Monterey Audubon Society

DEDICATED TO CONSERVING AND CELEBRATING THE BIRDS AND WILDLIFE OF THE GREATER MONTEREY BAY.

ANCILLARY PROGRAM SUPPORT IN EDUCATION, OUTREACH, BIRD CONSERVATION/PRESERVATION. PROMOTE NATURE LITERACY BY HOSTING MULTIPLE FREE MONTHLY FIELD TRIPS FOCUSING ON BEGINNERS, YOUTH, AND PARTICIPANTS WITH DISABILITIES, CONDUCTING PRESENTATIONS AT SCHOOLS AND SENIOR CENTERS, AND ENGAGING IN PUBLIC OUTREACH AT FARMER'S MARKETS AND NATURE-THEMED COMMUNITY EVENTS, LIKE EARTH DAY AND WILDLIFE DAY, INVITING PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS TO CONNECT WITH THE BIRDS AROUND THEM.ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT BALANCE ACCESS TO NATURE ALONG WITH THE PROTECTION OF SENSITIVE SITES AND SPECIES, LEADING TO FRUITFUL PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, CITIES, AND NONPROFITS. THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THIS OUTREACH: BIRD BANDING HANDLING AND DEMOS USING AVIAN BIOMETRICS, PUBLIC DISSEMINATION OF SEABIRD MONITORING PROGRAM INFORMATION USING EBIRD SOFTWARE APPS AND OTHER METHODS, AVIAN CENSUS WORK THROUGHOUT MONTEREY COUNTY AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORT FOR OUR YOUNG BIRDERS BIRDING PROGRAM, SNOWY PLOVER GUARDIAN VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AND OTHER RELATED EFFORTS.THERE ARE TWO GRANTS, THE LARGER GRANT WILL ENCOMPASS HIRING A GRAPHIC DESIGNER TO CREATE A DESCRIPTIVE MAP OF LOCATIONS AND BIRD SPECIES IN MONTEREY COUNTY AND IT WILL BE TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH. THE SMALLER GRANT IS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR GRASSLAND "IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS" (IBA) PROJECTS TO MAKE BROCHURES OF THESE SOUTH MONTEREY COUNTY IMPORTANT ECOLOGICAL ZONES AND INSTITUTE AN OUTREACH PROGRAM TO THE HISPANIC/MINORITY COMMUNITIES OF THE AREA.

BLACK OYSTERCATCHER NESTING AND CENSUS MONITORING PROGRAM, FUNDING TWO BIOLOGISTS TO TABULATE NESTING AND REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS AND VIABILITY RATES ALONG THE MONTEREY BAY AREA SHORELINE. NUMEROUS VOLUNTEER EFFORTS AS WELL AS PAID PROFESSIONALS. GENERAL PUBLIC AS WELL AS BIRD LOVERS BENEFIT FROM THE PROJECT.

WHALETAIL INTERN TRAINING FOR BLACK OYSTERCATCHER BIOMETRICS - RECRUITED AND PAID INTERNS FROM CSU MONTEREY BAY'S UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY CENTER TO ASSIST WITH MONITORING OF NESTING BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS IN THE MONTEREY BAY REGION DURING THE SUMMER OF 2023, ALLOWING THEM TO FORGE A MEANINGFUL CONNECTION TO THE COAST AND DEVELOP SKILLS THAT WILL HELP THEM EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELD OF STUDY.THE INTERNS WERE SUPPORTED IN CREATING A SCHOLASTIC PROJECT, IN EITHER FORMAL ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH OR POLICY GUIDANCE, WITH THE HELP OF MONTEREY AUDUBON STAFF WHO SERVED AS THE MAIN MENTOR FOR THE DURATION OF THE INTERNSHIP. THE INTERNS CREATED A RESEARCH PROJECT FOR A FORMAL SYMPOSIUM PRESENTATION.THE MONTEREY AUDUBON STAFF MENTOR PROVIDED FORMAL INTRODUCTORY SESSIONS RELATED TO COASTAL ECOLOGY, PUBLIC OUTREACH, AND SHOREBIRD BIOLOGY. A KEY PART OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE INTERNS BY PAYING THEM TO CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.