Bird collectors | The Press

Pierre Bannon and Suzanne Labbé “go to the birds” several times a week. Like a host of others in Quebec and around the world, these long-time amateur ornithologists record their discoveries in their observation notebooks. Pierre Bannon also holds the Quebec record for species observed.

Pierre Gingras
special collaboration

The star of the hour was passing through Gaspé. It was July 9. Reading the message, Pierre Bannon and Suzanne Labbé became feverish. After quick preparations, they jumped in the car, drove almost 10 hours to sleep, exhausted, in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. Then, after a very short night and another stretch of road, they were finally able to admire the big fisherman on the edge of the York River. ” It was extraordinary. There he was, perched in a tree in all his glory, watching the salmon for a meal. Imagine, it was the first time that an emperor eagle was reported in Canada,” says Suzanne Labbé, still enchanted by her adventure.

If the impressive raptor from Russia or northern Japan is spectacular, it is not the only bird to have made the pair of birdwatchers run over the years. Out of 471 species already reported in Quebec, Pierre Bannon recorded 416 in his observation notebook. He is the record holder. His companion is at 14^and rank with 383 species. Not to mention the few thousand observed abroad by the retired couple from Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville. And even today, they “go to the birds” several times a week. “We could speak of a form of illness,” explains Pierre Bannon, laughing.

6059 species, 45 countries

Also retired, Réal Bisson, worked for years as a naturalist. He is the Quebecer who has the most filled notebook in the world – he is at 54^and rank. There are 6,059 names out of the 10,624 in the species directory. So far he has visited 45 countries with his telescope and binoculars. “We are a bit of collectors,” he says. At the time, bird research was done with guns. They were killed to describe them, classify them, give them a name and build large collections of specimens, eggs, nests. Today, hundreds of thousands of amateurs collect their observations all over the world and contribute in their own way to the evolution of science. »

Before heading with his wife to a new country, Réal Brisson studies for weeks the coveted species, their songs and their habitats.

In Papua New Guinea, he says he waited in vain for an hour in a ravine to remove the leeches that were climbing on his legs. Mr. Bisson also recognizes that to afford such adventures, it takes time and money. “It’s been a while since I traded the cabin for the birds. Everyone has their own pleasure. »

“A day without a bird is a day wasted”

In his early forties, Samuel Denault, a biologist for a large engineering firm, says that at the age of 14, he discovered a rosy gull in the Chambly basin, a first presence in Quebec for this species from the Far North. . His enthusiasm has never wavered since.

Mr. Denault ranks third in terms of the number of species on his Quebec list, ie 413. For his part, Pierre Poulin, from Pabos, in Gaspésie, no longer knows how many ornithological trips he has made, but his notebook counts 5911 species, which gives it the 60^and world rank. “Some of these species made the hair on my arms stand up, the excitement was so great. Today, he “moves less”, he says. But whether in Quebec or elsewhere, “a day without bird watching is a wasted day”.

A matter of credibility

How to determine the credibility of an observation? “The vast majority of sightings are supported by photos,” explains Suzanne Labbé, who is also an eBird reviewer. If the observer is alone, a host of relevant details will be required before confirming his discovery. But a rare bird usually attracts many observers, leaving cheaters with little room to manoeuvre.