Western Snowy Plover photo by Ron LaValley

It appears the Mendocino Coast Audubon Society is not the only group swinging into survey mode.  Just as they kick-off this season’s Save Our Shorebirds project, they’re invited to participate in a conservation program headquartered in Tata, Hungary.

The World Waders Shorebird Mapping Project leader wrote: “I am coordinating a shorebird mapping project where we map breeding and non-breeding shorebirds across the globe. This is an interesting and exciting long term project. The target is to support shorebird conservation where it is most needed. We had a nice start as the project just kicked off. I would love to see you in the list of contributors who submit nesting and migrating/wintering data on shorebirds.”

The goal of the local SOS project is to provide a safe habitat for resident and migrating shorebirds in the Important Bird Areas MacKerricher State Park. The long-term objective is to work toward a five per cent increase in the number of watch-listed shorebirds on three beaches in MacKerricher State Park.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the local surveys are incorporated into a world-wide project that originated half way around the world?

As the world gets smaller, projects like these become even more important.  If this sounds like a good excuse for a regular beach-walk, you can let the SOS team know (casparbeck@comcast.net) you’d like to sign up for a beach. You could help at Virgin Creek Beach, or join Art, a wonderful birder and teacher who leads surveys at Glass Beach.

If work with children is your thing, consider participating in the State Parks Junior Ranger Shorebird program at Lake Cleone every Wednesday at 2 p.m.through September 1. The SOS volunteers participate in this program for children 7-12 under the deightful instruction of the wonderfully appropriately named State Parks naturalist Teresa Hurray. The program goes until 4-4:30 p.m. and includes a short survey with some climbing.