Birds on the Beach: How Citizen Science Contributes to Bird Conservation
It all
started with a dead mallard that Dennis and I found on Brickyard and 'processed' as part of our monthly Beached Bird Survey for Bird Studies Canada.  |
| Female mallard on Brickyard Beach |
Part of the 'processing' involves putting a numbered metal tag on the carcass. But days later an observant beachwalker came across the tagged duck lying on the shore and wondered who had put the tag there - and why. (Was something sinister going on?) She called GROWLS. One conversation led to another until the mystery was finally solved. No foul play, after all! Just the opposite really - a citizen science program in action here on Gabriola.
 |
| If you come to the presentation you'll find out why dead seabirds are tagged |
GROWLS then asked me if I would come and tell them about the Beached Bird Survey. I could, I said, but the person you really want is Karen Barry of Bird Studies Canada. Karen, who lives in Nanaimo and is an avid birder, coordinates the Beached Bird Survey and the BC Coastal Waterbird Survey, helps coordinate the BC Important Bird Area program, and is knowledgeable about Project Feederwatch and eBird. At GROWLS' request, I invited her, and she kindly agreed to come to Gabriola to show us slides and talk about these important citizen science programs.
 |
| Karen Barry |
Please join us for Karen's presentation on Wednesday April 17 at 1:00 at the Rollo Centre. (No charge. Donations welcomed.) And please help spread the word - in person, by email, by phone, or on your FaceBook page.
No comments:
Post a Comment