We need your help! Whether you have a few hours to offer or would like to take a deep dive into surveying wetland birds across the region, Puget Sound Bird Observatory (PSBO) project managers will match your availability with our needs for avian monitors across this project to seek out American Bittern, Sora, Virginia Rail and Green Heron within the Puget Sound area. There will be approximately 200 wetlands that need surveyed this season, each wetland has between 1 and 5 survey points with most sites having 3 points. Each point takes roughly 20 minutes to fully survey. The three survey windows for this year’s effort span from March 29, 2021 to June 13, 2021 with lots of opportunity to choose dates and locations that meet your availability and willingness to travel.
COVID-19 safety protocols have been developed, including delivering full training manuals and remote tutorials for all community science participants.
We highly value the time and talent gifted us by community science participants across our region and provide all-encompassing training so that all levels of birders can participate. Helping with this unique bird surveying effort with PSBO is a great way to learn more about the birds and other wildlife in your local area. Surveying often takes you to areas that you would not normally visit, and creates excellent opportunities to expand your bird-sense. To participate in this effort, you will have training to develop skills such as GPS navigation, broadcast surveying, distance sampling and habitat identification.
For additional information about the project please visit Puget Sound Birds. To volunteer to help with this project or for more information please email Cindy Easterson at eastersonfamily@msn.com or call (425) 876-1055.
Photo credit: Mandy Weger