For the third consecutive Autumn, the staff and volunteers at the Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory will be banding Saw-whet and other boreal owls as part of our mandate to monitor the migration and populations of boreal breeding birds.
Owl Night participants will accompany the staff as they check nets, extract owls from the mist-nets, band and collect important data such as condition, age, and body measurements, and finally release them back to the night.
Photo opportunities will be numerous: these fiesty owls are very photogenic! Staff will also be excited and willing to answer questions about owl behaviour, ecology, and research.
Participants are then invited to sleep off the wee hours of the morning in our comfortable and rustic Grebe Lodge (bring your own sleeping bags) nestled picturesquely on the shores of the Georgian Bay, enjoy a continental breakfast, and then join us again while we band songbirds in the early morning hours.
The cost for participation is only $50.00/night/person! A $20.00 deposit is required to book your spot. Fees help pay skilled banders, and maintain the function of our equipment, supplies, and site so we can conduct meaningful research.
Please contact Christina (the owl bander) or Stéphane (the station scientist) here at the station at (519) 795-7484 for more information or to book your stay.
Groups welcome and encouraged! Please note that because banding is a weather-dependant activity, it is wise to keep your schedule flexible and pick a few nights you are available in case the fickle winds off Lake Huron foil our trapping attempts.
We look forward to seeing you here!
http://bpbo.ca/owl_migration.html
