Nature Done Wright

Christina Kisiel of New Jersey's excellent Endangered and Non-game Species Program is looking for volunteers to conduct ENSP's Inland Great Blue Heron and Night Heron Colony surveys.

   Click "Continue reading…" to learn more.

   Christina writes:
   The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife – Endangered and Nongame
Species Program is looking for volunteers to help conduct our Great Blue
Heron and Inland Night-heron colony surveys.

   We have colonies throughout the state, with extra need in Sussex and Passaic counties.

     The survey consists of three site visits to each colony over the course
of 7-8 months. The first visit takes place early in the season to
confirm that the colony is active and to get an adult count.

    The second visit takes place mid-season to see if the colony remained active and to get an adult/chick/fledge count (to the observer's best ability – often this count is the hardest due to view obstruction by leaves) and a final visit after the leaves drop to count nests.

   Observers should be at least intermediate-level birders and able to commit to a survey that is not intensive in nature, but does require effort over a long period of time.

   Please send me an e-mail (click here) if you are interested in helping with this survey (including the general area you would be willing to survey, such as county, town, etc.), and I will let you know about available colonies in your area.

   On a related note, I had a wonderful response to my request a few months ago for information relating to heron colonies around the state. Many of you directed me to colonies that were not previously documented in our database and I thank you for that.