Rusty Blackbird Blitz Feb 7-15 ----- Original Message ----- From: Sergio.Harding@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2009 2:18 PM Subject: [Va-bird] Rusty Blackbird Blitz Feb 7-15 Virginia Birders, We are looking for volunteers to participate in the Rusty Blackbird Winter Hot Spot Blitz during Feb 7-15. The Rusty Blackbird is an elusive species which has undergone drastic declines over the past few decades. The Blitz will take place from Pennsylvania to Texas as a coordinated effort to acquire information on the bird's distribution and habitat use across its winter range. Participation in this important event is easy. Simply look for Rusty Blackbirds at sites where you know or suspect they may be found during this time of year, as often as you want during the Blitz period. The protocol is easy to follow, and anyone with good Rusty Blackbird identification skills is encouraged to participate. All data will be submitted via eBird, so if you are not already registered, this is a great opportunity to join. Signing up and using eBird is very easy, and you can find instructions on how to do so at the Virginia eBird site at http://ebird.org/content/va/about/tutorial. You may also contact Arun Bose (arun.bose(at)verizon.net) if you need help with eBird. Virginia eBird will also feature an article on the Blitz in the coming days, along with links to Blitz protocols and to information on the ecology of Rusty Blackbirds. We are trying to get the word out to as many people as possible. If you subscribe to any of the local birding listserves in Virginia, kindly post this message on my behalf. Thank you! Sergio Sergio Harding Nongame Bird Conservation Biologist Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries 4010 West Broad Street Richmond, VA 23230 (804)367-0143 fax (804)367-2427 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ va-bird mailing list http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. http://www.virginiabirds.net/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.13/1912 - Release Date: 1/23/2009 6:54 PM