[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]
Posted by Elsa on 17:58:09 03/21/10
Hello, Bioblitz is a taxonomic event jointly sponsored by National Geographic and the National Park Service. The purpose is to tally as many species in a two day period in a national park, while getting the public including schoolkids to work side by side with scientists and naturalists. Hopefully, this will spark interest in biodiversity, and maybe lead to future marine biologists, birders, ornithologists, entomologists, botanists, etc. This year, this incredible event is happening in Biscayne National Park on Friday April 30 and Saturday May 1. While we have bird ID experts on Elliott Key (and we thank you for this!), we need volunteers to do two different bird ID activities on Convoy Point park headquarters near the Visitor Center) for those students that won't be able to get on a ferry to Elliott Key. The first activity is to lead a bird walk every hour around the parking lot and jetty. The second activity is to stand by a scope (the park can provide a good scope) at the Convoy Point jetty. For each activity, you would be helping the students (mostly elementary school) learn how to identify birds, showing them field guides, field marks, etc. For more information on Bioblitz go to http://www.nationalgeographic.com/field/projects/bioblitz-fl-2010.html That website also has a registration site if you would like to volunteer for Bioblitz activities OTHER THAN the bird ID activity. If you would like to volunteer for the Bioblitz bird ID activities, you would be considered a "scientist" for this event, and since scientist registration has already closed please contact me directly at elsa_alvear@nps.gov and let me know what days/times you'd be available to do this and what equipment you could bring. It's expected to be peak of migration but there will be potentially over 1000 people in a small area so the terrestrial birding may be challenging. For jetty-watching, Low tide on Friday is at 5:19 AM, High 11:36 AM, Low 5:35 PM. On Saturday, High 12:14 AM, Low 6:05 AM, High 12:20 PM (and then Bioblitz ends). Who knows, this might be the day we find a purple sandpiper on the jetty.
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]