Studying and Saving Shore Birds

There were many exciting research projects going on at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre and some of them involved birds. Two very special people, Carol O'Dwyer and Toby Mankis studied shorebird physiology related to environment and climate change.

Their research project focused on collecting detailed ecological and physiological data on juvenile growth of shorebirds in order to test key hypotheses regarding both the direct and indirect effects of climate change on sub-arctic nesting shorebirds. Their duties consisted of a combination of nest searching, nest monitoring, banding adult shorebirds on the nest, banding chicks in the nest, re-capturing and re-sighting of color banded chicks in the field to measure growth and survival, arthropod monitoring, rearing of captive chicks and measuring active and resting metabolic rates of captive chicks. 

In a nutshell, two people did the nonstop work of ten and did this work objectively as scientists and sensitively as humanists. And they did it plagued by the largest and most prolific insect populations I have ever seen and I LIVE in Florida and TRAVEL to African jungles!

Here are some pictures of their work with shorebirds including the Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, and Least Sandpiper.

Lights for life

Home away from home

Ice cube tray garden

Environment

Field research

Here I come...

Incubator baby

Nest baby

Tags for future research

Toby

Carol on release day. Being a parent is letting go...

Success!

Spring Wings 2014- Bodacious Birding!

After spending February and the first week of March this year as a volunteer at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre and seeing the quality of their learning adventures, I decided I needed to be a guest and enjoy birding and belugas in Churchill this summer. I booked Spring Wings June 5-10 with Rudolf Koes as the leader. This is the blurb from the brochure:

Spring's Wings: Birding in Churchill

Instructor: Rudolf Koes
Participants: 9
After nearly 8 months of winter, the ice in the Churchill River begins to move and the tundra comes alive with the carillon cry of hundreds of thousands of returning snow geese. Join the migration and explore the excellent birding opportunities to be found in Churchill, Manitoba, a well known birding "hotspot" that you'll want to experience firsthand. Daily guided tours and field trips allow you to see a wide variety of bird species, while keeping a sharp eye out for such rarities as the Ross's gull, bohemian waxwing and Harris' sparrow. Some unique birds common to Churchill include the Pacific loon, jaegers, willow ptarmigan and Smith's longspur. Our programs are led by birding experts with decades of experience and group sizes are kept to a minimum. There is also ample opportunity to explore the town and the world-famous Eskimo Museum with its renowned collection of historic and contemporary Inuit art and artifacts. 5 full days of birding!

The vacation was incredible, a zillion times better than the blurb suggests but that is the way of CNSC staff- understated and over accommodating! We saw over 130 species of birds in breeding plumage, snowshoe hare, the first polar bears of the season, a mom and two cubs, seals, and belugas! Talk about WOW!

The bears are pictured in my polar bear section - the mama and cubs on the ice with the ringed seals and the belugas will be covered in another section. I didn't get the best pictures, as birds are difficult, and pardon the pun, flighty, but we had binoculars, scopes, and the spotting expertise of Rudolf Koes, BIRDMAN of Churchill!

If you like birding, wildlife, and a totally different adventure (we had a summer blizzard, saw icebergs, then had beautiful,, balmy weather)  check out the learning adventures at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre. Take it from someone who travels a lot. It is so much more than a vacation. They can't be beat!

First day of birding , the day after the blizzard

Willow Ptarmigan

Whimbrel

Northern Shoveler

Red-necked Phalarope

Arctic Tern

Pine Grosbeak

Raven

Yellow Warbler

Geese and shorebirds aplenty

Hudsonian Godwit

Spruce Grouse

Willows by the lake

Savanah sparrow

White-crowned sparrow

Semipalmated sandpiper

Icebergs in the bay!

Hudson Bay breakup

Common Eider, Canada Goose

Gulls on ice!

Sandhill Crane in summer adult, breeding plumage

Nesting Pacific loon

Canada Geese in molt migration formation

These are just a few of the birds and sights that I witnessed on Spring Wings but the true joy and majesty of the experience cannot be expressed adequately in words or even pictures.

Inuksuk, ᐃᓄᒃᓱᒃ Ancient Communication System

                                                                                 

Inuksuk (in uk suk, plural, inuksuit) are monuments made of unworked stones that are used by the Inuit for communication and survival. 

The Inuit make inuksuit in different forms for a variety of purposes: as navigation or directional aids, to mark a place of respect or memorial for a beloved person, or to indicate migration routes or places where fish can be found. The traditional meaning of the inuksuk is "Someone was here" or "You are on the right path." It often led the way to help and signaled a food cache to the community. In modern times with internet and satellite phones even in the most remote location  it has come to mean welcome. Canada used it for the 2010 Olympic symbol.  

Figure at the 2010 Olympics

                                                             

                

  

I was immediately drawn to these enigmatic monuments which to me are mystical works of art. I have looked for them, stumbled upon them, photographed them, bought them, and made them

 The inunnguaq below is an inuksuk figure that is always in the shape of a person. It is the most universally recognised of the inuksuit figures.

 This is INUKSUK ME!  February 2014

Welcome to the Eskimo Museum! Yes, Eskimo, long story for another blog.

Winter views of the Churchill Town Inuksuk

Inuksuk at the entrance to Pisew Falls near Thompson

Inuksuk at the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg

INUKSUK ME! June 2014 (still frosty out there)

Summer Polar Bears Part 2

Mom and cub were walking outside Prince of Wales Fort as we walking from the wall.

Cub decided to have a snack so Mama nursed. Most wonderful bear moment.

Mama and Cub away from the coast

Seriously, all you do is sleep!