Grab your binoculars and join us at Agraria on Saturday, May 12, 2018 for our first annual spring migration bird count! We will spend the day doing guided hikes and stationary counts on the farm, documenting every avian species we see. The location and schedule of hikes is listed below. Closed-toe shoes are required and long pants are encouraged. Coffee and snacks will be provided to participants.

Schedule: 

6am-8am- Dawn chorus in field 8. We will wander the field adjacent to the barn and creek, paying special attention to migrant warblers and others singing from perches on the field edge.

8:15am-10:30am- Creekside ramble. We will hike the lengths of Jacoby Creek and its tributaries, looking closely for thrushes and other species who like to lurk low in the brush near running water.

10:45am-12:30pm- Perimeter walk. As the name suggests, we will walk the boundaries of the farm in search of mockingbirds and other gregarious fence row birds.

12:30pm-1:30pm- Refreshments and species tally in the conference room.

1:30pm-3:30pm- Sit spots. Grab a pen and paper, pick your favorite or most productive spot from the morning, and write down everything you see. For this session we're looking not only for the birds, but how they are behaving and why. Questions to consider might be:

How does my presence influence this bird?

What is that bird eating, is the food abundant? scarce? invasive?

How many different sounds is the bird making? How do they relate to movement?

Are there 'bird deserts' on the farm? Why?

Is this bird a resident or just stopping through? How could we make this a better rest stop? A better home?

Lastly, if you or someone you know would like to make a per species sponsorship or other donation to Agraria, contact Gabby at gabeamrhein@gmail.com