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Canada Wildlife Volunteer & Research Travel

 

Canada

VOLUNTEER BANDING ASSISTANT required for a very busy Migration Monitoring Station in Ontario, Canada--A long term volunteer is required for the spring and fall seasons in 2008 (mid Apr - early Jun, and mid Aug - early Nov) to help with the banding and migration monitoring at Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory (PEPTBO) in Ontario, Canada. The Observatory is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, 125 km east of Toronto (it is 30km to Picton, the nearest town). The operations are carried out within the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, which is a part of the local IBA. Duties will include helping the Station Manager with carrying out the daily field protocol, data entry, some light maintenance around the building/netting area, greeting visiting birders and some other duties as required. PEPTBO adheres to the NABC guidelines when banding and follows a standardized protocol and operates 19 passerine nets plus a J-trap and 6 ground traps daily (plus in the fall an additional seven hawk nets). Very large numbers of migrants can occur within this area and up to 700 birds have been banded in a day. Nearly 15,000 birds of 119 species were banded at this single station in 2005, and 260 species and forms have been observed at the observatory over the last ten years. A strong work ethic is required for this job as we operate for seven days a week during each of the seasons. The normal daily routine involves opening the nets at sunrise, a half hour daily census, with the banding and casual observations continuing until six hours after sunrise, there will also be one hour (or more) of data entry in the afternoon and a log will be filled out daily. The rest of the afternoon and evening is free time. In the fall, a Northern Saw-whet Owl banding program also takes place at night from mid-Sep to the end of the season and nearly 1550 owls were caught in 2007. The owl banding takes place for a minimum of four hours each night, and usually continues all night, weather permitting. A volunteer who can cover all or most of a full season (either spring or fall) would be preferred. Food and basic accommodation is provided on site in the observatory building which has most modern amenities. Qualifications: this is a very demanding position and we are looking for people experienced with banding (i.e. having preferably banded or ringed more than 1000 birds) and have some knowledge of identification of eastern North American birds. This position is open to people from anywhere and training will be given to bring people up to standard. If you are interested, please send a resume with banding experience (including banding/ringing permit details) and contact information for two references, to the Station Manager DAVID OKINES (EM: davidokines AT aol.com) each of the Spring and Fall seasons position will be open until filled. The PEPTBO website is http://www.peptbo.ca

EXPERIENCED VOLUNTEERS needed for May, Jul, Aug, and Sep for songbird
banding at Delta Marsh Bird Observatory (DMBO). Located on a narrow
forest ridge between the southern shore of Lake Manitoba and Delta
Marsh, DMBO is a high volume banding operation with up to 3000 birds
being banded in the spring and 7400 in the fall. Big bird days can range
from 200 to 400 birds during busy times. You can expect high numbers and
a good variety of warblers, flycatchers, vireos and thrushes. If you
love birding, you will love Delta! The banding site is not physically
demanding but you will need to be able to ride a bike for net checks.
Volunteers will be provided with room and board at the Delta Marsh Field
Station (University of Manitoba). The station has many comfortable
amenities including full service dining room, email access, laundry
facilities, a beach and lake and is located about 30 minutes from
Portage la Prairie, a small city with a population of about 10,000 (see
URL: http://www.umanitoba.ca/delta_marsh). Please submit a letter of
interest to (EM: hdenhaan AT cc.umanitoba.ca) outlining your previous
banding experience including, stations visited, number of birds banded
and extracted, abilities to identify birds by sight and sound, plus two
references.

VOLUNTEER FIELD BIOLOGISTS needed for Long Point Bird Observatory’s spring and fall migration monitoring program: Located on the north shore of Lake Erie, Long Point is one of the last wild areas left in southern Ontario. The region is an internationally recognized World Biosphere Reserve, a Globally Important Bird Area, and supports a fantastic diversity of habitats, plants and animals. During migration huge numbers of birds (and monarch butterflies) are funneled down Long Point. Founded in 1960, Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO) is North America's oldest bird observatory and has banded over 750 000 birds. The core program is centred on monitoring populations of migrating birds through daily census and banding routines at three field stations. Volunteers staying for at least 1 month have food and accommodation fees waived. Short-term volunteers are required to pay a nominal fee covering housing, food and training. Up to 14 volunteers are required for all or a part of the spring (1 Apr to 10 Jun) and fall field seasons (10 Aug – 15 Nov).
Previous ornithological work (including bird banding) and excellent bird identification skills are preferred, but not essential. All participants will experience intensive and diverse training in field ornithological techniques. International applicants with good English skills are encouraged to apply. Email or mail your resume with three references (include phone and e-mail addresses) and completed application form which can be downloaded from our website (URL:
http://www.birdscanada.org/longpoint) to: STUART MACKENZIE, LPBO Landbird Programs Coordinator, Long Point Bird Observatory c/o Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, 115 Front Rd., Port Rowan, Ontario, Canada N0E 1M0 (PH: 519-586-3531 ext. 231; EM: lpbo AT bsc-eoc.org). Visit our web site http://www.bsc-eoc.org for more information about Bird Studies Canada and the migration-monitoring program at Long Point Bird Observatory.

VOLUNTEER BREEDING BIRD CENSUS ASSISTANT POSITIONS (2): Located on the north shore of Lake Erie, Long Point is one of the last wild areas left in southern Ontario. The region is an internationally recognized World Biosphere Reserve, a Globally Important Bird Area and supports a fantastic diversity of habitats, plants, and animals. Founded in 1960, Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO) is North America's oldest bird observatory. For the 2006 field season two field assistants are needed to work on the Breeding Bird Census (BBC) project (25 May to 5 Jul). They will receive accommodation and food, as well as intensive training from LPBO staff. BBC assistants must have excellent skills in identification of eastern North American birds by sight and sound. LPBO has established 15, 10-hectare plots in various vegetative communities across the dunes and marshes of Long Point, with four sampled each year. Assistants rise very early and commute by ATV, boat or foot, to arrive at their study sites at dawn. Over the next few hours they map the locations of all singing birds, look for nests, and then determine the number of bird territories on the plot. Previous ornithological work conducting point counts, spot mapping or nest searching is preferred. Email or mail your resume with three references (including phone and e-mail addresses) and completed application which can be downloaded from our website (URL: http://www.birdscanada.org/longpoint) to: STUART MACKENZIE, LPBO Landbird Programs Coordinator, Long Point Bird Observatory c/o Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, 115 Front Rd., Port Rowan, Ontario, Canada N0E 1M0 (PH: 519-586-3531 ext. 231; EM: lpbo AT bsc-eoc.org). Visit our web site http://www.bsc-eoc.org for more information about Bird Studies Canada and the migration-monitoring program at Long Point Bird Observatory. Closing date for competition: 1 Apr 2008.

VOLUNTEER BANDER-IN-CHARGE (one or more): The Long Point Bird Observatory seeks one or more volunteer Banders-in-Charge (BIC) to aid in the delivery of the Migration Monitoring Program at Long Point for all or part of the spring and fall seasons (1 Apr to 10 Jun or 15 Aug to 15 Nov). Located on the north shore of Lake Erie, Long Point is one of the last wild areas left in southern Ontario. The region is an internationally recognized World Biosphere Reserve, a Globally Important Bird Area and supports a fantastic diversity of habitats, plants, and animals. Founded in 1960, Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO) is North America's oldest bird observatory. LPBO's three field stations are run largely by trained volunteers from around the world. All field stations are modern and fully equipped. The BIC aids in the operation of LPBO's three field stations and helps train volunteers, helps provide logistical support, helps maintain field station facilities and equipment, helps computerize data, and generally helps to ensure that the Observatory's landbird programs are being conducted to the highest possible standards. Previous motor boating experience and general handy-person skills are desirable. Experience working or volunteering at a migration monitoring station is desirable. With over 20,000 birds banded annually at LPBO, a great deal of mist netting experience (i.e. at least 2,000 landbirds banded) is essential. The position is a perfect fit for someone who loves birding and working in a remote setting, is an excellent bander, can personally oversee the direction of volunteers, can capably follow well-established field protocols, is very well-organized, has an exceptional work ethic, and is ready for the challenge of helping to oversee the oldest bird observatory in North America. Costs of field food, accommodation, and field travel are provided. Qualified candidates are invited to submit a or resume with three references (include phone and e-mail addresses) and completed application form which can be downloaded from our website (URL: http://www.birdscanada.org/longpoint) to: STUART MACKENZIE, LPBO Landbird Programs Coordinator, Long Point Bird Observatory c/o Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, 115 Front Rd., Port Rowan, Ontario, Canada N0E 1M0 (PH: 519-586-3531 ext. 231; EM: lpbo AT bsc-eoc.org). Visit our web site http://www.bsc-eoc.org for more information about Bird Studies Canada and the migration-monitoring program at Long Point Bird Observatory. Closing date for competition: 1 Apr 2008.

VOLUNTEER FIELD ASSISTANTS NEEDED – Experience Canada's northwestern
boreal paradise while helping out at Canada’s two northernmost banding
stations. The Albert Creek and Teslin Lake migration monitoring stations
in southeast and south central Yukon are seeking help for the spring and
fall migration seasons. Spring banding and migration monitoring begins
on 23 Apr and runs to 8 Jun. The fall season runs from 23 Jul to 23 Sep.
We are looking for assistants to help in the daily duties of mist
netting of passerines and estimating daily totals. Experience at other
bird observatories are helpful but not required. Duties range from
scribing to extracting birds from mist nets and banding. Individuals who
prefer to conduct daily bird observations are also very helpful to our
stations. Knowledge of western boreal birds is a plus. The Albert Creek
station is located 15 km west of the town of Watson Lake just 1.5 km off
the Alaska Highway along the Liard River. The Teslin Lake station is
located along the Alaska highway just west of Teslin at the government
campground along the shores of Teslin Lake. Accommodations are available
depending on number of applicants. Please contact TED MURPHY-KELLY (PH:
867 456 7431, EM: plus AT northwestel.net) or mail Albert Creek/Teslin
Lake Banding Stations, 4B Gillis Place, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada Y1A 1R2.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to help at a migration research station - Are you
interested in bird migration and contributing to science by observing
and banding migrating birds? If so, please consider applying to
volunteer at the Cabot Head Research Station on the Bruce Peninsula in
Ontario. The Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory (BPBO) is seeking
volunteers to assist the Station Scientist in spring (15 Apr - 12 Jun)
and in fall (15 Aug - 31 Oct). Experience in field ornithology or
banding is preferred but not essential. Housed on site in a
well-furnished cottage (internet available), volunteers participate in
all aspects of the Observatory's activities. The days start early – mist
nets are opened 30 minutes before sunrise. During 6 hours, the 15 mist
nets are checked every 30 minutes and captured birds are extracted and
brought back to the laboratory where they are banded, processed, and
released. Observations of birds on-site take place between net checks
and during a formal census. After the monitoring period each day, data
are compiled. Most of the day's work is over by early afternoon, meaning
you have time to explore the spectacular Bruce Peninsula (National Park,
Georgian Bay, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Dark Sky Community…). Volunteers
who stay at least 3 weeks may receive $8/day toward their food.
Accommodation is provided for all volunteers free of charge, in shared
bedrooms. For more information, visit our website at
http://www.bpbo.ca/volunteer.html and apply for a volunteer position, or
contact STÉPHANE MENU, the Station Scientist at (EM: stefmenu AT
gmail.com) or TED CHESKEY, BPBO's President, (EM: echeskey AT sympatico.ca).

GRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY in ecological biostatistics: Modelling
waterfowl distribution and abundance in Canadian boreal forest. An
externally funded 3yr graduate position in wildlife habitat modeling is
available in the Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt,
Université Laval, in collaboration with Ducks Unlimited Canada. The
project concerns the analysis and application of an extensive suite of
repeated-measures aerial waterfowl surveys. As part of a graduate
thesis, the student will develop mixed-effects models to relate species
abundances and distributions to a suite of biophysical and
vegetation/landcover attributes. The student will be associated with
several research groups focused on national-scale spatial simulation of
ecological processes in the Canadian boreal: see Boreal Avian Modelling
(URL: http://www.borealbirds.ualberta.ca). Aspects of the intended
applications to forest management and conservation planning, including
spatial simulation, may be developed in the course of the thesis,
depending on the interests of the student. We are seeking a PhD level
candidate, but exceptional applicants at the MSc level will also be
considered. The main qualifications for this position are strong
quantitative skills and an interest in applied ecology or boreal
conservation, independent of disciplinary background. Good written
English skills are necessary. This lab has a strong preference for R as
a tool of analysis and modeling. Otherwise, some knowledge of GIS and
relational databases would also be an asset, although technical support
will be available. The candidate will be expected to qualify for an
NSERC/FQRNT IIS scholarship, with tenure at Ducks Unlimited Canada in
Québec City. However, holders of NSERC PGS or other scholarships are
obviously encouraged to apply. Note that although the language of
instruction at Université Laval is French, one's thesis may be written
in English. The position will commence no later than Sep 2008.
Applicants should submit by email a short statement of interest, a
current CV, and the names of three references. To apply, or for further
information, contact us at either of the following addresses: STEVE
CUMMING, Chaire de Recherche du Canada, Département des sciences du bois
et de la forêt ,Modélisation des écosystèmes boréaux, Université Laval,
Québec (Québec) (PH: 418-656-2131x2593 EM: stevec AT sbf.ulaval.ca).
MARCEL DARVEAU, Ducks Unlimited Canada, 710, rue Bouvier, bur. 260,
Québec (Québec)
(PH: 418-623-1650x26, EM: m_darveau AT ducks.ca).

EXPERIENCED PASSERINE BANDERS (2) needed at St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, New Brunswick, to assist with the fall migration-monitoring project. Banders must have good solid experience extracting small birds from mist-nets, as well as handling and identifying passerines. Positions involve daily banding, census and ET's; data entry and minor maintenance. One five-week position to start near the end of Aug, the second four-week position to start around 3 Sep 2008. Successful applicants will be eligible for a $280/week stipend and a daily travel allowance, and be given accommodation in a Huntsman Oceansciences apartment. Own vehicle very useful. Please submit cover letter, resume and two references who can attest to your banding skills to TRACEY DEAN (EM: tdean AT huntsmanmarine.ca, FX: 506-529-1212) or mail at Huntsman Oceansciences,
1 Lower Campus Road, St. Andrews, NB, E5B 2L7, Canada.

VOLUNTEER MIGRATION MONITORING ASSISTANT/BIRD BANDER (1): The Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO) is seeking an experienced bird bander to participate in PIBO’s migration monitoring study on Pelee Island, Ontario, Canada during the period 1 – 31 Oct 2008. Work will include daily visual migration counts, constant-effort mist netting, Northern Saw-whet Owl banding, some data entry, as well as other duties associated with the operation of the field station. Applicants should have a keen interest in birds and be familiar with the majority of migrant species encountered in the Great Lakes region. The ideal candidate will be prepared to conduct visual migration counts and/or constant-effort mist-netting each morning, seven days a week, for the duration of their stay. Food and accommodations will be provided. Please send cover letter, resume, and relevant birding experience by email to CLAIRE SANDERS (EM: claire.sanders AT pibo.ca).

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