Hi everyone,
As the great annual thaw continues, we're going to be seeing more and more Rusty Blackbirds moving through Maine. Some of you have already run into them. Others of you live in Penobscot County and have been ecstatic to finally to see your first-of-the-year Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles over the last week. Then there's those of you who live in Piscataquis and Aroostook Counties and are still waiting to see your first-of-year bird that's not a large white owl. A lot of sarcasm here, but blackbirds really are moving north now, I promise.
To help conserve this elusive and vulnerable songbird, consider participating in The Rusty Blackbird Spring Migration Blitz. The Blitz collects its data through eBird checklists, so if you're already an eBird user, there's only another step or two to really help out this program. Essentially, just bird as you normally do and search especially carefully for Rusty Blackbirds, and report your results to eBird under the "Rusty Blackbird Spring Migration Blitz" survey type (as opposed to traveling, stationary, etc.). If you can, to go a bit further, please consider visiting one of the Rusty Blackbird Areas of Interest (visit our interactive map at http://rustyblackbird.org/outreach/migration-blitz/2015-areas-of-interest/) to help us assess consistency of migratory timing and habitat use during spring migration.
For more information on Blitz objectives, along with Rusty Blackbird identification tips, data collection instructions, and data reporting information, you can find additional resources at http://rustyblackbird.org/outreach/migration-blitz/. The project's coordinator, Judith Scarl, also wrote a great piece on the ABA Blog, which is worth a read: http://blog.aba.org/2015/03/open-mic-battling-bye-bye-blackbird-conserving-a-declining-species.html.
Please feel free to email me or Louis Bevier with any questions about the Blitz. As the great annual thaw continues, we're going to be seeing more and more Rusty Blackbirds moving through Maine. Some of you have already run into them. Others of you live in Penobscot County and have been ecstatic to finally to see your first-of-the-year Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles over the last week. Then there's those of you who live in Piscataquis and Aroostook Counties and are still waiting to see your first-of-year bird that's not a large white owl. A lot of sarcasm here, but blackbirds really are moving north now, I promise.
To help conserve this elusive and vulnerable songbird, consider participating in The Rusty Blackbird Spring Migration Blitz. The Blitz collects its data through eBird checklists, so if you're already an eBird user, there's only another step or two to really help out this program. Essentially, just bird as you normally do and search especially carefully for Rusty Blackbirds, and report your results to eBird under the "Rusty Blackbird Spring Migration Blitz" survey type (as opposed to traveling, stationary, etc.). If you can, to go a bit further, please consider visiting one of the Rusty Blackbird Areas of Interest (visit our interactive map at http://rustyblackbird.org/outreach/migration-blitz/2015-areas-of-interest/) to help us assess consistency of migratory timing and habitat use during spring migration.
For more information on Blitz objectives, along with Rusty Blackbird identification tips, data collection instructions, and data reporting information, you can find additional resources at http://rustyblackbird.org/outreach/migration-blitz/. The project's coordinator, Judith Scarl, also wrote a great piece on the ABA Blog, which is worth a read: http://blog.aba.org/2015/03/open-mic-battling-bye-bye-blackbird-conserving-a-declining-species.html.
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