Citizen Science!
As we get closer to the summer months and the programs return to the beach, we of course are always looking for volunteers to come join us on the beach educating visitors. However, there is another way to volunteer with the program that is a ton of fun. We participate in multiple citizen science programs. Citizen Science means citizens just like you and I collect data and send it in to be analyzed by scientists.
One of my favorites that we do is the MARINE Sea Star Survey. For this survey we go out during a negative low tide and count every single Sea Star in the tide pools....just kidding. We have two different plots (one on the south side and one on the north) and we count all the sea stars just in those plots. We use flashlights to look deep in all the cracks to make sure that all of the teeny tiny juveniles are being counted. When doing the survey, we are looking at the size and health of each Sea Star and writing it down. Through collecting this data, MARINE can track what is going on with Sea Star Wasting Syndrome.
Another survey we do, is incredibly important, but not for the faint of heart. It is the COASST-Seabird Survey. For this, we go out on the first Friday of each month and count all of the dead birds on a half-mile stretch of beach in front of Haystack Rock. As we are counting we also tag them, and take measurements and pictures of them.
The next survey is all about live birds. At Haystack Rock, we are fortunate enough to have a pair of Black Oystercatcher nesting. So through the Audubon Society of Portland, we monitor their behavior. This includes things such as if they are preparing a nest, sitting on eggs, or mating. And if we are fortunate enough to have chicks again this summer, to monitor the growth of them. This survey is conducted May through August.
This next one is also all about monitoring live birds. It is the Audubon Society's Pacific Brown Pelican Survey. This survey does not occur as frequently but is incredibly fun. I mean who doesn't want to go out look at pelicans all day, I know that I do.
The last two citizen science programs that we participate in are all trash. The first is the CoastWatch Marine Debris Survey. For this one, basically all we do is walk the half mile above the Rock and pick up all the trash on the beach. We then report how much trash we picked up so we can compare it to other beaches in Oregon. The next is less of a survey. It is micro-plastic removal with Sea Turtle Forever. Once or twice a summer, in the dry stand east of Haystack Rock we use static charge screens to remove the micro-plastic that the ocean has dumped there. Recently, we have started using the micro-plastic picked up there to make jewelry out of.
We love doing all of these citizen science programs because we get to learn so much them and they are so much fun. If you would like to participate in these, please look at our calendar, contact us, and follow our Facebook.
One of my favorites that we do is the MARINE Sea Star Survey. For this survey we go out during a negative low tide and count every single Sea Star in the tide pools....just kidding. We have two different plots (one on the south side and one on the north) and we count all the sea stars just in those plots. We use flashlights to look deep in all the cracks to make sure that all of the teeny tiny juveniles are being counted. When doing the survey, we are looking at the size and health of each Sea Star and writing it down. Through collecting this data, MARINE can track what is going on with Sea Star Wasting Syndrome.
The next survey is all about live birds. At Haystack Rock, we are fortunate enough to have a pair of Black Oystercatcher nesting. So through the Audubon Society of Portland, we monitor their behavior. This includes things such as if they are preparing a nest, sitting on eggs, or mating. And if we are fortunate enough to have chicks again this summer, to monitor the growth of them. This survey is conducted May through August.
This next one is also all about monitoring live birds. It is the Audubon Society's Pacific Brown Pelican Survey. This survey does not occur as frequently but is incredibly fun. I mean who doesn't want to go out look at pelicans all day, I know that I do.
The last two citizen science programs that we participate in are all trash. The first is the CoastWatch Marine Debris Survey. For this one, basically all we do is walk the half mile above the Rock and pick up all the trash on the beach. We then report how much trash we picked up so we can compare it to other beaches in Oregon. The next is less of a survey. It is micro-plastic removal with Sea Turtle Forever. Once or twice a summer, in the dry stand east of Haystack Rock we use static charge screens to remove the micro-plastic that the ocean has dumped there. Recently, we have started using the micro-plastic picked up there to make jewelry out of.
We love doing all of these citizen science programs because we get to learn so much them and they are so much fun. If you would like to participate in these, please look at our calendar, contact us, and follow our Facebook.
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