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#84775
Today the BCFO 2017 Young Birder Award Winners were announced. Many of the young people are members of this forum. We have Young Birders from all over the province, Kelowna, Tofino, the Lower Mainland and our first Young Birder from Northern BC, from the town of Fort St. James.

All these youth are incredible birders that blew me and everyone away. I look forward to our next field trip where the youth and I will be meeting Toby from Tofino and Willa who will be flying down from Fort St. James for our pelagic field trip May 7th.

The list of Award Winners for 2017 are as follows:

Willa Crowley,
age 12, from Fort St. James - nominated by Gabrielle Aubertin
Adam Dhalla, age 11, from Coquitlam - nominated by Melissa Hafting
Matyas Gerloczy, age 14, from Kelowna - nominated by Melissa Hafting
Katya Kondratyuk, age 11, from Surrey -nominated by Melissa Hafting
Toby Theriault, age 12, from Tofino -nominated by Adrian Dorst
Viktor Vandereyk, age 17, from Langley -nominated by Melissa Hafting

Photos and biographies of each youth can be viewed at the link below

https://bcfo.ca/bcfo-young-birder-program/


Or in the March 2017 issue of BC birding which is viewable to members here: https://bcfo.ca/bcfo-members/ (each young birder awarded, will receive a paper copy of this issue.

These 6 youth join past award recipients: Bridget and Virginia Spencer, Alice Sun, Jamie Gadsden, Ian Harland, Cole Gaerber, Liam Singh, Leo Donnecke, Liron Gertsman, Khalid Boudreau, Isaac Nelson, Logan Lalonde, Joshua Brown and Emma and Rebecca Reader-Lee.

All winners will receive a Young Birder Hat, Engraved Award Plaque and a membership and magazine subscription to BCFO until they turn 19.

All you guys are constantly inspiring and help to create a stronger birding community. Your enthusiasm and intelligence never stops astounding me.

You are all great examples for other youth wanting to get into this hobby. You have already attracted (and continue do so) other young birders by your positive participation and I love working with you all.

You are all so deserving of this award and I know you will continue to be environmental stewards for BC, as you grow older.

Congratulations! We are all so proud of you!

Thanks to The British Columbia Field Ornithologists for supporting these youth in particular George Clulow, Carlo Giovanella, Larry Cowan and Clive Keen.

These youth are all talented photographers as well. Photos of a Short-eared Owl by Adam Dhalla, a Rock Wren by Katya Kondratyuk and a Great-horned Owl by Matyas Gerloczy are also featured in the March 2017 issue of BCFO's "BC Birding" magazine.

Young Birder Viktor Vandereyk (who is a talented painter as well) has his stunning Kestrel painting featured in the March 2017 issue of BC Birding. I thought it was a nice way to close the post.

Image

Cheers,
Mel
#84788
congrats to all the Young Birders! It's great their amazing work is being recognized. I remember meeting Liam at Rithet's Bog a number of years ago, when his camera was almost bigger than he was, and suggesting he start a flickr, come on this site and share what he was seeing with us. He had that light of amazement at everything he was shooting. Youth sees nature in new ways; his talent has really evolved.
#84818
Congratulations Willa, Adam, Matyas, Katya, Toby, and Viktor!!!! :) :) It is fantastic how there are so many young birders that live in BC, and thanks Mel for helping to bring everyone together with so many great field trips!

I've never met most of you, but hope to in the future! Have a great spring with a lot of birding!

Isaac
#84854
Thanks everyone!! Joining the young birders group has been the best thing I ever did!
I've learned more this year than I ever have, Thanks for all the fun time and great memories, Mel!! :D

Congratulations to all the other recipients of the Young Birder Award!!
Last edited by bird99 on Feb 27 9:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
#84858
Thanks Viktor that's really touching to hear that and thank you Mario also for your kind words but all praise should be to the young birders! It's so great that we have the ability to connect young birders of all races, ages and sexes from all across the province. It's just great to bring you all together with common interests, foster friendships, learn about birds and make the birding community stronger.

Thanks to all of you for making it a better place. You make the future look bright.

Cheers,
Mel

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