Join Delaware Nature Society for the virtual Citizen Science 2023 recap
Delaware Nature Society will hold their annual Citizen Science Recap in a virtual format through Zoom on December 13 from 6 to 7:30 PM. The program is a recap of the Citizen Science program held throughout the year.
At the program, those attending will learn more about the Bird Box Monitoring program from Jen Llewelyn and Hawk Watch by David Brown. There will also be a discussion of Bird Banding and Ornithological Studies by Ian Stewart and Herpetology studies by Jim White.
The Bird Box Monitoring program, led by NestWatch Project Manager Llewelyn, has volunteers monitoring hundreds of bird boxes at Ashland Nature Center, Coverdale Farm Preserve, Bucktoe Creek Preserve, Middle Ru Natural Area and Mt. Cuba Center. The program assists Cornell Lab of Ornithology whose data supports the International NestWatch program. Volunteers check and monitor bird nests in the boxes on a regular basis.
Hawk Watch volunteers meet from September through November each year to watch and monitor the more than 20,000 raptors that migrate through Ashland Nature Center. Standing on Ashland Hawk Watch Hill, volunteers count the raptors migrating through the area along with other migrant birds of prey. It is one of 200 hawk watch sites across the country. Hawk Watch Hill is located on the eastern side of a chain of hills that stretch from New York to Alabama known as the Piedmont and is known as a flyway for many birds heading south. As of Fall 2022, almost 21,000 migrant raptors have been counted, much higher than the average of almost 13,000 counted elsewhere.
Delware Nature Society’s bird banding project allows volunteers to see wild birds up close whiel also learning how the organization helps the bird population, learning about their habits and what they need not only to survive but also to thrive. This is part of a worldwide banding effort and occurs from April to December each year at the Bucktoe Creek Preserve on Wednesdays. The program began in 2015 under the leadership of Stewart, a federally-licensed bird bander. In the first year, Stewart was able to capture and band 413 birds representing 37 species. Some were nestlings reared in bird boxes located at Ashland Nature Center, Bucktoe Creeek Preserve, Abbott’s Mill Nature Center and Coverdale Farm Preserve.
Herpatology studies reptiles and amphibians. White will talk about the many reptiles and amphibians who make the area home as well as efforts to conserve their species.
Registration is required for the virtual event and can be completed through Delaware Nature Society. A Zoom link will be sent the week of the event.
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