Spring Is Coming--Get Outside for a Cause
Despite the buckets of snow many Western towns have received in recent weeks, spring is on its way. That means much of our field work is starting soon!
Check out our projects with upcoming trainings below. Don't forget to sign up to receive our communications on projects you'd like to get involved in.
We need your help as we work to conserve wildlife in the West. Will you become a monthly donor to have a lasting impact on the wildlife and habitats you love?
For the Love of Rosy-Finches
Community scientist Lynne Spriggs shared her passion for rosy-finches in her piece for the Finch Research Network, The Finches of Cloudland: A Love of the Rosy-Finch.
An excerpt from her piece, she describes the magic these birds have brought to her Montana home:
“My husband and I live in an isolated mountain valley in central Montana...Our only human encounters are with the family who helps us run our cattle ranch. Daily relationships center around a variety of animals, both domestic and wild, who share this diverse mountain habitat. We first took notice of these unusual winter finches back in 2007, when we counted about sixty. Now, a flock of some four hundred and fifty Gray-crowned Rosy Finches stay with us each winter for five months. These beloved winter acquaintances come to us from a dramatic world high in the clouds..."
It's not too late to get involved in our Rosy-finch Project. Visit our project page to get started and learn why these birds are so beloved!
Intern Spotlight
We're excited to have interns Hailey Brookins and Ian Griffith doing such great work as part of our team. A huge thank you to these interns for all the work they've already done!
Hailey Brookins is in her fourth year at Westminster College, with a major in Environmental Studies and a minor in Data Science. Throughout her college career, Hailey has focused primarily on ecology, conservation, and data analysis. She has experience building maps with Geographic Information Systems, conducting ecological data analysis, and creating research reports. She spends her summers doing hands-on conservation work both federally and with the Idaho Conservation Corps. Hailey enjoys fly fishing, skiing, birding, camping, and hanging out outside.
Ian Griffith grew up in Park City, Utah, and will graduate from the University of Utah in May of this year (2021). Ian has a deep-rooted passion for participating in and protecting outdoor recreation activities. The mountains are a sacred place for him, and he hopes to be able to assist in preserving our natural and wild spaces for the benefit of future generations. Ian is helping with the Rosy-Finch Study by receiving datasheets, managing data, and conducting Feeder Counts. He loves learning about birding and supporting such an important project.
Wildlife Image Analysis Update
We are transitioning to a new online platform to better serve the project and participants, but you can still be a part of this project analyzing wildlife images by emailing Austin Green directly.
Check out our Wasatch Wildlife Watch page to learn more, and email Austin Green to get started.
Volunteer of the Month
Kathy Paulin, our March Volunteer of the Month, is one of the top data sheet contributors on our Rosy-finch Project. She says, "I’ve had rosy-finches in my yard in the past—but rarely—so I knew I’d probably be submitting a lot of zeros! But absence data matter too.
I’m a retired wildlife biologist so I appreciate the value of contributed data. It really expands what biologists can do beyond their own time and budget constraints. Even though I bird for fun these days, finding ways to make my hobby useful is rewarding."
If you'd like to see more community- and science-based conservation in the West and are in a place to share resources, please donate today. If you're unable to donate, we deeply appreciate you volunteering or sharing our work with loved ones.
Thank you so much for your support. This work depends on the generosity of our community of donors, volunteers, and supporters.
Visit the project page on our website or connect with us on social media to learn more about our conservation work, and please contact us with any questions or suggestions.