[Ontbirds] Link Update 2011 American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey

[Elisabeth van Stam]

Looks like there were some formatting issues that occurred when my last email 
was sent out. For those that had troubles using the original links please 
manually copy the addresses below, and paste them into your web browser.

www.bsc-eoc.org/download/AMWOroutessouth.pdf

www.bsc-eoc.org/download/AMWOroutesnorth.pdf


Elisabeth van Stam, Ontario Region Project Biologist
Bird Studies Canada
115 Front Street, P.O Box 160
Port Rowan, Ontario
N0E 1M0
Phone: 519-586-3531 ext. 173
Toll Free: 888-448-2473 ext. 173
E-mail: evans...@bsc-eoc.org

___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/

[Ontbirds] Call for American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey Volunteers

[Elisabeth van Stam]

The American Woodcock Singing-ground Survey is a bi-national monitoring program 
that provides an index of the relative size of the woodcock breeding population 
in North America. It is the most important source of data used to guide 
federal, state and provincial woodcock programs. Bird Studies Canada has 
recently taken on the role of coordinating the Ontario portion of this survey, 
and we are looking for volunteers interested in surveying pre-assigned routes 
throughout the province. Each route consists of a single sunset survey of 10 
stops where the participant will count the numbers of individuals observed 
using the vocal courtship displays, or "peents".  Monitoring will occur between 
April 15 and May 20 (the actual monitoring window will depend on where in 
Ontario you live), and routes will be assigned according to availability and 
the geographic location of the participant.

If you are interested in participating in the American Woodcock Singing-ground 
Survey, please contact Elisabeth van Stam at 
evans...@bsc-eoc.org<mailto:evans...@bsc-eoc.org>.

Please see the provided links for the locations of available routes in southern 
and northern Ontario.  Please note: routes #51, 66, 67, 76, 82, 99, 116 and 117 
have recently been assigned, and are currently NOT available.

www.bsc-eoc.org/download/AMWOroutessouth.pdf<http://www.bsc-eoc.org/download/AMWOroutessouth.pdf>

www.bsc-eoc.org/download/AMWOroutesnorth.pdf<http://www.bsc-eoc.org/download/AMWOroutesnorth.pdf>


Elisabeth van Stam, Ontario Region Project Biologist
Bird Studies Canada
115 Front Street, P.O Box 160
Port Rowan, Ontario
N0E 1M0
Phone: 519-586-3531 ext. 173
Toll Free: 888-448-2473 ext. 173
E-mail: evans...@bsc-eoc.org

___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/

[Ontbirds] BSC Holds Ontario-Wide Chimney Swift "Blitz"

[Elisabeth van Stam]

As the Chimney Swift's breeding season comes to an end, families and unmated 
individuals are gathering in large communal roosts before they migrate en masse 
to the Amazon Basin for the winter. BSC is encouraging Ontario residents to 
help look for roosting Chimney Swifts on the weekend of August 13-15. 
Volunteers will spend an evening watching a local chimney or similar manmade 
structure for signs of swifts. The goals are to increase our knowledge of 
Chimney Swift activity in the province, recruit interested 
participants/communities into our more formal Ontario SwiftWatch monitoring 
program, and raise awareness of the plight of the Chimney Swift, a federally 
Threatened species whose population has declined in Canada by 96% over the last 
40 years.



You can help researchers identify critical Chimney Swift habitats by choosing a 
single night between August 13-15, and watching a chimney where swifts may 
roost. Start your monitoring period 20 minutes before sunset, and continue 
until you see the last bird entering the chimney. Email your results to 
evans...@birdscanada.org<mailto:evans...@birdscanada.org>. For information 
concerning participation in Ontario SwiftWatch, email Kathy Jones, Ontario 
Programs Volunteer Coordinator, 
volunt...@birdscanada.org<mailto:volunt...@birdscanada.org>.



Elisabeth van Stam, Ontario Program Biologist
Bird Studies Canada
115 Front Street, P.O Box 160
Port Rowan, Ontario
N0E 1M0
Phone: 519-586-3531 ext. 173
Toll Free: 888-448-2473 ext. 173
E-mail: evans...@bsc-eoc.org

___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/

[Ontbirds] American Woodcock Singing ground Survey

[Elisabeth van Stam]

The American Woodcock Singing-ground Survey is a bi-national monitoring program 
that provides an index of the relative size of the woodcock breeding population 
in North America. It is the most important source of data used to guide 
federal, state and provincial woodcock programs. Bird Studies Canada has 
recently taken on the role of coordinating the Ontario portion of this survey, 
and we are looking for volunteers interested in surveying assigned routes 
throughout the province. Each route consists of a single sunset survey of 10 
stops where the participant will count the numbers of individuals observed 
using the vocal courtship displays, or "peents".  Monitoring will occur between 
April 15 and May 20 (the actual monitoring window will depend on where in 
Ontario you live). Routes have already been selected and will be assigned 
according to availability and the geographic location of the participant.

We are looking for surveyors for a wide range of areas in Ontario, including 
Algoma, Sudbury and Rainy River districts in the north and Bruce, Frontenac, 
Grey, Huron, Lambton, Leeds-Grenville counties in the south. For a detailed 
list of available routes please contact, please contact Elisabeth van Stam at 
evans...@bsc-eoc.org<mailto:evans...@bsc-eoc.org>.



___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/

[Ontbirds] BSC Holds Ontario-Wide Chimney Swift "Blitz"

[Elisabeth van Stam]

BSC Holds Ontario-Wide Chimney Swift "Blitz"

18 June 2009 - Each evening as dusk approaches, you may notice small birds 
chirping overhead, circling tall chimneys. If these birds are cigar-shaped, 
with relatively long pointed wings and a quick, jerky flight - and if they dive 
at (and then into) a chimney around sunset - you likely have Chimney Swifts in 
your neighborhood.

BSC is inviting Ontario residents to help look for Chimney Swifts next weekend, 
as part of a province-wide "blitz." Volunteers in communities throughout 
Ontario will spend an evening watching a local chimney or similar manmade 
structure for signs of swifts. The goals are to increase our knowledge of 
Chimney Swift activity, and to raise awareness of the plight of the Chimney 
Swift, a federally Threatened species whose population has declined in Canada 
by 96% over the last 40 years.

You can help researchers investigate Ontario's Chimney Swift population, and 
identify  important Chimney Swift habitats, by choosing a single night between 
June 26-28, and watching a chimney  that may have swifts . Start your 
monitoring period 20 minutes before sunset, and continue until you see the last 
bird entering the chimney. Email your findings, including the location of your 
chimney, and the total number of birds you saw entering it (even if this number 
is zero) to hwhee...@birdscanada.org.


___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/

[Ontbirds]Chimney Swift Monitoring Program

[Elisabeth van Stam]

In Canada, Chimney Swifts have declined by almost 50% over the past 20 years 
and, are now listed as a Threatened species. Very little is known about Chimney 
Swifts and, it is therefore difficult to identify the reason(s) for their rapid 
and alarming population decline. Decreases in suitable roosting /nesting 
habitat, a decline of insect availability, and an increase in unpredictable 
weather are among the several suspected reasons.

London, Ontario acts as a stronghold for Chimney Swifts, providing both nesting 
and roosting structures for this migratory species throughout the city. Bird 
Studies Canada has begun an exciting new partnership with the McIllwraith 
Naturalist Club to monitor numbers, behaviour and, movements of London's 
seasonal swift population. A main objective of this project is to develop a 
standardised Chimney Swift monitoring protocol that can then be made available 
to any other interested communities.

To make this project successful Bird Studies Canada is looking for volunteers 
to observe occupied and potential chimneys in the city of London. This project 
is an excellent opportunity to directly contribute to Chimney Swift 
conservation efforts and help develop a monitoring protocol.  Volunteers will 
be assigned a chimney and will ideally survey their site one evening per week 
(for approx. one hour) from mid-Aug to early October.

Although this project is focussing on the London area, we are also interested 
in documenting nest and roost sites from across Ontario, so please contact us 
if you know of these locations, or would like to monitor in communities other 
than London.

To participate, please contact:

Elisabeth van Stam
Species at Risk Biologist, Bird Studies Canada
Email:  [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Tel:  888-448-2473 ext. 173.




___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org
For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit 
http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php
ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at 
http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php