Birds

Developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, eBird is a massive community science undertaking that compiles over 100 million observations each year. Joining and participating is very simple and does not require any special equipment other than a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet access.

eBird caters to all types of users - whether you are out on a stroll with your family and just so happen to spot a male cardinal, or if you're on a dedicated birding trip crossing rare species off your "life list." eBird's data submission tool accepts a range of data. At its most basic, eBird just needs to know where, when, and what species you observed. You can also enter more detailed information such as the birds' sex and behaviors or a description of the surrounding habitat.

Use this log-in with your students to document the birds they see:

eBird: Arlington Echo Arlington

Also developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, NestWatch needs community scientists to locate and monitor local bird nests. This program requires a larger time commitment than eBird. If you're able to successfully locate a nest to monitor, it's most useful if you're able to check in on that nest repeatedly over a 3 to 4 week period. One-off observations are okay too, but the data is not as useful to researchers.

Since nests, eggs, and baby birds are all fragile and susceptible to predators and other threats, NestWatch also requires its community scientists to undergo virtual training. This includes reviewing a NestWatchers' Code of Conduct, reading training materials, and completing a short online quiz. This ensures that all volunteers know the proper protocols to avoid inadvertently damaging nests or harming birds.

Journey North uses community science data to track the migrations of North American creatures like robins, hummingbirds, and monarch butterflies. Community scientists can also contribute plant phenology data - that is, the seasonal changes in plant life cycles such as the first flowers blooming or leaves dropping in the fall.

Submitting a new report is very simple and does not require any special knowledge or equipment (although you should know what an American robin or ruby-throated humming bird look like! See the pictures to the left). Here's what you'll need to do:

1. Head to the Journey North Sightings Report page and create a free login or use this login: arlingtonecho@aacps.org Arlington

2. Once you're signed in, you can use the embedded Google Maps window to select the location where you made your sighting.

3. Upload a photograph of your sighting.

4. Under "What did you see?" select the option for what you spotted. Only use the "First sighted" option if it is the first time you have seen the particular species of bird this year. For example, if you saw a ruby-throated hummingbird back in May before joining Journey North, then this isn't your first hummingbird sighting. This distinction helps improve accuracy for Journey North's migration tracking.

5. After you've reporter your sighting, you can check out other Journey North users' sightings on the Maps tab.