Volunteer Call for Birding Surveys
Written by Andy McCormick
It’s spring and time to go out to see the birds! The projects below need a few volunteers to help make them go. You do not need to be an expert birder. Your enthusiasm for helping birds and other birders will bring good energy to these projects. By participating you will learn by being with experienced birders. See which of these projects appeal to you.
Homestead Fields Bird Survey in Fall City:
This survey will be conducted on a parcel of open land owned by King County along the Snoqualmie River in Fall City. The Fall City Parks Commission is helping to manage the property and has asked Eastside Audubon to conduct a once-a-month, year-long survey to learn about the birds that frequent the area.
The survey will run from September 2025 to August 2026. Each monthly survey will take 2 ½ to 3 hours. The survey dates will be consistent, for example, on the third Thursday of the month, but will be set later and may include weekdays or Saturdays. Surveys work best when the team has a stable membership, so it is important for participants to attend regularly for one year. By participating in this survey, you will learn about resident and migrating birds and how they use the land.
Contact: Andy McCormick at amccormick@eastsideaudubon.org
Climate Watch Survey:
Eastside Audubon has been conducting Climate Watch surveys for six years. Team leaders Andy McCormick and Jeremy Lucas are looking for a few more people to participate. Surveys are conducted in January and June at four locations: St Edward State Park in Kenmore, Rattlesnake Lake in North Bend, Tradition Lake in Issaquah, and Clyde Hill (next to Bellevue).
Climate Watch is a nationwide survey coordinated by National Audubon. The target birds for these surveys are Red-breasted Nuthatches and Spotted Towhees, and listening for their calls is part of the fun. Over time our goal is to see if these birds change their range in response to the warming climate. You can pick the survey location that appeals to you and experience the birds in that area. By participating in one or more of these surveys you will learn more about bird songs and how to identify them.
Contact: Jeremy Lucas jeremylucas@eastsideaudubon.org
Birdability Assessments:
Eastside Audubon is beginning a process of reviewing the accessibility of birding hotspots within the Eastside Audubon service area. The assessments will be part of Birdability, a National Audubon supported program. Birdability is an independent organization that provides information to people with disabilities about the accessibility of birding locations. Our team uses the Birdability format for assessing birding locations and our goal is to train a few more people in this process to learn how to assess things like the type of trail at a birding location, a trail’s accessibility for wheelchairs and other assistive devices, whether or not an area can be birded by car, and if a sight- or hearing-impaired person can feel comfortable birding there. This project will help you learn about the wider community of birders and how to make birding accessible to more people.
Contact: lindathompsen@gmail.com
Join us! Volunteer!
We are out in the community making a difference by collecting data about birds and their habitats. This information directs our conservation efforts and can make birding more accessible to more people. This is good for birds and for our birding community. Join us and join one of our projects!
Other ways you can participate - Donations accepted:
If you cannot participate in one of these projects but want to support them, you can help us in several ways.
You can join Eastside Audubon if you are not already a member,
You can support Birdathon during the month of May by attending a field trip or supporting a Big Day team during our chapter’s largest fundraiser
You can make a general donation.
Thanks for all you do for birds! We at Eastside Audubon appreciate it.
PC: Common Yellowthroat by Mick Thompson