SAAS is participating in National
Audubon Society’s citizen-science pilot
project, Audubon Climate Watch, from
Jan. 15 to Feb. 15.
The goal of the project is to learn how
specific bird species are affected by
climate change. The SAAS survey will
focus on both Red-breasted and
White-breasted Nut-hatches.
Red-breasted
Nuthatch Photo by Don Polunci
The survey is conducted twice a year: in June
and in the winter. SAAS joined the program in
June, 2017.
Volunteers use a specific protocol established
by National Audubon: using grid maps of a
specific area, birders will conduct 12 counts,
observing for five minutes each. They would also
record the numbers and species of other birds
identified within 100 meters (328 feet).
The Climate Watch project was developed after
National Audubon issued a report in 2014, Birds
and Climate Change, on risks faced by North
American bird species from climate change.
Audubon members asked how they could help. The
Audubon Climate Watch program started in 2016,
focusing on bluebirds. Details about the
national program are available at
http://www.audubon.org/
conservation/climate-watch-program.
Contact SAAS board member Rob Snell for more
information: birdbrane1@gmail.com
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