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volunteer conservation projects



Greetings, Carolinabirders-

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology needs volunteer birders and experienced 
biologists to participate in a couple of conservation projects. This is a 
great way to get in-the-field experience and can be easily combined with 
your current research. If you can help out, please email me privately.

Birds in Forested Landscapes (BFL)
BFL is looking at the effects of forest fragmentation on North American 
forest birds. Participants choose BFL species that breed locally (48 
species throughout NA) and select (a) study site(s) in fragments or 
contiguous forest. They visit the site(s) twice during the breeding season, 
look for evidence of breeding, and record habitat characteristics. 
Participants receive a research kit and CD to use in the field for 
playback. Results from BFL are being used to develop conservation and 
management guidelines for sustaining healthy populations of these species 
(past results have been published as "A Land Manager's Guide to Improving 
Habitat for Scarlet Tanagers and Other Forest-Interior Birds.") There's 
also a recreational focus that we're working on with the U.S. Forest 
Service, on National Forest land. For more info, 
www.birds.cornell.edu/bfl  Last year, we received data from only 2 
participants in NC, 0 from SC!).

Golden-winged Warbler Atlas Project (GOWAP)
This project needs volunteer birders and professional biologists to survey 
and conduct point counts at known and potential breeding site of 
golden-wings throughout their range. Our goal is to determine the 
population status and habitat and area requirements of golden-wings, 
blue-wings, and their hybrids. The Population Survey protocol involves 
surveying known/potential breeding sites (chosen by the participant) to 
determine numbers of breeding birds, population status, and habitat 
characteristics. For the Hybrid Index, participants choose pages from their 
state's Delorme Atlas and conduct a series of 10-minute point counts in 
suitable habitat using playback and visual ID. (NOTE: some funding is 
available to pay field assistants who can work extensively on the Hybrid 
Index in MD, MI, MN, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WI, WV) For more info, 
www.birds.cornell.edu/gowap

Allison Wells
Cornell Lab of Ornithology

P.S. We're in the process of creating a final atlas for Cerulean Warblers. 
If you have info about Ceruleans, please go to www.birds.cornell.edu/cewap 
and let us know if you have data (# of Ceruleans seen, location, habitat 
info) that will make this atlas more complete.