The SONG SPARROW Bird Protection Quebec - Protection des oiseaux du Québec August 2016 For the Birds since 1917 Pour les oiseaux depuis 1917 Bird Protection Quebec is a registered charity: Cover Photo Donations are tax deductible. Ruby-throated Hummingbird © Richard Gregson Charity Registration #: 11925 2161 RR0001. Principal Officers President: Barbara MacDuff Introducing Barbara MacDuff 1 Vice-President: Jane Cormack The Gray Jay for Canada’s National Bird 2 Treasurer: Phyllis Holtz Reserve Naturelle Alfred – Kelly Nature Reserve 2016 - 2021 4 Secretary: Helen Meredith The Falaise St. Jacques, A Forgotten Wilderness in the Heart of Membership Secretary: Gayle McDougall Gruner the City 5 Contact: Bird Protection Quebec Technoparc Montreal 7 C.P. 358 succ. Saint-Charles Bird Views 8 Kirkland, Quebec H9H 0A4 Get Ready to Celebrate – January 4, 2017 is BPQ’s 100th Tel.: 514-637-2141 birthday! 11 E-mail: [email protected] Bird Protection Quebec Fall 2016 Monday Night Lectures 13 Website: www.birdprotectionquebec.org Online discussion group: Past Field Trips 16 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Songsparrow Celebrating Fall Migration / Fêtez la Migration 19 The Song Sparrow: ISSN 1710-3371 Upcoming Field Trips 20 Legal Deposit: National Library and Archives of Canada Publication Mail No.: 40044323 Newsletter Editor & Layout: Jane Cormack [email protected] Cover Design: Richard Gregson [email protected] Bird Views: Pierre Bannon [email protected] i One of the traditions of Bird Protection of Quebec Society for the Protection of Introducing Quebec (BPQ) is for the outgoing Birds (PQSPB). She was elected to the Barbara MacDuff president to introduce his or her replacement to the membership. It is my Board of Directors in 1990. She then pleasure to introduce you to Barbara served as BPQ’s President for a two-year by Sheldon Harvey, Outgoing president MacDuff. term beginning in 1999. Anyone who has been a part of BPQ, for During her years in BPQ Barbara has even just a short period of time, will served on the Bluebird Trails Committee, recognize the name. Barbara is a long- the History Book Committee, the standing and very active member of Bird Sanctuary Committee, the Conservation Protection Quebec. Committee, the Centenary Committee, and the Philipsburg Project Group. She is Barbara was born in Montreal and has currently the Chair of the Education lived here most of her life, with the Committee and regularly leads field trips exception of a three-year period when in the Hudson area. In addition, with the she lived in three different places, assistance of the members of the Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Nova Scotia. She Education Committee, Barbara leads currently resides in Baie d’Urfé. Barbara outings for children and newcomers to worked for 30 years as an elementary birding at the Morgan Arboretum and at school teacher. She enjoys skiing, Parc-nature du Bois-de-l’Île-Bizard. kayaking and training her dog in agility and obedience. Barbara also likes to read Barbara is active in a number of citizen and spend time with family. science projects such as Quebec Marsh Monitoring and Quebec Nocturnal Owl Her grandparents, who had a house in the Monitoring. She is a regular participant in Eastern Townships, introduced her to the the annual Great Canadian Birdathon birds in the area. They were especially raising funds for Bird Studies Canada and fond of bluebirds, which were numerous the McGill Bird Observatory (MBO). In at the time. Her interest in birds was addition she volunteers at the MBO spring really sparked later on, when she joined and fall. the Nova Scotia Bird Society and saw her first Bald Eagle. Barbara is stepping into the role of BPQ President President of Bird Protection Quebec at a Barbara first joined our organization in very busy and important time in the 1980, when it was known as the Province history of the organization. 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of Bird Protection Bird Protection Quebec 1 Quebec. She is currently chairing the There are movements afoot in Canada to 100th anniversary working group. The The Gray Jay for select a National Bird as part of the group is busy planning a full slate of Canada’s Canada celebrations for its 150th year of special events and activities to be held existence in 2017. Currently we have the throughout the centenary year. National Bird maple as our official tree and for better or worse, the beaver as our official mammal. Together with the members of her So why not an official bird? Many by David M. Bird Executive (Jane Cormack, Vice President; countries have one, the U.S. with its bald Phyllis Holtz, Treasurer; and Helen eagle being a prime example. I strongly Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Biology, Meredith, Secretary), and the other believe that we should choose the Gray McGill University members of the Board of Directors, Jay, formerly known as the Canada Jay. Barbara plans to focus on increasing the In no order of importance, here are no membership of Bird Protection Quebec less than FOURTEEN compelling reasons while guiding the organization through why it would be a great choice: its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2017. Barbara takes over the role of 1. Found in all thirteen provinces and President at a time when there are many territories; it is only found in a lim- challenges ahead for conservation, ited part of the U.S., e.g. in the Rocky natural habitats and the birds that we all Mountain region of the Pacific North- enjoy so much. west and Alaska. 2. A member of the corvid or crow Please join with me in thanking Barbara family, arguably the smartest birds MacDuff for stepping forward to take on on the planet; the challenge and please offer her your 3. Not an official bird species for any of complete support, together with an the ten provinces and recognized enthusiastic welcome. territories nor any other country (Common Loon is Ontario’s bird; Gray Jay © Chuck Kling Snowy Owl is Quebec’s bird) 4. Very hardy like all Canadians, having A very prominent bird in our boreal highly adapted itself to living in very forests and I call upon all cold regions; Canadians to support this cause 5. Figures strongly in First Nations and pass around the word! folklore; the name “whisky jack” or “whiskey jack” derived from Algonquin, Cree and/or Innu mythology, apparently meaning “mischievous prankster”. Bird Protection Quebec 2 6. Is not an endangered species and 14. Not a circumpolar species, i.e. not Red-Tailed Hawk, is even more common thus, not at a serious risk of found in other northern countries (as in the U.S. than in Canada, so it is not very disappearing; is the Snowy Owl and Common distinctive. Fortunately, the Gray Jay is 7. Figures prominently in the boreal Raven) one of the candidates in their poll. forest ecological zone, constituting a vast portion of our country worthy of In short, I cannot think of a more protection and under pressure from Canadian bird!!! While many Canadians clear-cutting and oil and gas do not see this bird in their backyard development; every day, many states and provinces as 8. Not a hunted species, so not shot by well as other countries have official birds Canadians; that the public does not see on a regular basis and may in fact never see as a live Last Call: The the Canadian wild bird. The fact is that once the Gray Geographic Society (CGS) contest Jay is chosen, we can promote the bird so closes August 31! that Canadians make an effort to visit our boreal forests to become very familiar Vote online at http:// with it and indeed, be proud of it as our www.canadiangeographic.ca/nationalbird/ National Bird. The Extremely friendly Gray Jay or Tell your friends to vote! Other Comments Whiskey Jack © André Desrochers 9. Extremely friendly toward humans A few years ago, a raptor organization Well over a year ago, the Canadian (like all Canadians), easily coming to Geographic Society (CGS) initiated a the hand for treats; called The Canadian Raptor Conservancy (CRC) in Ontario started promoting a similar online survey, a much more 10. Formerly called the Canada Jay by serious effort, for the general public to ornithologists for 200 years; its national bird for Canada, but they have been doing it mostly by using an internet weigh in on this matter. Forty candidates French name is still mésangeai du were nominated, including the Gray Jay. Canada and its Latin name is vote. I worry about their process because there are species on their list of As of writing this report, the current Perisoreus canadensis! front-runner is the Common Loon with 11. Stays in Canada year-round, i.e. not candidates which would be a disastrous choice. For instance, the Canada Goose 10,344 votes followed by the Snowy Owl a “snowbird”! with 7,397. The Gray Jay is currently in 12. Not regarded as an obnoxious or is an obnoxious bird much hated in the U.S., U.K. and even in our own country to third place with 6,389 votes. It is nuisance species (like the Canada noteworthy that both the Common Loon Goose which is culled in the U.S.!) the point of being regularly culled. Two other leading species are already and Snowy Owl are already established as 13. Not likely to be confused with any the official birds of the two most highly other bird species recognized as provincial birds. Another leading candidate in the CRC poll, the Bird Protection Quebec 3 populated provinces in the country, i.e. delightful these birds are, take a peek at askprofessorbird.org or email Ontario and Quebec, respectively.