Hello Maryland Birders,

The bird breeding season is almost upon us and that can only mean one
thing – it’s time for Bird Blitz 2010! With volunteer birders like you
as the driving force, Bird Blitz 2009 had 42 participants conduct 108
surveys at 13 sites across Maryland. Six new IBAs were identified over
the past year as a result of citizen-science Bird Blitz efforts. Using
2008 Bird Blitz data we identified the Monocacy Grasslands and Indian
Springs WMA as new IBAs, and 2009 data allowed us to identify four
more new IBAs: Mattawoman Creek, Nanjemoy, Zekiah Swamp, and St.
Mary’s River. And more IBAs based on 2009 data are in the pipeline.
However, the IBA network is still incomplete with several remaining
candidate IBA sites throughout Maryland.

In 2010, we hope to build upon the success of last year’s efforts with
Bird Blitz focusing on 11 candidate sites in western, southern,
central, and eastern Maryland. In addition, three eastern shore IBAs
will be targeted in an effort to assess their global status for the
globally vulnerable Saltmarsh Sparrow. Survey routes are being
developed for these sites, and all necessary mapping materials will be
provided to volunteers. All methods will be the same as in 2009,
including the use of GPS to map primary target at-risk bird species.
At-risk species data collected by GPS during last year’s surveys has
already been seen as highly valuable to the Maryland DNR’s Natural
Heritage Program, and the plan is to continue building this high
quality dataset through Bird Blitz.

There will be two Bird Blitz Training Sessions – one in western
Maryland and one on Maryland’s eastern shore. The Western Training
Session will be held on May 11, 2010 at 7:00PM at Frostburg State
University in Compton Hall Room 224, and the Eastern Shore Training
Session will be held on May 28, 2010 at 7:00PM at the Pickering Creek
Audubon Center in Talbot County. I encourage anyone interested in
participating in Bird Blitz this year to attend one of these sessions.
Even if you have done Bird Blitz in the past, the trainings will serve
as an excellent refresher. These trainings will include instructions
on all Bird Blitz survey methods, hands-on GPS training, as well as an
opportunity for all participants to sign up for survey routes at Bird
Blitz target sites across Maryland.

Please consider signing up for Bird Blitz 2010 and making the decision
to count birds for conservation this summer. Your citizen-science
efforts will be a significant contribution to the conservation of
Maryland birds and their habitats. To learn more about Bird Blitz 2010
or to find out how to participate in this year’s efforts, visit the
Bird Blitz website at:
http://mddc.audubon.org/birds-science-education/important-bird-areas/bird-blitz-2010.

Audubon Maryland-DC will also be holding an IBA Birdathon this year in
an effort to raise funds for the IBA Program. Each year the IBA
Program needs to raise 100% of the funds necessary to conduct its bird
conservation activities in Maryland and DC. For an update of the IBA
Program’s conservation achievements over the past year, see our recent
newsletter at: http://mddc.audubon.org/files/Audubon%20Maryland-DC/documents/IBA_Update_Spring2010_FINAL2.pdf.
On April 24, the Audubon IBA Birdathon team, comprised of staff and
friends, will try to identify as many bird species as possible in 24
hours on Maryland’s lower eastern shore. To find out how you can
sponsor our IBA Birdathon team or make a donation to the Maryland-DC
IBA Program, visit:
http://mddc.audubon.org/birds-science-education/important-bird-areas/sponsor-our-iba-birdathon-team.

As always, please contact me via phone or email if you have any
questions about the IBA Program or Bird Blitz 2010. Thank you and I
hope you decide to be a part of Bird Blitz 2010!

David

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David Yeany II
IBA Program Coordinator
Audubon MD-DC
2437 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21224
Phone: 814-221-4361
Email: