Seabird Monitoring
Stewards’ Seabird Monitoring program began in 2013, thanks to funding from the Bureau of Land Management. Stewards is partnering with the California Coastal National Monument (CCNM) to monitor seabirds off the Sonoma Coast and have created a local Chapter of the Seabird Protection Network.
A Seabird Protection Network works to reduce human disturbance to seabirds and other wildlife along the California coast through an organized outreach and education program combined with law enforcement and seabird management actions. The first step is to monitor local seabirds to determine the level of disturbance and from what sources. Seabirds can be disturbed by hikers, low-flying planes, helicopters and drones, boats and paddlers, hang gliders and fireworks. Colonies are photographed and counted in order to document the impact of disturbances as well as productivity.
Tasks: Seabird monitors collect monitoring equipment before their shift begins. With the equipment, they drive to one of several observation sites and use the data sheets to record information such as weather, number of individuals observed, and identify the species present. There are almost always 2 volunteers per shift at each observation site: one to identify and count the species and individuals, and another to do the recording on the data sheet. Monitors return the equipment and completed data sheet at the end of their shift.
Meeting times: During the breeding season (April 1 through the end of August), one-hour shifts are scheduled at each breeding colony weekly.
https://stewardscr.org/sonoma-coast-volunteer-program-seabird-monitoring/
