|
Birding Stories
Contact us
People often ask me what they can do for bird conservation. Join the atlas project! It is fun and the results are part of a foundation for conservation in British Columbia for years to come. - Rob Butler, Atlas Coordinator Endorsements The Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture (CIJV) Management Board recognises that the Atlas will provide a critical foundation to bird conservation in British Columbia, and unanimously endorsed the project at their Board Meeting on 20 November 2007.
British Columbia is an important part of the Pacific Coast Joint Venture. The BC Breeding Bird Atlas will provide much needed infromation for conservation planning. The PCJV Management Board fully supports this effort." - Tom Dwyer, US Co-Chair of the Pacific Coast Joint Venture. |
 |
|
|
Latest news from the atlas September 28 - This is a reminder for those of you that have not entered your data into the BC Breeding Bird Atlas to please do so. We will be preparing maps soon and we need to report on how well the project has progressed. So far you have entered an astounding 28,000 breeding evidence records for over 250 species in 845 squares. I expect our final tally will be much higher. Well done everyone! A newsletter is in the works too. You can enter your data online (preferred) or you can call the Atlas Office in Delta at 1-877-592-8527 if you need assistance. If you used paper Atlas data forms, please send them to your Regional Coordinator. Click on the map to the right for the draft map of Varied Thrush results to whet your appetite for what is coming soon! 12 September 2008: Atlas Nest Record Cards Please note that a new BC Breeding Bird Atlas Nest Record Card has been posted on this website, to replace the previous version, which was incorrectly headed, and had a New Brunswick return address. In our haste to get all the forms out on time this spring, we used templates from the Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas, and inadvertently printed a batch based on the Maritimes header and address. We apologize for this error, and for any confusion it has caused, particularly among contributors to the BC Nest Records Scheme. If you have BC Breeding Bird Atlas nest record cards to complete, please either enter the data directly online (preferred!), or use the new form posted on the web and return it to the BC Breeding Bird Atlas Coordination Office, 5421 Robertson Road, Delta, BC, V4K 3N2. Please call (1-877-592-8527) or e-mail (bcbirdatlas@bsc-eoc.org) us if you would like some sent to you. For those of you who are regular contributors of nest cards to the BC Nest Records Scheme, please continue to fill in BC Nest Records Scheme cards and submit them to the BC Nest Records Scheme. 19 August 2008: BC Nature Winter
Birding Camp on Boundary Bay Snow geese, waterfowl, eagles, loons,
seabirds, owls, hawks and shorebirds! Enjoy the rich winter bird life of
the Boundary Bay and Fraser River delta and work on your identification
skills on a four day camp led by top birders. This is a unique chance to
tour Canada’s top Important Bird Area in the company of experts. The
camp includes guided birding to all the hot spots of the delta,
including Boundary Bay Regional Park and dykes, Reifel Bird Sanctuary,
Westham Island, Brunswick Point and Roberts Bank, Blackie Spit, Iona
Regional Park, and Point Roberts, WA, as well as evening talks,
workshops and social time. The inclusive registration fee includes
accommodation at the Coast Tsawwassen Inn, all meals, expert-led trips,
and evening events (car-pooling costs, alcoholic beverages are extra).
An optional extra is an open boat trip in Boundary Bay, led by Rob
Butler. Please contact Anne Murray for more information. REGISTRATION: Wednesday September 24 2008, (8.00 am onwards), call Anne Murray at 604 943 4460 or email sanderling@uniserve.com. Register promptly to avoid disappointment. * non-members pay $20 extra to cover cost of membership 19 August 2008:As the summer fades away and migrants move south, you might want to get started with online-data entry. See the online "Birders Guide to the Atlas" under: Resources - Instructions - Getting started, or click here. This guide is a condensed-picture guide that provides step-by-step instructions and images on the first steps after signing in and adding data to your square. You will see that data entry online isn't that hard! Try it now and call the Atlas office if you need help or Atlasser number and password. 30 July 2008: The first season is wrapping up and we are preparing the first newsletter for all the participants. Let us know if you have any issues you'd particularly like us to address. We are seeking contributions too. Please keep sending your stories, photos and comments. Find out more in the News Archives. |
What is an Atlas
Mapping birds is quickly becoming a world-wide phenomenon. It is fun to participate of course, but the results are an invaluable foundation of information for conserving birds and their ecosystems. Not long ago, atlases were books of maps but more recently atlases have on-line versions that are interactive. The BC Breeding Bird Atlas will be on-line and we hope to have a book too. To find out more, click here.
Join the atlas!
Anyone can participate in the Atlas. All you need is a pair of binoculars and some birdwatching experience or
the desire to learn about birds. You need to be able to identify birds correctly but you do not need to be
expert - all records are welcome. All data are entered on-line and the results will appear on this web site.
After you register to the Atlas, you will receive the instructions and forms necessary. You should also get in touch with the regional coordinator in the area(s) that you are interested.
The coordinator will recommend an area (10x10 km square) where you should plan to spend at least 20 hours over the 5 years of the project. You are also strongly encourage to report observations done outside of your square, anywhere else in B.C.
A statement from our patron
I have had a life long interest in birds. They have brought joy to an increasing number of people around
the world but especially in Canada. In recent years I have noticed an alarming decline in many
species I once considered a common part of my world. Bird populations are of course the proverbial canary in
the coal mine. The health of their populations relates to the health of humans. The
Breeding Bird Atlas puts scientific muscle behind vague impressions. It also stimulates public awareness and
even that sense of joy I had in my youth. — Robert Bateman, Patron of the Atlas. Photo by Birgit Freybe Bateman.
Bird of the Month
White-tailed Ptarmigan, photo: Andy Stepniewski
A warming climate is expected to shrink alpine habitats as forests move up mountain slopes. This phenomenon makes high altitude dwelling birds such as the White-tailed Ptarmigan especially valuable to the atlas project as an indicator of climate change. This bird was photographed by Andy Stepnieski in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park.
See also our photo gallery
View species maps
Major Atlas Sponsors
This site has been visited 150793 times since 20 February 2008.
Return to Top of Page
Return to Previous Page