The ABMI, in collaboration with the Ecological Monitoring Committee for the Lower Athabasca (EMCLA), is testing new monitoring protocols for the oil sands region in northeastern Alberta.
Our first field project is to test owl survey protocols, comparing traditional road-based surveys with new methods that use automated recorders. From mid-March through early May, the ABMI Application Centre, in collaboration with the Bayne Lab and Strix Ecological Consulting Ltd., conducted road-based owl surveys using call-playbacks, all throughout the northeast (Lac La Biche, Cold Lake, Conklin, Fort McMurray). Owl season was a bit late this year, but we found lots of owls from mid-April onwards, including Barred Owls, Boreal Owls, Great Grey Owls, Northern Saw-Whet Owls, and even Pygmy Owls!
Thanks to our dedicated crew who heroically completed all the survey routes, despite the rather challenging road conditions and cold temperatures.
For further information, contact Susy at scote1@ualberta.ca