Citizen “Scientists” Track Birds in Oil Zone | National Geographic

the sight of oil gushing into the Gulf

the sight of oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico may have left some people

of Mexico may have left some people

of Mexico may have left some people feeling helpless to protect the

feeling helpless to protect the

feeling helpless to protect the environment but thousands of people saw

environment but thousands of people saw

environment but thousands of people saw this bill was a call to action we’re

this bill was a call to action we’re

this bill was a call to action we’re only going to say short volunteers came

only going to say short volunteers came

only going to say short volunteers came forward to help with Beach clamp and

forward to help with Beach clamp and

forward to help with Beach clamp and wildlife rescues and many are still

wildlife rescues and many are still

wildlife rescues and many are still pitching in a vast amount of data is

pitching in a vast amount of data is

pitching in a vast amount of data is vital to assess the spills effects on

vital to assess the spills effects on

vital to assess the spills effects on birds and other marine and coastal life

birds and other marine and coastal life

birds and other marine and coastal life that’s where the National Audubon

that’s where the National Audubon

that’s where the National Audubon Society is helping out millions of birds

Society is helping out millions of birds

Society is helping out millions of birds fly down the Mississippi River fly way

fly down the Mississippi River fly way

fly down the Mississippi River fly way to spend the winter on the Gulf Coast

to spend the winter on the Gulf Coast

to spend the winter on the Gulf Coast and scientists need to track any changes

and scientists need to track any changes

and scientists need to track any changes in numbers and health of the migrants as

in numbers and health of the migrants as

in numbers and health of the migrants as well as those living year-round on the

well as those living year-round on the

well as those living year-round on the coast it’s a it’s an unprecedented

coast it’s a it’s an unprecedented

coast it’s a it’s an unprecedented effort and this year there are going to

effort and this year there are going to

effort and this year there are going to be thousands of volunteers monitoring

be thousands of volunteers monitoring

be thousands of volunteers monitoring birds counting looking at their health

birds counting looking at their health

birds counting looking at their health as they come through birders

as they come through birders

as they come through birders volunteering in Audubon citizen science

volunteering in Audubon citizen science

volunteering in Audubon citizen science program join the experts early in the

program join the experts early in the

program join the experts early in the spill to conduct a coastal bird survey

spill to conduct a coastal bird survey

spill to conduct a coastal bird survey an additional program was recently

an additional program was recently

an additional program was recently started and participants from both are

started and participants from both are

started and participants from both are still out identifying and counting Birds

still out identifying and counting Birds

still out identifying and counting Birds finish up this group in Mississippi

finish up this group in Mississippi

finish up this group in Mississippi covered a bit more than a mile of

covered a bit more than a mile of

covered a bit more than a mile of undeveloped coastlines spotting hundreds

undeveloped coastlines spotting hundreds

undeveloped coastlines spotting hundreds of birds some participants are new to

of birds some participants are new to

of birds some participants are new to birding as a Gulf Coast resident and as

birding as a Gulf Coast resident and as

birding as a Gulf Coast resident and as a science teacher I know the importance

a science teacher I know the importance

a science teacher I know the importance of collecting data and I was really

of collecting data and I was really

of collecting data and I was really interested in the fact that they would

interested in the fact that they would

interested in the fact that they would be collecting data over a long period of

be collecting data over a long period of

be collecting data over a long period of time he’ll join the group in June and

time he’ll join the group in June and

time he’ll join the group in June and works with the other birds to count and

works with the other birds to count and

works with the other birds to count and identify the birds as accurately as

identify the birds as accurately as

identify the birds as accurately as possible this time of year we’re getting

possible this time of year we’re getting

possible this time of year we’re getting a lot of migrants we’re getting a good

a lot of migrants we’re getting a good

a lot of migrants we’re getting a good fall migration so we actually are seeing

fall migration so we actually are seeing

fall migration so we actually are seeing the number of birds that we normally see

the number of birds that we normally see

the number of birds that we normally see in this area this time of year delmas

in this area this time of year delmas

in this area this time of year delmas and the other longtime birders help the

and the other longtime birders help the

and the other longtime birders help the new volunteers identify species this

new volunteers identify species this

new volunteers identify species this Beach apparently saw little oil and so

Beach apparently saw little oil and so

Beach apparently saw little oil and so far the birds here seem healthy but

far the birds here seem healthy but

far the birds here seem healthy but long-term monitoring by this group and

long-term monitoring by this group and

long-term monitoring by this group and others throughout the region can give

others throughout the region can give

others throughout the region can give deeper insight into population health

deeper insight into population health

deeper insight into population health past Delmas if he is a scientist and he

past Delmas if he is a scientist and he

past Delmas if he is a scientist and he won’t make any claim to the title

won’t make any claim to the title

won’t make any claim to the title I’m actually a birder I’ve been birding

I’m actually a birder I’ve been birding

I’m actually a birder I’ve been birding not a long time I started an 85 but some

not a long time I started an 85 but some

not a long time I started an 85 but some people start when they’re four years old

people start when they’re four years old

people start when they’re four years old and been burning all their lives having

and been burning all their lives having

and been burning all their lives having birders along at all levels of

birders along at all levels of

birders along at all levels of experience means there are eyes looking

experience means there are eyes looking

experience means there are eyes looking in all directions when I start a field

in all directions when I start a field

in all directions when I start a field trip as I say it’s the eyes I mean if

trip as I say it’s the eyes I mean if

trip as I say it’s the eyes I mean if you got a several burgers or good

you got a several burgers or good

you got a several burgers or good burgers they can’t see everything so if

burgers they can’t see everything so if

burgers they can’t see everything so if you get a good mob and they’re seeing a

you get a good mob and they’re seeing a

you get a good mob and they’re seeing a lot of different things and brings it to

lot of different things and brings it to

lot of different things and brings it to other people’s attention I think you get

other people’s attention I think you get

other people’s attention I think you get some accuracy like that and on this

some accuracy like that and on this

some accuracy like that and on this early fall day the group is rewarded

early fall day the group is rewarded

early fall day the group is rewarded with their first sighting of migrating

with their first sighting of migrating

with their first sighting of migrating pelicans scores of them this day’s count

pelicans scores of them this day’s count

pelicans scores of them this day’s count along with those from groups all across

along with those from groups all across

along with those from groups all across the Gulf region will go into a database

the Gulf region will go into a database

the Gulf region will go into a database at Ebor org it’s a joint project of the

at Ebor org it’s a joint project of the

at Ebor org it’s a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and audubon

Cornell Lab of Ornithology and audubon

Cornell Lab of Ornithology and audubon the new data will hopefully help

the new data will hopefully help

the new data will hopefully help scientists determine a pomeroy along an

scientists determine a pomeroy along an

scientists determine a pomeroy along an effect on the birds