Bruce Di Labio's Blog: July 12, 2011 Chris R. Michener 1949-2011

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

July 12, 2011 Chris R. Michener 1949-2011

Hello Everyone,

It is with tremendous sadness that I announce the passing of Chris Michener of Golden Lake on June 25th, 2011 after a short battle with cancer. In Renfrew County, Chris was an avid birder, naturalist and environmentalist. He was a founding and life member of the Pembroke and Area Field Naturalist Club (1983) and was the club's newsletter publisher and record keeper for 28 years. He lead many of the club’s annual excursions, including the Lake Dore fall outing, the two Butterfly counts, and the very popular ‘Owl Prowl’ held in March.

Chris also founded both the Eganville (1992) and Killaloe (1996) Christmas Bird Count and was compiler (Eganville) for most of its 18 years. He was a regular on the Pembroke CBC and participated on the Dunrobin and Renfrew CBC'c too. He took part in both Ontario Breeding Bird Atlases and was regional coordinator on the second. Chris also had a keen interest in butterflies and dragonflies and conducted many local counts. Throughout his career, he used his knowledge of these areas to conduct important environmental surveys and studies for the Ministry of Natural Resources and for other conservation groups. Prior to his passing, Chris was working on the Renfrew County Biodatabase.

Eastern Ontario birders are going to miss his generosity. During the early 80's, Jacques Bouvier introduced me to the Pembroke birders which included Chris Michener, Manson Fluegel and Ken Hooles. It was through this connection that Chris introduced me to birding Lake Dore and Westmeath Provincial Park in the late 80's and early 90's. He will be remembered for bringing the birding community together with finding many great birds on Lake Dore such as the Razorbill and Ivory Gull. Other notable sightings by Chris included both Pomarine Jaeger and Red Phalarope, a male Garganey and an adult Slaty-backed Gull near Pembroke.

Slaty-backed Gull found by Chris Michener on November 20, 2007 near Pembroke, Ontario.
Photographed on November 27, 2007 by Bruce Di Labio

He will also be remembered for his unique style of pelagic birding with Manson on Lake Dore, locally known as "popcorn pelagic" (chumming for rare gulls with stale popcorn) which helped net Sabine's, Little and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Nothing made Chris happier than sharing a find and spending time with birding colleagues. He will be greatly missed by all. Condolences should be sent to Jean Brereton, his lifelong partner, at jbrereton@hughes.net.

Bruce Di Labio

In memory of Chris, 2007 Texas trip.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: Bruce, thanks for this lovely tribute to Chris. Regards, Tara (Chris's step-daughter); July 22, 2011 at 9:32 AM

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Birding Ethics

Ontario Field Ornithologists' Ethical Birding Principles
As the number of birders increases, we must all make every effort to act in a positive and responsible way. We must also convey responsible image to non-birders who may be affected by our activities. Most people appreciate birds but this appreciation can be quickly destroyed by the irresponsible actions of a handful of birders.

In the past a code of ethics was not considered necessary, but times have changed and as more and more pressure is put on our environment it is essential to do whatever we can to lead by example. Each of us must show consideration to other birders, landowners, habitat, birds and other wildlife at all times. We are ambassadors of birding and our actions today will reflect the respect we receive in the future.

The welfare of the birds must come first.
Whatever your interest, from scientific study to listing, always consider the impact of your activity on the bird. Respect bird protection laws. We are all responsible to ensure we abide by them at all times.

Habitat protection.
Habitat is vital for the existence of birds and we must ensure that our activities cause minimum damage to our environment. Use trails to avoid trampling vegetation.

Keep disturbance to a minimum.
Although some birds can tolerate human activity, this varies from species to species and from season to season. Use common sense and extreme caution around nests. Migrants may be tired and hungry and should not be kept from resting or feeding. When photographing birds, study their reaction and if they become agitated, back off. Avoid the use of flash photography on owls. Tape recordings and similar methods of attracting birds may cause stress for territorial birds. They should be used sparingly and avoided in heavily birded areas. Do not deliberately flush birds. Patience is often rewarded.

Rare breeding birds.
If you discover a rare breeding bird, do not feel under any obligation to report your find to other birders. Record the details of your discovery. You may wish to file the nest with the Ontario Nest Records Scheme at the Royal Ontario Museum. Avoid visiting known sites of rare breeding birds unless they can be viewed from a distance without disturbance.

Rare birds.
Rare migrants or vagrants are the species most sought after by birders. If you discover a rarity, consider the circumstances carefully before releasing the information. You must take responsibility for the decision to release the find. You should consider whether an influx of birders will disturb the bird, people or other species in the area; whether habitat will be damaged; and where people will park. Inform the landowner of the find, explain what may happen and obtain permission to tell other birders. Ask the landowner for a list of dos and don'ts, for example, where birders may stand to get a good view and what restrictions there may be on time of day. Also ask which areas are off limit. If you decide to release the news, give precise directions and instructions. If possible include a phone number. At all times make as little noise as possible. Remember, most non-birders will be surprised by the number of visitors who wish to see a rare bird.

Respect the rights of landowners and occupiers of land.
Before entering an area, be aware of the rules about access such as by-laws of Conservation Authorities, National and Provincial Parks, and Regional Authorities. Many landowners and authorities allow birders access to areas normally off limits. Always act in a responsible way and if you are asked to leave, do so immediately. Do not block gateways or cause damage to fences, and leave gates as you find them. Do not obstruct people who may be working in these areas.

Have proper consideration for other birders.
When telephoning for information, do so at reasonable hours of the day. Try not to disrupt other birders’ activities or scare the birds they are watching. Many other people enjoy the outdoors; do not interfere with their activities. Be polite to other birders and helpful to beginners. If you see people obviously disturbing birds or significantly damaging habitat, explain to them the effect of their actions but be courteous, they may not be aware of the effect they are having.

Increase our knowledge about birds.
Keep notes of your sightings and send them to area compilers. Send rare bird reports to the Secretary, Ontario Bird Records Committee.

When birding in other countries, provinces or regions.
Find out if there is a local code of ethics or any special rules that should be respected.

|Other Birding Codes of Conduct|

Bruce Di Labio's Blog

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

July 12, 2011 Chris R. Michener 1949-2011

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