Subject: [Tweeters] Watching nesting birds
Date: Mar 11 18:28:10 2008
From: Michael Donahue - mgd at u.washington.edu


I wanted to let people know about a couple of Citizen Science projects that
I?m participating in, projects that monitor nesting birds. I?m learning a
lot
about breeding biology just by watching the birds nesting in my yard.

The UW Burke Museum has a Nest Record Card Program that is documenting the
timing of nesting here in Washington. Nest Record Cards ask for basic
information about nest site and construction, egg and nestling numbers, and
parental behavior. The Burke is hoping to have records from all over the
state
that span a number of years. You can read more about the program at:
http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/collections/ornithology/phenology/index.php

Cornell University?s Laboratory of Ornithology has a similar program for
cavity nesting birds called NestWatch. This is an expansion of their
Birdhouse Network.
http://www.nestwatch.org.

All information submitted, even for common species, is valuable! If you?re
interested in the Nest Record Card Program let me know and I can send you
some
cards. I also can email you some guidelines for monitoring nests.

Oh, and get your birdhouses up!

Mike Donahue
Seattle
Associate Curator, Nest Record Card Program
Regional Ambassador, NestWatch