Monday, July 21, 2008

June 28, '08 - what this date meant to me

Since it has become a trend on Cerulean Sky to describe events of the distant past instead of describing events of today (part of the reason for this is my lack of birding this summer season due to a busy city schedule), I will include another post in the same vein. This time, I travel all the way back to June 28, 2008.

It was a simpler time. The Apple iPhone wasn't on Canadian shelves yet, gas prices were a mere average of 1.324, and no one had any idea that Steven Page was in possession of cocaine. It was also a bittersweet time in my life. I was still dealing with the fact that I had turned 23 just four days prior, thereby fearing the cruel effects of time and an ever-approaching quarter-life crisis. Pride week was reaching a close and I was able to spend a good amount of time celebrating on Church street, which was an amazing and gratifying experience. It was a week that saw the start of many new relationships and the end of others.

What does this all have to do with birding and why is Cerulean Sky becoming a journal of the author's mundane life, you demand??? Nothing. And that's why I'm going to finally get to the actual topic at hand. June 28, 2008 also marked a key development in my birding career. I was invited to the Toronto Ornithological Club's first retreat since the club's inception in 1934. The retreat (featuring a handful of councilors and honorary members) was held in Barrie and the goal was to lead the club in new directions (in conservation, membership, fundraising, guest speakers, etc.), as well as iron out the purpose/stance of the club and determine ways to improve it. Of course, I can't get into too much detail as the results of the meeting have not yet been published (and plus, you probably don't want to hear about the paddling ceremony they hold for new members anyway). Needless to say, I was honoured to be included in the retreat as the youngest member of the club and the newly appointed Acting Membership Leader (crossing my fingers that the council will vote me in as the official Membership Secretary in the fall).

I am thrilled to become a more active member of the club and I cannot wait for more duties to come my way. I am currently in charge of answering any email inquiries about membership, updating the membership list and contacting inactive members, and in the fall, I will be responsible for introducing guests at meetings and introducing new members to the club. I'm both nervous and excited (my public speaking skills certainly have plenty of room for improvement). However, I've already met some truly great individuals that I respect and look up to, I look forward to meeting more people in the Toronto birding community, and it is a pleasure to be part of the rich history of the club, especially due to its reputation.

The summer months are a slow time for the TOC (there are no meetings or outings) but once fall migration begins, I'll be a busy birding boy. My goal for this fall/winter/spring is to submit a lot more of my sightings from the GTA as the records committee in the city keeps detailed reports and lists. This is extremely important citizen science. Everyday people finding short-term and long-term trends in bird populations, migration patterns, and breeding evidence. The 2 Ontario Breeding Bird Atlases show just how far citizen science can lead us in conservation and the study of birds. If there is ever to be a 'Birds of Toronto' published, I want to feel like I really took part in it.

Things are genuinely exciting for me right now as a birder and I have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming months. As for now, hopefully I'll finally get my May summary up soon (only 2 months late!).

Click here to see the Toronto Ornithological Club's website.

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