Volunteer to Count Breeding Birds for BCN Project
BCN - the Bird Conservation Network - is a volunteer organization of 20 conservation groups across Northeast Illinois. BCN is dedicated to the preservation of our endemic breeding bird species. Thorn Creek Audubon is a charter member of BCN.
The centerpiece of BCN's volunteer work is coordinating annual surveys of breeding birds at selected preserves across the region. For the past 20 years, these surveys have provided vital information for understanding the population trends of the key species we all care about. Most importantly, this detailed data is used by forest preserve districts and other land managers to identify their properties' most critical preservation and restoration needs.
BCN and the county preserve land managers want to expand this valuable monitoring program to cover additional sites. BCN is looking for birders to help launch the expansion with the June 2021 bird count survey.
The Details :
+ Birders are invited to volunteer
Since the count data is used for habitat conservation planning and scientific studies, volunteers with at least three years of birding experience are needed. You don't need to be a super birder to volunteer, but bird survey participants should be able to identify birds breeding in our area by sound as well as by sight.
You can volunteer to monitor alone, or you can team up with a birding friend to monitor together. Only one birder in a team needs to be adept at identifying birds by sound.
+ What volunteers do
Monitoring entails two bird survey visits in June at one of the selected preserves in our area. As a monitor, you go to pre-determined points throughout your chosen preserve and count the number of birds seen and heard for five minutes at each point. After wrapping up your count, you enter your results into a special BCN section of eBird, and you’re done.
+ Interested in more info on volunteering?
Look over the list of sites in Will County and southern Cook County that need monitors.
Then contact the BCN Monitor Coordinator for more information about monitoring the preserve you're interested in (see below).
+ Interested but not quite ready to participate?
If you think you’re not quite ready to monitor but are interested in a future assignment, contact the BCN Monitor Coordinator. He’ll be glad to work with you to get you up to speed for future counts.
+ To volunteer or if you have any questions, contact:
BCN Monitor Coordinator Tim Balassie at tbalassie@gmail.com
+ Nearby Properties Where Volunteer Monitors Are Needed:
Will County
- Lake Renwick Preserve
- Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve
- Mather Woods Forest Preserve
- Messenger Woods Nature Preserve
- Prairie Bluff Preserve
- Sand Ridge Savanna Nature PreserveSouthern Cook County
- Hegewisch Marsh Park
- Plum Creek Meadow
Note: BCN is also looking for monitors in other areas in Northeast Illinois. If you might be interested in sites outside Will and southern Cook, contact Tim Balassie.
We hope you'll consider becoming a monitor. The information you collect assists natural resource managers in preserving the places we love to bird and provides vital data in assessing how well we’re doing in preserving our bird species.
March 1, 2021