Travel

BIRD: At 25, Backyard Bird Count Shows Power Of Citizen Science

Published

2 years ago

2023-02-15

Steve and Janet Kistler of Hart County, Kentucky, will definitely take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count when it starts on Friday. Since the now-global tradition began 25 years ago, they have done so yearly.

This will be the first count for Moira Dalibor, a middle-school math teacher in Lexington a couple of hours away. She’s leading a group of students and parents to a nursery for a data-gathering exercise.

They’ll be among hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, counting and recording over four days. The Great Backyard Bird Count, or GBBC, was completed by approximately 385,000 people from 192 countries last year.

“Every year, we see increased participation,” says Becca Rodomsky-Bish, project leader at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York, which organizes the count with the National Audubon Society and Birds Canada.

Tens of thousands of people submitted checklists in India, which had the highest participation outside of the United States last year — a 28% increase from 2021.

This global data is fed into the eBird database, which scientists use to research bird populations, which have declined dramatically in recent decades. It’s part of a growing trend of “citizen science” projects in which volunteers gather data about the natural world for researchers to use.

And, according to Steve Kistler, the more people interested in bird watching, the better.

Many Watchers Use eBird

“It’s fun and important to get the numbers, but it’s just a joyful thing to do,” says Kistler, who leads watching trips locally and internationally.

Many bird watchers use eBird all year, and it has amassed massive amounts of data — often between 1 million and 2 million bird checklists per month from around the world in the last few years, according to Rodomsky-Bish.

These figures assist researchers in tracking the ups and downs of various species, which aids in determining the direction of conservation efforts.

“We’re losing the net number of birds worldwide,” says Rodomsky-Bish.

Cornell University researchers discovered 3 billion fewer birds in North America in 2019 than in 1970.

“The bad news is that the declines in the data are coming out strong and hard,” Rodomsky-Bish adds. “The good news is that we wouldn’t know if we didn’t have that data. And this enables many areas to take direct action.”

According to her, the pandemic contributed to the increased interest in the GBBC and birds in general.

“Birds were company during this period of isolation,” she says, and observing them “is an accessible way to connect with the natural world. There are flyers everywhere. You are not required to leave your home. They will arrive… They’re also charming. They’re entertaining and fascinating to watch.”

Birds were company during this period of isolation

Compared to other counts, such as Audubon’s 123-year-old Christmas Bird Count and the Cornell Lab’s Project FeederWatch, the GBBC is user-friendly.

How it works: Participants observe birds by looking out the window for 15 minutes or traveling to a nature preserve. Organizers recommend the Merlin bird ID app for distinguishing birds based on size, shape, song, or other characteristics. Along with their phones, many participants carry field guides and binoculars.

They then enter their discoveries into the eBird app.

“‘I can contribute to science — it’s simple,’ anyone can say. “If I can identify one bird in four days, I’ve done my job,” says Rodomsky-Bish.

She says that counting in February gives a good picture of the situation before many birds start their yearly spring migrations.

Dalibor, who teaches at the Redwood Cooperative School in Kentucky, has been learning how to use the Merlin app and researching local species. The children will use pencils and clipboards to record bird sightings, and parent volunteers will enter those numbers into phones.

“It’ll be authentic data we collected ourselves that real scientists will use. Being connected to the larger world has a purpose and action behind it, which is unique for them,” Dalibor says.

50 grackles fly by in a flock; you get pretty good at estimating

Ganeshwar SV, director of the Salem Ornithological Foundation in India, prioritizes instilling a love of nature in young children. He works with schools to get them involved in conservation programs, such as the GBBC, and says the goal is “not to count but to enjoy birds.”

“It’s not uncommon for children to wander around in rural areas and use catapults (slingshots) to kill them,” he says. “The same hands that used catapults to hit them are now building nest boxes and taking notes on birds and their behavior.”

He claims that the students do not have smartphones and “wouldn’t have seen a binocular in real life.” They keep track of their sightings in notebooks.

Steve Kistler, in rural Kentucky, advises beginners to “start easy, birding around the home. Or go out with a group that day.”

“If 50 grackles fly by in a flock, you get pretty good at estimating,” he says, dismissing exact counts. We don’t need to have it down to the last grackle for what you’re doing.”

Bird counts can also become competitive.

“If you can outnumber last year’s species count, that’s a good day,” Kistler says.

SOURCE – (AP)

Travel

Air Canada Forced to Pay $10,000 For Couples Ruined Holiday

Published

1 week ago

2024-12-12

Geoff Brown

The couple had saved up 3 years to go on first vacation without their kids

A small claims court has ordered Air Canada to compensate a couple of $10,000 after an overbooked aircraft led them to multiple Canadian airports with the promise of a replacement trip that never materialized, ruining a long-planned holiday.

The Small Claims Court of Yukon issued a stinging verdict concluding that the airline treated the couple shamefully “. Justice Katherine L. McLeod stated that Air Canada violated the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) several times and subjected the couple to a “horrendous experience.”

The APPR outlines airlines’ obligations to passengers during flight cancellations, delays, and luggage damage.

The couple, who reside in Yukon, had saved for three years to take their first holiday without their children. In February 2023, they planned to take time off work and provide child care for their three children during their nine-day stay at a resort in Cuba.

According to the judicial decision, they discovered it had been overbooked when they landed in Toronto for their Air Canada flight to Cuba.

Passengers were informed that if they agreed to give up their seats, they would be reimbursed and booked on an American Airlines aircraft departing later that day, which may eventually take them to Cuba.

Three Day Nightmare

The plaintiffs accepted the offer but learnt hours later that the flight was inaccessible without explanation.

As outlined in the decision, this marked the start of a three-day nightmare for the couple. They were diverted to Montreal under the belief that there would be a replacement aircraft, only to be returned to Toronto and then Edmonton, with no route to Cuba offered by Air Canada.

Eventually, the couple bought a ticket to Cancun, Mexico, to try to salvage a holiday, which required them to take more time off work, resulting in lost revenue.

The judge determined that the original rejection of boarding caused “extreme stress” and that Air Canada “failed completely” in its “duty to communicate.”

The APPR states that if a carrier provides a benefit to a passenger who volunteers to give up their seats on an overbooked trip, such as putting them on another flight, that passenger must receive written confirmation before the flight departs.

Air Canada Defiant

The pair were initially told that Air Canada had booked tickets for them on an Air Transat aircraft, but when they arrived at the airline’s information desk in Montreal, it had no knowledge of the purported reservations.

“It appears that Air Canada did not even have evidence of a communication with Air Transat or American Airlines,” according to the verdict.

Air Canada had contended that the court lacked authority to impose non-compensatory damages, that weather conditions beyond its control caused additional delays, and that it had met its APPR obligations by paying the plaintiffs $2,400 apiece as compensation for the refusal of boarding.

According to the legal decision, Air Canada stated that it had no other financial obligations in the case.

Air Canada acknowledged that this situation constitutes “denial of boarding,” according to the verdict.

According to the judgement, following the plaintiffs’ legal action, Air Canada repaid them for some out-of-pocket expenses, paying them around $1,800 for lodging and food charges.

However, the judge determined that this did not cover all of their expenses, including the additional cost of booking a new ticket to a different place and the loss of income.

On Wednesday, the plaintiffs celebrated their victory in a Facebook group for Air Passenger Rights, claiming that the case has “helped to set a new precedent that hopefully others can use in their cases.”

Related News:

Air Canada Launches Direct Flights from Vancouver to Manila

Travel

Air Canada Launches Direct Flights from Vancouver to Manila

Published

2 weeks ago

2024-12-06

Geoff Brown

Air Canada to Launch New, Non-Stop Service between Vancouver and Manila

Today, Air Canada announced a strategic expansion of its international network, including nonstop flights between Vancouver International Airport and Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the Philippines.

The news came during the Government of Canada’s Team Canada Trade Mission, which is currently in the Philippines to commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. This is Air Canada’s third Southeast Asia destination in the past two years.

Today, Air Canada announced the strategic development of its international network, including nonstop flights between its Pacific hub at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in the Philippines*.

“We are excited to add Manila to our global network with new, year-round, nonstop service from Vancouver, Air Canada’s Pacific gateway hub.” We will continue pursuing our international network strategy of expanding into large, rapidly rising markets that Air Canada does not serve directly.

The Philippines is an important market that reflects our two countries’ long-standing family ties and rising commercial and tourism potential. With a comprehensive domestic and transborder network in Vancouver that easily connects to our international flights, we are making travel between North America and the Philippines even more convenient for leisure and business travellers.

“We are very excited to welcome our customers onboard next spring,” said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President of Revenue and Network Planning and President of Cargo at Air Canada.

Air Canada is the sole Canadian carrier slated to serve the Philippines, Asia’s largest market, without direct Air Canada service. Beginning April 2, 2025, the new route will fly four times weekly using the airline’s flagship Dreamliner aircraft.

It will be Air Canada’s 12th transpacific route from Vancouver, joining Japan, South Korea, the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong SAR, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, leveraging Vancouver’s geographic location as the closest major North American city to Asia.

With this new service, Air Canada will operate approximately 180 nonstop flights between Canada and the Pacific each week beginning next summer, the most of any carrier in the market.

This continues Air Canada’s development into fast-growing Southeast Asian markets, expanding on recent extensions to Singapore and Bangkok to more than triple summer season ticket capacity across the Pacific by 2022.

Flights from Canada to Manila are now available for purchase on www.aircanada.com, through Air Canada’s contact centres, and through travel agencies. Flights originating in Manila to Canada will be available for purchase shortly.

Air Canada Vancouver to Manila Flight Schedule**

Flight	From	To	Day of Week	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Effective Dates
AC17	Vancouver (YVR)	Manila (MNL)	Mon, Wed, Fri	01:55	06:20+1 day	April 2 – April 30, 2025
AC18	Manila (MNL)	Vancouver (YVR)	Tues, Thurs, Sat	09:25	06:20	April 3 – May 1, 2025
AC17	Vancouver (YVR)	Manila (MNL)	Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun	01:55	06:20+1 day	Effective May 1, 2025
AC18	Manila (MNL)	Vancouver (YVR)	Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat	09:25	06:20	Effective May 2, 2025

Flights will be flown by Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which have three service cabins for passengers: Signature Class with lie-flat seats, Premium Economy, and Economy Class. Air Canada’s complimentary and extensive in-flight entertainment content includes over 1,400 hours of movies, 1,900 hours of television shows, and over 600 hours of music and podcasts, with live TV available at every seat.

The award-winning IFE works with Apple TV+, Audible, Disney+, Hayu, and others to deliver hours of movies, TV episodes, specialty channels, music albums, other video and audio content, and games in several languages from boarding to landing.

Eligible clients will get access to the Vancouver Air Canada Signature Suite, which provides a la carte dining and premium beverage selections in a relaxing airport enclave, as well as the Air Canada International Maple Leaf Lounge.

Vancouver additionally offers in-transit customs pre-clearance for inbound customers connecting internationally to make the journey through YVR easier. The new route also allows travellers to easily connect to and from over 50 North American destinations via Air Canada’s hub at Vancouver International Airport.

Travel

Uncover Serene Luxury in Sälen Sweden

Published

2 months ago

2024-10-30

Geoff Brown

Sälen, nestled in the picturesque landscapes of Sweden, is a destination that blends outdoor adventure with serene luxury. Renowned for its stunning vistas and a range of activities that cater to every taste.

Sälen is the perfect getaway for those seeking a tranquil escape or an exhilarating adventure. Whether you’re swooshing down powdery ski slopes in the winter or exploring lush green trails in the summer, Sälen offers a unique experience for all.

Discover how to enjoy Sälen in style, from staying in a luxury cabin in Sälen to exploring the best activities the area has to offer.

Sälen’s Winter Appeal: A Skier’s Haven

When winter descends on Sälen, it transforms into a white wonderland that is perfect for skiing enthusiasts. The area is dotted with slopes suitable for all skill levels, from beginners to advanced skiers. The crisp, clean air and well-maintained trails make for an unforgettable skiing experience. For those who prefer other winter activities, Sälen also offers opportunities for snowboarding, ice skating, and sleigh rides, ensuring that every winter day is packed with excitement.

Summer Adventures: Exploring Nature’s Bounty

Once the snow melts, the true diversity of Sälen’s landscape is unveiled. The lush greenery invites visitors to partake in hiking, mountain biking, and fishing. The extensive network of trails provides beautiful vistas and the perfect setting for outdoor enthusiasts to explore the natural beauty of this area. Summer in Sälen is vibrant with flora and fauna, offering a peaceful retreat from the bustling city life.

Indulge in Local Flavors: Culinary Delights of Sälen

Sälen’s culinary scene is as diverse as its landscape. Featuring a mix of traditional Swedish cuisine and international dishes, the local restaurants pride themselves on using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. From hearty stews to gourmet dining experiences, every meal in Sälen is a delight for the senses.

Choosing Your Perfect Stay in Sälen

Experiencing the Luxury of Sälen’s Cabins

For those who wish to immerse themselves in comfort and elegance, choosing to stay in a luxury cabin in Sälen can enhance your vacation experience. These cabins are designed to provide not just accommodation but a complete experience that blends seamlessly with the natural beauty of the surroundings. Equipped with modern amenities, these cabins offer a blend of rustic charm and contemporary luxury, making them perfect for those looking to relax in style.

Choosing the Perfect Sälen Cottage for a Genuine Local Experience

Renting a cottage in Sälen is a popular option for those looking for a more authentic experience. These cottages, ranging from quaint and rustic to modern and sophisticated, allow visitors to enjoy a more personalized and intimate connection with the natural setting of Sälen.

Whether you are looking for a romantic getaway or a family retreat, there is a cottage to suit your needs, providing the perfect base to explore all that Sälen has to offer. For an authentic stay, consider how to hyra stuga Sälen to truly immerse yourself in the local environment.

Making the Most of Your Visit to Sälen

Activities and Entertainment

Sälen is not just about natural beauty; it also offers a variety of cultural and entertainment options. The local community hosts several festivals and events throughout the year, celebrating everything from music and art to local heritage and outdoor sports. Participating in these events can provide a deeper understanding of the local culture and add another layer of enjoyment to your visit.

Tips for a Memorable Sälen Vacation

Planning ahead can make your trip to Sälen even more enjoyable. Consider visiting during off-peak times to avoid crowds, especially if you prefer a quieter experience. Always check the weather and pack accordingly, as conditions can change rapidly in mountainous areas. Lastly, don’t forget to explore the local shops and markets for unique souvenirs to take a piece of Sälen home with you.

Conclusion: Discover the Unique Charms of Sälen

Whether you’re seeking adrenaline-pumping adventures or peaceful moments in nature, Sälen offers a diverse range of experiences that make it a top destination in Sweden. With luxurious accommodations like the luxury cabin in Sälen and authentic local cottages, every visit is sure to be as comfortable as it is exciting. Immerse yourself in the beauty and adventure of Sälen for a truly unforgettable escape.

FAQs About Visiting Sälen

Q1: What is the best time to visit Sälen for skiing?

The best skiing conditions in Sälen are typically from late November to early April, when the snow is plentiful and the slopes are in prime condition.

Q2: Are there pet-friendly accommodation options in Sälen?

Yes, many accommodations in Sälen, including some cottages and cabins, welcome pets. It’s always best to check with the accommodation provider beforehand.

Q3: What should I pack for a summer visit to Sälen?

For summer, pack light breathable clothing for daytime, a sturdy pair of hiking boots, and don’t forget a jacket for cooler evenings.

Q4: Can I find vegetarian or vegan food options in Sälen?

Yes, Sälen’s restaurants often cater to various dietary preferences, including vegetarian and vegan options.

Q5: How do I reach Sälen from Stockholm?

Sälen is approximately a 5-hour drive from Stockholm. You can also take a train or bus to the nearby cities and then a local bus or rent a car to reach Sälen.