June 28, 2017
We upgraded our web server and our webpages load
noticeable
faster now.
March 24, 2016
We have been negligent in updating this news page, but not for lack of activity! However, two major changes over the past couple of years have resulted in much of the content from our website being shifted elsewhere. McGill Bird Observatory now has its own fully bilingual website, www.oommbo.org. Meanwhile, the content from McGill Bird Observatory's photo library has been merged with Piranga to make the material available to a broader audience and enable better comparison of results. Most recently, McGill Bird Observatory's Ten-year Report has been published - a 326 page summary of research to date, including detailed accounts for all 210 bird species observed since November 2004. Other highlights of the past couple of years are summarized in our 2014 and 2015 annual reports.
January 12, 2014
The 2013 news updates were lost through a website glitch. However, the 2013 report for McGill Bird Observatory has now been posted, which includes much of the year's highlights. It spans the period from November 2012 through October 2013, and includes details on new species added to the site checklists as well as a breakdown of the results of all five annual research programs. As well, the 2013 Migration Research Foundation report is now available, providing a high-level summary of MBO news, but also reporting on developments over the past year for Frontenac Bird Studies, Short-eared Owl research, northern raptor research, and more.
January 20, 2013
The 2012 report for McGill Bird Observatory has been posted, covering the period from November 2011 through October 2012, a busy and exciting year at MBO. As well, the 2012 Migration Research Foundation report is now available, summarizing not only the MBO highlights, but also developments over the past year for Frontenac Bird Studies, Short-eared Owl research, northern raptor research, and more.
November 15, 2012
With the winter season underway at McGill Bird Observatory, the focus has shifted back to the Feeder Birds project. We encourage everyone in the Montreal area (and beyond!) to keep an eye out for House Finches and American Goldfinches with colour leg bands, and to report all sightings to us.
November 5, 2012
The 8th annual Fall Migration Monitoring Program at McGill Bird Observatory finished last week, with over 4000 birds banded, and a record number of repeats and recaptures. See the preliminary summary in the report for the final week of the season, which also features two species banded for the first time at MBO, bringing the site total to 110 species over 8 years. As always, previous weekly reports are archived in the banding log, and this year's full results will be compiled in the MBO annual report, which will be published this winter. Meanwhile, the cumulative list of species banded at MBO has been updated.
September 25, 2012
Migration at McGill Bird Observatory has been above average so far this fall, with the traditional peak period coming up over the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile, the annual Northern Saw-whet Owl monitoring program is about to kick off; updates on our results will be posted regularly throughout the season.
August 1, 2012
Already fall migration is underway again at McGill Bird Observatory - weekly updates will be posted at the MBO home page. Remember that it is not too late to contribute to this year's Baillie Birdathon in support of MBO (through the Red-eyed Wearios, Green Team, or Marcel Gahbauer).
June 5 , 2012
The 8th annual Spring Migration Monitoring Program at McGill Bird Observatory has come to an end - check out the most recent weekly report, or use the MBO banding log to access reports from throughout this and past seasons.
May 1, 2012
Spring is well underway at both McGill Bird Observatory and Frontenac Bird Studies - and that means our annual fundraising efforts in support of these programs are also active again. Please consider contributing to either the Baillie Birdathon in support of McGill Bird Observatory (through the Red-eyed Wearios, Green Team, or Marcel Gahbauer), or the Frontenac Bird Studies Biothon. Thank you for your contributions!
April 27, 2012
The 2011 Frontenac Bird Studies report has been posted, with news on the third year of the MAPS program, first year of colour banding of Prairie Warblers, and monitoring of other rare species in the Frontenac area. In addition, the FBS blog has been redesigned, with updates to many sections.
January 25, 2012
The 2011 MRF annual report has been posted, summarizing our activities over the past year and outlook for 2012.
December 30, 2011
We are pleased to announce that our 2011 report for McGill Bird Observatory is now available. For the first time, we have compiled all results for the year into a single publication, rather than putting together separate seasonal accounts.
November 15, 2011
Another Fall Migration Monitoring Program has come to an end, with totals for the season available in the report for the final week. We have also wrapped up another season of Northern Saw-whet Owl monitoring, and have posted the results for the season. The winter program is now underway, and with it we have launched a new project to learn about the local (and perhaps not-so-local) movements of House Finches and American Goldfinches.
October 10, 2011
MRF researchers gave three presentations and co-authored a poster on Short-eared Owls at the annual conference of the Raptor Research Foundation in Duluth, Minnesota last week. Abstracts of these four papers have been added to our presentations page.
October 5, 2011
We are pleased to announce that we have posted the M.Sc. thesis by Kristen Keyes on Short-eared Owl research, including documentation of nest site characteristics, habitat associations, and use of stable isotope analysis to infer spatial origins.
August 10, 2011
MRF presented a summary of the first six years of research at McGill Bird Observatory at last week's meeting of the Society of Canadian Ornithologists in Moncton, New Brunswick. See our presentations page to review the abstract.
August 1, 2011
Another season of the Fall Migration Monitoring Program is underway at McGill Bird Observatory. As always, we will post weekly updates throughout the season. Until those start to be posted, check out the report on our third year of MAPS surveys, and our full set of spring 2011 reports.
April 20, 2011
The third year of operations at Frontenac Bird Studies is underway! Check out the 2011 kick-off message, and follow research updates throughout the season via the program's blog, Twitter, or Facebook pages.
April 9, 2011
The Fall 2010 report for MBO has been published, and the Spring 2011 season is underway, with the first report of the season already posted. The 2010 annual report for MRF has also been added to the website.
March 11, 2011
The 2010 Frontenac Bird Studies technical report has been posted on the FBS home page. Meanwhile winter updates covering November, December, January, and February have been added for McGill Bird Observatory.
February 17, 2011
Another 10 species have been updated for the McGill Bird Observatory Photo ID Library, including all of the Catharus thrushes, as well as Eastern Bluebird, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, and a brand new account for White-breasted Nuthatch. In all, over 100 new photos and accompanying captions have been added. More warbler species are currently being worked on, in advance of spring migration.
January 31, 2011
The annual update ot the McGill Bird Observatory Photo ID Library is underway. The latest upgrades include a new introductory overview for each species, and expanded commentary on most photos, pointing out key features to assist with identification. So far, 20 species have been updated this winter, including all eight of the finches covered by the guide, as well as several sparrows, and others including Red-breasted Nuthatch, Gray Catbird, and Baltimore Oriole. Over 250 new photos have been added to date, with many more species yet to be processed before spring.
December 30, 2010
The McGill Bird Observatory research topics page has been updated with abstracts of the student research projects that have been completed to date.
December 27, 2010
We are very pleased to announce the publication of McGill Bird Observatory Five-Year Report #1: 2005-2009. This 146-page document provides a comprehensive summary of activities at MBO during its first five full years of operation, including detailed appendices describing each week of the migration monitoring periods, a tabular summary of the occurrence of all 199 bird species observed during this period, and a chart of the seasonal occurrence of all species. The report can be downloaded from the MBO home page; if you find the document valuable, please consider making a donation via the Paypal button on the page, to help support MBO's efforts over the next five-year period.
December 23, 2010
The full report on the 2010 Spring Migration Monitoring Program at McGill Bird Observatory is now available.
November 20, 2010
The list of presentations given by MRF has been updated with a number of talks given by Kristen Keyes and Marcel Gahbauer this year in eastern Ontario and southern Quebec.
November 15, 2010
The Saw-whet Owl banding season has come to a close at McGill Bird Observatory, with a record 122 individuals banded this fall. Click here for the season summary, and check out our new Adopt-an-Owl program which we hope will fund the continuation of this research in 2011.
October 31, 2010
After 13 busy weeks, the Fall Migration Monitoring Program at McGill Bird Observatory has come to an end. Many records were shattered this year, with over 6800 birds banded, more than at any other location in Canada during this period! See the week 13 report for an overview of the final numbers, or check out the banding log to access all previous reports. A full seasonal report will be prepared over the next couple of months, and will be posted on the MBO home page once it is ready.
October 10, 2010
Within the past two weeks, two apparent hybrid juncos have been banded at McGill Bird Observatory - click here to view our full collection of avian oddities and scroll down to the hybrid section, or click here and here to directly access photos of each bird. These juncos were part of a continuing wave of strong migration that has already pushed this fall's total to record numbers, with three weeks of standardized monitoring remaining.
October 3, 2010
Fall migration at McGill Bird Observatory is yielding unprecedented numbers of birds this fall, with over 1000 individuals banded in each of the past two weeks, largely thanks to an influx of more than 1600 Yellow-rumped Warblers during this brief period. Check out the week 8 and week 9 reports for full details.
August 8, 2010
The seventh year of fall migration monitoring is underway at McGill Bird Observatory, and the first week has been busy already. We have also posted a brief summary of this summer's MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) program at MBO, as well as a final update on the current phase of Short-eared Owl field research on Amherst and Wolfe Islands in eastern Ontario..
June 21, 2010
MRF's Short-eared Owl research on Amherst and Wolfe Islands in Ontario continues, with some recent successes of note, including banding of a few juveniles - see all the details in the notes from the field, and click here for an invitation to a talk about the project coming up on Amherst Island on June 25.
June 15, 2010
Another Spring Migration Monitoring Program has been successfully completed at McGill Bird Observatory - see the banding log for links to all ten of the weekly reports.
May 25, 2010
Over the past week, several volunteers have completed their annual Birdathons in an attempt to raise funds for MRF programs - check out MBO's week 8 report for links to each of the Birdathon accounts, and information on how to help contribute.
May 19, 2010
McGill Bird Observatory has just completed its fourth banding workshop, this time with guest leader Peter Pyle - see the workshop report for some of the highlights enjoyed by this year's participants.
January 25, 2010
MRF's annual report for 2009 has now been posted - click here for access to it and all previous reports.
January 8, 2010
The 2009 Fall Migration Monitoring Program report for McGill Bird Observatory has been posted - click on the link at the MBO home page for a PDF copy.
December 1, 2009
MRF's Short-eared Owl research has been very productive this year. Additional entries have been added to the notes from the field, detailing the start of fall/winter monitoring, and an appeal has been posted for collection of feather samples.
The MRF presentation list has been updated to include several talks and posters given this year on our Short-eared Owl research, as well as McGill Bird Observatory work.
November 1, 2009
The Fall Migration Monitoring Program at McGill Bird Observatory has been successfully completed. All thirteen weekly reports can be accessed through our log archives, while the most recent news can always be found on the MBO home page.
August 1, 2009
Hard as it is to believe, fall migrants are already heading back south across much of North America, including at McGill Bird Observatory.Today marks the start of our fifth year of standardized fall migration monitoring, to continue daily until October 30. Visit the MBO home page for weekly reports throughout the season and for information on how to participate if you are in the Montreal area and would like to volunteer.
July 17, 2009
The past few weeks have been busy ones for the Short-eared Owl project, with field work continuing on Amherst Island, in addition to a trip north to the coast of James Bay, where Short-eared Owls in some years have a substantial breeding population. Check out the notes from the field for the latest information from both areas.
July 1, 2009
The full report on McGill Bird Observatory's fifth spring season is now available - click on the link at the MBO home page for a PDF copy.
June 30, 2009
With the addition of Frontenac Bird Studies this spring, MRF now has three ongoing research programs based in eastern Ontario and southwestern Quebec, the others being McGill Bird Observatory in Montreal, and Short-eared Owl studies primarily focused in the Kingston area. As such, MRF is relocating its Canadian headquarters to the following, effective immediately:
Migration Research Foundation
P.O. Box 82, Succ. Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue
Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue QC H9X 3L4
Canada
June 25, 2009
The Frontenac Bird Studies project has been busy this month documenting breeding bird populations by following the MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) protocol at three sites - check out the blog at Frontenac Birds for reports and some great photos.
June 14, 2009
A milestone in our Short-eared Owl research - a juvenile has been successfully fitted with a radio transmitter, which will enable us to track its movements as it begins to expand its range over the coming weeks. Visit our notes from the field for all the latest details.
May 31, 2009
Our Short-eared Owl research team on Amherst Island has discovered an active nest - click here for details and photos of the nestlings.
May 16, 2009
Short-eared Owl on Amherst Island in eastern Ontario is progressing well - click here for the latest news.
May 9, 2009
The first spring update on our Short-eared Owl research has been posted.
March 28, 2009
Spring is officially here, at least as far as McGill Bird Observatory is concerned. Today marks the start of our fifth year of standardized spring migration monitoring, to continue daily until June 5. Visit the MBO home page for weekly reports and for information on how to participate if you are in the Montreal area and would like to volunteer.
March 5, 2009
MRF is pleased to announce the launch of a new initiative, Frontenac Bird Studies (FBS). This multi-faceted program will target avian research and conservation on the Frontenac Arch, an ecologically significant region of eastern Ontario that features a remarkable diversity of birds and other wildlife. The new FBS home page has some preliminary information about the program, with further details to follow this spring.
March 2, 2009
See the Short-eared Owl section for updates on our project outline and notes from the field, including some new photos.
November 2, 2008
The fall migration monitoring program has finished for another year, with a record number of birds banded. See the week 13 report for interim totals; the full fall report will be available in the new year.
September 30, 2008
See the presentations section for an abstract of a talk given this week at the annual meeting of the Raptor Research Foundation, summarizing MRF's research on what is known about population trends of Short-eared Owl in North America.
September 8, 2008
The third annual McGill Bird Observatory workshop on ageing birds using molt limits took place last weekend, accompanied by some great birding at MBO - see the MBO Week 6 report and our presentations section for details.
August 1, 2008
The fourth season of fall migration monitoring is underway at McGill Bird Observatory.
June 25, 2008
The latest Spring Migration Monitoring Program report for McGill Bird Observatory has been completed, and is available as a PDF file from the MBO home page.
April 24, 2008
Banding has begun for the fourth spring season of migration monitoring at McGill Bird Observatory; weekly reports are being posted, summarizing weekly counts, news on the latest arrivals, and photo highlights.
January 17, 2008
Click here to view our 2007
Annual Report, which marks our fifth anniversary also includes a brief
retrospective of MRF's accomplishments to date.
December 4, 2007
Now available in the McGill Bird Observatory
section is our 49-page report on the 2007 Fall Migration Monitoring
Program.
November 10, 2007
Updates on our Short-eared
Owl telemetry research have been posted, and results from previous
satellite telemetry studies have been added to the
Short-eared Owl reference
section.
November 2, 2007
The McGill Bird Observatory's third full fall season came to a close
on October 30, with total numbers slightly lower than the previous two
years, but still close to 3000 birds banded. The cumulative chart
of banded birds has been updated, and
season totals can be seen in the final weekly
update of the season. A full report on the fall 2007 migration
monitoring program is currently being prepared, and will be posted later
this month or in early December.
October 17, 2007
We are pleased to announce that MRF's first satellite transmitter on a
Short-eared Owl has been deployed today! Updates will be posted
regularly on the tracking
page as data are received from the transmitter, while additional
background information can be found in the
project outline.
September 18, 2007
The annual review and cleanup of the MRF website is underway. If
you are aware of any broken links, pages or images loading improperly,
or other problems, please e-mail us at
webmaster@migrationresearch.org with the details.
September 1, 2007
The Migration Research Foundation is pleased to announce that we are
now able to accept donations by credit card via the Paypal system, from
anywhere in the world. Please click on the small "donate" button
on the left navigation bar to make your contribution!
August 26, 2007
The second McGill Bird Observatory workshop on ageing birds using molt
limits was a great success; for some highlights see the
MBO Week 4 report and a brief summary in
our presentations section.
August 15, 2007
The MBO Photo ID Library has been
featured in the July/August 2007 issue of Winging It, the
newsletter of the American Birding Association.
Click here to view the article (PDF file; scroll down to the bottom
of the second page)
August 5, 2007
McGill Bird Observatory will be offering a weekend workshop on Aug
25-26 to provide advanced training on ageing and sexing eastern
songbirds (and woodpeckers) through the use of molt limits and other
plumage criteria. For more information or to register for the
workshop, e-mail
mbo@migrationresearch.org.
August 1, 2007
The fourth fall season of migration monitoring is underway at
McGill
Bird Observatory.
July 9, 2007
The full report on the 2007 Spring
Migration Monitoring Program at McGill Bird Observatory has now been
posted as a PDF file.
July 1, 2007
The spring season photos have been reviewed and posted to the
McGill Bird Observatory Photo ID Library,
with updates to a number of species including Yellow-shafted Flicker,
Black-and-white Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Wilson's Warbler,
Northern Parula, Indigo Bunting, Purple Finch, and Savannah Sparrow.
We hope to add some additional species accounts to the ID Library over
the course of the summer.
June 30, 2007
Some exciting news from Montreal - one of the Peregrine Falcons
banded as a chick by
MRF on a downtown Montreal office tower in 2005 has returned to a nearby
bridge to nest.
Click here to see a photo of him as an adult.
June 5, 2007
The Spring Migration Monitoring Program at McGill Bird Observatory has
come to a successful conclusion, with several new species for the site
observed over the course of the season, and our milestone 10,000th bird
banded among the highlights. Check out the
updated site checklist,
cumulative banding records, and
preliminary season summary, and watch for
the full spring report in July.
April 22, 2007
The third spring season of migration monitoring is underway at
McGill
Bird Observatory, with weekly reports being posted including a summary
of weekly statistics, news on the latest arrivals, and photo highlights.
A page has been added with tips on habitat conservation to aid
grassland
birds. Testing of a satellite transmitter is currently underway
for the Short-eared Owl project; more details to follow soon.
January 22, 2007
The 2006 MRF annual report
and the McGill Bird Observatory 2006 Fall
Migration Monitoring Program report have been posted on the website
as PDF files. The MBO site checklist
has also been updated to reflect the latest (2006) updates to the naming
conventions of the American Ornithologists' Union.
January 3, 2007
Lots of updates to the site as we move into the new year. There
have been some organizational changes within MRF; the current list of
directors and links to their individual profiles can be found on the
Directors page. Short-eared Owl
research is progressing, with the newest addition to the website being a
reference page
summarizing useful resources for researchers studying this species.
Within the McGill Bird Observatory section, there are new pages
recognizing the banders and
supporters of the project, a section
detailing a selection of the oddities
that have been encountered while banding, and a direct link to our
tips for extractors working with mist
nets.
We are working on the final revisions to our
2006 annual report and the McGill Bird Observatory Fall Migration
Monitoring Report for 2006, and hope to make those available within the
next couple of weeks.
November 16, 2006
Last week, the Migration Research Foundation participated in the
inaugural meeting of the Canadian Short-eared Owl Working Group in
Winnipeg, Manitoba. We are pleased that there is growing interest
in this species at risk, and that research on it is likely to be
expanding greatly over the next few years. Further details will be
posted in the Short-eared Owl
section in the coming weeks.
October 16, 2006
Despite the lack of updates to this page over the past couple of
months, plenty has been going on. The McGill
Bird Observatory has been in full operation since the start of
August, with weekly reports available in the banding log. Also
during this period, the report on MRF's 2005 Short-eared Owl work in
eastern Ontario was posted in the
Short-eared Owl
publications section. We hope to have additional news to share
about the next phase of Short-eared Owl work in November.
July 27, 2006
The full report on McGill Bird
Observatory's 2006 Spring Migration Monitoring Program has been posted
as a PDF file. The fall season will be starting on Tuesday August
1, and continuing for 13 weeks. Volunteers in the Montreal area
are welcome to participate - see the MBO section
for details.
July 4, 2006
The Canadian address of the Migration Research Foundation has changed
- see the contact information page.
June 5, 2006
Spring migration monitoring has come to an end at
McGill Bird Observatory,
and there are new updates to the
banding log,
cumulative banding list, and site
checklist.
May 3, 2006
The first half of the spring migration
season at McGill Bird Observatory is over; check
the
banding log for the latest weekly updates.
April 2, 2006
Spring migration is underway at McGill Bird
Observatory, and so the final winter updates have been added to the
banding log, including a brief
seasonal summary. Heading into the
spring season, the site checklist
stands at 173 species observed and 93 banded.
March 11, 2006
Recent weekly updates from McGill Bird
Observatory feature some early signs of spring
and news about the first foreign recovery of
an MBO-banded bird. Plans are also underway for this year's
Birdathon, and anyone in the Montreal area
is welcome to take part in the MBO
Birdathon days in late May.
February 5, 2006
The MRF 2005
Annual Report has been posted (PDF file). Also, an
Internship Program for August 2006
has been announced for McGill Bird Observatory; applications are due by
April 15, but anyone interested in taking part is encouraged to submit
their information earlier if possible. The most recent
MBO weekly report has also been posted.
January 29, 2006
New reports continue to be posted weekly for
McGill Bird Observatory, featuring Rusty
Blackbird, American Crow, and
Common Redpoll in recent weeks.
January 7, 2006
The MRF website has migrated to a new
computer over the holidays, and as a result there may be some changes to
the format of various pages as they are updated over the coming weeks.
Please notify us if
you find that any pages are not displaying properly.
Weekly updates for McGill Bird Observatory
have been posted for the past month, and can all be accessed from the
banding log index. The
net location page and photos of the
banding cabin have been completely updated
too.
December
5,
2005
The full report on the 2005 Fall Migration
Monitoring Program at McGill Bird Observatory is now available in the reports
section. Weekly updates will continue to
be posted during the winter, usually on Sundays. A new
table has been added summarizing banding totals across seasons.
October
30,
2005
The fall season has come to an end at McGill
Bird Observatory. A report for week 13
has been posted, and a more complete analysis of the full season will
follow before the end of the year.
October
23,
2005
The Migration Research Foundation is pleased
to announce a new research program on Swainson's Hawks in partnership with
the Cape May Raptor Banding Project. Click
here for an overview of the program, and follow the links on that page
for further details on the research and the species. Also today,
updates for week 11 and week
12 of McGill Bird Observatory's fall migration season have been
posted.
October 9,
2005
Updates for week 9
and week 10 of the fall migration monitoring
program at McGill Bird Observatory have been added.
September
25,
2005
Records continue to be set at the McGill
Bird Observatory - see the latest weekly report
for details.
September
18,
2005
Further news about Skye's fate is detailed
in a new 2005
peregrine telemetry project update, while details of a
record-setting week are discussed in the McGill
Bird Observatory report.
September
11,
2005
An unfortunate development is the focus of
the latest 2005
peregrine telemetry project update. The McGill
Bird Observatory report for the latest week has also been posted with
new photos and a summary of recent highlights.
September
4,
2005
The latest McGill
Bird Observatory report details a very busy week, while the 2005
peregrine telemetry project has a new map and report summarizing the
recent activity of Skye in southwestern Ontario.
August
28,
2005
News of a rare bird is the highlight of this
week's McGill
Bird Observatory report, while the 2005
peregrine telemetry project has updates on the movements of Skye in
southwestern Ontario over the past week.
August
21,
2005
The weekly McGill
Bird Observatory report has been posted, and there is more about
Skye's travels in the 2005
peregrine telemetry project section, including a new map showing her
movements in Ontario.
August
18,
2005
Peregrine news - Skye is on the move!
See the
peregrine telemetry project for details of her travels, including a
first preliminary map.
August
14,
2005
Weekly updates have been posted for the McGill
Bird Observatory banding log, and the 2005
peregrine telemetry project.
August 7,
2005
The first week of fall migration at McGill Bird Observatory
has been a busy one, as summarized in the weekly
report. There is also news on the 2005
peregrine telemetry page.
August 1,
2005
The Spring 2005
report (PDF) for the McGill Bird Observatory is
now available, and there are new entries for June and July in the banding
log. The fall season is now underway, and there will be weekly reports
posted from now until the end of October. There is also a new update
to the 2005
peregrine telemetry page.
July 25,
2005
The 2005
peregrine telemetry page has been updated, as has the McGill Bird
Observatory banding log.
July 18,
2005
An update has been made to the 2005
peregrine telemetry page with news on the first reports from the
transmitter.
July 12,
2005
Photos of Skye have been added to the 2005
peregrine telemetry page and we expect to begin receiving (and
posting) satellite data shortly.
July 3,
2005
MRF is pleased to announce the satellite
tracking of another juvenile Peregrine Falcon from Rochester, New
York. Visit the 2005
telemetry page for a brief introduction to the project; regular
updates will begin to be posted in mid-July. Also later this month,
watch for significant updates to the McGill Bird Observatory photo
library, and a report on the MBO spring season.
June 13,
2005
Another brood of Peregrine Falcon chicks has
been successfully banded, although not without considerable effort this
time - see the notes from the field
for an illustrated account of the process.
June 6,
2005
More positive news regarding Peregrine
Falcons today, with the banding of five healthy young in Montreal - see
the notes from the field
for commentary and photos. June
5,
2005
Sad news today as we have received
confirmation that Hafoc, the young male Peregrine Falcon we were tracking
via satellite telemetry, has been found dead - see the peregrine
telemetry page for further details.
June 3,
2005
The McGill Bird Observatory's
first full Spring Migration Monitoring Program has come to an end. Weekly
reports for the full season are currently available, and a full report
summarizing the full two months is in preparation. The site
checklist has also been expanded considerably in recent weeks.
May 15,
2005
The McGill Bird Observatory's
latest weekly
report has been posted, and the archives of the banding
log have been updated.
April 30,
2005
The latest weekly
report has been posted for the McGill Bird Observatory;
others for recent weeks can be accessed via the banding
log.
April 10,
2005
The Spring Migration Monitoring Program is
underway at McGill Bird Observatory - check the weekly
report for news about recent arrivals, and MBO's 1000th bird banded.
March 26,
2005
The final report on the 2003
Short-eared Owl monitoring project has been converted to a PDF file and
added to the Reports
section. Also, the latest MBO
weekly report
has been added.
March 20,
2005
McGill
Bird Observatory's latest weekly report
has been posted.
March 17,
2005
The
peregrine
telemetry page contains news about the lack of recent reports
from Hafoc; the latest weekly report
for the
McGill
Bird Observatory describes a quiet and snowy week.
March 7,
2005
The weekly report
for the
McGill
Bird Observatory features a photo of the site's first Great Gray
Owl. The MRF presentations
page has been updated with a full list of abstracts for talks given to
date.
March
5,
2005
The Migration Research Foundation will again
be raising funds this spring through the Baillie Birdathon. To support
our efforts, or to join in the fun yourself, click
here for the details.
March 3,
2005
The Migration Research Foundation's Annual
Report for 2004 is now available on the website in PDF format - click
here to view it. A new peregrine
telemetry update has also been posted.
February
27,
2005
The latest weekly report
for the McGill
Bird Observatory has been added.
February
20,
2005
The weekly report
for the McGill
Bird Observatory has been posted, along with updates on Hafoc in the peregrine
telemetry section, featuring new maps.
February
13,
2005
The McGill
Bird Observatory section has been updated, with a new overview
of activities, and weekly summaries.
The
peregrine
telemetry page has also been brought up to date.
January
30,
2005
A new map and text update has been posted on
the peregrine
telemetry page.
January
19,
2005
The Resources
section has been updated with many new additions to the References
section. The latest news and commentary on Hafoc has also been
posted on the peregrine
telemetry page.
January
10,
2005
A brief update on Hafoc's recent locations
has been posted on the peregrine
telemetry page.
December
29,
2004
The final peregrine
telemetry update for 2004 has been added, including new maps.
December
17,
2004
Another peregrine
telemetry update has been posted, showing Hafoc remaining in the
Rochester area. The next news will be posted between Christmas and
New Year's - Happy Holidays to all!
December
11,
2004
The
peregrine
telemetry page has been updated.
December
7,
2004
The Fall 2004
report for the McGill Bird Observatory is now available.
December
3,
2004
Another month, another colour for the peregrine
telemetry map as Hafoc remains in the Rochester area. The
McGill Bird Observatory checklist
and winter banding log have been edited to
reflect additions over the past week.
November
30,
2004
The latest news on Hafoc has been posted on
the peregrine
telemetry page, including a note about a sighting in late October,
and a revised map with clearer labels.
November
27,
2004
Hafoc remains around Rochester, as
summarized on the peregrine
telemetry page. Banding continues at the McGill
Bird Observatory, but has now transitioned into the winter
season; while there are fewer birds around on the whole, the site checklist
continues to grow.
November
20,
2004
Another update on the peregrine
telemetry page, with Hafoc moving all around Rochester.
November
16,
2004
Apologies for the delay in posting recent
news about Hafoc - a couple of computer problems struck us simultaneously
and we were unable to receive and process the data until now. The peregrine
telemetry page has been fully updated, showing that Hafoc has remained
faithful to the Rochester area during this time.
November
2,
2004
The
first November update to the peregrine
telemetry page has been posted for Hafoc, who is still staying close
to Rochester.
October
29,
2004
The first annual Fall Migration Monitoring
Program at McGill Bird Observatory has come to an
end. See the banding log for the final
totals, the updated site checklist, and
the photo gallery for new additions
including American Tree Sparrow and Fox Sparrow, plus additional shots of
Northern Cardinal, Slate-coloured Junco and more. Also,
the peregrine
telemetry page has new updates.
October
24,
2004
Hafoc is on the move again, now
heading west - see the peregrine
telemetry page for new maps and commentary.
October
22,
2004
Highlights of the weekly McGill Bird
Observatory update include photos of some impressive birds banded this
week - Northern Shrike, Pileated
Woodpecker, and a partly leucistic American
Robin. The passerine banding log
and site checklist have been brought up
to date as well.
October
18,
2004
Hafoc remains a bit southeast of Rochester,
as documented on the peregrine
telemetry page.
October
15,
2004
The weekly McGill Bird Observatory update
has been posted, featuring a new owl migration
log, updates to the passerine banding log,
many new additions to the photo gallery,
several new entries on the site checklist,
and a series of new site photos featuring the landscape,
flora and fauna, banding
station, and net lines. In other
news, the latest report has been posted on the peregrine
telemetry page.
October
11,
2004
Hafoc has returned to the Rochester area -
see the peregrine
telemetry page for the latest report and map.
October
7,
2004
Hafoc is on the move! Check the peregrine
telemetry page for details. The McGill Bird
Observatory section has also received updates to the banding
log, photo library, and checklist.
October 5,
2004
The peregrine
telemetry page has been updated with the latest on Hafoc.
September
29,
2004
A new peregrine
telemetry update has been posted summarizing Hafoc's movements north
of Rochester over the past week. The McGill Bird Observatory section
has also been added to again, with new photos,
updates to the research program profile,
and additions to the checklist and banding
log.
September
24,
2004
The peregrine
telemetry page has been updated again, and there are several new
additions to the MBO photo library and checklist,
as well as an expanded site profile for the
McGill Bird Observatory.
September
21,
2004
The McGill Bird
Observatory is now operating several days per week. The daily
log reflects the commencement of semi-regular banding activities.
Meanwhile in peregrine
telemetry news, Hafoc has returned to Rochester again after another
foray to the Lake Ontario shoreline.
September
17,
2004
The text and map have again been updated on
the Peregrine
telemetry page. In the McGill Bird
Observatory section, there are new entries in the daily
log, a revised timeline for volunteers,
and a draft version of the MBO migration
monitoring protocol.
September
13,
2004
A new report has been added to the Peregrine
telemetry page, and the map of Hafoc's travels has been updated for
September, with this month's locations highlighted in purple for greater
clarity. Also, the McGill
Bird Observatory checklist has grown to 100 species since May, with
daily censuses at the site generating new observations regularly.
September
10,
2004
Hafoc has returned to Rochester, and seems
content in spending a few days close to home. See the Peregrine
telemetry page for details.
September
6,
2004
Hafoc has moved more than 90km from his nest
site! See the Peregrine
telemetry page for details.
September
1,
2004
Apparently Hafoc has become quite the
explorer! See the Peregrine
telemetry page for details
August
30,
2004
There is a bit of new movement reported on
the Peregrine
telemetry page today.
August
26,
2004
The Peregrine
telemetry page has been updated, along with the McGill
Bird Observatory checklist, rapidly approaching 100 species for the
year, and the MBO log, reflecting the
warm-up to the fall migration monitoring program.
August
23,
2004
Another update has been entered on the Peregrine
telemetry page.
August
15,
2004
The Peregrine
telemetry page has been updated again.
August
12,
2004
Good news on the Peregrine
telemetry front, with some movement beginning to be tracked, and an
update to the map. The fall migration monitoring program at McGill
Bird Observatory will soon be starting; additional information for MBO
volunteers has been posted.
August 9,
2004
Another Peregrine
telemetry update has been added.
August 6,
2004
The MRF benefactor
page has been updated, and an approximate outline of fall 2004 activities
at the McGill Bird Observatory has been posted for volunteers.
August 3,
2004
More Peregrine
telemetry results have been posted, plus some more additions to the
MBO checklist, including flagging of the
site's known breeding species.
July 30,
2004
The Peregrine
telemetry page features a new entry.
July 24,
2004
Another update to the Peregrine
telemetry page has been posted.
July 15,
2004
The Peregrine
telemetry page has been updated again, including a new photo of
Hafoc in flight. Also, a full list of project
supporters has been posted, and the project
partner and project sponsor
pages have been updated with links to all those involved in the project.
July 8,
2004
The Short-eared Owl notes
have been updated again, with text and photos describing our recent trip
to the tundra in search of the northern Ontario breeding population.
A brief update has also been posted on the Peregrine
telemetry page.
July 5,
2004
Some long overdue updates have been posted
to the Short-eared Owl notes,
including photos and commentary regarding the testing of our harness
design over the winter in preparation for satellite telemetry research on
these birds. A photo of Hafoc has also been added to the Peregrine
telemetry page.
July 4,
2004
A variety of updates to the website have
been posted today. The Peregrine
telemetry page includes additional background information on the
project's methods, plus a new map and commentary on the first set of
transmitter reports. The McGill Bird Observatory checklist has grown
again, and links throughout the MBO section have
been streamlined, especially within the Photo
Library. Several species profiles have been updated, with new
photos for Rough-legged Hawk, Snowy
Owl, and Arctic Fox (all of
which are species that MRF is considering researching in the future), and
a few details added to the Peregrine
Falcon and Short-eared Owl
accounts. Last but certainly not least, our project
partner and project sponsor
pages have been updated and rearranged for easier viewing.
June 12,
2004
Our first satellite transmitter has been
placed on Hafoc, a juvenile male Peregrine Falcon in Rochester, New
York. Click here
for details about him, or visit the Peregrine
project outline for more general information on this research.
Also today, several new pages have been added to the McGill
Bird Observatory section, including a number of new entries in the
Photo
Library.
June 3,
2004
The Migration Research Foundation is pleased
to announce the establishment of the McGill Bird
Observatory, in conjunction with the Avian Science and Conservation
Centre at McGill University. Research at MBO will focus primarily on
the study of migratory passerines and owls through banding, but will also
involve breeding and wintering birds in the area. Click
here for an introduction to MBO; much more information to be added
over the next few months. May
30,
2004
The 2004 Birdathon was done over the
weekend, resulting in 148 birds seen and over $800 raised for the
Migration Research Foundation and Bird Studies Canada.
March 11,
2004
Spring is in the air, and plans are
beginning to be made for this year's Birdathon. Last year our
supporters helped us raise over $1100 to support projects by the Migration
Research Foundation and Bird Studies Canada. Click
here for more details on the 2004 Birdathon, including information on
how you can help us surpass last year's record.
March 5,
2004
MRF is pleased to announce plans for the
satellite tracking of a juvenile Peregrine Falcon from Rochester, New York
this summer, in association with the Genesee Valley Audubon Society.
Click here for a description of the
project and information on how to support this research, or here
for more information on our Peregrine Falcon research program.
December
11,
2003
A couple of new listings have been added to
the resources section: HawkWatch International (under Research
institutions and Migration research)
and the Ontario Environmental Network (under References
/ directories). Updates regarding MRF plans for 2004 are in
progress, and will be posted by early January.
September 2003
The Migration Research Foundation has been
recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in the US by the IRS,
retroactive to February 2003.
August 6, 2003
The current field season is drawing to a
close for the Short-eared Owl project; some recent observations have been
added to the Notes
from the field.
July
18, 2003
Observations from the latest Short-eared Owl
research trip have been added to the Notes
from the field section.
July
12, 2003
The Notes
from the field have been updated after another week in the field
looking for Short-eared Owls.
July
6, 2003
Another Note
from the field has been posted for the Short-eared Owl project.
July
3, 2003
Additional photos from both June banding
events in Montreal have been added to the "Notes from the field"
section for the Peregrine
Falcon project, and another entry has also been added to the
"Notes from the Field" for Short-eared
Owls.
June
29, 2003
The Short-eared
Owl "Notes from the field" section has been updated
with news of our prematurely aborted second trapping attempt. June
27, 2003
The "Notes from the field"
have been updated for both Peregrine
Falcon (with news of another Montreal banding) and Short-eared
Owl (banding/trapping attempts underway). June
25, 2003
A new entry has been posted in the Short-eared
Owl "Notes from the field", describing a warm
and quiet night in eastern Ontario. June
24, 2003
Photos from the first Peregrine
Falcon banding have been posted in the Notes
from the field section. June
22, 2003
Three more entries have been added
to the Notes from the field
for Short-eared Owls. June
18, 2003
The Peregrine Falcon project now
also features a Notes from
the field section, with the first entry describing our banding
experience in Montreal earlier this month. Also, four photos have
been added to the Short-eared Owl Notes
from the field, providing some examples of nesting habitat. June
14, 2003
A new section, Notes
from the field, has been added to the Short-eared Owl project.
Through this we will bring you periodic updates on our work throughout the
season, both with respect to the project itself, and some of the
incidental observations which we make while in the field. June
10, 2003
The Baillie Birdathon was a
resounding success despite very soggy weather - thanks to the generosity
of many supporters, over $1050 was raised in support of the Migration
Research Foundation and Bird Studies Canada!
June
8, 2003
Visit the Short-eared Owl Project
page for an updated list of partners, now including direct links to those
with websites of their own.
June
6, 2003
Additional details about MRF's Peregrine
Falcon research have been posted.
May 8, 2003
MRF Research Director Marcel Gahbauer will be participating in the annual
Baillie Birdathon later this month - click here
for details on how to help this effort to support the conservation of
birds and their habitats.
May 2, 2003
A call for volunteers has been issued to assist with the new Short-eared
Owl research. May
1, 2003
The first phase of MRF's Short-eared Owl study is now underway - click
here for a full outline.
April 2003
MRF has been officially recognized as a registered charity in Canada.
March
2003
Directors of MRF attended the Argos Animal Tracking Symposium,
participating in discussions on the future of migration research around
the world.
January 5,
2003
Launch of the MRF website.
January 2003
Registration of The Migration Research Foundation Inc. in Canada and the
United States. November
2002
Formation of the
Migration Research Foundation.
|
