From Cornell Lab of Ornithology:Call for Mini-Grant ApplicantsThe Celebrate Urban Birds project at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology offers mini-grants to help museums, afterschool programs, libraries, community centers, and other local organizations fund neighborhood events. These events may involve art, gardening, science, community service or other cultural activities We're ready to award a new round of these mini-grants which average $250-$500. If you are planning an event, you're invited to apply for a grant at www.CelebrateUrbanBirds.org. Organizations working with underserved communities are strongly encouraged to apply. No experience with birds is required. Application deadline is February 15, 2010 As you may know, Celebrate Urban Birds is a free, year-round citizen science project in which participants watch birds in their neighborhoods and report what they see. This information helps scientists better understand how birds survive in cities and make use of green spaces, including parks and gardens. I look forward to seeing all your great ideas! Sincerely, Karen Purcell, Project Leader Celebrate Urban Birds |
Monday, January 11, 2010
Call for mini-grant applications - Jan 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Cuban Treefrogs in Florida
For many years, concerned Floridians have been reporting Cuban Treefrog sightings to Dr. Steve Johnson at the University of Florida. Cuban Treefrogs are common in suburban Florida, where they have become a huge nuisance to humans. As a result, more Floridians are now becoming informed and taking action to help manage these frogs in their neighborhoods. We believe that their efforts can make a difference, helping to reduce Cuban Treefrog populations and slow their spread into new areas. Removing Cuban Treefrogs may also help native treefrogs to survive in suburban areas -- some people report that they have seen more native treefrogs after they started to capture and humanely euthanize the invaders. Now, scientists are asking Floridians to participate in a Citizen Scientist project by taking the time to report their efforts.
You can help by telling them:
How many Cuban Treefrogs have you captured and euthanized?
When and where did you catch them?
How big were they?
Have you seen any native treefrogs?
Have you noticed anything unusual that might be of interest?
Participating can be as simple as taking photos of the frogs you euthanize and sending them in with your data sheet (a list of how many frogs you catch). You can play an important role in helping to learn more about the ecology of Cuban Treefrogs in suburban areas of Florida and the effectiveness of citizens' efforts to manage these invasive frogs. For step by step instructions go to
http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/citizen_sci.shtml.
Have You Seen a Tagged Vulture?
You can help in research evaluating the movements of YELLOW or WHITE wing-tagged vultures. Each tagged bird has a cattle ear tag in its RIGHT wing and each tag has a letter and number (ie. F47 or C20) or a series of 3 letters (ie. AMJ) that may also be visible from below while the birds soar. The yellow tagged birds were marked and released in North Florida and the white tagged birds were marked and released in Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida but could be found anywhere in the Eastern United States.
All sightings should be sent to the email or address below indicating the location of the sighting, tag number, species, as well as any other pertinent behavioral or other information. Any information of recoveries of tagged birds should also be sent to the USGS Bird Banding Lab: http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/.
Email John S Humphrey at John.S.Humphrey@aphis.usda.gov or call him at (352) 375-2229 in Gainesville with your sighting information.
Painted Bunting Observer Team Needs Volunteers
The Painted Bunting Observer Team (PBOT) Project at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) needs your assistance with these brightly colored migratory birds. The team is looking for volunteers to help with a research study in Florida to develop strategies to bring the bird’s population up to healthy and sustainable levels.
“Although past data from the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) show that painted bunting populations were declining for 30 years, more recent data, along with detailed monitoring, indicate that these birds appear to be on the rebound,” said Dr. Jamie Rotenberg, ornithologist in the Department of Environmental Studies at UNCW. “Still, the good news is tempered by uncertainty surrounding the causes for the recent rebound or whether the population is doing well on both the breeding and wintering grounds.”
“Florida is unique in that it is the only one of the four eastern breeding ground states that also supports a wintering population of painted buntings,” Delany said. In Florida, the team wants to recruit and maintain an active group of volunteers who can make observations and collect data at backyard bird feeders and can help band and monitor banded buntings, especially during the winter months.
“We hope to determine the abundance and distribution of painted buntings at backyard feeders and to detect population patterns across the coastal-inland and suburban-rural landscapes,” Rotenberg said. “We want to know if there are differences in how males and females use feeders and how important these backyard feeders are as a food resource. Already, just from last year’s data, we may be seeing a winter-range expansion for painted buntings in Florida, possibly because of backyard feeders. Ultimately, we want to find out why the species was in decline and pinpoint what is causing the new increase.” Since painted buntings readily visit backyard bird feeders, volunteers can easily participate in gathering a variety of data that can aid the project in comparing populations breeding in suburban, rural and natural habitats, from the coast to more inland areas.
The dates and locations of the workshops are being finalized, according to Rotenberg. For updates about the workshops in Florida or to become a Painted Bunting Observer Team volunteer and learn more about this project, please sign up on the project site: www.paintedbuntings.org or email the project coordinator at pbot.mns@ncmail.net.
“Although past data from the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) show that painted bunting populations were declining for 30 years, more recent data, along with detailed monitoring, indicate that these birds appear to be on the rebound,” said Dr. Jamie Rotenberg, ornithologist in the Department of Environmental Studies at UNCW. “Still, the good news is tempered by uncertainty surrounding the causes for the recent rebound or whether the population is doing well on both the breeding and wintering grounds.”
“Florida is unique in that it is the only one of the four eastern breeding ground states that also supports a wintering population of painted buntings,” Delany said. In Florida, the team wants to recruit and maintain an active group of volunteers who can make observations and collect data at backyard bird feeders and can help band and monitor banded buntings, especially during the winter months.
“We hope to determine the abundance and distribution of painted buntings at backyard feeders and to detect population patterns across the coastal-inland and suburban-rural landscapes,” Rotenberg said. “We want to know if there are differences in how males and females use feeders and how important these backyard feeders are as a food resource. Already, just from last year’s data, we may be seeing a winter-range expansion for painted buntings in Florida, possibly because of backyard feeders. Ultimately, we want to find out why the species was in decline and pinpoint what is causing the new increase.” Since painted buntings readily visit backyard bird feeders, volunteers can easily participate in gathering a variety of data that can aid the project in comparing populations breeding in suburban, rural and natural habitats, from the coast to more inland areas.
The dates and locations of the workshops are being finalized, according to Rotenberg. For updates about the workshops in Florida or to become a Painted Bunting Observer Team volunteer and learn more about this project, please sign up on the project site: www.paintedbuntings.org or email the project coordinator at pbot.mns@ncmail.net.
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