Our Mission

Rocky Point Bird Observatory seeks to influence and inform conservation and ecological management practises of migratory birds in western North America through monitoring, scientific research and public education.

Announcements

RPBO volunteers are teaming up with local and provincial politicians in this year's Baillie Birdathon. Please consider volunteering and/or supporting this event.

RPBO is partnering with Canadian River Expeditions to offer a spectacular 14 day bird watching trip on the Tatshenshini River. RPBO board member David Fraser will act as biologist on this trip by river raft through through Tatshenshini Provincial Park, the largest bio-preserve in the world. Trip participants will be searching for Aleutian Terns Kittlitz's and Marbled Murrelets, Parastic Jaegers, Trumpeter Swans, Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, Harlan's Hawks "Timberline" Sparrows and all 3 species of Ptarmigan. (Tatenshini Bird List).

Net repair work parties: MAPS season is fast approaching. We managed some net repairs at the end of the season but more needs to be done. It's easy to learn, and can be done together, or in your home. All volunteers are welcome on Saturday April 6 and/or Sunday April 14. Both sessions are listed on WhenToHelp, as RPBO Display Helpers. Please sign up and join us!

Important! Due to a flood at the Central Library we have had to change the venue for our Annual General Meeting. It will now be held from 6:30-8:30pm tonight (Thursday, March 14^th), in the St. Andrew's Kirk (Church) Hall, 680 Courtenay St. The meeting will include presentation(s) on our projects and election of the new board. The doors will open at 6:30, come early and chat with members of the board and other volunteers.

RPBO has hired our first Executive Director, Stacey Hrushowy. Thank you to everyone who applied!

RPBO has finished interviewing the candidates for our Executive Director position. We are in the process of checking references and will contact the candidates once a decision has been reached. Thank you to everyone who applied!

The 2012 Passerine Fall Migration and Northern Saw-whet Owl reports have both been added to the site.

RPBO has expanded operations to the extent that we now require an Executive Director. For the first year we will contract with the selected candidate to work from his/her home. The base contract will be for $300 per week for 20 hours of work. There will be considerable flexibility in scheduling, based on the requirements of the Director and RPBO. The position, contractor and compensation will be reviewed during the term of the contract. Please submit a cover letter and resume outlining your suitability for this position and provide contact information for at least two references. We intend to fill this position for a start in early to mid-March. As such, we are posting a deadline of Feb 28 for applications. However, applications will be reviewed as soon as they are received and we may fill the position earlier if a suitable candidate is found. Please note: This is not a field position, however the contractor would be welcome (but not required) to participate in our field work on a volunteer basis. Willingness to volunteer will not be a factor in the award of the contract.

Our annual raffle is now underway, buy your tickets for a chance to win $1000!

Andrea and Christina put together a PowerPoint presentation comparing the fall migration banding totals at Pedder Bay and Rocky Point.

Our Northern Saw-Whet Owl project is experiencing it's best season ever! We've broken single day banding records on at least 2 occasions with 60 and then 70 owl nights. We've also had 3 foreign recaptures, 2 from Tatlayoko Lake (their first ever foreign recaptures) and one from Mill Bay.

August 5, 2012
Today marks the end of our 9^th MAPS season. This year we banded approximately 500 birds at our Witty's Lagoon and Madrona Farm sites (of which around 30% were hummingbirds).

A big thank you to all the volunteers and to Rick Schortinghuis who made this season a success!

Jo Motek, MAPS Co-ordinator

PS: If you would like to join the MAPS net repair work party on Saturday, August 11^th please sign up on WhenToHelp.

The Pedder Bay Marina migration monitoring site is officially open! If you wish to visit and see what we're all about, you can come by the site between 8:30 and 10:30 am any morning between July 21 and October 18. Park at the Marina parking lot and walk back along the road (watch out for traffic!) You'll see us working in the area just beyond the second speed bump as you head towards Rocky Point Road. If there are more than four people in your group, please send us an email (visits@rpbo.org) with the details so that we can ensure that we have enough volunteers on hand to accommodate you.

Go to http://goo.gl/maps/6iGi then click on Satellite view for a better idea of where we really are!

On July 23 we caught a Black and White Warbler during MAPS at Witty's Lagoon. The Black and White Warbler is a very rare visitor to Vancouver Island with only 3 or 4 recorded sightings.

Help support RPBO activities by sponsoring a net or "adopting" a bird!

New Volunteer Opportunities

We need bird bags for the coming season. A number of people attended a workshop on how to make the bags. Here are the instructions provided at that meeting.

RPBO has formed a number of committees to help with the various activities and operations of the society. This is a new way for members/volunteers to contribute and be involved in the organization in addition to the field season. The purpose of the committee(s) is to focus on a particular task or area, such as fundraising and events. RPBO is also seeking a Chair for the committees. Time commitments are expected to be minimal. The more work that gets shared between members the more input and opportunities members have in the society. For example we need volunteers for the International Migratory Bird Day and future Avian Colloquium(s). The purpose of the committees, Terms of Reference and the committee chair role are available to download and view on the committees page. If you are interested in being a committee member or chair contact rpbo@rpbo.org.

Thank you, RPBO Supporters!

We couldn't operate without the support of many!