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This fall we have two amazing contests for you to check out, as well as some dispatches from the field!

Fall update

September 2021

Dear friends and supporters of PIBO,

For 24 days in August and September, PIBO's Executive Director was on Pelee Island assisting with the banding operations. As many of you know, we typically take experienced volunteers on the island. Still, as the most inexperienced volunteer in the last 15 years of PIBO's migration monitoring program, Suzanne did her best to fulfil the role of assistant bander! As ED, Suzanne often has to wear many hats! As soon as she started and we opened the nets, the birds began to arrive. It was an unusually busy start to the fall banding season coupled with hot and humid weather, more mosquitos during that time of year in over ten years and very muddy trails. In other words, it was trial by fire, or rather, biting insects! Despite the challenging conditions, she enjoyed the time very much and appreciated the patient training that our Field Supervisor offered her. After spending the first week as a spare set of hands, scribing data and assisting with opening and closing nets, Suzanne learned to extract birds. The first few times were rather stressful- sweat running down her face, mosquitos biting her hands while she slowly tried to untangle the bird (most of them were warblers at this point) from the mist nets. Eventually, she got the hang of the procedure and even sped up her time a bit. Assisting with the extraction meant that she was more helpful to the Field Supervisor and also learned the identifying features of several species. By the time she returned in September, Suzanne could remove the birds without supervision, open and close the nets solo and complete the banding records more completely. Some of the highlights of her time spent on Pelee were getting together with her colleagues, Sumiko and Graeme, for dinners, meeting the Co-Chair of CMMN Steering Committee, Ricki Dunn and longtime PIBO supporter Pat Woodford, and being away from the city and enjoying the quiet and natural beauty of the island.

PIBO ELSEWHERE

F O L L O W on F A C E B O O K

F O L L O W on T W I T T E R

F O L L O W on I N S T A G R A M

HELP THE CAUSE

You can help us safeguard the future of migratory birds on Pelee Island; all it takes is a small donation.

You may have noticed this is a rather packed-out newsletter, between our research programmes, growing education programmes, birdathons, contests, and so much more, our team is busy trying to make the world a better place for birds.

We also have had a very unusual banding season, one that is asking many questions of our team, and forcing us to stay prepared and nimble. Between seeing the lowest number of birds in many years this spring, followed by an unusually early and very busy beginning of migration this fall, we are seeing shifts in patterns that require vigilant data collection. Please help us keep our ear to the wind to better understand what the birds may be telling us about their changing environment, as they battle challenges such as Ontario's summer wildfires, potential shifts in migration routes or changing nesting habitat availability.

Ultimately, we cannot do this without your continued support. Even small monthly donations can make all the difference to a small and nimble organization like ours. Please consider donating today, to help change our world for the better.

Donate Now

The Global Bird Rescue is happening right now! Until October 3rd, check for birds that have collided with windows and upload them to the Global Bird Collision Mapper. You can help birds in need today, as well as future birds by documenting window collision victims so that together, we can create a solution. Visit Global Bird Rescue for more information.

Birds Canada have been conducting remote 'anywhere, anytime' Birdathons for the past two years, and if you'd like to conduct your own fundraising Birdathon event at home in 2021, stay tuned for a future email full of how-to tips! For now let's check out PIBO's own Field Supervisor, Sumiko, sharing her experience doing the Great Canadian Birdathon this year, planned in celebration of her 15th year of birding on Pelee:

Here are my results from the Great Canadian Birdathon, 24 hours from September 9th morning to the 10th morning. The wind had been North overnight before the day, but it warmed up quickly for the morning of the 9th. It was hot (27C) and stable flies were terrible!! Both the census and the netting area were relatively quiet for the morning except a group of Nashville and Tennessee Warblers came through occasionally. Strong east/south-east wind started picking up for the afternoon and I had a bit of trouble finding birds from not hearing them. I did bird watching mostly in the area nearby the water since it became very dry after the last rain. I recorded 88 species including some shorebird (Greater Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Common Snipe), and 18 warbler species (many Nashville, Tennessee, Cape May, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Western Palm, Blackpoll). For the next year, I might do this birdathon in October to see some more sparrows.

If you missed our panel discussion on Bird Friendly Cities on August 31, you can watch it on PIBO's YouTube channel.

Thank you as always for your support, and please consider sharing this newsletter onwards with your friends and family who are passionate about birds, wildlife, or the environment!
Warm regards from the PIBO Team!

Copyright © *2021* *Pelee Island Bird Observatory*, All rights reserved.
Photos by Suzanne Friemann and Sumiko Onishi

Our mailing address is:
*PO Box 24001 Market Square, Windsor On N8Y 4Y9*

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