Bidding Adieu

My dog, Harmony provided a warm welcome upon my return

With the rocky coasts and ocean breezes of the West Coast still fresh in my mind, I’ve returned to Columbia, SC and am settling back into my home. As suspected, I do miss the places and people that I met this summer and yet have many fond memories (and pictures galore…) to keep random smiles across my face. All in all, I traveled over 3,000 miles, met with nearly eighty people that collectively survey over 70 beaches and have approximately 150 hours of interview recordings to transcribe!!! I’d say that was a successful trip!

Beginning a new semester, my attention has started to turn towards dissertation analysis. At a basic level, my summer research project with COASST participants was focused on how citizen science participants make meaning of volunteer experiences. In particular, I spent a good bit of time talking with folks about motivation to engage in citizen science, the value of participation, and connection to place and nature. What I found along the way was a wide array of responses to the questions I asked along these lines, revealing a diverse landscape of motivations to engage, relationships with place, and personal outcomes of the program. And I think that is just fantastic because, while it is perhaps not all that surprising, it is quite encouraging nonetheless. Encouraging because there are a whole host of folks across multiple states and communities who want to make a difference, for a huge variety of reasons, and who find citizen science to be a particularly fitting avenue through which to make a significant contribution. As a birder and appreciator of wildlife, that is welcome news.

From the rocky beaches of Whidbey Island (above), to the
impressive bridges throughout Oregon (middle), all the way
to the fine sandy beaches of California (bottom) this
trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

As a nature-society geographer, it is equally intriguing. Like I shared with many of those I met with this summer, citizen science, I believe, provides a unique avenue to explore the world around us, to see things in a new light, from a different perspective, and to connect in possibly a nuanced way with those places right under our noses. That’s why for the next several months, I’ll be diligently reviewing and analyzing the information I collected this summer to think more directly about why folks participate in citizen science projects like COASST, what they get out of it, how the experiences impact them on a personal level, and what aspects of the COASST program are most valued by participants.

I’ll also consider more theoretical questions like how individuals connect to and perceive the environment; develop perceptions, values, and attitudes about human-environment interactions; and make meaning of experiences with nature. This kind of analysis and the writing that will follow will, no doubt, take many months. It is likely to be at least a year before I near completion of my writing and am able to share any substantial results. Once my writing is complete, the participants in my study will be among the first to see the final product. My dissertation committee, of course, will then have to give the final thumbs up! 

Until then, I welcome additional thoughts, ideas, or insights from those that participated in the study. Feel free to email me (if you don't have my email already, please leave a comment here) or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Finally, I want to quickly express my sincere thanks to the great team of staff members at the University of Washington COASST office, The Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of South Carolina, and my home department of Geography. And none of this would have been possible without the kind and welcoming array of COASSTers I met with along the way. You all have touched me in numerous ways and will serve as a source of motivation as I continue my research journey.

Until we meet again, Ben

End of the Road

This beautiful sunset at Arcata Marsh enveloped me on the last night
of travel in southern California. It was a fitting end to a spectacular journey!

Ready or not another semester at the University of South Carolina (my home institution) begins this Thursday (22^nd), signaling the end of my summer journey and my time meeting with COASST volunteers. While I am eager to greet my family and friends (and sweet Dog Harmony) back home, I find it hard to believe my time on the West Coast is coming to a close. I’m certain I’ll experience a period of withdrawal. Not just because I’ll miss the beauty of this place, but more because I’ll miss the people. I’ve now meet with nearly eighty COASSSters from the northern tip of Washington to the southern-most extent of the COASST range in northern California. They have invited me into their homes, walked with me on their beaches, and shared some incredible stories. How lucky I have been to experience all of that in just two short months. I leave with so many gifts, those of time (many COASSTers contributed freely several hours to the project), friendship, and inspiration to name a few. Purely based on the amount of folks that have so kindly offered up a bed to sleep in should I ever return to the area, I think I’ve got future vacation spots set for many years to come! The end of my summer research also means I’ll be wrapping up my random musings on this travel research blog. Look for a final recap towards the end of the week, with more information about where I go from here in my research process. Thanks to each of you who have followed with me in this journey by reading my blog. Even if you’ve gained just a portion of the fun, adventure, and knowledge I’ve accumulated throughout the experience, I hope it has been a worthwhile endeavor for you as well. Here’s hoping our paths cross again someday!

Gem of a Marsh

Red-shouldered  Hawk

I couldn’t visit the Arcata/Eureka area of northern California and not raise my glass to the City of Arcata’s innovative Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. The 307 acre area is actually home to an inventive wastewater treatment facility and operation, which, by integrating conventional and natural treatment processes, also serves as a fantastic wildlife sanctuary. With 5.4 miles of navigable walking trails, there are abundant opportunities to view wildlife, especially birds, as you make your way through freshwater and saltwater marshes, mudflats and ponds. What could have been a no-mans land of muck and grim like many conventional wastewater treatment facilities, this site, maintained by the city, is a recreational gem for the community, serving as a place to gather, to exercise, to find stillness, and to marvel at wildlife. I’ve visited numerous times now since I’ve been in the area, and would put it on my “must-see” list if I ever make it back to the area. Here is just a glimpse at a few of the birds I've seen at the marsh.

Greater Yellowlegs

Flock of Marbled Godwits

Willet

Great Egret

Finding their Niche

Long-billed Dowitchers (small, on left) and Marbled
Godwits (large, on right) have uniquely shaped bills which
allow these separate species to occupy different niches

One of the things I enjoy most about watching shorebirds is the ability to see the concept of an ecological niche in plain sight. Most folks are pretty familiar with the idea of a niche, which is a very particular “role” a species plays within the greater ecological community. Occupying a niche allows a species to meet its basic needs without too much competition or overlap with other community members while also contributing a unique service to the ecological system (e.g. seed dispersal, pollination). Amazingly, each species is highly adapted to occupy a particular niche, a role developed over time in response to the ecological make-up of an area and interaction with other creatures. Take a visit to any mudflat during spring or fall shorebird migration, and you will find a slide show of niche specialization in high definition. You are sure to see dozens of different bird species all gathered together in one space, yet each with unique shapes, colors, and behaviors to capitalize on specialized aspects of that environment. Not surprisingly perhaps, people are much the same way. Not necessarily from a physiological standpoint (after all, we are all the same species), but from a social vantage point, we each play unique roles in our families, organizations, and communities. You might say we each occupy a particular niche within our social systems. The COASST program is an ideal way for the three volunteers I met with today to fulfill their community niche. Michelle (Mad River), Grace (South Spit), and Don (South Spit) all gravitate towards the physical sciences, both personally and professionally. They appreciate investigating new things, cultivating questions and theories, and exploring the natural world. The fact that COASST provided yet another avenue to participate in science first drew each of these COASSTers to the program and the opportunities to investigate and learn is one of the reasons they keep coming back month after month. We all have a role to play; it is what makes the world go round. The key is to find your role, and to play it well. The three COASSTers with whom I met today epitomize that lesson.

Fitting Encounter

Pileated Woodpecker making quick work of this downed Redwood in
the Arcata Community Forest, Arcata (CA)

How fitting that as I near the end of my COASST travels, I happen upon a Pileated Woodpecker in the Arcata Community Forest this morning. If you’ve been following along my trip via my blog, you may remember that one of the first entries I posted here at the beginning of my journey follwed a chance encounter with a family of three PIWOs in northern Washington. Well, I’ve made it all the way to southern California and guess what shows up again? This species of bird has provided beautiful bookends for my COASSTal trip, such a apt tribute to the work that COASST does to monitor and conserve the coastal cousins of this woodland species. Seeing it today was a good indicator that it nearing time to close the circle on my multi-state trek.

Domino Effect

Just in this one picture of Arcata Marsh, a curious mind might
initiate a domino effect of questions. What types of clouds
are on the horizon? What is the salinity level of the water?
How many shorebirds can an area like this support?
The learning opportunities are endless!

I learned two valuable lessons today thanks to the great group of COASSTers that joined me for a focus group conversation in northern California. The first, and certainly most quirky, is that getting a group of folks together to talk about dead birds and what they mean is much more fun than it sounds! Second, I was reminded that there is absolutely never a reason to be bored. Ever. With regards to my second point, the volunteers I spoke with today all reflected that COASST has been one avenue through which to chase knowledge of all sorts, often kindling interests previously unexplored. Despite varied initial motivations to engage in the program, each has found that the consistent, purposeful, and focused trips to the same beach that the COASST program facilitates has not only enhanced first-hand knowledge about birds (both dead and alive), but also piqued all sorts of new interests. From coastal geomorphology, geology and aeolian sediment transport, to weather patterns and ocean currents, to riverine landscape change and erosion patterns, these COASSTers have found plenty to intrigue them while conducting their monthly surveys. Part of that, I suspect, is that COASSTers as a whole are a naturally inquisitive bunch. Nonetheless, having a reason (or should I say prod) to get out to the same stretch of beach at least once a month provides a unique opportunity to notice both subtle and not so subtle localized change. Those changes that only a regular visitor of a place would notice are what make COASST volunteers so valuable as members of a collaborative scientific research team. There is always the prospect that something new will spark a sense of curiosity, leading to further investigation, observation, and learning. Hence, I say, this crew of COASSTers has convinced me there is never a reason to be bored. Taking their example as a guide, I’m encouraged to open my eyes and ears more often so that curiosity can ignite a domino effect of lifelong learning.

It is true...

It is true what they say about the Redwoods of California. Everyone should see them at least once in a lifetime. I got a visit (hopefully not the only one) in today. Attempts to explain or describe would be futile. An exceptional experience like none other.

Communal Bunch

Community isn't  just important for these Marbled Godwits,
seen today while visiting Arcata Marsh.  As Doug and Linda
reminded me,  it is also critical for humans as well

If you look up the word community in a dictionary, you are bound to find several standard definitions: a group linked by a common location, a body of people with common history or interests, or joint ownership or participation in a common cause. With the fast pace of our modern society, it is sometimes difficult to find community, although the benefits of sharing a sense of camaraderie with other people have long been documented in psychological research. I learned today in speaking with COASSTers Doug (CA beach floater) and Linda (Dry Lagoon) that the dedicated COASST volunteers in the Arcata/Eureka area of northern California have invested intentional effort in building and nurturing a sense of community among the region’s COASST members. And that effort has made a real difference for many of those involved in the program, adding tremendous value to participation. Hailing from any number of backgrounds and walks of life, these folks have formed a bond around, you guessed it, dead birds, and the beaches where they are found. OK, so it isn’t all about the birds. After spending more time together at locally-organized COASST gatherings, many have found they share other aspects in common as well, even though it is not at all unusual to enjoy a nice round of dead bird stories for dinner conversation! Members like Doug and Linda, along with the dozens of other volunteers in this region of California, have created a unique sense of place, one that is shared, communal, and binding. The American writer Kurt Vonnegut once said that the most daring thing for a person to do with his or her life was to “create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” Way to go northern CA COASSTers for daring to create community!

From Cormorants and Common Murres to CETACEANS???

I realize this isn't going to win any National Geographic
photography contests, but this picture clearly shows
the whale spout (red circle) of one of the whales
 I watched today (via binoculars of course...)

I’ve seen lots of Cormorants and Common Murres on my trip thus far (both extraordinary birds I should say), but today was the first day I’ve seen members of the cetacean order of marine mammals! Yep, that’s right, in the middle of August, I witnessed Gray Whales feeding right off the southern coast of Oregon! I guess I had to wait until the last week of my trip for these stunning creatures to make an appearance. As luck would have it, seeing whales in the area this time of the year is not very common at all according to local whale specialists and COASSTers Jan and Steve (Lone Ranch Beach). Gray whales complete an annual migration along the Pacific Coast from their winter breeding grounds in the warm waters off Baja Mexico to cooler and nutrient-rich northern waters in the Okhotsk Sea of eastern Russia. In fact, the Gray Whale migration path is the longest annual migration of any mammal. As such, they pass through the area I was today (Brookings, OR) from March-May (spring) and then again from mid-December to mid-January (winter) on their way back to warmer seas. But August 16^th - well that is not at all normal…

Lone Ranch Beach

I was lucky enough to see these massive creatures because I stopped off in Brookings on my way to Eureka (CA) to speak with Jan and Steve, who, along with Sue (Steve’s wife), survey Lone Ranch beach in the southern most portion of Oregon. Instead of moving from Cormorants to cetaceans as I did, these two volunteers came about COASST the other way around. It was a love for whales and engagement in whale watching and public education that ignited an interest in the birds you often see while observing cetacean escapades. Jan joined COASST first, several years ago, and Steve and Sue have been a recent and welcome addition to the Long Ranch survey crew. Among other volunteer projects, COASST provides these citizen scientists with yet another avenue to expand their knowledge and connection to the coastal environments where they have chosen to live. Jan, Steve, and Sue can’t get enough when it comes to the rugged south Oregon coast. How fitting for my own first encounter with a pod of Gray Whales to be with these talented aficionados!

Deep Bird Language

It comes as no surprise that many COASST participants are lifelong observers of wildlife. A number of volunteers come with an extensive history of paying close attention to the natural world around them, be it plants, insects, mammals or birds. Cultivating a habit of attentiveness to the subtle environmental interactions, movements, and events around you takes time, but can yield some amazing secrets and treasures. As I’ve met with COASSTers now for many weeks, I’ve listened to numerous stories of up-close and personal encounters with wildlife; witnessing the birth of a fawn in the woods, gaining the trust of a raccoon and her kits, having a bird pluck seed from your hand, and staring into the eyes of a whale while on kayak. These are once-in-a-lifetime experiences for sure! Accomplished birder, wildlife tracker and author Jon Young knows a thing or two about intimate connection with nature. His recent book, What the Robin Knows: How Birds Reveal the Secrets of the Natural World was recommended to me by a dear friend and I have to say it was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Jon’s basic premise is this: songbirds know everything there is to know about their environments - by tuning in to their language, you too can explore this world of veiled knowledge. Jon focuses on what he calls “deep bird knowledge,” a discipline long practiced by Native American communities, yet seldom heard of in contemporary societies. Young avers that birds are the sentries of the forest (and I’d add coasts as well) and with respect and reverence for their language, we can open up a door into a rich world of knowledge and wonder, like never experienced before. For anyone interested in wildlife or birds, I’d add Jon’s book to my “must read” list!

Dedication to Data

Fortunately, COASSTers do not have to identify patterns in
large flocks of live birds, like this mixed group of shorebirds
on John and Joyce's Ocean Park Beach. Patterns of beached
birds, however, are a bit more manageable

As I’ve chronicled here in this blog, one of the interesting aspects of the COASST program to me is the great diversity of reasons why program volunteers participate and are motivated to stick with the effort. In contrast to some other citizen science programs I’ve worked with, I’ve found that the range of reasons to commit to a monthly post-mortem bird survey are expansive, adding up to a truly remarkable collection of folks from all walks of life. My conversations today with California COASSTer Sharon (Samoa Bay Street S) and Washington COASSTers John and Joyce (Ocean Park N) impressed me in particular because of the real attention and respect these volunteers have for the data that is collected as a part of the COASST program. When asked what they value most about COASST participation, all three quickly noted how much they appreciate the rigorous, unique, and detailed information collected by participants. Of course they enjoy other aspects of their monthly surveys as well, but the biggest draw for these folks is a strong sense that the information they are helping to collect is both constructive and indispensable. In other words, they are quite confident that the statistics they amass add up to a worthwhile effort, making participation all the more valuable. As John shared, “you couldn’t come down here for a week and count birds along this whole twelve mile peninsula and come up with much, but if you have different people recording each section over a year or two or three years time, you start getting a pattern.” And he is exactly right.  The research completed by COASST has exposed a number of critical patterns when it comes to sea and shorebird distribution and mortality, patterns that not only can be used to protect and preserve birds and their habitats, but that would have very likely never been detected otherwise, at least not at such scope and scale. A sense that their contributions matter, that they are robust, and that they are effective - all reasons why Sharon, John, and Joyce keep coming back for more COASSTal fun!

Natural Chorus

Image by Michale S. Fee

I must admit that second only to meeting with the wonderful COASSTers along the Pacific Coast during my travel, I have thoroughly enjoyed finding seldom visited and slightly hidden spots along my journey where I’ve been able to sit with the sounds of nature. So many intriguing noises, faint sounds, and harmonious melodies to explore. Being surrounded by a chorus of wildlife opens up the world around you, so much so that it often feels you have transformed both time and place. Sitting this morning listening to the sounds of western Canada Geese, Great Egrets, Gadwalls, and Western Gulls, it wasn’t hard to imagine why the late citizen scientist turned field biologist Ted Parker was so enamored with bird vocalizations. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology recently remembered the untimely death of this dedicated ornithological conservationist and the tremendous effort he dedicated to bird preservation during his short life in this blog post and NPR story. Contributing over 11,000 wildlife recordings in his life to the Cornell MacCaulay Library, Ted’s efforts have allowed countless individuals to experience the dynamic calls of the wild. As someone who has found great solace and hope in such sounds throughout my own lifetime, I raise my glass for Ted.

Some of my favorite experiences along this journey have been in the early
morning hours of daybreak when the sounds of nature fill the air. Here,
a group of western Canada Geese gather at Bandon Marsh before sunrise.

Reciprocal Relationships

While visiting with retired south Oregon COASSTers Wade
and Vivian today, I was able to check out Sunset Bay, the
state-supported beach they visited often for COASST

I’ve got to say that one of the things that has really impressed me while visiting Washington and Oregon over the past several weeks is the extensive network of state parks and recreation areas maintained by these states. Combined, the three states that host the majority of COASST territory (WA, OR, CA) support nearly four hundred state parks, recreation areas, and refuges, not to mention some fabulous national parks as well. I’ve been able to take advantage of many of these areas up and down the Pacific Coast Highway and haven’t found one I didn’t like yet! These designated sites are valuable for a number of reasons, not the least of which includes the access they provide for residents and visitors alike to explore the vast beauty of the Pacific Northwest. But the access such places provide isn’t just for recreation.

Just in the small area I'm visiting currently (Bandon, OR),
many COASSTers utilize state-maintained access areas,
including Rick who surveys two beaches at
Bullards Beach State Park (above)

It turns out that many COASSTers utilize state maintained areas to conduct their monthly surveys. This is of great benefit for COASST beach surveyors who, thanks to such areas, can park in a safe place near beach access, utilize toiletry facilities if needed, discard debris collected on the beach, and enjoy regular, uninterrupted admittance to a specific site. From Fort Casey on Whidbey Island, WA to Trinidad State Beach in California, state-supported natural areas are a valuable resource for COASSTers. But the benefit flows both ways. COASST volunteers are the vigilant eyes and ears that keep tabs on the health and status of so many of the one-of-a-kind state treasures included in the state park systems of West Coast states. Another great example of the reciprocal benefits possible through citizen science partnerships.

WOW

Good evening from Bandon By-the-Sea!

Scientific Citizenship

Like many of the beaches on the Oregon
coast this time of year, Karen's site
(Seven Devils Wayside) is filled with
undulating dunes of sand. That is, until
the winter storms set in

Back in the mid-nineteen nineties, science and technology scholars Alan Irwin and Brian Wynne first coined the term “scientific citizenship” to describe what they believed was a necessary form of public engagement in the twenty-first century. Even then, Irwin and Wynne (1996) noted that science and scientific research was driving so much of our modern societies, from medical advances and engineering inventions to novel environmental management and adaptation, all the way to the manner in which people communicate and connect via emerging technology. So much so was science a part of our everyday lives, that these social theorists proposed that basic science competence (observing, measuring, inferring, communicating) would become more and more important for all citizens to have, just to understand the world around us. As such, they have asserted that in order to be an engaged and active citizen, it is increasingly important to become acquainted with science, even if only at a fundamental level.

Citizen science projects like COASST provide enormous
opportunity to observe and catalog the natural world,
essential aspects of all scienctific research. A recent
visit to Seven Devils Wayside revealed a beach full
of massive pieces of fresh bull kelp (foreground)

It was an interest in what one might call "scientific citizenship" that first drew south Oregon COASSTer Karen (Seven Devils Wayside) to the program several years ago. With no professional background in science and a child who was moving into a science-based career, Karen was more and more interested in the natural sciences and felt it necessary to expand her own understanding of the science process. Utilizing the informative protocols COASST has in place for volunteers and finding herself more in tune with her COASST beach after multiple trips, Karen has greatly expanded not only what she knows and understands about birds and beaches, but also just how biological research is conducted, what it can tell you, what it can’t, and how it might be used to make decisions about policy or management. For Karen, her intentional engagement in the COASST program is a way to remain an informed citizen, to understand the role of science in our lives, and to play an active part in that process. And, living inland nearly 45 minutes, her commitment to the program is a great reason for Karen to visit the outer Oregon coast every month. Both worthwhile endeavors in my book!

West Coast Residents

Oregon Islands NWR -
Coquille Point Unit

I think this guy was just as interested in me as
I was in him. Such a beautiful bird!

Nobody can resist the long orange bill of the Black Oystercatcher! I was able to watch three of them today as they preened on a rock outcropping nearby. I was visiting the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge (Coquille Point Unit) in Bandon, when I happened upon this group. Favoring rocky shorelines, you won’t find this bird on the East Coast – it is a strict West Coast resident, spanning from Alaska to Baja, California. As you might suspect, it is a mollusk specialist, using its powerful bill to dislodge and pry open prey. While this bird is not a species of concern, it is a keystone indicator species throughout the north Pacific shoreline, and is a focal species for priority conservation action of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A real pleasure to see today!

Black Oystercatcher

Toast to COASST Champions

Not long ago, Dr. Julia Parrish, COASST Executive Director, received a major national honor on behalf of the staff and hundreds of volunteers that dedicate so much time and effort to the program. Julia was one of twelve Champions of Change recognized by President Obama and the White House for their work to advance citizen science. It is a well-deserved and long overdue accolade. In accepting the award, Julia quickly turned the spotlight towards the folks that make COASST happen, the cogs in the wheel dispersed throughout the West Coast of the United States. And she has good reason to do so. Each of the many COASSTers I’ve met over the past several weeks are all notable champions, local citizens engaged and involved in their communities to advance positive change. Every one of them. Take south Oregon COASSTer Jim (Hubbard Creek) whom I met today. Decades ago, as Jim discovered some less than ethical practices conducted by a major national agency with regard to the habitat management of the federally threatened Marbled Murrelet, he stood up and took action. His quick, dedicated, and thorough efforts to address the problem he uncovered has led to significant habitat protection and enhancement for this vulnerable species. He has become such an expert on the species that he stays quite busy consulting for numerous organizations. But that doesn’t stop him from completing his monthly COASST surveys, although he has yet to find a Marbled Murrelet on his beach. It is all part of his sense of responsibility to serve his community and the landscape and ecosystems that support it. Like Julia, Jim speaks of his efforts with humility. But I assure you he is nothing short of a certified champion, the kind of person that leaves someone like me filled with hope and awe.

Earning My Wings

The color patterns on the wing
of this Gull don't look like those
Diane and Dave typically see
on their beach (Western Gull),
 leaving them to suspect this
 is a young California Gull

As I met south Oregon COASST volunteers Diane and Dave to join them for a survey this morning at their beach (OR Mile 99) I had no idea how much I’d learn in just a few hours on the sand. Within minutes of stepping on their kilometer, we had located our first bird - an immature Gull. After years of experience conducting COASST surveys on beaches that average a high number of birds, these two have worked out efficient and practical methods to work with speed and efficiency. Yet they were attentive and patient instructors as well, allowing me to practice my measuring skills and encouraging me to jump right in and help while explaining the purpose and method behind each helpful trick. Little did I know, my practice would come in handy today. Before long, it became clear that this was going to be a pretty busy day, with birds appearing in groups of two or three every 30-50 feet in some sections. Many of them were young Gulls, but others were Pelagic Cormorants, with a Common Murre mixed in for good measure.

Diane and Dave have worked out an impressive processing
system over many years of conducting surveys

I see now through first-hand experience how easy it is for COASSTers to gain a wealth of knowledge about the birds and ecosystems they explore as a part of the program. It is quite impressive what you learn about a bird when you see it up close. Your perspective and appreciation are enhanced.  Of course the company I kept today didn’t hurt either. Dave and Diane gladly shared their treasure trove of knowledge about bird anatomy, taxonomy, and behavior along our survey adventure. They even introduced me to a pair of Black Oystercatchers and their three chicks, a family they have watched mature and thrive all summer. 

The sheaths that are present on this wing indicate this was
a very young bird that was just developing feathers, an
aspect you can only see up close

The last of 22 birds today was
an adult Common Murre

I’m proud to say that four hours later and after processing 22 birds, I am much more aware of the differences between a larid and a pouchbill foot, the emarginated form of a Cormorant feather, and the beautiful variety of shapes, sizes, and colors one can find when closely examining a bird bill. Not to mention a new appreciation for the physical and mental stamina it takes to complete such intense work! And that is just the beginning. Diane and Dave wear many naturalist hats (also specializing in botany, marine vertebrates and invertebrates, and more recently, insects) and anyone lucky enough to join them on the beach is sure to walk away with an enriched sense of wonder. It is the kind of wonder one encounters when you take the time to develop a deep awareness of the world around you. Folks like Dave and Diane exemplify that spirit of curiosity and attentiveness, a common thread I’ve encountered over and over as I’ve met with COASSTers throughout my travels. I’m happy to be ‘earning my wings’ with such admirable people.

Why Dead Birds?

Dotted with Cormorants, Gulls, and
Common Murres, this nesting site near
Florence, OR provides a nice example of
 the steep and remote nature of pelagic rookeries

Notice the explosive wave in the bottom right of this picture.
Would you want to climb this on a regular basis?

Literally on the edge of ocean rock cliffs, access to sites like
this Cormorant rookery can be remote and treacherous

If you are like me, you probably wonder why COASST is so focused on finding dead birds. Why don’t they just go after the live ones instead? I questioned that too at first, but as I’ve learned more about the program and visited the areas where COASST birds of interest live, I’ve discovered the reason is quite simple – because it’s a heck of a lot easier! The COASST program is interested specifically in what are called pelagic birds, or birds of the open sea. These birds frequent coastal waters and expansive ocean, spending most of their time in vast saltwater environments, while breeding most frequently on isolated sea rocks and cliffs. Because of the oceanic habits of pelagic birds and the remoteness associated with their breeding areas, it would practically be impossible, and certainly financially prohibitive, to survey these places on a regular basis looking for live birds. As it would have it, monitoring the rates, patterns, and characteristics of dead birds that have been naturally washed ashore by ocean currents is a really helpful indicator of species population health and trends. Couple that with a knowledgeable and willing population of volunteers who visit and live along the beaches where pelagic birds roam, and you can see why dead birds are the winning ticket!

Washed Ashore

Lidia the Seal

Henry the Giant Fish

Not long ago I wrote about the alarming problem our oceans face when it comes to marine debris and the work of Chris Jordan to document this problem. As luck may have it, I ran across another group tackling this issue today, based right here in downtown Bandon, OR. The Washed Ashore Project uses the medium of art to raise awareness about plastic marine debris while encouraging others to “reduce, refuse, reuse, and recycle.” As communities engage in beach clean-up efforts, the refuse collected from beaches is transformed into art supplies used to model the environments and creatures most affected by plastic pollution. This “art to save the sea” is a fascinating way to engage folks both young and old in creative and thoughtful action. Although the initiative is based in Oregon, project leaders are excited to work with others to start similar local efforts throughout the world. A curriculum guide and feature film is currently being developed for those that might be interested. How cool would it be to develop a whole series of plastic art seabirds in celebration of the impressive work of COASSTers! What would be first? Common Murre? Immature Gull? Brown Pelican?

Serious Leisure

Rick is now able to pinpoint subtle
hints in order to ID a bird, like the
slight white secondary wing-tips on
this Common Murre we found today

I hear from my friends in the academic field of Recreation and Leisure that not all leisure is equal. In fact, there are several categories of leisure activities. You’ve got your regular, run-of-the-mill casual type, which tends to be rather short-lived and involves some form of pleasurable activity requiring little or no special training. And then, in the early 1980s, the sociologist Robert Stebbins introduced what he suggests is a different type of leisure activity called ‘serious leisure’. According to Stebbins, serious leisure is “the systematic pursuit of an amateur, hobbyist, or volunteer core activity that is highly substantial, interesting, and fulfilling and where, in the typical case, participants find a career in acquiring and expressing a combination of its special skills, knowledge, and experience” (Stebbins, 1992, p.3). I’d say that describes the relationship south Oregon COASSTer Rick has with the hobby of birding to a T! Rick is serious (in a leisure kind of way) about birds. Meeting on his beaches at Bullards Beach State Park this morning, Rick’s interest in the hobby of birding was apparent from the moment he hoped out of his truck with binoculars in tow. Although he had an interest in birds many years ago, Rick has recently reinvested much of his energy and time in birding after straying away from it for decades. Happening across a COASST training was just what he needed to draw him back into the world of birds.

Because Rick surveys his beaches
twice a month, it is not uncommon
for him to encounter 'refinds', or birds
that have already been processed
and tagged. We found this re-found
immature Gull today

The program has since then rekindled a strong desire to learn more about them. When Rick first started COASST several years ago, each new species he found was a new learning adventure, facilitating further research about the natural history of the species, its distribution range, migration patterns, and unique field marks or characteristics. It is an interest he has dedicated a great deal of time and energy towards, which, in turn, leaves Rick with a heightened level of ornithological expertise that was obvious during our walk today. Although he has nothing but positive things to say about the COASST program and the research they facilitate, I was left with no doubt that Rick’s first passion is the birds. It is why he committed early on to complete two monthly surveys of his beaches, simply because of a desire to facilitate a more rapid and intimate knowledge of the birds and ecosystems he gets to explore. A serious, dedicated, and knowledgeable birder contributing irreplaceable data for scientific research. I’d count that as a win-win for everyone!

Rick's familiarity with the environment around him extends beyond the birds.
As soon as we came upon this section of dunes, Rick knew this was the end of his kilometer of beach.
No marker or flags. He just knew.

Hats Off to Hatfield Partnerships

I was lucky enough to stop by Oregon State University’s impressive Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) today to check out the center and meet COASST friend and free-choice learning guru Dr. Shawn Rowe. Specializing in research on how and in what ways people learn about science in informal settings (museums, parks, science centers) Dr. Rowe shared with me how multiple agencies, academic institutions, and community groups have built truly innovative partnerships via the HMSC. Numerous state-level agencies, academic institutions, and NOAA, as well as the U.S. EPA, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Geological Survey all interact at this facility to share resources and expertise in search of innovative ways to sustain healthy marine ecosystems and the resources they provide. It is these types of sustained and integrative alliances that offer us our best shot of advancing both scientific understanding and conservation of marine environments. As I’ve discovered on my COASST tour, the folks that make up COASST believe that as well. For many COASST volunteers, the spirit of partnership, sense of collective mission, and the openness to share project data and resources are among the top reasons why participation in the program is such a draw. Like Dr. Rowe and the good folks at the Hatfield Marine Science Center, COASST seeks active partnerships and believes in collaborative work. It is high impact, high reward research at it’s best!

Corvid Companions

As I made my way south through Oregon today towards my next stop in Bandon, I enjoyed the company of two Crows while stopping briefly for a rest. Now I realize these are not uniquely coastal birds, but they deserve some brief recognition nonetheless. I’ve had the great privilege of traveling to some wonderful places around the world, and in every one, I’ve been lucky to find a member of the corvid bird family. The Corvidae family of birds is comprised of over 120 species of passerines including crows, ravens, nutcrackers, rooks, jackdaws, jays, treepies, magpies, and choughs. The genus Corvus (ravens, crows, and jackdaws) makes up about a third of the family. This clever line of birds occurs throughout the world, from the arid deserts of the Southwestern U.S. to the arctic regions of the earth. Ranging in size from the largest (Common Raven) to the smallest (Dwarf Jay), these birds come in all shapes and sizes, yet unlike most passerines, they do not “sing” in a traditional sense. Instead, they utilize a complex series of different utterances, notes, and sounds to communicate. Because of their wide distribution and the fact that they often come in close contact with humans, members of this family frequently find their way into popular legend, literature, and folklore.

Unfortunately, many of these associations aren’t all that positive, which, if you know much about these birds, is quite perplexing. Of all bird species, corvids are some of the most intelligent and highly social, a characteristic often associated with increased cognitive ability. Physically, the brain-to-body ratio of corvids is equal to that of great apes and cetaceans, just shy of the ratio of our own species. And these birds are doting parents, forming strong pair-bonds (some for life) to raise offspring. Young corvids have an extensive rearing period (in many cases as long as 45 days) and are most commonly raised in cooperative breeding groups, both contributing to the highly creative and innovative nature of this bird family. Although I’m a cat and dog lover myself, crows, ravens, and jays have even out-performed Fluffy and Fido in cognitive tests. They are adept hunters (most omnivorous), have superb memories, and have even been documented crafting tools by using twigs and stones.  In other words, they are just plain neat birds. So the next time you notice one in your neighborhood, don’t hesitate to make a new acquaintance!

Blue, then Gray

My walk on Roads End Beach started with blue skies

Fog is essentially a cloud at ground level, made up of condensed water droplets that form when air is cooled to the point (dewpoint) that it can no longer hold the water it contains. Unlike other types of clouds that are more often the result of quickly rising air, fog generally forms near the ground and can be caused by a number of processes. In the coastal areas I’ve frequented during my COASST travels, this summer fog is commonly the result of warm moist air masses blowing over the cold surface of the Pacific Ocean. The warm air then cools, and the dewpoint is reached, blanketing the landscape with a dense opaque screen. Warm air masses can come from both onshore and offshore directions, many times rolling in quite rapidly. I actually don’t mind the fog at all, and was quite impressed as I watched it roll in all of a sudden this morning. One minute a clear, blue sky, the next a thicket of undulating gray. No wonder so many COASSTers has stressed the importance of being aware of the water and weather at all times while out on the beach. Within the blink of an eye, the entire landscape may have changed before you. 

Within twenty minutes of the first picture, a heavy fog had set in

Towering Trees to Ripples of Sand

Brown Creeper

One of the things I’ve come to appreciate about the coastline of the Pacific Northwest is the vast biodiversity found within relatively little geographic space. According to the EPA, there are a total of nine Level III ecoregions in the state and a host of other micro-communities as well. I enjoyed this aspect of Oregon today as I explored two separate communities of specialized birds within a ten minute drive. First stopping in the coastal uplands of Devils Lake State Park, I encountered dozens of songbirds, including Hermit Warblers, Wilson’s Warblers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, White-crowned Sparrows, Winter Wrens, Stellar’s Jays, and even two Hairy Woodpeckers. The catch of the day for me in these woods was the secretive Brown Creeper. Also known as the American Tree Creeper, these birds venture to my territory in the winter, but are year-round residents in this area of the country. I was lucky enough to happen upon four of them this morning. Once Creepers finish canvassing one tree, they will drop to the trunk of another and make their way up – the best time to see them up close. These birds are built for life on the edge (of trees that is), and flutter up and down tree bark in search of insects, using their pointy and rugged tail as an anchor. Because of their size and the way in which they camouflage against the bark of their favorite trees, they are notoriously difficult to spot. In fact, they are so small, that they generally only consume about 4-10 calories a day (compared to the average of 2,000 for humans). I don’t know, what is that, like an eight of a french fry?

Semipalmated Plover

Following my jaunt in the woods, I took a quick ten minute drive to Roads End beach, and viola, I was able to explore the salt and sand of the coastal lowland environment. I could get used to this! Brown Pelicans, Pelagic Cormorants, Glaucus-winged Gull, Western Gull, Caspian Terns, and, my saltwater delight of the day, one Semipalmated Plover. Seen throughout the west coast during migration (moving from the Canadian arctic down, in some cases, to the western side of South America), this is a good sign that fall migration is beginning to commence. For any birder out there, this is one of the most magical times of the year!