<div dir="ltr">Hello Tweeters subscribers,<div><br></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"><span style="line-height:14.95px">I'm excited to announce that Ecostudies Institute will once again be coordinating the annual <a href="https://ecoinst.org/conservation-programs/avian-conservation/puget-sound-shorebird-count/" target="_blank">Puget Sound Shorebird Count</a>! </span><span lang="EN" style="line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">This event is part of the </span><span style="line-height:14.95px"><a href="https://data.pointblue.org/apps/pfss/" target="_blank"><span lang="EN" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">, a long-term monitoring program for wintering shorebirds led by Point Blue Conservation Science</span><span lang="EN" style="line-height:14.95px">. The data gathered from these counts helps provide a better understanding of shorebird populations and the habitats they utilize along the Pacific Flyway, while allowing for the creation of more effective conservation management plans.</span><span style="line-height:14.95px"> </span><span lang="EN" style="line-height:14.95px"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"><span lang="EN" style="line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Last year, we counted a total of <b>24,672 shorebirds and 69 raptors </b>with the help of 42 volunteers across 22 sites! Dunlins once again dominated the shorebird count with over </span><span style="line-height:14.95px">20,997 </span><span lang="EN" style="line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">individuals sighted, while the raptor count was led by 49 Bald Eagles.</span><span style="line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span><span style="line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000">After reviewing tide predictions, we will be conducting the 2024 count the afternoon of <b>Saturday, December 7th</b> across the majority sites, including </font></span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,sans-serif">Whidbey Island and</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,sans-serif"> Samish, Port Susan, and Skagit Bays. Due to differing tidal influences, our sites near Padilla Bay will be surveyed in the afternoon on <b>Monday, December 9th</b>. Our backup survey dates will be <b>Decem</b></span><b style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,sans-serif">ber 21st/22<span style="font-size:10.8333px">nd</span></b><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,sans-serif"> if the weather and tidal conditions on the 7th/9th</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,sans-serif"> are not ideal.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000">If you are interested in helping with this year's survey, please fill out our <a href="https://forms.gle/fnCmSQy98iDJAghq6" target="_blank">Google Form</a> indicating your availability. We also recommend you review the <a href="https://ecoinst.org/conservation-programs/avian-conservation/puget-sound-shorebird-count/volunteer-resources-for-the-puget-sound-shorebird-count/" target="_blank">protocols and other resources</a> on our website and information about the <a href="https://data.pointblue.org/apps/pfss/" target="_blank">Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey</a>. On the volunteer resources page, you will also find a recording of a virtual training event from 2020, which would be highly beneficial to review. If you are new to this event or have any questions regarding this year’s count, training, and/or protocols, please feel free to reach out to me (<a href="mailto:ghughes@ecoinst.org" target="_blank">ghughes@ecoinst.org</a>). </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000">Thank you for your interest! We will follow up with more information and site coordination once we receive form responses. We hope to see you at the count!</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000">Sincerely,</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"><br></font></span></p></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);background-image:none;background-position:0% 0%;background-repeat:repeat"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Gavin Hughes</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> (he/him)<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);background-image:none;background-position:0% 0%;background-repeat:repeat"><font face="Calibri Light, sans-serif"><i>Avian Science Technician – Americorps</i></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);background-image:none;background-position:0% 0%;background-repeat:repeat"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Ecostudies Institute<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);background-image:none;background-position:0% 0%;background-repeat:repeat"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);background-image:none;background-position:0% 0%;background-repeat:repeat"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,sans-serif">~~~ </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><b><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000">Helpful links and additional information:</font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000">Puget Sound Shorebird Count General Info</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"><a href="https://ecoinst.org/conservation-programs/avian-conservation/puget-sound-shorebird-count/" target="_blank">https://ecoinst.org/conservation-programs/avian-conservation/puget-sound-shorebird-count/</a><span style="text-decoration-line:underline"></span></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="text-decoration-line:underline"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><span style="text-decoration-line:none"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000">Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey Info</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"><a href="https://data.pointblue.org/apps/pfss/" target="_blank">https://data.pointblue.org/apps/pfss/</a></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"><a href="http://climate.calcommons.org/article/pacific-flyway-shorebird-survey" target="_blank">http://climate.calcommons.org/article/pacific-flyway-shorebird-survey</a><u></u></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000">Volunteer Resources</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"><a href="https://ecoinst.org/conservation-programs/avian-conservation/puget-sound-shorebird-count/volunteer-resources-for-the-puget-sound-shorebird-count/" target="_blank">https://ecoinst.org/conservation-programs/avian-conservation/puget-sound-shorebird-count/volunteer-resources-for-the-puget-sound-shorebird-count/</a></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000">Shorebird Identification Guide</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"><a href="http://migratoryshorebirdproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/PFSS_shorebird-ID-slides.pdf" target="_blank">http://migratoryshorebirdproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/PFSS_shorebird-ID-slides.pdf</a><span style="text-decoration-line:underline"></span></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:14.95px"><font face="arial, sans-serif" color="#000000">~~~ <br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);background-image:none;background-position:0% 0%;background-repeat:repeat"></p></div></div></div></div>