Vegreville News Advertiser - March 8, 2023

Beaverhill Bird Observatory Presents New Horizons

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

Beaverhill Bird Observatory, (BBO) near Tofield is the second oldest bird banding station in Canada and research scientist Geoff Holroyd has played a large role in its 39 year history.

One March 3, Holroyd brought some of his special insights, information and special memories to share with attendees during his ‘New Horizons’ presentation at Hasting Lake Hall. About 30 people were on hand for the event and several took the opportunity to meet Remy, a male American Kestrel, one of BBO’s education birds.

BBO Co-Chair and Biologist Helen Trefry called Holroyd a “volunteer extraordinaire” and briefly outlined some of the work he has done in the field. His interest in birds developed as a teenager when he was an active volunteer and chairman of the Long Point Bird Observatory. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology and Animal Biology from Western University. In 2012 after 36 years with the Canadian Wildlife Service he retired. But many of his days and nights are filled with vitamin N, “nature”.

Dahlia Lehman with Remy.

(Kelly Lehman/ Submitted Photo)

Holroyd is the current Chair of BBO and was most excited to share news about the upcoming Snow Goose Festival that will take place in late April.

Bird banding is one of the major activities at the research station. For example, the Northern Saw-whet Owl is one species that is banded and in 2016 and 2017 they banded more than 500 of them. They can track them and other birds, and map out their migration patterns, distance, time, locations and other valuable data.

Ministik area resident Danielle Bizuk.

(Michelle Pinon/Photo)

He heads up the Young Ornithologists’ Workshop, a week-long summer workshop to provide teenagers interested in birds with a practical, working knowledge and appreciation of birds and their conservation. Participants have the opportunity to learn bird banding and identification skills from experienced ornithologists.

Holroyd talked about some of the projects and studies University students have done under the Internship Program and how the practical real-life experience and research at BBO has aided their careers.

Ministik area resident Josephine Bizuk.

(Michelle Pinon/Photo)

Besides birds, bats and butterflies are studied at BBO. In any given year, 250 presentations are made to roughly 10,000 students as part of the Bird Smart Program.

BBO offers a lifetime membership for only $10 and between 2015 and 2022 the number of memberships have skyrocketed from 35 to 1,100 members.