[BCNnet] Can you help count spring migrants?

[Judy Pollock]

The Migrant Bird Habitat study, which looks at which are the most important
trees for foraging migrants in the Chicago area,  is in its last year. Our
goal
is to gather at least twice as much data as we have in previous years in order
to make our conclusions as sound as possible. Can you walk one of our study
routes and report on the birds you see?  This year we've come up with an easy
way for  people to join the study, and the extra participation will really
improve the results.  

The data analysis identified nine of our sites that have good variety in tree
species:   Rosehill Cemetery, Horner Park, North Pond, Montrose Point, and
Humbolt Park (all in Chicago), Miami Woods (Morton Grove) Perkins Woods
(Evanston), Brookfield Zoo - North Indian Lake, and Fort Dearborn - Dee Road
(Rosemont).  We are looking for people who can make three visits to one of
these
sites between April 15 and May 31.  We will give you a map of  the route and
all the trees on it, and you can let us know which birds you saw in which
trees.   

This is a fun way to brush up on tree ID, and it's very interesting to do this
kind of focused study of how birds use trees.    

Our results to date have been quite interesting. Hickories came up very
high on
the list, and silver maples very low.  Some of you have seen the report on a
similar study in Southern Illinois in which silver maples were some of the
most-used trees in that part of the state; it will be interesting after the
study is completed to compare our results with theirs. 

The study is sponsored by Audubon and the BCN.  After this year’s results are
in, a final report will be prepared and distributed widely within Chicago
Wilderness. This study will help to change our corner of the world -
preliminary results have already been used to augment plantings in city bird
sanctuaries, and the final results will guide improvements to migratory bird
habitat throughout the region.

If you're interested, reply to me.

Judy
Judy Pollock
Evanston (Cook)
bobolnk@ix.netcom.com