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PROJECTS

Christmas Bird Count The Naturalists sponsor the annual count on Galiano. For a summary of results from 1997 to 2008, click HERE. In 2005 the Galiano count became part of an official Audubon count circle (Galiano/North Salt Spring).The 2008 Christmas Bird Count was held on December 27, 2008. Please call Mike Hoebel at (250) 539-2003 if you would like to participate in future Christmas Bird Counts. You don't have to be an expert and everyone is welcome.

Hummingbird Monitoring Network Project Galiano began participating in this international project in 2004. Every two weeks from late March through mid-July, teams of Galiano Naturalist volunteers capture, measure, and band hummingbirds. For an article summarizing the results from 2004-2006, originally published in the August, 2006 Active Page, please click HERE. The 2009 banding season will start in the latter part of March. If you would like to participate in the hummingbird project, please call Mike Hoebel at 539-2003.

The hummingbird information collected on Galiano is combined with information from several other British Columbia sites and from sites throughout the western United States, to develop an understanding of the seasonal movement and reproductive behaviour of these fascinating tiny birds. For further information about the Hummingbird Monitoring Network, please go to www.HumMonNet.org

Western Bluebird Nestbox Project Until the late 1960s Western Bluebirds were found year-round in the Victoria area, but their population declined throughout the 1970s. During the 1980s concerned naturalists placed hundreds of bluebird boxes in suitable habitat throughout southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands in an effort to help the population recover. The boxes were used by the bluebirds but unfortunately the last few nesting pairs were seen in the early 1990s. A new effort to encourage Western Bluebirds began in 2005 with the placement of new nest boxes in suitable locations throughout the Victoria and Gulf Islands region.

With the agreement of the Galiano Club which owns Mt. Galiano, the Galiano Naturalists are monitoring 18 nestboxes (6 boxes placed in 2005, and 12 older boxes) near the top of the mountain. Unfortunately in 2005 no bluebirds were spotted, but eight of the boxes were used by House Wrens, who fledged over 40 young. The same pattern was repeated in 2006 and 2007. No detailed monitoring was done in 2008. The nestboxes will be monitored again in 2009, beginning in April. If you would like to participate in the Mt. Galiano nestbox monitoring project, please call Mike Hoebel at 539-2003.