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Volunteer Opportunities
1.
Write descriptions for local birding sites
Thanks to Brian Guarente, we now have a map of local birding spots linked
to the CCAS website. We would like to supplement this map with brief descriptions
of each site listed, covering such items as terrain, best times to visit,
birds visitors are likely to see, and other useful information about birding
in this location. Brian’s map lists more than 30 locations. We are
looking for volunteers to write a description for each site. If you are
willing to write about one of your favorite local birding spots, please
contact Steve D’Arcy at s-darcy@illinois.edu to volunteer.
2.
Help develop the Busey Woods Bird Walk databse
The CCAS has collected information about birds seen during the spring
and fall bird walks in Busey Woods since 1975. We would like to create
an electronic database of this information and post it on our website
to make it readily available to researchers and other interested parties.
If you are willing to help us with this project, please contact Beth Chato
at jbchato@illinois.edu or (344-6803) to volunteer.
3.
Answer the CCAS telephone
Sitting at home bored, wishing someone would call? Now's the time to volunteer
to answer the Audubon telephone. The phone is on call-forwarding
so for 1 or 2 days a week you will receive a few calls, which can be anything
from helping someone identify a bird to complaining about the neighbor's
cat prowling around their feeders. You do not need to know the answer
to every question. Several Audubon members are glad to take referrals
for any question you can not answer. Interested? Call the Audubon phone
at 367-6766; Kyra Shair, the phone coordinator at 356-1265; or John Dunkelberger,
the phone forwarder, at 344-4973. Thank you.
4.
CCAS bird monitoring project of the CSX rail line
We now have CCAS members monitoring 9 of the 10 segments of the
CSX rail line in Champaign County. As of early February, five of the segments
have had fall and/or winter bird counts done with a total of 55 species
of birds having been observed along, or flying over, the rail corridor.
We are still looking for more members to become involved by adopting a
segment of the rail corridor. All segments are located between Urbana
and Ogden and are between 0.5 to 1.0 mile in length. Although the focus
is on bird usage, we are also looking for people with interests in the
plants, insects and animals of the corridor habitat. Minimal time commitments
involve four 1-hour census hikes per year for birds, or two or three hikes
per year for plants and other species. Please contact Steve Buck at sbuck@illinois.edu
if you are interested in volunteering to adopt a segment of the rail corridor.
5.
Help rebuild our shattered environment! Join other volunteers
and the Urbana Park District for Stewardship Saturdays.
Help remove invasive weeds, plant natives, improve trails and restore
the native landscape. Please dress for the weather; gloves, tools and
refreshments are provided.
February 27th:
Meadowbrook Park at 9 am
Perkins Road ("Dog Park") at 1 pm
March 13th:
Busey Woods 9 -11 am. Meet at Anita Purves Nature Center
Weaver Park 1 – 3 pm. Pull off Main Street at Smith Road
March 27th:
Meadowbrook 9 -11 am. Meet at Race street parking lot.
Webber Park 1 – 3 pm. Meet at Dog Park parking lot on Perkins Road.
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