Volunteer
Data collected by volunteer stewards are the foundation of Osprey Nation. Photo by Kelly Siranko.
Osprey Nation relies on volunteer stewards to monitor the size, health, and productivity of Connecticut’s Osprey population. Without them, there would be no Osprey Nation. Wiith them, the state’s conservation community will know as soon as possible if environmental problems are causing the population to drop.
Volunteers do the essential field work that drives the program. Volunteering for Osprey Nation is an incredibly rewarding way to make a mark on conservaiton in Connection. If you’d like to learn more or become a volunteer, email osprey@ctaudubon.org.
Volunteers:
- Monitor nests: Volunteers sign up for specific nesting locations and conduct field observations ideally bi-weekly or more from March into September.
- Collect data: Stewards document critical milestones, including pair formation, mating, incubation behavior, hatching dates, and final fledgling counts.
- Track Failures and Mortality: Stewards monitor and submit reports on “unfortunate circumstances” such as incubation or post-hatch failures, adult or juvenile mortality, and nest abandonment due to human or predator pressure.
- Map New Sites: Volunteers are the primary source for discovering and reporting new nesting locations as the population expands.
The validity of Osprey Nation’s data depends on the regular and extensive coverage only stewards can provide; without their dedication, knowledge of the state’s Osprey population would be extremely limited.
Email osprey@ctaudubon.org.
