30th Anniversary - 2024

RPBO Celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2024!

2024 marked the 30th anniversary of Rocky Point Bird Observatory. Since 1994, RPBO has been a member of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network (CMMN), gathering information on bird demographics and population trends over southern Vancouver Island and beyond.

Our 30th Anniversary was a time for reflection and gratitude. We are sincerely thankful for the loyalty and service of our volunteers, members, and staff and the generous support of our donors and grantors. Your efforts ensure our programs run efficiently and allow us to confidently look to the future. Our greatest asset is our people. Without their contributions, none of our accomplishments would have been possible.

What are people saying?

Jannaca Chick, MAPS & Owl Bander

RPBO has more or less taken over my life in many ways - all of them good! I became an extractor of both passerines and owls. Then I decided I would like to get my owl banding permit. Once I acquired that, I became one of RPBO’s owl banders. Then, kind of accidentally, I slowly started banding a few passerines. I was encouraged to take the North American Banding Council assistant bander test. That was quite terrifying - taking tests and having 2 certifiers watching my every movement at the station for 2 days! Much to my amazement I passed. I was then inspired to get my passerine banding permit and I have devoted myself to the MAPS project and become RPBO’s MAPS bander. Last year in 2023 I got my hummingbird banding permit.

I have made many wonderful friends and have the pleasure of interacting with RPBO’s wonderful group of volunteers. I get to participate in the very meaningful work of bird conservation and research. I have learned skills that have allowed me to travel to other banding stations to participate and volunteer.

One of my most exciting nights of owl banding was the very first owl banded at the Rocky Point station in 2022 - a Barn Owl! This was only the second one we have ever banded in 20 years of Nocturnal Owl Monitoring! We were all over the moon at our good luck in being able to see this magical creature.

Gail Harcombe, Treasurer

I first become involved in RPBO in 2013 as a volunteer extractor and at the first AGM, I was elected to the Board as Treasurer. I’m currently serving my 10th year on the Board.

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with so many people so passionately involved in bird conservation, in the monitoring and research area or in the public education programs. After I “discovered” extracting, one of my personal goals became seeing how many different species I can extract from the nets… I have extracted close to 70 different species to date! On my most recent shift, I added Brown-headed Cowbird to the list. Perhaps not a super glamourous bird, but new to me and fascinating to see all the nuances in colour and patterns in the feathers. Those LBJs will no longer be simply “Little Brown Jobs”. Over time, as the organization has grown, the time commitment has become a lot, but supporting RPBO’s goals continues to be important to me. I have become more aware of the increasing challenges that birds face and am glad to give of my time and skills to do what I can to support conservation efforts.

My passion is extracting…checking the nets is a bit like Christmas – you never know what you will find. Solving the puzzle of how a bird got entangled and then reversing the process give me great satisfaction. And there are few things more special and uplifting to me than holding a hummingbird in your hand, or at the other end of the size spectrum, a Cooper’s Hawk! The thrill of extracting and seeing the different species up close will never get old!

Daniel Donnecke, SeaWatch & Science Committee Chair

I became involved with Rocky Point in 2012 first doing census for Pedder Bay then Rocky Point and finally sat in at my first board meeting in January 2014, joining the board shortly after.

I love RPBO. I love the people, many of whom have become friends. I love the birds and how we are contributing to bird conservation. To do the census or even just daily observations is a privilege. You intimately get to know the seasons within the migration season as different birds come through or arrive back for the winter. It is so fulfilling to me to be part of a greater effort within the CMMN network of stations to have a nation-wide pulse on the migrating birds, and see how they are doing.

A most memorable anecdote was my first census ever at Rocky Point. Still a little intimidated (not quite sure if I knew most of my birds by ear, I surely knew them by sight!) I came along Net 9 which had a little greenish bird in the net. What was that bird? 2 metres away from it, still I needed binoculars. At that moment, our bander Brian Pomfret came along: "Oh, got something good?" he asked. Now I was in real trouble. I confessed to Brian that I had no Idea what I was looking at. "It's a Pac-sloped," Brian said, smiling broadly. "Have a good census!" I felt embarrassed that I could not ID a Pacific-sloped Flycatcher less than 2 m away. The fact that it was not in its usual pose completely threw me off. At the same time Brian made me feel welcome with his big smile, reassuring me that I’d do fine on the census loop.

Andrew Harcombe, Membership Coordinator, & Past President

I joined RPBO in 2014 as a Board Director. I’ve had the opportunity to utilize my experiences from other boards, regarding governance issues. Joining RPBO provided new direction in my bird activities, following up on my work done in starting and operating Tatlayoko Lake Bird Observatory.

I’ve been a volunteer director and a scribe at the banding station. And as the Membership Director, I have seen membership double in size in past decade. Since we operate as a member active organization, this has been very rewarding.

RPBO compiled lists of 30 bird-oriented activities/ observations/ topics that our members have enjoyed!

Lists can be produced on any topic. Here are some examples:

30 favourite species of bird observed
30 memorable bird-watching locations
30 interesting characteristics of various bird species
30 species of birds seen on television or in movies
30 excellent bird books
30 bird-friendly plants
30 interesting bird behaviours

Members are also invited to write short descriptions of why they chose their submissions. These descriptions together with the associated lists will be shared with other members throughout the year. Other ideas? Send us one or send us thirty!

30 Mind Blowing Things RPBO Taught Me (Gaylia Lassner)

by Gaylia Lassner, RPBO Development Director

1) The birds in my backyard this year are probably the same birds that were there last year.

2) The feathery comb on the leading edge of an owl's wing breaks up the airstream so there is no sound, allowing the owl to hunt silently.

3) A Northern Saw-whet Owls' heads look like an orange with a section removed. The huge gaps are their EARS - you can see the backs of their eyeballs in this ear space!

4) Sometimes you "Furl" a mist net.

5) Sometimes you "Twizzle" a mist net.

6) "Furling" and "Twizzling" are both very fun to do.

7) It is interesting and rewarding to learn your local bird names.

8) It is important to teach children the names of local birds.

9) Knowing something about a bird fundamentally changes how you think of them. To learn is to care.

10) The design of a bird is not random. Everything has a reason - such as the Brown Creeper having short legs so that its body stays very close to the tree trunk.

11) Birding is a hobby accessible to all at any time of your life. You can begin at any age, and you will never finish.

12) In Victoria, it's not Robins that let us know Spring is coming. One of the first species to arrive each Spring is the Violet-Green Sparrow.

13) The mess on the top of the light standard in my local soccer field is actually an Osprey nest.

14) Two of the most common raptors on Vancouver Island are Bald Eagles and Turkey Vultures.

15) The word "bald" comes from an old English word that means "white". An adult Bald Eagle's head is not unfeathered - it's white feathers.

16) Turkey Vultures are not very good at flying, but they excel at soaring.

17) One of the most beautiful sights to see in Fall is a Turkey Vulture kettle. They will spiral higher and higher in the sky until they think they have enough height to soar over to Washington State.

18) The Bewick's Wren sings up to 20 different songs.

19) If someone asks you to identify which bird is singing, and you don't know, you can appear very smart by saying, "It's probably a Bewick's Wren."

20) Owls have a third eyelid that protects their eyes from debris when they are swooping in to attack.

21) Birders are the most fun people with whom to spend long silent periods of time outdoors.

22) The Common Swift can stay in the air for up to ten months at a time!

23) It is possible to "trick" the Merlin app with an effective imitation of a Barred Owl - "Whooo cooks for youuu"

24) Barred Owls eat Northern Saw-whet Owls.

25) Researchers have found specialized cells in the eyes of some bird species that allow them to "see" the Earth's magnetic field.

26) Give birds the space and respect they need. Everyone wants to rush out and see a rare and beautiful bird, but that is not always what is best for the birds.

27) Windows are a significant threat to birds, but there are excellent products available to help protect birds from window strikes.

28) An unclean hummingbird feeder can be deadly to the birds. Clean carefully between refills.

29) Even the most unlikely and disinterested person will learn to love birds after spending time with RPBO members.

30) Our actions today can make a difference to bird conservation.

30 Friends I Made at RPBO (Anne Cotter)

by Anne Cotter, RPBO Member & Volunteer

I've met over 30 wonderful people who are all connected by the love of birds. In no particular order:

Ann S Alison Jannaca Storm Megan RaeAnn Julian

Emma R Evan David Aiva AnnN Jo Mike

Andrew Gail Gaylia Joachim Pier Evie Daniel

Mara Louis Robyn Mark Rick Carolyn

Tamara Cathy Julie

30 Birdy Things I Own (Ann Scarfe)

30 Red-tailed Hawks (Daniel Donnecke)

30 of My Most Memorable World Bird Species (Eric Tull)

by Eric Tull, RPBO Member

Brooke Clibbon and I have been fortunate to be able to do a considerable amount of world birding together. Following is a list of 30 of my most memorable birds that we saw when birding together. They are in chronological order of our sightings. In selecting these 30 most memorable birds, I must have skipped over at least an equal number of other memorable birds. If you have the opportunity to travel to another country, I urge you to go. There are wonderful birds to be seen and heard, wherever you chance to go.

1. Japanese Bush Warbler (Hawaii 1993)
This LBJ skulker would not show itself until Brooke somehow managed to imitate its incredible whistle. Image
2. King Penguin (South Georgia 2000)
Huge colony of these big birds (almost a metre tall). They were intrigued by my blue rain pants and would approach and gently peck at them. Image
3. Snowy (Wandering) Albatross (South Georgia 2000)
Nesting adult waddled up a little hill, opened its huge narrow wings, and ran downhill, only to nosedive into the dirt. It did this twice before catching the wind on its third attempt and soaring up effortlessly. Image
4. Resplendent Quetzal (Panama 2001)
Brilliant green male with red belly and long green plumes from its uppertail coverts. Perched directly overhead. Image
5. Secretarybird (Kenya 2002)
Large raptor with long legs, long central tail feathers, and wild head plumes. Usually seen walking or running after its prey, but we first saw it on our first day in Africa when it flew directly over the vehicle. Image
6. African Fish-Eagle (Kenya 2002)
Spectacular eagle whose whistle is heard in every African nature documentary. Our boatman threw out a fish and whistled and the eagle swooped down and grabbed it in passing by us. Image Voice
7. New Zealand Kaka (New Zealand 2005)
13 of these large charming parrots came to the back porch of our place on Stewart Island and made quick but gentle work of the almonds we offered them. Image
8. Royal Spoonbill (New Zealand 2005)
White spoonbill with black bill and long plumes from back of head. He seemed to know Brooke was videoing him as he preened and posed for the camera. Image
9. Galah (Australia 2007)
A pink and grey cockatoo with somewhat of a white crest, they were found in flocks over much of Australia, often allowing close approach. Image
10. Eastern Whipbird (Australia 2007)
We heard the very distinctive call in the forest but could not see what bird it was. Brooke worked her way through the printed field guide and figured out which bird the call belonged to. In fact, two birds duet in some of their calls with perfect timing so they sound like one bird. Image Voice
11. Victorias Riflebird (Australia 2007)
This is a type of Bird-of-Paradise. We found a male on a broken off tree trunk, calling with a great squawk. A female came in, and he wrapped his wings around her and danced back and forth. She scooted off unimpressed. Image Voice
12. Southern Cassowary (Australia 2007)
These birds can be dangerous, so Brooke kept a large garbage can between her and the bird while she videoed it. A young bird, I suspect it was just looking for a handout. Image
13. Malleefowl (Australia 2007)
The guide set us down and rang a little bell. Out from nowhere appeared this large gamebird and accepted the food offered by the guide. Later we saw this species building a large mound into which the female would lay her eggs. She then lets the heat of decay of the mound incubate the eggs. The newly-hatched young climb out of the mound and leave the nest to face the world on their own. Image
14. Blue-footed Booby (Galapagos 2008)
These birds have bright sky-blue feet. Brooke videoed a pair doing their mating dance which put much effort into displaying their feet. Image
15. Black-tailed Trainbearer (Ecuador 2008)
We found and identified this long-tailed hummingbird by ourselves before we met the guide. It was the first of 52 spectacular hummingbird species that we saw on the trip to Ecuador. Image
16. Andean Condor (Ecuador 2008)
These huge birds with their long broad wings flew low over us as we birded a pass in the Andes. Image
17. Eurasian Hoopoe (Qatar 2010)
With its strange shape, flashing wing pattern, and wild crest that it flares up when it lands, this common migrant was a favourite with everyone we showed it to. Image
18. Bearded Vulture (Tibet 2010)
We had these wedge-tailed vultures (also called Lammergeiers) flying overhead while hiking in the open hills of Tibet. They feed on bones that they break by dropping on rocks. Fortunately, they were not dropping any bones while we were under them. Image
19. Great Bustard (Spain 2011)
The males of these birds seem to almost turn themselves inside-out when displaying in trying to catch the attention of a female. Image
20. Crested Barbet (Botswana 2011)
We called this the “committee bird”. It looks like it has been designed by a committee, with each committee member responsible for designing a different part of the bird. Image
21. White Tern (Seychelles 2012)
Brooke had always wanted to see this bird. It is ethereally white with a black eye and a blue, slightly upturned bill. They were nesting on an offshore island. The female lays a single egg on a bare branch of a tree – no nest! Somehow they manage to incubate the egg without its falling and then raise the young bird perched on the branch. Image
22. Shoebill (Uganda 2012)
A huge prehistoric-looking bird with a humongous bill found in papyrus swamps in central Africa. Our guide and boatman jumped out of the boat into the water and pushed it over the papyrus to get us closer to the bird. We were glad to learn that there were no crocodiles or hippos in the swamp. Image
23. Red-crowned Crane (Japan 2014)
We visited Japan in late winter to see the dancing cranes. The reward was a spectacular dance session, but the cost was two days holed up in a hotel snowed in by a blizzard. Image
24. Elegant-crested Tinamou (Argentina 2018)
46 years after I first heard a tinamou, I finally saw one. With its wispy crest, it is arguably the most attractive tinamou of the family. Image
25. Inca Tern (Chile 2018)
We dodged our way across a busy four-lane highway to get to the seawall. Ten feet below us, nesting on the seawall, were these stunning birds with their all grey bodies, and a white face stripe ending in a long plume. Image
26. Bearded Bellbird (Trinidad 2019)
We had just checked into the Asa Wright Centre and got to our rooms when a bellbird landed in plain sight in a tree near our balcony and let out with his loud ringing call. Image Voice
27. Red-legged Seriema (Argentina 2022)
Seriemas are the new world counterpart of the Secretarybird. Our guide imitated its whistle, and it walked in much closer. Image Voice
28. Ibisbill (Bhutan 2023)
The very first bird we saw in Bhutan, on the rocks by the rivercourse right in town. A boldly-marked shorebird with a decurved red bill. Image
29. Himalayan Monal (Bhutan 2023)
A coat of many colours. The male is iridescent blue, green, purple, copper, red and orange with brown and black as well. When the sun catches his back, he shines spectacularly. Image
30. Kagu (New Caledonia 2023)
The Kagu is a large, flightless, ash-grey bird with a showy wing display and long, wispy crest plumes that it can erect when excited. What is a flightless bird doing on a remote South Pacific island? Its only somewhat close relative is in Latin America. Image