion.
Le 30 avril 2011, le CRPF organise une grande activité de type « portes ouvertes » afin de célébrer la journée de la terre, sous le thème de « À la découverte des oiseaux de proie », en offrant la possibilité de s’informer sur la nouvelle réserve naturelle et d’offrir des visites guidées de la forêt. Des membres de POQ seront sur place et nous nous réjouissons de pouvoir vous revoir et de vous accueillir à notre stand d’informations. À la fin du mois d’avril, n’est-il pas un excellent moment pour se rendre à la campagne et de recommencer à observer les oiseaux? Plus tard au printemps, à une date qui vous sera ultérieurement communiquée, l’une de nos excursions hebdomadaires aura lieu à cette réserve en compagnie d’une guide local expérimenté durant laquelle nous nous promèneront dans les sentiers à la recherche d’oiseaux intéressants tout en profitant de l’occasion pour découvrir, en tant qu’individu, ce que nous avons été en mesure d’aider à créer. Cette excursion est celle qu’aucun membre de POQ ne devrait manquer.
Alors, quelle est la description de ce territoire et que nous réserve-t-il?
Lorsque vous vous dirigez au Nord de Montréal en direction Mont Tremblant, vous remarquerez une région de terres plus hautes entre les deux communautés de Prévost et de Piedmont. Juste au nord de Prévost, à l’extrémité sud de cette nouvelle réserve sied une vaste falaise rocheuse surplombant un petit lac. Au cours des dernières années, cette falaise a été un site de reproduction du faucon pèlerin et plusieurs sentiers menant à la forêt débutent à cet endroit. La deuxième de ces falaises, créant un environnement très spécial, est plus petite et se situe au sud de Piedmont. Cette dernière appartient à POQ depuis plus d’un quart de siècle suite au legs par Alfred Kelly de cette petite réserve naturelle créée sur plusieurs années. Vous retrouverez un article sur Alfred Kelly dans cette édition du Song Sparrow. Cette falaise s’élève à partir d’une zone boisée accessible depuis la route et qui abrite, entre autre, le Grand Corbeau. Pendant les neiges d’hiver, des troupeaux de cerfs s’y regroupent régulièrement à sa base y retrouvant un bon abri contre les intempéries. À mi-chemin entre les falaises, mais à une altitude plus élevée, vous y retrouverez un lac et une zone humide de dimensions moyennes attirants plusieurs oiseaux au printemps et en été ainsi qu’une grande sélection de plantes, d’amphibiens, d’insectes et de reptiles caractéristiques de cette région. Une grande partie de cette
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réserve, au-delà des falaises et des lacs, est une forêt classique des Basses Laurentides et fourmille de vie de toutes sortes.
Le CRPF a créé quelques vidéos de présentation informatifs qui vous initieront à la réserve. Vous pouvez les consulter en suivant ces deux liens : [http://youtu.be/_pL40BXSfGU ] [http://youtu.be/LdZmiNAiI2w ]
La Réserve Naturelle Alfred Kelly forme un contrepoint superbe à la réserve de Philipsburg depuis longtemps établie par POQ et qui est située le long de la frontière américaine au bord du lac Champlain. Nous espérons que tous les membres de POQ vont se joindre à nous en accueillant ce nouveau territoire parmi ceux des sites déjà protégés du Québec et prendront plaisir à les visiter et à se familiariser avec sa faune. Nous adressons nous remerciements à tous
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Peregrine Falcon
Iconic bird of the Alfred Kelly Nature Reserve
Faucon Pèlerin
l'emblême aviaire de la réserve Alfred Kelly
© Nature Conservancy of Canada
Get ready for spring birding with the BPQ winter bird courseDon’t miss this opportunity to hone your birding skills. An excellent slate of presenters, each with expertise in their particular subject, is eager to share their knowledge and skills. Space is limited so sign up soon.
Alain Goulet is Montreal’s authority on scopes, binoculars and other birding aids. For his hands-on workshop, he will bring in a good selection of the latest equipment for us to play with. Even if you don’t plan to change your current optics, this will be a great opportunity to see and try the latest types, and get expert advice on how best to use them. Joël Coutu particularly loves helping less experienced birders to develop their spotting and ID skills, but as those who have been on a field trip with him know, he has valuable tips which are also very useful for the more experienced. Barbara Frei’s expertise in ornithology and her lively style promise that her presentation on the extraordinary importance of food in so many aspects of birds’ lives will be informative, intriguing and entertaining too. Two years ago, Betsy McFarlane gave a great interactive workshop, which helped even the least musical participants to develop the ability to identify birds through song. Now this superb birder will provide participants with yet another extremely practical skill, by teaching us how to use habitat to find birds.
Feb 9: Alain Goulet: Taking a Look at How We Look at Birds Feb 23: Joël Coutu: The ABCs of Birdwatching Mar 9: Barbara Frei: You Are What You Eat! Mar 23: Betsy McFarlane: Seeing the Forest for the Trees All lectures begin at 7.30 PM, at the Knox Crescent, Kensington and First Presbyterian Church in NDG. $15 per lecture for BPQ members ($20 for non-members). To sign up for all (or some) of them, download more details and the registration form from the BPQ website: http://goo.gl/O7xKd . For more information, contact Averill Craig: 514-484-6575, [email protected] , or Audrey Speck: 514-487-4032, [email protected]
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Alfred Kelly: Bird-loving BenefactorBy: Richard Gregson
You will all know by now about the new wildlife sanctuary in the hills between Piedmont and Prévost and the fact that it has been named after Alfred Kelly. But just who was Alf Kelly and why is his name to be linked to this important piece of land?
Alf Kelly was a long-time member of Bird Protection Quebec (or the Province of Quebec Society for the Protection of Birds, as it was in his time) who involved himself quite heavily in the work of the society and was often observed on the trails around our Philipsburg sanctuary keeping an eye on the birds, managing nesting boxes and helping with management tasks.
Alfred lived in Montreal but spent most of his time in his other home on the outskirts of Piedmont, where he enjoyed close interactions with the wildlife, and especially the birds, of the region. Just down the road from his cottage lie the Piedmont cliffs, a site to which he was particularly attracted and a piece of land very vulnerable to cottage sprawl. In order to protect this land from development, he gradually purchased and stitched together a number of small parcels of land which included the greater part of the Piedmont cliff and the forest at its base and thereby created a small private nature sanctuary of his own.
On his death a little over a quarter century ago, Alfred bequeathed his Piedmont sanctuary and the cliffs to BPQ, together with a sizeable sum of money to be used for the purposes of the society. It is primarily as a result of Alfred’s generous legacy and vision, and subsequent good investment that we were able at the end of 2010 to contribute significantly to the preservation of this magnificent and important new nature reserve and to link the land we already owned in the area to that now being acquired by Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC). As a consequence of Alfred Kelly’s foresight and generosity, we can look forward to a long and productive partnership with NCC in developing the Alfred Kelly Nature Reserve for the wildlife that live there and for the benefit of our own and future generations.
Alfred Kelly – un bienfaiteur amoureux des oiseauxVous êtes maintenant sûrement au courant de l’existence de la nouvelle réserve naturelle située dans les montagnes entre Piedmont et Prévost et du fait qu’elle ait été nommée après Alfred Kelly. Mais en fait, qui est Alfred Kelly et pourquoi son nom est-il lié à cet important territoire?
Alfred Kelly a été un membre de longue date de Protection des Oiseaux du Québec (ou alors connu sous La Société Québécoise de Protection des Oiseaux) qui s’est très fortement impliqué dans les travaux de la société et qui était souvent vu dans les sentiers de notre sanctuaire de Philipsburg, gardant un œil sur les oiseaux, la gestion des nichoirs et aidant dans les tâches de gestion.
Alfred vécut à Montréal, mais a passé la plupart de son temps à sa maison située en périphérie de Piedmont, où il apprécia ses interactions étroites avec la faune et surtout les oiseaux de la région. Juste en bas de la rue de son chalet se trouve les falaises de Piedmont, un site qui l’attirait particulièrement et qui était un territoire très vulnérable à la densification de chalets. Afin de protéger ce terrain d’un développement potentiel, il a progressivement fait l’acquisition d’un certain nombre de petites parcelles de terrain qui comprend la plus grande partie de la falaise de Piedmont.et de la forêt à sa base et a ainsi créé sa propre réserve naturelle privée.
À sa mort, il y a un peu plus d'un quart de siècle, Alfred a légué son sanctuaire de Piedmont et ses falaises à BPQ, avec une somme considérable d'argent pour être utilisée aux fins de la société. Il est principalement en raison de son legs généreux et de sa vision que POQ a été en mesure de contribuer de manière significative à la préservation de cette nouvelle importante et magnifique réserve naturelle et de relier les terres que nous possédons dans le domaine maintenant acquis par Conservation de la Nature du Canada (CNC). Nous nous réjouissons de ce partenariat à long terme avec CNC dans le développement de la réserve naturelle Alfred Kelly pour la faune qui y vit et pour le bénéfice de nos générations actuelles et futures.
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Everything You Wanted to Know About Moulting (but were Afraid to Ask)By Gay Gruner
In the bird world, January 1 is the arbitrary birthday for all species. This birthday parallels a change in the banding codes that are used at MBO and other banding stations. A bird in its first year is aged hatch-year (HY) in fall, but as of January 1 becomes second-year (SY), and later, in its second fall, an after-hatch year (AHY).The codes explain themselves, but how has the bird changed?
When a bird fledges, it is in juvenile plumage, characterized by loose fluffy feathers. Sometime between July and September this bird undergoes a “preformative moult” (equivalent to the term “first prebasic molt” in Pyle, 1997). In most species, this is a partial moult that includes body feathers and usually some wing coverts (typically the lesser and median coverts and some to all of the greater coverts). However, flight feathers (primary coverts, primaries, secondaries and rectrices) are typically not replaced. Preformative moult results in formative plumage; generally some juvenile feathers are retained and moult limits are visible between or within feather tracts. A bird that has undergone a preformative moult is aged HY in the summer and fall, but SY in the following spring (remember the arbitrary birthday?).
A second-year or older bird will undergo a complete moult following the breeding season, again usually between July and September. This is called the “prebasic moult” (equivalent to the term “adult prebasic moult” in Pyle, 1997) and occurs annually. This is a complete moult and for most species includes all body and flight feathers. Replacement of flight feathers follows a sequence and is symmetrical: the same pattern of moult is evident on each wing. Prebasic moult results in definitive basic plumage; generally there is no contrast in colour or condition between or within feather tracts. A bird that has undergone a prebasic moult is aged AHY in the fall or after-second-year (ASY) in the spring (back to the birthday). It is possible to age some species as third-year, after-third-year, and so on, but mostly this is limited to larger birds that do not moult completely each year.
To further complicate matters, many species undergo a prealternate moult prior to the prebasic moult. This moult often takes place on the wintering grounds, although some species will still be moulting during spring migration. This moult includes body feathers and sometimes flight feathers and results in what is often called “breeding” plumage.
The above is a very simple framework of moult strategies. If you are interested in learning more about moult and seeing examples in the hand, become a volunteer at MBO! If you can’t come in person, MBO’s Photo Library http://www.migrationresearch.org/mbo/id/idlibrary.html is an excellent resource.
Ref: Pyle, P. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds, Part 1. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, CA. Photographs by Marcel Gahbauer
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Slate-colored Junco - after hatch-year male wing
Slate-colored Junco - hatch-year male wing
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Editors Note: I received the following from long-time BPQ member Steve Charlton, a bit of a different slant, however, on a familiar topic –
Feeding The Birds I had the occasion recently to attend a “western-style” funeral, a ritual too well known to many of us. The deceased was lying peacefully, appearing asleep, surrounded by flowers and also by grieving friends and relatives, who were slowly coming to grips with the reality of the situation. As I stood viewing the body, with organ music playing in the background, I pondered some of the fundamental mysteries of life – what now? Where are we going next?
I remember doing a research paper in university on suicide, and I remember writing that in some Inuit communities, rather than causing a burden to their families, when the time comes, an older member of the family will just walk out into the snow and disappear. I don’t know the frequency with which this happens, but the family is not burdened with disposing of the body.
In most cultures, however, death, and disposing of the body, is a religious ritual. Being an airline employee, and one of those many people who love to travel and who are therefore exposed to cultures of different areas of the world, I became interested in the ritual of “sky burial” a few years ago, as our small tour group approached an area in Tibet where this practice was carried out. We were not allowed to stop, or visit, but I am in close contact with someone who was allowed to witness this unique event. I will share with you what I have learned.
Rather than feeling squeamish about the whole thing, please be aware that many religions teach that the body is simply a temporary place in which the soul resides, before it moves on. Most Tibetans are Buddhists and therefore believe in bhava, loosely translated as “rebirth.” Once the spirit has left the body, the previous “temple,” now old and worn-out, has served its purpose. In some cases around the world, the body is actually “preserved,” and we are all familiar with the elaborate embalming procedures carried out in ancient Egypt, but most often it is deliberately, but respectfully, discarded. In many cultures, including our own, the body is simply buried, but increasingly here, and common elsewhere, it is ceremoniously cremated – it serves no more purpose.
In Tibet, firewood is scarce (most of Tibet is above the treeline), so cremation was never a practical choice. The countryside is rocky, and in many cases is solidified with permafrost, so digging a proper grave has also not been an option. Whereas covering the body with rocks might potentially have been chosen as a solution, and this is actually the choice deployed elsewhere, the Tibetans chose a different approach, “sky burial” ! feeding the body to the birds. This practice, called jhator (literally “giving alms to the birds”), is seen as an act of generosity on behalf of the deceased, providing food to other living creatures, who also possess souls.
Here’s what I was told, by someone who was allowed to witness this ceremony first-hand - the ritual actually starts the day before, with chants, religious readings, and visits by friends and family. The jhator itself, a solemn and respectful operation, occurs the next morning, as the sun rises, and is attended only by immediate family – foreigners are not allowed to witness the proceedings. The ritual is conducted by a lama (i.e. monk), who is aided by rogyapas, one or two men (rarely women) who actually dismember the body. The burning of juniper incense and chanting draws the birds (mostly Griffon Vultures, Gyps fulvus, but also a few hawks and ravens), which assemble on the rocks nearby, waiting to be summoned. The vultures are considered to be dakinis, present in both the Buddhist and Hindu religions, and called valkyries in ancient Norse mythology basically highly-revered female figures at an advanced stage of enlightenment. If the more-hungry vultures approach too closely, they are driven off by sticks, until their time comes.
The rogyapas go about their business according to a procedure defined in a 12th-century Buddhist document, Bardo Thondol, referred to as “The Book of The Dead.” This involves placing the body on a large flat rock, unwrapping it from its white linens, and cutting it into its respective components. “Sky burial” is sometimes referred to as “ritual dissection.”. To Westerners, details of the jhator (not given here) may seem gruesome, as are details of the Egyptian embalming procedures (the brain is extracted through the nose and the entrails are saved in a jar – remember?), but apparently it is carried out with solemn reverence. The family often sits nearby, but not usually in sight of the body. Not surprisingly, photographs are considered offensive, even exploitive, and are (normally) forbidden.
The pieces are then placed in a central area for the vultures, which voraciously fight for food, just as we see in pictures from Africa. When the birds have stripped the bones, these are then smashed into pulp using a stone mallet, mixed with barley meal, and left for the smaller birds. At the end of the day, nothing is left.
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It should be noted that the ritual itself is elaborate and expensive, and many commoners have no choice but to leave the body whole, intact, to be eaten as-is, without the ritual (as the Zoroastrians do), but the whole concept is still considered honourable and “correct.”
As human beings, facing our own transient mortality is difficult. But as travellers, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to learn about other cultures, other beliefs, and day-to-day life (and death) of other human beings. Travel provides unparalleled opportunities to learn. “Sky burial” may not be a topic to discuss with your grandchildren around the dinner table, but you have to admit it certainly is another interesting facet of this fascinating world we live in.
And for those of you who think such a practice is disgusting, when we compare their way versus ours, which is better – to feed the birds today….…or the worms tomorrow?
Steve Charton is well known to long-time BPQ members. He co-taught "Montreal Birds" with Peter Mitchell and has presented several Monday lectures. In the '90s, he contributed numerous articles on bird humour and trivia to The Song Sparrow under the noms de plume Ani Landers and WC.Fieldsparrow, while becoming the first Quebecer and second Canadian to attain an ABA list of over 700 birds. He enjoys travel and has now visited 80 countries. He continues to challenge us with his crossword puzzles.
ANNUAL BIRD PROTECTION QUEBEC AWARDSBPQ is entirely dependent on our volunteer membership for our operations.
The role of the Awards Committee is to recognize and reward outstanding BPQ member achievement as well as related achievements by members of the public or public groups.
The nomination forms and instructions were sent out with hard copies of the December issue of The Song Sparrow. You can download your copy on the BPQ website. Look under "Miscellaneous" and then "Service Awards" in the navigation bar. The site also provides a description of each award and a list of past winners.
Note that current Board members are excluded from receiving awards. Please ensure that you provide us with your name and telephone number on the form.
Mail or email your nomination form so that it is received by Tuesday March 1, 2011 to:
Bird Protection Quebec Awards Committeec/o Jeff Harrison150 Wolseley Avenue NorthMontreal West, QC H4X 1V9Email: [email protected]
New & Returning MembersA very warm welcome to new and returning members Paul Campbell of Westmount and Nancy Montgomery of Montreal. We look forward to meeting you on our field trips and monthly meetings, and hope you will attend our winter lecture series!
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Board of Directors and Officers of BPQ:
Jeff Harrison (President), Richard Gregson (First Vice President), Marie-Hélène Gauthier (Second Vice resident), Jean Harwood Gregson (Treasurer), Jean Bacon (Secretary), Martin Bowman, Jean Demers, Alain Goulet, Wayne Grubert, Sheldon Harvey, Lance Laviolette, Gay McDougall, Barbara MacDuff, Ronald Mudd, David Mulholland, Patrick Asch, Audrey Speck, Barbara Frei, Jane Cormack, Jean-Emmanuel Arsenault, Jim Murray, Nicholas Acheson, Sarah Marteinson
Honorary Vice Presidents (non-voting): Peter Mitchell, Felix Hilton, Mabel McIntosh, Robert Carswell
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Across
1 Diving motions (6)
4 A group of geese (6)
9 Type of toe eaten by many birds (6)
12 Means of bird travel (6)
13 Bufflehead: Bucephala _______ (7)
14 Nesting material for some birds (4)
16 Anchor to which a bird's wing muscles attach, thereby allowing flight (4)
17 Galapagos-breeding storm-petrel, rare off California coast (11)
18 The Black-capped Chickadee is this state's bird (5)
19 Type of blackbird sought-after on Île Bizard field trips (5)
23 Smallest of our loons (11)
25 Pigeon sounds (4)
26 Nesting habitat of 23-across (4)
27 Southwestern cowbird (7)
BirdWordsBy Steve Charlton
29 Coniferous finch (6)
30 Speckled (6)
31 Common component of mixed bird seed (6)
32 Conservation club founded in San Francisco in 1862 (6)
Down
2 This bird island in Georgia forms a palindrome (6)
3 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is this state's bird (abbr.) (4)
5 In the s.w. US, a type of woodpecker as well as a venomous reptile (4)
6 Buteo lagopus: (2nd word) (6)
7 The capacity of most birds to detect ____ is poorly developed (6)
8 Shorebirds (6)
10 Sterninae type from California (11)
11 The conclusion “birds evolved from small carnivorous dinosaurs” was made 150 years ago by _______ Huxley, after his studies of fossils of Archaeopteryx (5)
12 Small owl with brown eyes (11)
15 Mergansers with rusty heads (7)
16 Sparrowhawk (7)
20 Grasshopper (6)
21 Low-flying sea goose (5)
22 Meadowlark habitats (6)
23 Ross's Goose: Chen _____ (6)
24 Anhinga (6)
27 Beak (4)
28 Rock Pigeon was once called this (4)
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PARLONS D’OISEAUXUn bilan des observations intéressantes à Montréal et à travers la provincepar Pierre Bannon
Mi-novembre 2010 au début janvier 2011
Cygne siffleur: 8 oiseaux en vol à Ormstown 20 nov (Y. Pilon). Sarcelle d’hiver: une à Rivière-du-Loup, 1 jan (M. Beaulieu). Fuligule à dos blanc: un oiseau signalé à Deschênes, 4-6 déc (D. Toussaint, R. Vanasse). Fuligule à tête rouge: une femelle à Valleyfield, 27 déc (S. Denault, P. Côté). Arlequin plongeur: un mâle à l’île des Soeurs, 17 déc + (P. Bannon). Macreuse brune: une à Dorion, 2 jan (B. Barnhurst, M. McIntosh). Lagopède des saules: des oiseaux se sont déplacés vers le sud jusqu’à Chibougamau et au lac Saint-Jean, l’un atteignant Saint-Fulgence, 16 déc (C. Cormier). Dindon sauvage: l’espèce semble coloniser les Laurentides. Des oiseaux signalés à Saint-Faustin, Val-des-Lacs et à 20 km au NE de Saint-Sauveur. Plongeon huard: 8 oiseaux à Georgeville, 8 jan (B. Turgeon). Grèbe à bec bigarré: un à Les Cèdres, 2 jan (B. Barnhurst, M. McIntosh). Héron garde-boeuf: un à Drummondville, 5 déc, une nouvelle date record pour la province (H. Leclerc). Pygargue à tête blanche: très présent dans Lanaudière et les Laurentides, ex : 18 à Saint-Didace, 20 déc (B. Dugas, fide R. Piché) et 4 à Lac Tremblant, 30 déc (G. Gauthier). Buse à épaulettes: des oiseaux à Gatineau, 11 déc + (J. Soucie), et à Saint-Hubert, 29 déc (F. Vaillancourt, I. Langlois-Vaillancourt). Petite Buse: un imm. photographié à Repentigny, 11-12 déc (S. Favreau) et un autre vu à Gatineau, 14 déc (R. Dubois). Ces présences fournissent de nouvelles dates record pour la province. Aigle royal: des oiseaux vus à Saint-Didace, 20 déc (B. Dugas, fide R. Piché) et à Luskville, 30 déc (R. Dubois).
Foulque d’Amérique: un à Côteau-du-Lac, 2 jan (S. Marcoux). Vanneau huppé: un oiseau photographié à Sept-Îles, 26 nov-3 déc, le premier depuis plus de 40 ans (B. Duchesne, C. Couture). Pluvier kildir: un à Baie-Saint-Paul, 9 déc (J. Bernier et al.). Chevalier grivelé: un à Matane, 2 déc, une nouvelle date record pour la province (L. Fradette). Grand Chevalier: un oiseau tardif à Maria, 3 déc (C. Lamarre). Bécasseau maubèche: un oiseau tardif à Hopetown, 1 déc (M. Chiasson, J. Saint-Pierre, R. & B. Lanteigne). Mouette de Sabine: un juv. à Les Escoumins, 16 déc, fournit une nouvelle date record pour la province par plus d’un mois (R. Pintiaux). Mouette pygmée: une observée aux îles de la Madeleine, 24 déc, établit une nouvelle date record pour la province (C. Roy). Mouette atricille: une à Lévis 5 déc (J. Laporte).
Nyctale de Tengmalm: une en déc à Laval (pl. ob.). Colibri d’Anna: l’oiseau présent à Val-d’Espoir depuis la fin de sept a été aperçu pour la dernière fois le 24 déc (fide P. Poulin). Martin-pêcheur d’Amérique: un à Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, 2 jan (JC. Charbonneau). Pic à ventre roux: 10 oiseaux signalés pendant la période, un nombre au-dessus de la normale.
Troglodyte de Caroline: une vingtaine d’oiseaux signalés durant la période. Troglodyte des forêts: en plus grand nombre qu’habituellement en déc; un oiseau était encore très au nord à Sept-Îles 4 jan (JF. Laporte). Roitelet à couronne rubis: des oiseaux à Sainte-Catherine le 18 déc (RON de Montréal) et à Maple Grove 2 jan (D. Ouellette). Merlebleu de l’Est: 4 mentions totalisant 9 oiseaux en déc. Solitaire de Townsend: un à Sept-Îles, 9 déc (C. Couture). Grive solitaire: des oiseaux à Charlesbourg, 14 déc + (G. La Rue) et à Rivière-des-Prairies, 19 déc (D. Demers). Grive mauvis: un oiseau filmé à Frampton, 20 déc, une 2ième mention confirmée pour la province (C. Forgues). Grive à collier: une à Nominingue à partir de la mi-déc (ph., R. Lajeunesse, F. Léonard, fide D. Lavoie). Moqueur roux: des oiseaux à LaSalle tout au long de déc (D. Ouellette, pl.ob.) et à Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, 16 déc-1er jan (M. Beaulac).
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Le Comité de communications recherche des gens pour traduire des textes de l’anglais vers le français.
Si vous voulez joindre notre équipe de traducteurs et traductrices, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter à [email protected]
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Paruline à collier: un oiseau à Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Montréal, 6 déc, une nouvelle date record pour la province (P. Bannon). Paruline à croupion jaune: 5 oiseaux signalés en déc, incluant un encore présent à Baie-Comeau le 6 jan (JP. Barry). Paruline à gorge jaune: l’oiseau présent à Longueuil en nov fut observé jusqu’au 9 déc. Paruline des pins: une à Chandler, 22 déc + (JR. Lepage).
Bruant des champs: un à Fassett, 25 déc (Y. Gauthier, F. Morand). Bruant des marais: un à l’île des Soeurs, 11 déc-10 jan (P. Bannon). Carouge à tête jaune: un mâle de 1ère année à Frampton, 10 déc + (ph., C. Forgues). Chardonneret élégant: des oiseaux à Saint-Marc-des-Carrières, 6-25 déc (L. Ouellette), Saint-Laurent, Montréal, 18 déc (L. Laviolette), Pointe-aux-Trembles, 30 déc + (Y. Gauthier) et Varennes, 2 jan + (M. Bertrand).
Veuillez communiquer vos observations intéressantes à : Pierre Bannon, 1517 Leprohon, Montréal, Qc H4E 1P1. Tél : 514-766-8767 en soirée. Courriel : [email protected]
BIRDVIEWSA summary of interesting bird sightings in Montréal and around the provinceBy Pierre Bannon Mid-November- 2010 to Early January 2011
Tundra Swan: 8 birds in flight at Ormstown 20 Nov (Y. Pilon). Green-winged Teal: one at Rivière-du-Loup 1 Jan (M. Beaulieu). Canvasback: one bird reported at Deschênes 4-6 Dec (D. Toussaint, R. Vanasse). Redhead: a female at Valleyfield 27 Dec (S. Denault, P. Côté). Harlequin Duck: a male at Île des Soeurs 17 Dec+ (P. Bannon). White-winged Scoter: one at Dorion 2 Jan (B. Barnhurst, M. McIntosh). Willow Ptarmigan: birds moved south to Chibougamau and Lac-Saint-Jean, one reaching Saint-Fulgence 16 Dec (C. Cormier). Wild Turkey: the species seems to be colonizing the Laurentians. Birds were reported at Saint-Faustin, Val-des-Lacs and 20 km NE of Saint-Sauveur. Common Loon: 8 birds at Georgeville 8 Jan (B. Turgeon). Pied-billed Grebe: one at Les Cèdres 2 Jan (B. Barnhurst, M. McIntosh). Cattle Egret: one at Drummondville 5 Dec, a new record late date for the province (H. Leclerc). Bald Eagle: very good concentrations in Lanaudière and the Laurentians, e.g. 18 at Saint-Didace 20 Dec (B. Dugas, fide R. Piché) and 4 at Lac Tremblant 30 Dec (G. Gauthier). Red-shouldered Hawk: singles at Gatineau 11 Dec+ (J. Soucie), and at Saint-Hubert 29 Dec (F. Vaillancourt, I. Langlois-Vaillancourt). Broad-winged Hawk: an imm photographed at Repentigny 11-12 Dec (S. Favreau) and another seen at Gatineau 14 Dec (R. Dubois). Both birds provided new record late dates for the province. Golden Eagle: singles at Saint-Didace 20 Dec (B. Dugas, fide R. Piché) and at Luskville 30 Dec (R. Dubois).
American Coot: one at Côteau-du-Lac 2 Jan (S. Marcoux). Northern Lapwing: a bird photographed at Sept-Îles 26 Nov-3 Dec, the first in over 40 years (B. Duchesne, C. Couture). Killdeer: one at Baie-Saint-Paul 9 Dec (J. Bernier et al.). Spotted Sandpiper: one at Matane 2 Dec, a new record late date for the province (L. Fradette). Greater Yellowlegs: a late bird at Maria 3 Dec (C. Lamarre). Red Knot: one late bird at Hopetown 1 Dec (M. Chiasson, J. Saint-Pierre, R. & B. Lanteigne). Sabine’s Gull: a juv at Les Escoumins 16 Dec provided a new provincial record late date by over a month (R. Pintiaux). Little Gull: one in the Magdalen Is. 24 Dec established a new provincial record late date (C. Roy). Laughing Gull: one at Lévis 5 Dec (J. Laporte).
Boreal Owl: one throughout Dec at Laval (m. ob.). Anna’s Hummingbird: the bird present at Val-d’Espoir since late Sept was last seen 24 Dec (fide P. Poulin). Belted Kingfisher: one at Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac 2 Jan (JC. Charbonneau). Red-bellied Woodpecker: 10 birds reported throughout the period, an above-average number.Carolina Wren: about 20 indiv reported during the period. Winter Wren: more common than usual in Dec; a bird was still as far north as Sept-Îles 4 Jan (JF. Laporte). Ruby-crowned Kinglet: singles at Sainte-Catherine 18 Dec (Montreal CBC) and at Maple Grove 2 Jan (D. Ouellette). Eastern Bluebird: 4 reports with a total of 9 birds in Dec. Townsend’s Solitaire: one at Sept-Îles 9 Dec (C. Couture). Hermit Thrush: singles at Charlesbourg 14 Dec + (G. La Rue) and at Rivière-des-Prairies 19 Dec (D. Demers). Redwing: one was videotaped at Frampton 20 Dec, a 2nd confirmed record for the province (C. Forgues). Varied Thrush: one at Nominingue from mid-Dec onwards (ph., R. Lajeunesse, F. Léonard, fide D. Lavoie). Brown Thrasher: singles at LaSalle throughout Dec (D. Ouellette, m.ob.) and at Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes 16 Dec-1 Jan (M. Beaulac).
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Northern Parula: a record late bird at Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Montréal, 6 Dec (P. Bannon). Yellow-rumped Warbler: 5 birds reported in Dec, including one still present at Baie-Comeau 6 Jan (JP. Barry). Yellow-throated Warbler: the bird present at Longueuil in Nov was last seen 9 Dec. Pine Warbler: one at Chandler 22 Dec + (JR. Lepage).Field Sparrow: one at Fassett 25 Dec (Y. Gauthier, F. Morand). Swamp Sparrow: one at Île des Soeurs 11 Dec-10 Jan (P. Bannon). Yellow-headed Blackbird: a first-year male at Frampton 10 Dec+ (ph., C. Forgues). European Goldfinch: singles at Saint-Marc-des-Carrières 6-25 Dec (L. Ouellette), Saint-Laurent, Montréal 18 Dec (L. Laviolette), Pointe-aux-Trembles 30 Dec+ (Y. Gauthier) and Varennes 2 Jan+ (M. Bertrand).
Please report your interesting bird observations to: Pierre Bannon, 1517 Leprohon, Montréal, Qc H4E 1P1. Tel: 514-766-8767 after 7:00 p.m. or by e-mail at [email protected]
Citizen scientists of BPQReport of December monthly meetingby Jean Bacon
The snowstorm which traditionally thwarts the January monthly meeting arrived one month early this year and the evening of the December meeting saw snow blowing and swirling in very high winds and frigid temperatures creating difficult and dangerous driving conditions. The result was that attendance at the meeting was rather lower than usual and a late start to the meeting was necessary. One of the speakers was unable to get there. The twenty-five or so members who had managed the journey were rewarded with two very interesting talks presented by enthusiastic and dynamic young researchers from McGill University.
First up was David Fishman who is doing his M.Sc. under the supervision of Drs. David Bird and Rodger Titman on “Spatial-genetic structuring in a Red-breasted Merganser colony.” He explained that genetic clustering occurs in a group of persons, plants or animals living in close proximity. He then expanded on the advantages of philopatry, i.e. returning to place of birth to breed, and of kin association, i.e. living close to kin, achieved through a direct effort to be surrounded with relatives. A colony of Red-breasted Mergansers nesting on the Tern Islands in Kouchibouguac National Park was studied by locating all the nests, taking genetic samples from the females, isolating DNA from the samples and then comparing the results of the groups on each island, using two statistical approaches. The results demonstrated genetic structuring over the entire colony with fine-scale clusters in densely populated areas. Also analyzed was synchrony of nesting and this was found to be present over the entire colony regardless of the degree of kinship of the females.
Next, Dominique Chabot, a self-professed “techno geek,” described his postgraduate research under the supervision of Dr David Bird on “Applications of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in Avian Field Research. ” He elaborated on the various types of UAS (“drones”) and their uses – usually, to perform “dull, dirty and dangerous” jobs. For his M.Sc. research, Dominique had firstly spent about a year learning how to use the complex equipment. He then investigated potential applications for surveying bird populations and habitats with photographs. Some attempts were not very successful for technical reasons, but better results were achieved with geese flock surveys, particularly with regard to counting numbers of Snow Geese. Dominique is now working on his Ph.D. and his aim is to apply small UAS directly and beneficially in current studies of wildlife, with a focus on waterfowl. For this he is using a very small UAS, with a wingspan of 2.1m and a 2 kg payload, to study three species: the Least Bittern (examining the nesting sites at Baie-du-Febvre); the Snow Goose (counting flock numbers of the population on the water at Cap-Tourmente); and the Common Term (surveying a colony in Kouchibouguac National Park). For the latter project, he hopes to develop a “disturbance-free” colony survey method.
From the number of questions asked of both researchers, it was clear the audience members had been fascinated by both projects and were keen to learn more.
Unfortunately, due to lack of time and missing participants, it was not possible to have the envisaged interactive exchanges with BPQ’s resident bird photographers, international bird tour aficionados and hawk watchers, nor to enjoy a glass of Christmas cheer! Happily, we have subsequently heard from Gail Desnoyers that she hopes to repeat this format in the future.
Jean Bacon is a long-time member of BPQ and a former director. She is currently secretary to the Board and a member of the Communications and tchébec Committees.
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Spring SpeakersMarch 14 (** note the date please, not the first Monday of the month)
WINGS OF SPRING
Gay Gruner, Director of MBO
There is nothing like holding a live bird in your hand while observing its size, colour, wing and tail patterns. The Spring Migration Monitoring Program at the McGill Bird Observatory (MBO) in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue begins on March 28 and will offer many opportunities to see birds up close. Our March lecture will preview many of the birds likely to be encountered during spring migration with photos of some of our migrating passerines.This illustrated lecture will be presented as a "virtual day at the MBO," beginning with raising the mist nets thirty minutes before sunrise and concluding with the Daily Estimated Totals six hours later. You will become familiar with the MBO's routine standardized methods and the many important roles that volunteers play as they work at the nets, identify, and record observations and banding data to contribute to a shared database.
Gay Gruner is Director of the MBO as well as being one of the banders-in-charge. She has been involved right from the MBO's beginning in 2004 as a volunteer, first learning at the nets and later attaining a banding permit in 2008. Gay holds a B.A. from the University of New Brunswick and an M.Ed. from McGill University.
April 4
“A Lecture for Egg-Heads”
David M. Bird
Birds are the only taxon of vertebrates where no species bears live young. They lay eggs instead. Which bird species lays the largest egg? The smallest egg? Did you know that an extinct bird species used to lay eggs with a volume equivalent to 150 chicken eggs? How does one explain all the different colours and shapes of eggs? Why do some birds like American Robins lay such conspicuously coloured eggs? Why do some bird species lay a specific number of eggs while others can lay several clutches if need be? Have you ever been grossed out by a seemingly fertile egg in the frying pan? And do brown chicken eggs taste better than white ones? Find out the answers to these questions and many more in Dr. Bird’s talk on eggs and clutches. As a Full Professor of Wildlife Biology and Director of the Avian Science and Conservation Centre of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Dr. David Bird has published over 175 scientific papers on birds of prey and supervised over 40 graduate students. He has written and/or edited several books, the most recent ones being Birds of Canada (published by published by Dorling Kindersley) and The Bird Almanac: A Guide to Essential Facts and Figures on the World’s Birds. Dr. Bird is a regular columnist for the Montreal Gazette as well as for BirdWatcher’s Digest magazine and its newsletter, Backyard Bird News.
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Indigo Bunting by Simon Duval
Photo: Richard Gregson
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The 75th Montreal Christmas Bird CountThe final tally from the 75th Montreal Christmas Bird Count, held on Saturday, December 18, 2010, was 70 species. Five additional species were recorded during count week but not on count day. This brought the overall total to 75.
Some of the more interesting birds recorded included a Bald Eagle near Heron Island, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet at Côte-Ste-Catherine, three Eastern Bluebirds in Kahnawake Reserve and a Brown Thrasher at Parc des Rapides.
A European Goldfinch was recorded for the first time this year. These birds have always been fitful breeders in North America. In recent years, breeding populations have been established in Illinois and Wisconsin. There is no way of knowing whether this popular cage bird, often labeled an “exotic”, was a breeding vagrant or an escapee.
We recorded 23,715 birds this year, surpassing our previous high count of 18,384 in 2005. Most of the massive increase can be attributed to the large number of crows counted at the Montreal crow roost on the Falaise St-Jacques by Lance Laviolette and his assistants.
Jean Demers continues as Assistant Compiler in charge of developing our FeederWatch program. In total we had 14 feeder watchers this year, scattered around the count area. Their observations are now having an important impact on overall species numbers and contributed some new record highs.
The species with record high counts, followed by the previous record in parentheses, are set out below:
• Barrow's Goldeneye: 3 (2)• Hooded Merganser: 40 (38)• Cooper's Hawk: 10 (8)• Merlin: 10 (7)• Barred Owl: 4 (3)• Downy Woodpecker: 143 (101 )• Pileated Woodpecker: 15 (10)• Blue Jay: 64 (61)• American Crow: 9,149 (5,116)• Common Raven: 11 (9)• Black-capped Chickadee: 876 (736)• Tufted Titmouse: 8 (4)• Red-breasted Nuthatch: 12 (8)• White-breasted Nuthatch: 118 (95)• Dark-eyed Junco: 133 (115)• Northern Cardinal: 204 (150)
In addition to better feeder coverage, we had a record number of field participants (72) in 18 teams. This gave us by far the best coverage of the count circle that we have ever had.
Dividing the teams into four geographical sectors, the results are as follows:
• South Shore: 50 species• Downtown (including Nuns’ Island, plus east of
Decarie): 42 species• West End (west of Decarie): 42 species: • North Montreal (the airport, all areas north of
Autoroute 40): 43 species
Considerably more detailed information about the 2010 count will be published shortly on the BPQ website along with the historical records since 1931, which include 2010 data.
As has always been the case on our counts, the most productive areas were along the St. Lawrence River and associated green space. The five teams in areas with the highest counts were as follows: Nuns’ Island and Expo Island (41); St Lawrence River: Dorval to Verdun (34); Châteauguay (32); Côte-Ste- Catherine (32); Bois-de-Liesse (30).
The after-count compilation, attended by about 45 people, was held at the Montreal West Curling Club. The relaxed and cozy atmosphere is an ideal venue for our event. The new compilation format, which consists of inputting sector counts for each bird, displayed on a large screen, was also well received.
Special thanks to all our team leaders and to Jean Demers, Clémence Soulard and Virginia Elliott for organizing the smooth running of the social and compilation. Given the continuing favourable comments we will repeat the compilation at the Curling Club for the next count.
Finally the 2011 Montreal count will be Saturday, December 17, 2011.
Jeff HarrisonCompiler
For more information visit:http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count
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Recent Field Trip Reports20/11/10 – Parc Nature Pointe-aux-Prairies, Montreal, QC – Leader: Joël CoutuHail, major winds, rain, sunshine, even thunder. 6 birders; 19 speciesBird of the Day: Red-tailed HawkOther Birds of Note: Great Blue Heron, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, Mallard
27/11/10 – Boisé Papineau, Laval, QC – Leader: Chuck KlingLight snow, minus 1 C. 5 birders; 13 speciesBird of the Day: Northern ShrikeOther Birds of Note: Hairy Woodpecker, Am. Tree Sparrow, House Finch, Crossbill species
04/12/10 – Casselman, ON – Leader: Jacques BouvierCloudy, minus 12 C 10 birders; 32 speciesBird of the Day: Evening GrosbeakOther Birds of Note: Snow Bunting, Horned Lark, Common Raven, Rough-legged Hawk, American Kestrel, Lapland Longspur, Bohemian Waxwing
Jim Houghton Spring Warbler Walks on the Summit
7:00 AM Tuesdays on April 26 and May 3, 10, 17 and 24
Summit Woods in Westmount is a wooded area transected by numerous footpaths. From mid-April to late May, spring migrants find the woods an attractive place in which to rest and feed. At least 33 warbler species have been seen over the years and 24 warbler species are seen each year. Come out and participate in one or all of the Jim Houghton Spring Warbler Walks with an informal group of BPQ members. It’s a perfect start to a spring day!
Thursdays, Thrushes and Thrashers: Birding for Beginners
As a new birder, have you ever felt overwhelmed by the challenges of bird identification? Do you sometimes feel intimidated about joining one of BPQ’s regular excursions because of a perceived lack of skills? Well, this is your chance to get involved with others who feel the same way. Barbara MacDuff will lead a series of three field trips designed specifically to introduce fledgling birders to the fundamentals of birding and the basics of bird identification. Join her for one or all of these outings and learn the essentials of this hobby in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. All trips start at 9:00 AM and end at 12:00 PM.
• Thursday, April 28, Parc-nature du Bois-de-l'Île Bizard• Thursday, May 5, Morgan Arboretum• Thursday, May 12, Parc-nature du Bois-de-l'Île Bizard
See the Field Trips Section for more details on directions and costs, or contact Barbara for information at 514-457-2222 or [email protected] .
Education volunteering anyone?The Education Committee members have been busy doing birding presentations with beginners including McGill University students, elementary students and Brownie groups. We can always use help. If this interests you, please contact Barbara MacDuff at 514-457-2222 or [email protected] .
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Trip Advice - De rigueur pour les excursions
• Transportation: Contact the trip leader or the Songsparrow email group if you need or can offer a lift.• Cancellations: Trips are rarely cancelled, but in case of extreme weather check with the leader.• Clothing: Dress warmly and wear waterproof footwear, even if the day seems mild and dry.• Food: Bring plenty to eat and drink, even on half-day trips.
Take nothing but photographs — leave nothing but footprints — kill nothing but time
• Transport : Téléphoner au responsable ou contacter le groupe Songsparrow pour faire du covoiturage.• Annulations : En cas d'intempérie, vérifier la possibilité d'une annulation avec le responsable.• Habillement : Vêtements chauds et bottes imperméables sont toujours de rigueur.• Nourriture : Toujours prévoir une collation et quelque chose à boire.
Ne ramenez... que vos photos et souvenirs — Ne laissez... que vos empreintes — Ne tuez... que le temps
Saturday, 26 February - samedi 26 févrierBoisé Papineau, Laval, QCLeader: Chuck Kling 514-277-2567 [email protected]:00 AM From Hwy 40 (Metropolitan Blvd) take exit for Papineau north (Hwy 19). Cross bridge into Laval. At the third exit take St. Martin east for approximately 1.5 km. On the left are a police garage and a community centre. Take the lane between them to a parking area at the back. Looking for owls, winter finches and early migrants. Half day.8 h 00 De l'autoroute 40 (boul. Métropolitain) prendre la sortie Papineau nord (rte 19). Traverser le pont qui mène à Laval. À la 3e sortie, prendre le boul. Saint-Martin est et continuer sur une distance d'environ 1,5 km. À gauche se trouvent un garage de police et un centre communautaire. Prendre la ruelle entre les deux édifices et continuer jusqu'au stationnement situé à l'arrière. Espèces recherchées : hiboux, oiseaux d'hiver et migrateurs hâtifs. Demi-journée.
Saturday, 5 March - samedi 5 mars Hudson, QCLeader: Wayne Grubert 450-458-5498 [email protected]:00 AM Meet at the CPR station on Wharf Street in Hudson. Highway 40, exit 22 onto Côte St. Charles north, right on Main Street, left on Wharf Street. Looking for winter finches and early migrants. Half day.8 h 00 Rassemblement à la gare C.P. sur la rue Wharf, à Hudson. Prendre l'autoroute 40, sortie 22, et tourner à droite sur la Côte St-Charles nord. Continuer jusqu'à la rue Main et tourner à droite sur celle-ci. Continuer jusqu’à la rue Wharf puis tourner à gauche sur celle-ci. Espèces recherchées : oiseaux d'hiver et migrateurs hâtifs. Demi-journée.
Saturday, 12 March - samedi 12 marsBotanical Garden - Jardin Botanique De Montréal, QCLeader: Guy Zenaitis 514-256-8118 [email protected]:00 AM Meet in front of the restaurant, near the entrance on Sherbrooke St. East. There is a charge for parking inside the gates. Looking for winter finches and early migrants. Half day.8 h 00 Rassemblement devant le restaurant, près de l'entrée du jardin botanique située sur la rue Sherbrooke Est. Des frais sont exigés pour le stationnement situé dans le jardin botanique. Espèces recherchées : oiseaux d'hiver et migrateurs hâtifs. Demi-journée.
Saturday, 19 March - samedi 19 marsÎle Perrot/ Parc-Nature du Cap-St-Jacques CombinationLeader: Wayne Grubert 450-458-5498 [email protected]:00 AM Take Hwy 20 west to Île Perrot. Turn left on Don Quichotte. Meet at Windmill Point at the end of Don Quichotte Blvd. Looking for waterfowl, hawks and early migrants. If time permits we may travel in convoy to Parc nature Cap-St Jacques for part of the morning. Half day.8 h 00 Prendre l'autoroute 20 ouest jusqu’à l’Île Perrot. Tourner à gauche sur le boulevard Don Quichotte et continuer jusqu’au bout de celui-ci. Rassemblement à la Pointe du Moulin. Espèces recherchées : sauvagine, buses et
FORTHCOMING FIELD TRIPSLate February to early May 2011
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migrateurs hâtifs. Si nous avons assez de temps, nous nous rendrons également au Parc nature du Cap St Jacques pour une partie de la matinée. Demi-journée.
Saturday, 26 March - samedi 26 marsParc-des-Rapides, LaSalle and Verdun Waterfront, QCLeader: Diane Demers 514-729-3051 [email protected]:00 AM Meet in the Parc des Rapides parking lot in Ville LaSalle (LaSalle Blvd / 6th Avenue, just east of Bishop Power Blvd). Take Hwy 20 to the Blvd de la Vérendrye exit. Follow de la Verendrye to the Knox Bridge at Shevchenko/Bishop Power. Turn left and follow Bishop Power to LaSalle Blvd. Turn left on LaSalle Blvd. to 6th anvenue. Time permitting, we will visit the riverfront at Nuns Island. Looking for waterfowl and early migrants.Half day.8 h 00 Rassemblement dans le stationnement du Parc des Rapides. Celui-ci est situé à l'intersection du boul. LaSalle et de la 6ième avenue à ville LaSalle (juste à l'est du boul. Bishop-Power). Prendre l'autoroute 20 puis la sortie du boul. de la Vérendrye. Suivre le boul. de la Vérendrie jusqu'au Pont Knox, à l'intersection Shevchenko/Bishop Power. Tourner à gauche et continuer sur Bishop Power jusqu'au boul. LaSalle. Tourner à gauche et continuer sur le boul. Lasalle jusqu'à la 6ième avenue. Demi-journée.
Saturday, 2 April - samedi 2 avrilMorgan Arboretum / Arboretum Morgan http://www.morganarboretum.org/Leader: Betsy McFarlane 514-457-9315 [email protected]:00 AM Meet in the main parking lot of the park. From Montreal take Highway 40 west. Take exit 44 (Morgan Blvd.). Turn left on chemin Ste-Marie. Drive 1.4 km to second stop sign (at Arboretum road). Turn right. Drive 1 km to main parking on left. $5.00 admission charge for non-Arboretum members. Looking for woodpeckers, owls and migrants. Half day.8 h 00 Rassemblement au stationnement principal du parc. De Montréal, prendre l'autoroute 40 ouest, sortie 44 (boul. Morgan). Tourner à gauche sur le chemin Ste-Marie et continuer sur une distance de 1,4 km jusqu'au second arrêt (rue Arboretum). Tourner à droite et rouler sur une distance de 1 km jusqu'au stationnement principal, situé à gauche. Frais d'entrée : 5,00 $ pour les non-membres. Espèces recherchées: Pics, hiboux et migrateurs. Demi-journée.
Saturday, 9 April - samedi 9 avrilBaie-du-Febvre, QCLeaders: Jean Demers and Clémence Soulard 514-694-8240 [email protected]:30 AM Meet at the route Janelle lookout at Baie-du-Febvre. Two possible driving routes from Montreal. First route: Take Hwy 30 east to Sorel and then Hwy 132 east to Baie-du-Febvre. Look for route Janelle on your left. Allow 90 minutes driving time from Montreal. Looking for waterfowl, hawks, early spring migrants and thousands of migrating Snow Geese. All day.8 h 30 Rassemblement au poste d'observation (cache) situé le long de la route Janelle, à Baie-du-Febvre. On propose deux trajets. Premier trajet : Prendre l'autoroute 30 en direction est jusqu'à Sorel puis prendre la route 132 en direction est jusqu'à Baie-du-Febvre. Tourner à gauche sur la route Janelle, juste après l'intersection avec la rue principale. Durée du trajet : 1h30. À la recherche de milliers d'Oies des neiges, d'oiseaux aquatiques, de rapaces et d'autres migrateurs. Toute la journée.
Saturday, 16 April - samedi 16 avrilParc-Nature du Bois-de-l'Île-Bizard, QCLeader: Felix Hilton 514-631-3437 [email protected]:00 AM Meet in the parking lot at the park. Hwy 40; exit St. Jean Blvd north to Gouin Blvd; left (west) on Gouin to Jacques Bizard Blvd; right (north) on Jacques Bizard Blvd, over bridge to Blvd Chevremont; left (west) on Chevremont to Montée de l'Église; right (north) on de l'Église to Ch. Bord-du-Lac; right (east) on Bord-du-Lac to park entrance, approx. 1 km. Parking: $7.00. Looking for waterfowl, hawks and migrating passerines. Half day.8 h 00 Rassemblement au stationnement du parc. De l'autoroute 40, prendre la sortie pour le boul. St-Jean nord et continuer sur celui-ci jusqu'au boul. Gouin. Tourner à gauche (ouest) sur Gouin et continuer jusqu'au boul. Jacques-Bizard. Tourner à droite (nord) sur Jacques-Bizard et traverser le pont. Tourner à gauche (ouest) sur le boul. Chevremont et continuer jusqu'à la Montée de l'Église. Tourner à droite (nord) sur celle-ci et continuer jusqu'au chemin du Bord-du-Lac. Tourner à droite (est) sur celui-ci et continuer jusqu'à l'entrée du parc (environ 1 km). Stationnement : 7,00 $. Espèces recherchées : sauvagine, rapaces et passereaux en migration. Demi-journée.
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Saturday, 23 April - samedi 23 avrilSpontaneous Spring Outing: Location To Be Determined / Sortie printannière spontanée: Destination à confirmerLeader: Sheldon Harvey 450-462-1459 [email protected] spring is an interesting but unpredictable time for birding as early, late or vagrant migrants may turn up just about anywhere. As a result, the destination of this trip will be determined mere days prior to the actual outing. The destination will be chosen based on a number of factors including weather conditions, bird activity and any special or rare bird sightings reported in the days leading up to the trip. Complete details of the field trip, including the destination, the start time, the meeting spot and the duration, will be posted on the BPQ webpage and on the songsparrow Yahoo Group two or three days in advance of the Saturday outing.
Le début du printemps est un moment intéressant mais imprévisible pour l’observation des oiseaux ; des migrateurs précoces, tardifs ou des visiteurs rares pouvant se retrouver à peu près n'importe où. En conséquence, la destination pour cette sortie ne sera confirmée que quelques jours avant qu’elle n’ait lieu. La destination sera déterminée en fonction d'un certain nombre de facteurs dont les conditions météorologiques, l'activité des oiseaux et la présence d’espèces rares ou spéciales signalée dans les jours précédant la sortie. Les informations détaillées concernant l'excursion, incluant la destination, l'heure de début, le lieu de rencontre et la durée, seront affichées sur la site internet de POQ et sur le groupe Yahoo songsparrow deux ou trois jours avant la sortie.
Thursday 28 April – jeudi 28 avrilThursdays, Thrushes and Thrashers for Beginners: Session 1 / Jeudis, geais et jaseurs pour déutants : 1ère sessionParc-nature du Bois-de-l’Île-Bizard, QcLeader: Barbara MacDuff 514-457-2222 [email protected]:00 AM - 12:00 PM Meet in the main parking lot at the park. Parking: $7.00.9h00 - 12h00 Rassemblement au stationnement principal du parc. Stationnement : 7,00 $.
Saturday, April 30 – samedi 30 avrilParc Nature de L’ le-de-la-VisitationLeader : Joël Coutu 514-324-5092 [email protected]:00 AM Meet in the parking lot at the park From Highway 40 (Metropolitan Blvd) take Papineau north to Henri Bourassa. Turn right (east) on Henri-Bourassa and turn left on Rue de Lille. Turn right onto Gouin and left into the parking area. Parking : $7.00. Looking for spring migrants. Half day.8 h 00 Rassemblement au stationnement du parc. De l’autoroute 40(boul métropolitain) prendre la sortie Papineau nord jusqu’à Henri Bourassa. Tourner à droite (est) sur Henri-Bourassa et tourne à gauche sur rue de Lille. Tourner à droite sur Gouin jusqu’au stationnement du parc. Stationnement: 7,00$. À la recherche des oiseaux migrateurs. Demi-journée.
Thursday 5 May – jeudi 5 maiThursdays, Thrushes and Thrashers for Beginners: Session 2 / Jeudis, geais et jaseurs pour déutants : 2ième sessionMorgan Arboretum, QCLeader: Barbara MacDuff 514-457-2222 [email protected]:00 AM - 12:00 PM Meet in the main parking lot at the park. $5.00 admission charge for non-Arboretum members.9h00 - 12h00 Rassemblement au stationnement principal du parc. Frais d'entrée : 5,00 $ pour les non-membres.
Thursday 12 May – jeudi 12 maiParc-nature du Bois-de-l’Île-Bizard, Qc Thursdays, Thrushes and Thrashers for Beginners: Session 3 / Jeudis, geais et jaseurs pour déutants : 3ième sessionLeader: Barbara MacDuff 514-457-2222 [email protected]:00 AM - 12:00 PM Meet at the main parking lot in the park. Parking: $7.00.9h00 - 12h00 Rassemblement au stationnement principal du parc. Stationnement : 7,00 $.
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