Date: 30 March to 1 April 2012
Venue: Dungeness River Audubon Center
City: Sequim
State: Washington
Country: United States of America

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Established and directed by Dr. Peter P. Marra of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center in Washington, DC, the Smithsonian’s Neighborhood Nestwatch opens up opportunities for ordinary citizens to get involved in a nationwide program by being biologists in their own backyards. Participants in the program will gain an in-depth understanding of birds in their neighborhood, while assisting scientists to gather crucial information with regard to the survival of backyard bird populations.

Efforts to asses the state of backyard bird populations focuses on finding the answers to two main questions. Firstly, how successful are backyard bird nests? Secondly, how long do backyard birds live? Neighborhood Nestwatch volunteers work along with scientists in finding occupied bird nests and then monitoring the nests over a period of time, recording and reporting their observations. Scientists are keen to compare the success rates between nests which are found in urban, suburban and rural backyards. Additionally, researchers from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center have been marking individual birds with combinations of colored plastic leg bands. Citizen scientists are required to keep on the lookout for these banded birds and report their sightings. More than 3,700 birds have been banded, with over 420 sightings being reported in subsequent years.

Analysis of preliminary data collected by Neighborhood Nestwatch participants suggests that cavity-nesting birds, such as house wrens and chickadees, have higher nesting success. It is thought that the main reason for this may be that cavity nests are more protected from predators. These birds also lay larger clutches of eggs than their open-cup nesting neighbors, but they make fewer nesting attempts per season. Birds with long nesting seasons, such as cardinals and robins, lay small clutches and have a fairly low rate of nesting success.

Sadly, our modern environment often has a negative effect on birds. For example, even though lead is no longer a component in gasoline, birds are still being affected by lead from years ago which has accumulated in soil and plant life in urban and suburban environments. Even minute amounts of lead in a bird’s system can lead to reduced weight gain for nestlings, as well as reduced ability to sustain essential metabolic functions due to organ damage. Ongoing research in this regard will no doubt reveal the impact that an increasingly urbanized world will have on bird populations and other wildlife.

The Smithsonian’s Neighborhood Nestwatch has learned a great deal about backyard birds in Washington, DC, in a project which is encouraging entire families to work as a team in fulfilling their observation tasks. Neighborhood Nestwatch participants are gaining valuable insight into the role that birds play in the environment – and having a whole lot of fun in the process.

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Bird lovers in the Washington area are no doubt already gearing up for the Leavenworth Spring Bird Festival. Set to take place this year between May 16-18, this great annual event gives enthusiasts a chance to really soak up the wonderful bird life in the area.

2008 marks the sixth annual Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest. The festival has been growing steadily as bird watchers stream to the area to make the most of its diverse range of habitats. Here snow-capped mountains give way to sunny pine forests with a range of growth in between. This sort of varied environment provides the perfect habitat for a range of bird species and so bird lovers can expect to see more than just a few bird species during the Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest in Washington. Enthusiasts keep their binoculars keenly trained for signs of calliope hummingbirds, harlequin ducks, white-headed woodpeckers, western tanagers, osprey and macGillivray’s warblers – to mention just a few!

While the main focus of the weekend’s festivities is bird watching, events are not exclusively limited to this facet of nature. Festival goers can also learn more about geology and wildflowers, and gain a new appreciation for the arts. Those who have spent the winter being a little too lazy for their likings can get back into the swing of things by going on leisurely strolls or participating in more active hikes.

The Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest is truly an event for people of all ages and all birding capabilities. Each year there is a specific emphasis on a particular facet of the lives of the birds that live in the area and so people leave knowing a little more about our feathered friends. They also learn more about why it is important that we look out for their welfare. The Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest is ultimately a weekend that is spent focusing on nature and the plight of animals and plants in this fast-changing environment of ours. The ultimate goal of the Bird Fest is to encourage citizens to take a fresh look at natural resources and so be inspired to protect natural habitats. Let us hope that this year’s Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest reaches that commendable goal.

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