Wild Spirit Education Research & Citizen Science Projects
Wild Spirit Education participates in and encourages others to participate in citizen science projects to better understand the natural world and to help support much needed research about nature. Below are listed some of the projects that we are involved and and how you can participate. If you have any questions about any of the projects, please do not hesitate to call or email us.
Bird Banding
Wild Spirit assists Master Bander Paul Fehringer (naturewanderer.org) with bird banding, which is the process of capturing songbirds in mist-nets, collecting data on the bird (weight, age, sex, measurements, etc), placing a metal band on the leg and releasing the bird back to the wild. All of this is done without harming the birds.
All the banding data is submitted to the federal banding lab for scientists and researchers to use in a variety of studies.
We assist in MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship), winter banding and saw-whet banding. We are one of the few facilities that bands year round. To view a Youtube video of Paul’s banding efforts click here.
Frogwatch
Wild Spirit is proud to be a local chapter of the Frogwatch USA program which is a citizen science program that allows individuals and families to learn about the wetlands in their communities and help conserve amphibians by reporting the calls of local frogs and toads. As a chapter of the program, Wild Spirit not only monitors local wetlands, but we are set up to train and recruit local individuals and groups that wish to participate in the program. We hold a variety of training sessions each spring. To find out more about Frogwatch, click here.
Nestwatch
Wild Spirit participates in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch citizen science program by monitoring nests at our property and in our neighborhood. As a chapter of the program we hold training workshops in the spring of the year to help others learn how to best monitor birds in their neighborhoods. To find out more about NestWatch click here.
Ebird
Ebird is a citizen science program through the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Wild Spirit reports many of our bird sightings through this easy interactive program. Visit the Ebird site here if you have questions about the program.
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)
Wild Spirit Education has been an ambassador for the GBBC for many years. This citizen science program takes place each February across the world as individuals and groups watch and count the birds that visit their backyards. The data collected is submitted online so that researchers can use it to study trends in bird numbers. This is a fun way to get involved in nature in your own backyard. As an ambassador for the program, Wild Spirit advertises the count, participates, and holds training sessions before the big weekend. To find out more about the GBBC click here.
Firefly Watch
Every spring, Wild Spirit participates in Firefly Watch which monitors how firefly populations are doing. Spend some evenings watching the flashing patterns of fireflies to help scientists explore how populations are doing. Find out more about the program at https://www.massaudubon.org/get-involved/citizen-science/firefly-watch
Wild Spirit Education, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to enlightening others to the wonders of the natural world through conservation, preservation and environmental education.