The Rocky Point Bird Observatory Society can expand its Monitoring Migratory Bird Populations program, build upon the success of its outreach initiatives and improve the quality of volunteer engagement, thanks to funding from the Victoria Foundation.
The non-profit society conducts land-bird monitoring efforts year-round. It is a contributor to the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network and is the program鈥檚 only Pacific coastal data contributor.
鈥淓very year, we capture and band 60 to 65聽different species of birds 鈥� up to 6,000聽songbirds, 3,000 hummingbirds and 1,800聽owls,鈥� said Ann Nightingale, director of the society.
Until Oct. 18, they will identify and determine the age and sex of all the migratory birds they catch during fall migration at a location at Pedder Bay Marina in Metchosin.
The bird-banding data they collect 鈥� used to better understand landbird populations in North America 鈥� are forwarded to the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network, a partnership between the Canadian Wildlife Service and Bird Studies sa国际传媒.
鈥淲e provide a lot of information not gathered any other way,鈥� Nightingale said.
Birds are key indicators of the health and sustainability of the natural environment. The monitoring project helps to assess whether natural or human-caused changes are negatively affecting natural spaces.
One of the species monitored as they pass through southern Vancouver Island is the Northern Saw-whet owl. From 2002 to 2017, the group banded and collected data on more than 9,500聽birds, giving researchers an insight into population cycles and the health of individuals.
The group shares its data with a continental network of researchers.
Due to an anticipated increase in marine traffic in Juan de Fuca Strait, the society has expanded the scope of its monitoring to include seabirds this year.
Much of the work is carried out by volunteers, who collectively put in 7,000 volunteer hours every year.
While the program is valued, funding is hard to come by for the group because many funders require grants to be spent purchasing equipment, not paying personnel.
鈥淲e are so appreciative of the funding provided by the Victoria Foundation,鈥� said Nightingale. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 need much equipment 鈥� just a net 鈥� to do the job. But we need money to train citizen scientists on how to capture birds safely and ensure data integrity. Most people don鈥檛 realize that one must have a special licence to band birds. It鈥檚 a real skill set.鈥�
Fun fact: If you have a hummingbird feeder up, the birds frequenting your feeder likely are repeat customers. The team has caught the same bird at the same feeder for the past eight years.
People have reported seeing hummingbirds peeking in their window if the nearby feeder is empty or not up yet in the spring.
鈥淭he birds likely have just come in from Mexico, are hungry and are likely saying: 鈥榃here鈥檚 the feeder?鈥� 鈥� Nightingale said.
Migration monitoring is underway from 8聽to 10 a.m. every day at the Pedder Bay Marina site, along Pedder Bay Drive (park at the marina). For more information, go to rpbo.org.
