Mountain Birdwatch Scientists on their survey routes.
That could be you, in the photos above…
celebrating your first Mountain Birdwatch route like hundreds of other community scientists have over the last 23 years. With a short list of only 10 birds and one loud chattering mammal (red squirrel) to survey, a simple protocol, concise training materials and one-on-one help for participants, just about any hiker with an interest in birds can join.
You don’t have to be an expert–just enthusiastic. Jason Hill, Mountain Birdwatch Chief Scientist, will be available via phone, email, and Zoom (every Wednesday from 12-1 during April and May) to answer your questions and personally guide you through the simple training materials and procedures. If that Zoom time doesn’t work then we’ll find a time that does for you–tt’s a team effort here at Mountain Birdwatch–you can do this, and we’ll help you.
Participating is easy:
- pick an available route from the interactive map below and reach out to Jason Hill ();
- Jason will answer all your questions, and walk you through the training materials;
- learn the songs and calls of the 11 monitored (i.e., focal) species and review the simple protocol; make sure you can hear the high-pitched song of the Blackpoll Warbler.
- choose any day in June that works with your schedule and the weather. Hike up the mountain the day before, and scout your route. The next morning you’ll get up early and conduct four back-to-back 5-minute point count surveys at 3-6 sampling stations on a hiking trail;
- hike to the summit to celebrate(!);
- enter your data online and scan or mail in your datasheets and congratulations–you’re finished until next June!
The 2023 map below is now live! I’m still (late March) waiting to hear back from some of last year’s observers (hence the gray markers), but slowly the map will start to turn all green.
Purple = available to adopt for 2023. Email Jason Hill ()
Gray = limbo land. Waiting to hear back from last year’s observer
Green = already adopted for 2023
Click on the full screen icon (upper right corner of the map below) to see the legend and the available routes. [Alternatively, check out this full list of all the routes.] Once you adopt a route, it’s yours until you no longer want it. You can always switch routes in subsequent years.
Still wondering if you can do this? It’s only 10 bird species, 1 (very loud) mammal, one day in June, and 1 incredible experience. You don’t have to be an expert–just enthusiastic. You can do it–we’d love to have you be a part of the Mountain Birdwatch team!
