Summer has just begun, but we are already seeing signs of fall for the birds. During our MAPS program, some adults are already beginning their flight feather moult in preparation for migration. While we’ve only caught a few fledglings so far, we hear them begging and see parents stuffing their bills with insects as these young birds get ready for their first migration. With fall already in the air, the LSLBO starts up our fall migration monitoring program on July 12th.
With the season already half over, we wanted to introduce you to our amazing team this summer. For some of them, it is their first time in Slave Lake so we asked everyone what they are enjoying most about their summer at the LSLBO.
L to R: Ashley, Andy, Maren, Luke, Alisa, Robyn, Braidi (missing Bronwyn)
Robyn Perkins, our Bander in Charge leads our monitoring programs with her incredible birding expertise and ability to share her love for birds with visitors and staff alike. Best thing about summer for Robyn is getting out into the field and enjoying whatever surprise is in the next netlane check. Best of all, you get to spend your summer birding!
Our Boreal Educator Braidi Locke delivers year-round education programs for the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation and the Lesser Slave Forest Education Society. A local resident and botany lover, her favourite part about summer in Slave Lake is enjoying the incredible array of plants that you can discover in Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park. She also loves insects and even had a pet Bronze Jumping Spider named Alder. And she hopes to have another one some day!
Bronwyn sharing what we do with local students on a Bird Observatory Tour this spring
Bronwyn Robinson, our Assistant Bander must love summers in Slave Lake as she returned for yet another season at the station! Her spring highlight was having net 13 up on the shoreline and the extra excitement that it provided the few times they did catch something in it; sometimes rare and sometimes not. But her real summer highlight is always the staff movie nights.
Our interpreter Luke Strikwerda arrived after finishing his education degree in Ontario. An avid birder and videographer, his favourite thing about summer so far is how many opportunities for adventure the area provides. We have also learned that Luke is a paleontology fanatic who is fascinated by deep time and loves learning about the extinct creatures which used to inhabit our planet.
Ashley Serunjogi is the smiling face that will greet you at the Boreal Centre this summer. She has loved experiencing our amazing small-town community spirit especially during special events such as the Songbird Festival and Slave Lake Canada Day Festival. Our residents are willing to help out anytime from the set up to take down!
Our summer Field Assistant Andy Nguyen is an avid birder and photographer who have been enjoying the wonderful birding in Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park this summer. New to Alberta, he has been enjoying small town life where you can still get everything you need and all within walking distance!
And finally, our Alberta Parks partners provide amazing support for all our spring education programs. The summer highlight for Ceiridwen Robbins and our summer Park interpreters Alisa Echevarria and Maren Miller is meeting all the excited campers on their interpretive programs who are visiting our beautiful provincial parks for the very first time.
Want to meet some of these great people? Then check out our Public Bird Observatory Tours taking place every Wednesday and Saturday from 9 – 11 am until the end of September. Call the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation at 780-849-8240 for more information.
By Patti Campsall – Executive Director
