Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 16:25:19 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Tyler Bell Subject: Fwd: Smithsonian needs your help finding Swamp Sparrow popu= lation Comments: To: MD-SMAS-GENERAL@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tyler Bell mailto:bell@acnatsci.org California, MD http://www.audubon.org/listserv/md-smas-general.html http://www.audubon.org/listserv/nd-birds.html >>> Monint3 04/18/00 06:03PM >>> =20 =20 Deep in the recesses of marshes of the Mid-Atlantic coastal bay=20 ecosystem lurks a mysterious bird that has for a long time eluded== 20 popular and scientific awareness_.it's rare, it's in trouble and = we=20 need your help in finding these populations before these sparrows = go=20 the way of Dusky Seasides. =20 The Coastal Plain Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana nigrescens) is = = an=20 interesting, rare, and poorly known subspecies first described in== 20 1951. While its wintering grounds are unknown, the summer population= = =20 is restricted to a small and apparently distinct breeding range=20 extending from southern Maryland to northeastern New Jersey. Most = of=20 the population appears to be located near the Chesapeake and = Delaware=20 Bays during the summer months. Unlike the other two more common=20 subspecies of Swamp Sparrow, the Coastal Plain variant prefers the== 20 brackish shrub swamps associated with intertidal estuarine=20 environments and arrives on its breeding grounds only after the = other=20 subspecies have migrated through. Unfortunately, for the sparrow = and=20 its admirers, recent spot-checks of historical breeding sites have== 20 indicated that the subspecies may be undergoing a significant = decline=20 in numbers or a shift in distribution.=20 =20 We are LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS to support a joint project between = the=20 Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, the USGS Patuxent Wildlife = Center=20 and the states of MD, NJ, and DE which will attempt to determine = the=20 current range and population size of the Coastal Plain Swamp = Sparrow.=20 Our goal is to enlist volunteers to survey both historical breeding== 20= sites and a subset of suitable habitat where birds have not been=2= 0 previously reported. We would like to begin counting birds (singing== 20= male SWSPs and other marsh birds) in Maryland, Delaware, and New=2= 0 Jersey beginning at the end of May and continuing through mid-July.== 20= =20 If you are interested in this unique opportunity to participate in = a=20 large-scale monitoring effort, please contact:=20 =20 Jon Beadell=20 monint3@usgs.gov=20 (301) 497-5559=20 =20 As Soon As Possible =20 Let's learn about this species before it follows in the tracks of = the=20 Dusky Seaside Sparrow and other coastal casualties and escapes our== 20 detection permanently.=20 =20 Put a little Melospiza in your life! =20 ****The Swamp Sparrow Skunkworks Team**** Russ Greenberg (Smithsonian) , Sam Droege (USGS), Jon Beadell=20 (Smithsonian) =20 =20 Night tells her rosary of stars full soon,=20 They drop from out her dark hand to her knees.=20 Upon a silhouette of woods, the moon=20 Leans on one horn as if beseeching ease=20 From all her changes which have stirred the seas.=20 Across the ears of Toil, Rest throws her veil.=20 I and a marsh bird only make a wail.=20 -Francis Ledwidge: An Evening in England _______________________________________________ Jerpendel mailing list Jerpendel@www.acnatsci.org=20 http://www.acnatsci.org/mailman/listinfo/jerpendel ========================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ========================================================================= ===========================================================================