Dear friends of PSF,

It’s been five months since you last heard from me and as you may have guessed, this first update announces the beginning of a new Project Safe Flight season.

This update includes the following:

            - PSF Launch

            - Numbers from the field

            - Call for volunteers

            - City Birding Challenge

PSF Launch

On April 4^{t h} NYC Audubon began the spring monitoring, involving over 20 volunteers (ten of which are new to PSF) that monitor close to 80 sites on a daily basis between the hours of 7 and 10am. This season also includes the second part of our yearly study on urban bird collision in collaboration with Dr. Daniel Klem, PhD ornithologist of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA.

This is also a good time to thank all the volunteers for making this season a success, especially during the heavy rains we experienced two weeks ago. THANKS

Numbers from the field

The last three weeks of monitoring revealed very few bird collisions, with less than 10 birds being found. Our PSF online database reveals that fewer birds have been found this year so far than the past four year for the same time period. Furthermore, this year’s monitoring is much more intense and regular that previous years, indicating that there really are fewer birds found than usual.

There may be two explanations to this phenomenon:

-          The cold and humid weather we have experienced may have delayed migration a little, preventing birds from reaching their breeding grounds further north. Local birders tell me that birds are already coming through, but in very low numbers and that the masses are to be expected soon.

-          The cold weather may have delayed foliage growth, resulting in less reflected habitat, thus reducing the potential for collisions.

But even without foliage, the picture below, taken by Rebekah Creshkoff at the MET on March 31^st, shows an American Robin that was lured by deceptive glass.

More Volunteers Needed

Despite the high number of new volunteers, we still have two open slots on the schedule that need to be filled, especially with peak migration around the corner.

PLEASE let me know if you can help, even if it’s a one time commitment. It would be great to have these two remaining days covered for the rest of the study.

These days are:

Fridays at the World Financial Center.

Saturdays on the Eastside route

City Birding challenge

On Saturday, May 12, 2007, NYC Audubon is leading its City Birding Challenge, in which teams of birders compete with each other to find as many birds as possible in one day. Last year the winning team observed 141 species across the City.

I though it would be a great idea to create a PSF team. Let me know if you wish to take part in this event and I’ll make it happen.

For more information about the City Birding Challenge and the NYC Audubon Birdathon, please click on the following link:

http://www.nycaudubon.org/Birdathon/

 See you next week,

 Nicole