You Can Help!

Be a friend to wildlife by helping with these important research projects.

2011 Chimney Swift Arrival Dates are important to the folks at www.chimneyswifts.org

Their web site has a wealth  of interesting material on swifts and their preservation, as well as mapping of arrival dates across North America.  Report your first swift sightings to them at DWA@austin.rr.com

Grassland Sparrow Project Continues

Over 6,000 Bobolinks and Savannah Sparrows have been banded in the Champlain Valley by Noah Perlut from the Department of Environmental Studies, University of New England in Biddeford, Maine.  Adults are banded with three colored leg bands and one USFWS service metal band, while nestlings are banded with a single USFWS service metal band, nearly always on the right leg.  Noah is asking for our help if we see banded birds in our area.  Please email him with the species, color bands (be sure to notice which legs had which colors and in what order), and most important, location.  Contact information follows.

Noah Perlut
Department of Environmental Studies, University of New England
11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005
207-602-2778     E-mail: nperlut@une.edu

Mallard eggs needed for DEC study of the Hudson River

If you do any birding or hiking along the Hudson, you have no doubt seen the strange-looking covered platforms erected along the shoreline from Fort Edward to Mechanicville.  They are part of an on-going project to collect Mallard eggs for study of PCB levels in waterfowl—part of the Hudson River Natural Resource Damage Assessment. These platforms will be monitored by DEC personnel; however, data from any mallard nest found within a half mile of the Hudson River would be valuable as well.  If you find a nest in your travels, please take GPS readings if possible (this will make returning to the nest site easier) and contact Sean Madden, using the information below.