[two_third]Just two weeks ago, the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory was newly minted as Ontario’s first Important Bird Area Caretaker. As the official Caretaker for the Prince Edward County South Shore Important Bird Area, the Observatory will lead awareness-raising and conservation activities at this globally important site for migrating birds and waterfowl.The Observatory is perfectly poised to take on this particular role due to its extensive involvement in bird conservation that dates back to the 1990s when it was first established through funding providing by Bird Studies Canada, a co-partner with Nature Canada in delivering BirdLife International’s Important Bird Area program in Canada. Over the past 20 years, the Observatory has grown to include full-time station manager, David Okines, and nearly 60 volunteers.With its army of dedicated volunteers and decades of bird monitoring data, the Observatory is a welcome partner in the Important Bird Area Caretaker Network, which includes over 200 volunteers who watch over and protect important bird habitat. As in the past, bird banding and recordings of species’ movements and activities will continue under the supervision of Cheryl Anderson, current President of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, but now this valuable information will be used to inform a national program to conserve and protect birds.
“We thought it was a good idea for the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory to become the Caretaker for the South Shore IBA because we’re already monitoring the site,” said Cheryl, “As we are able to make more site visits, we would like to expand the number of monitoring stations and recruit local naturalist clubs to help us with the monitoring.”The Prince Edward County South Shore IBA is a unique area for birds and wildlife. Its geographic location – at the edge of a peninsula jutting into Lake Ontario – makes it an ideal place for migrating birds to rest and re-fuel in the spring on their way to the Boreal forest and in the fall before their journey across Lake Ontario. During the migratory season millions of birds, including common birds like the Black-capped Chickadee and Blue Jay, and species at risk like Golden-winged Warblers and Bobolinks pass through the IBA. The shoals and deep waters off the peninsula also serve as staging and wintering grounds for waterfowl like Greater Scaup and White-winged Scoters. The sheer number of congregating and migrating birds has led to the IBA being designated as a globally and national significant area for birds.Unfortunately, the IBA’s location has also attracted the interest of wind energy developers. Gilead Power Corporation has proposed to construct 9 wind turbines in Ostrander Point, an area that belongs to the Province of Ontario and lies right in the middle of Prince Edward County South Shore IBA. Building wind turbines in important natural habitat directly in the flight path of millions of birds and bats is undoubtedly bad for wildlife. Cheryl and Myrna Wood along with the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists, Ontario Nature and Nature Canada have vehemently opposedGilead’s proposal.

“If I could do one thing to protect the Prince Edward County South Shore IBA, it would be to stop the construction of wind turbines in this critically important area for birds and other wildlife,” said Cheryl.

Currently, Gilead Power.’s proposal is under review by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, the government body that will ultimately decide whether the project goes ahead. It’s projects like these that highlight the need for IBA Caretakers, since they are uniquely positioned to speak up on behalf of the IBA’s wildlife.

“Somebody needs to be speaking up for the IBA and raising awareness of its importance,” said Cheryl, “When people are aware of the area’s significance to birds and wildlife, they’re more likely to want to protect and conserve it.”

Cheryl is in the midst of planning the Observatory’s 2013 Spring Birding Festival. In May, the Observatory and the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists are hosts to hundreds of visitors.  Interested members of the public are invited to tour through the IBA, attend a guided birding hike, watch a bird banding demonstration or attend an educational workshop . To find out more about the festival, visit www.peptbo.ca .

The IBA Caretakers Network was launched in 2006 by BC Nature in British Columbia with financial assistance from Nature Canada’s Communities in Action Fund, and is supported by national sponsor TransCanada Corporation. In 2009, TransCanada Corporation committed $1 million over the next five years to support Nature Canada’s bird conservation efforts. Other key donors like Wildlife Habitat Canada, The McLean Foundation and Environment Canada have provided additional support.

[/two_third] [one_third_last]

David Okines talks to high school students about bird identification and banding.

Cheryl Anderson.

[/one_third_last]