2016 RPBO Introductory Bird Monitoring and Banding Workshop

Each year Rocky Point Bird Observatory offers its Introductory Bird Monitoring and Banding Workshop in Victoria, BC. It runs for three days and is typically held on the Easter long weekend. This workshop focuses on bird identification, monitoring procedures and banding techniques, as well as sexing and ageing of birds. 

This is an excellent opportunity for undergraduates, graduate students, bird observatory volunteers and naturalists to explore the aspects of operating an avian monitoring project, including bird safety, mist-netting, data collection, bird banding, identification, sexing and ageing. Participants should not expect to leave this introductory workshop as qualified banders. Much of the work is with frozen and dried bird specimens although there are opportunities to work with live birds to learn safe handling and techniques for banding and extraction. Skills practiced in this workshop will be beneficial for a variety of projects including productivity, survivorship and migration monitoring field work. 

This year the workshop was held at Royal Roads University on March 25^th through March 27^th. Nick Bartok was our primary instructor. He is a wildlife biologist from Calgary who is affiliated with the Calgary Bird Banding Society. The workshop was organized by Wallis Moore Reid and Acacia Spencer-Hills. Eighteen people participated – three from Calgary AB, one from Slave Lake AB, one from Salt Spring Island BC, one from Courtenay BC, two from Washington State (US), two Australians (living and working in Vernon) and eight from the Victoria BC area. Along with Nick, Wallis, and Acacia, seventeen RPBO volunteers came out to help with this workshop. It really is a group effort and thanks go to everyone who helped organize this and participated as a volunteer. A lot of work goes into putting this on! Special thanks to Nick Bartok, our main instructor, and to Royal Roads University for providing such an excellent venue for this workshop.

If you would like to see more photos from the workshop, please go to our Flickr page:

https://www.flickr.com/groups/rpbo/pool/

RPBO Banding Workshop 2016

The Rocky Point Bird Observatory is offering an introductory bird monitoring and banding workshop at Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC, on March 25-27, 2016.

This 3 day workshop will focus on bird identification, monitoring procedures and techniques, sexing and ageing. Components this year will include owl monitoring and banding demo. The program has been developed for people with little or no bird handling and/or banding experience, but those with intermediate skills will also find the workshop a good way to build knowledge.

This is an excellent opportunity for undergraduates, graduate students, bird observatory volunteers and naturalists to explore aspects of the operation of an avian monitoring project, including bird safety, mistnetting, data collection, bird banding, identification, sexing and ageing. This is an introductory course and participants should not expect to emerge from this short workshop as qualified banders. Much of the work will be with frozen and dried bird specimens although there will be some opportunities to work with live birds to learn safe bird handling and basic banding techniques. Skills practiced in this workshop will be beneficial for a variety of projects including productivity, survivorship and migration monitoring field work.

Ron Melcer will be the primary instructor, assisted by several other licensed banders and instructors.

 
This workshop goes ahead rain or shine. In inclement weather, more time will be spent working with specimens. For the tentative schedule please go to this link:
http://rpbo.org/rpboworkshop16.php

RPBO 2015 Banding Season

Here are some statistics from our Migration banding season which began on July 21^st and ended October 18^th. We banded a total of 6,008 new birds – 3,066 at the Pedder Bay banding station and 2,939 at Rocky Point. A total of 1417 banded birds were recaptured – a high number at Pedder Bay of 925 and 492 at Rocky Point. Pedder Bay banded 63 different species and Rocky Point banded 59.

Here are the top 5 bird species banded at both stations:

                  Rocky Point                                                               Pedder Bay                        

1               Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 331                         Fox Sparrow – 312

2               Pacific-slope Flycatcher – 316                       Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 267

3               Wilson’s Warbler – 184                                  Golden-crowned Sparrow – 223

4               Golden-crowned Sparrow – 157                   Swainson’s Thrush – 197

5               White-crowned Sparrow – 154                     White-crowned Sparrow – 193

Semi-leucistic Fox Sparrow

Fox Sparrow banded in 2010 and recaptured!

 These are the top 5 bird species recaptured at both stations:

                  Rocky Point                                                               Pedder Bay                        

1               White-crowned Sparrow – 94                       Fox Sparrow – 153

2               Song Sparrow – 56                                          Spotted Towhee – 130

3               Chestnut-backed Chickadee – 50                 Swainson’s Thrush – 111

4               Common Yellowthroat – 45                          Song Sparrow – 97

5               Fox Sparrow – 42                          Golden-crowned & White-crowned Sparrow – 67 each

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Top 5 birds banded at both stations:

Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 598

Pacific-slope Flycatcher – 445

Fox Sparrow – 438

Golden-crowned Sparrow – 380

White-crowned Sparrow – 347

White-crowned Sparrow

  

Pedder Bay       Total Banded – 3066

                            Recaps – 925

                            Species – 63

Rocky Point      Total Banded – 2939

                            Recaps – 492

                            Species – 59

Northern Saw-whet Owls

It was a good migration year for our charming little owls and the human night owls who spent long hours in the dark! We banded a total of 1196 new owls – 781 at Rocky Point and 415 at Pedder Bay. It was only our second year banding owls for the full season at Pedder Bay and although we don’t catch as many owls there, it is open to the public which is a great asset. We had many visitors come to see what we do and I think everyone was delighted to see Saw-whets up close and personal! It is rare to see one in the wild as they are a nocturnal bird which migrates and hunts at night, so this is a special opportunity for the public.

Pedder Bay 2012 – 2015

This banding station has been in operation since 2012 and has already given us some fascinating data. It is wonderful that our younger enthusiasts can volunteer here and we can use it as a training opportunity for new volunteers. We can also accommodate banders and extractors from abroad who periodically come to participate with us. Since this site is publicly accessible it presents us with a number of exciting opportunities for public education and outreach. In addition to providing bird walks and other public activities focused on bird conservation, we now offer a more formalized field trip program for students in the Victoria area.

Pedder Bay - Top 10 bird species banded 2012-2014

Fox Sparrow – 884

Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 617

Wilson’s Warbler – 604

White-crowned Sparrow – 549

Northern Saw-whet Owl – 540

Song Sparrow – 530

Hermit Thrush – 476

Swainson’s Thrush – 460

Golden-crowned Sparrow – 445

Orange-crowned Warbler - 421

RPBO Migration Banding as of September 11, 2015

Here is a list of species and numbers of new birds banded as of September 11, 2015 during our Passerine Migration Monitoring. Even though our two sites in Metchosin at Pedder Bay Marina and Rocky Point on Department of National Defense lands are only a few kilometers apart as the crow flies, it is interesting to note the difference in types and numbers of species banded as seen from the list below.

 

Rocky Point has banded over double the number of Pacific-slope Flycatchers and Willow Flycatchers compared to Pedder Bay. Pedder Bay has had double the number of Swainson’s Thrushes so far.

As far as warblers go, Rocky Point has had almost triple the number of Yellow Warblers and more Wilson’s Warblers as well. Pedder Bay has had higher numbers of Common Yellowthroat and Audubon’s Warblers. McGillivray’s and Orange-crowned Warbler numbers are about the same.

  

Spotted Towhees are not in great evidence at Rocky Point whereas they are seen and heard constantly at Pedder Bay. Many of our winter resident sparrows are just beginning to return at this point. And of course the Ruby-crowned Kinglets are beginning to trickle back.

As of September 11 Rocky Point has banded 48 different species and Pedder Bay 59. We have banded a total of 3132 birds so far.

As of September 11, 2015
Species		Rocky Point	Pedder Bay	Total Banded in 2015
Sharp-shinned Hawk		1	0	1
Cooper's Hawk		0	1	1
Anna's Hummingbird		0	14	14
Rufus Hummingbird		1	10	11
Belted Kingfisher		0	2	2
Red-breasted Sapsucker		0	6	6
Downy Woodpecker		3	3	6
Red-shafted Flicker		0	2	2
Olive-sided Flycatcher		1	0	1
Willow Flycatcher		89	36	125
Hammond's Flycatcher		18	8	26
Western Flycatcher		0	1	1
Pacific-slope Flycatcher		303	126	429
Cassin's Vireo		3	1	4
Hutton's Vireo		4	2	6
Warbling Vireo		19	15	34
Steller's Jay		10	2	12
Northern Rough-winged Swallow		0	1	1
Barn Swallow		0	1	1
Chestnut-backed Chickadee		27	51	78
Bushtit		3	12	15
Red-breasted Nuthatch		3	1	4
Brown Creeper		13	12	25
Bewick's Wren		14	28	42
House Wren		18	12	30
Pacific Wren		29	1	30
Marsh Wren		6	1	7
Golden-crowned Kinglet		11	1	12
Ruby-crowned Kinglet		12	4	16
Swainson's Thrush		70	143	213
Hermit Thrush		3	9	12
American Robin		12	23	35
Varied Thrush		0	1	1
Cedar Waxwing		0	6	6
Magnolia Warbler		0	1	1
Orange-crowned Warbler		79	80	159
Yellow Warbler		80	33	113
Myrtle Warbler		0	1	1
Audubon's Warbler		5	38	43
Black-throated Gray Warbler		4	13	17
Townsend's Warbler		4	8	12
Northern Waterthrush		0	1	1
McGillivray's Warbler		57	60	117
Common Yellowthroat		63	104	167
Wilson's Warbler		181	122	303
Western Tanager		2	23	25
Spotted Towhee		17	98	115
Clay-coloured Sparrow		1	1	2
Chipping Sparrow		14	7	21
Savannah Sparrow		24	2	26
Fox Sparrow		29	73	102
Song Sparrow		47	65	112
Lincoln's Sparrow		68	71	139
Puget Sound White-crowned Sparrow		106	174	280
Golden-crowned Sparrow		17	45	62
Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco		19	46	65
Black-headed Grosbeak		6	3	9
Red-winged Blackbird		1	0	1
Brown-headed Cowbird		1	0	1
Purple Finch		4	9	13
House Finch		0	1	1
Pine Siskin		0	1	1
American Goldfinch		14	1	15
Species and forms		48	59	107
Total		1516	1616	3132