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Project ColonyWatch

By Jason Frederick, Project ColonyWatch Coordinator

Imagine sitting in a chair at sunset as several hundred herons, egrets, and other birds come in to roost for the night. Flock after flock flies in as the setting sun paints the Brevard County sky brilliant yellows, reds and oranges; and as the sun drops behind the horizon, the sky turns from reds to purples and deep blues as night falls. Join me on a Project ColonyWatch census count and experience a post card perfect sight.

The goal of Project ColonyWatch is to establish where the breeding and roosting colonies are in Brevard County and to perform census counts on them during the year in order to record their numbers and to monitor their progress year to year. Egrets, herons, ibises, anhingas, cormorants, terns, plovers, and gulls all fall into the Project ColonyWatch.

Do you have to be an experienced birder to participate? No, as a matter of fact, you will improve your birding skills no matter what level you are at by participating. Will I have to hike long distances and get dirty? No, the best part about performing these census counts is that rather than go searching for the birds, they come to us. Bird watching made easy! Does it take a long time? Most counts take only 1 to 1.5 hours to perform.

The Space Coast Audubon Society is taking part in Project ColonyWatch and is working with Audubon of Florida, local, state, and federal agencies to protect these important areas. What we need from volunteers is assistance in performing census counts, monitoring, locating colony sites, and mapping the county for these sites. If you would like to help with any or all of these phases of the project, please contact me at (321) 449-9678 or by email at heyyoukidd@yahoo.com. You may also contact Audubon's Project ColonyWatch staff at (813) 623-6826 for more information and a free booklet on Project ColonyWatch.