By Dr. Rémi Torrenta, British Columbia Projects Coordinator, Birds Canada
Collection of coastal waterbird data (alive or dead birds) by Birds Canada volunteers is crucial to advance science and conservation efforts on our coasts in British Columbia! To learn more about how our data is put to good use, as well as our most recent updates, partnerships, fieldwork stories and more, you can read the last volume of our annual Newsletter: the 2023-2024 British Columbia Coast BirdWatch.
We are currently seeking new volunteers for our BC Coastal Waterbird Survey and BC Beached Bird Survey! Please take a look at the program information below to see if you can help, or share it with friends and family who may be interested.
The results contributed by volunteers with this survey play an important role in population trend assessment, species recovery strategies, oil spill response planning, and international research initiatives like our Transboundary Sea Duck Science and Conservation Project, or the Migratory Shorebird Project.
Volunteering for this program involves conducting surveys on the second Sunday of each month (or around that date) to count all waterbirds and raptors in your designated survey area. The survey season runs from September to April. People with intermediate to strong birding skills (i.e. who can identify all adult gulls for example) are best suited for this position. You will need binoculars and/or a scope.
Glaucous-winged Gull (regardless of whether or not they are having an uncanny meal) is one of the target species that Coastal Waterbird surveyors have be able to identify. Photo: Ben Lambert
To learn more, read our last newsletters, explore results from the past surveys, or simply visit the program page!
Whatever your birding experience level, you can participate in this survey! This program provides crucial baseline information on the causes and rates of seabird mortality. The results give a good indication of marine ecosystem health, and can help scientists detect changes in ocean conditions.
Volunteers with this program conduct surveys during the last week of each month to detect, count, and identify any beached birds. This survey runs year-round. You just need an interest in learning to identify your coastal birds, and be comfortable with handling a dead bird (with provided gloves).
Carcass of White-winged Scoter. Photo: Michal Sirton
To learn more, please visit the program page. If you haven’t already, you can also read a previous eNews article and learn how this survey contributed to better understand the impacts of ocean warming on seabird mortality!
How to get involved
To participate in either of these surveys, contact Rémi Torrenta at rtorrenta@birdscanada.org. Thank you for your interest in monitoring the health of our bird populations and coastal waters!
