Hi folks,

Saw the following position announcement on the Bird Banding listserver, and
thought that it might be of interest to some on the list.

I spent a summer in North Dakota doing similar kinds of work for N Prairie
research center back in the 70s and had a great time. A great opportuntiy
for anyone wanting to improve their bird list for the 'heartland'.

Please contact Dr. Winter at the address below, not me.

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net


Subject: [BIRDBAND] Grassland bird research: Crew leader (4) and field
Larry Igl <larry_igl at USGS.GOV>
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 10:24:12 -0600

Banding and nest-search positions for crew leader (1) and field assistants
(2) available for a large-scale study that will evaluate the effect of
patch size and landscape on grassland birds. Work will be conducted in the
tallgrass prairie region of northwestern Minnesota. We will test whether
the type of landscape surrounding a prairie patch (e.g., hay-meadows,
agricultural fields, forests, shrublands) affects nesting success and site
fidelity of breeding populations within the grasslands. Field work will
encompass mist-netting, color marking, resighting of birds on and off
plots, and nest searching. We will focus on Bobolinks, Savannah Sparrows,
and Clay-colored Sparrows. Qualified applicants have to be in excellent
physical condition, have a valid driver's license, and should have at least
3 months experience of mist-netting; need to love the prairie, early
mornings, long days of intense field work and not mind frequent wet feet
and mosquitoes. The ability to work independently and responsibly is
essential. Field work will start May 15, 2001, and go through July 30,
2001. Crew leaders start on May 10. For further information, please visit
the web at http://132.236.164.100/Winter/myhome.html. Salary is
$1100/month ($1360/month for crew leader), and shared accommodations will
be provided.
In your application, please note experience relevant to the job
description, stating specifically where this experience was gained and the
amount of time spent on these activities. Include the names, phone and
e-mail numbers of at least three references. No special application forms
are required. Send applications as soon as possible but no later than April
15 to: Maiken Winter, 212 Tareyton Dr., Ithaca, NY 14850, email:
mwinte02 at syr.edu


Nest search positions for crew leaders (3)
and field assistants (6) available for a large-scale study that will
evaluate the effect of patch size and landscape structure on grassland
birds. Work will be conducted in the tallgrass prairie region of
northwestern Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota. We will test whether
the type of landscape surrounding a prairie patch (e.g., hay-meadows,
agricultural fields, forests, shrublands) affects nesting success of
grassland birds breeding within the grassland patch. Field work will
encompass nest searching and monitoring, behavioral observations, and
vegetation sampling. Qualified applicants have to be in excellent physical
condition, have a valid driver's license, and should be able to identify
grassland birds by sight and sound; need to love the prairie, early
mornings, long days of intense field work and not mind frequent wet feet
and mosquitoes; and have the patience to sometimes spend long and
frustrating periods being taunted by birds that do not want their nests
found. The ability to work independently is essential. Crew leaders also
need to have experience with working in groups, and need to take
responsibility for field work independent of further supervision. Field
work will start May 15, 2001, and go through July 31, 2001. Crew leaders
start on May 10. We will work in three crews, east of Crookston/MN, east of
Moorhead/MN, and at Sheyenne National Grassland/ND. For further
information, please visit the web at
http://132.236.164.100/Winter/myhome.html. Salary is $1100/month
($1360/month for crew leaders), and shared accommodations will be provided.
In your application, please note experience relevant to the job
description, stating specifically where this experience was gained and the
amount of time spent on these activities. Include the names, and phone and
e-mail numbers of at least three references. Send applications as soon as
possible but no later than April 15 to: Maiken Winter, 212 Tareyton Dr,
Ithaca, NY 14850, email: mwinte02 at syr.ed