Volunteers needed to study the scrub-jay

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Volunteers needed to study the scrub-jay

Around Osceola

Wednesday, 28 April 2010 00:00

The Nature Conservancy’s Jay Watch program seeks volunteer “citizen-scientists” and offers free training sessions in May and June. No prior experience is needed for volunteers.
The work of saving the threatened Florida scrub-jay is anything but finished.
Over almost a decade, volunteers with The Nature Conservancy’s Jay Watch program have contributed thousands of hours to help the scrub-jay the only bird that only lives in Florida.
But more volunteers are needed this summer to survey new scrub-jay sites and continue work at existing sites.
Volunteers will document scrub-jay populations, while getting unique exposure to the scrub-jay and learning about its biology and fragile habitat.
The Nature Conservancy will provide single-day training sessions in numerous locations throughout the state for Jay Watch newcomers; in addition, it will ask veteran Jay Watchers to participate again this year.
Multigenerational families of scrub-jays live together in very specific areas of oak scrub habitats, but the scrub-jay is severely threatened by loss and degradation of those habitats. Ninety percent of the scrub-jay population is gone.
The data provided by volunteer “citizen-scientists” will be analyzed by The Nature Conservancy and Archbold Biological Station and used to further protect this threatened species.
The Nature Conservancy will train new volunteers from 8 a.m. to noon during several sessions in May and June. The dates and locations are:
• Saturday, PEAR Park, Leesburg, Lake County
• May 8, Lyonia Preserve, Deltona, Volusia County
• May 15, Lake Kissimmee State Park, Lake Wales, Polk County
• May 26, Little Manatee River Southfork tract, Duette, Manatee County
• May 27, Royce Ranch, Lake Placid, Highlands County
• June 1, Lake Marion Scrub, Poinciana, Polk County
• June 8, Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Martin County
Volunteers need to commit to surveying a scrub-jay site for at least three mornings between June 12 and July 21. Volunteers need no prior experience.
Interested volunteers should RSVP to receive directions to the training sites. For more information and to RVSP, contact Cheryl Millett at 863-635-7506 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .