The Spring survey is underway, data is being gathered, volunteers are going out every day looking for birds, and our project feels like it has momentum.

Read our story on Scott Winton’s blogpost. Scott is a PhD candidate at the Nicholas School studying wetland bird bio-geochemistry (I know weird huh?). His biggest passion in life are birds and he keeps a blog about his birding adventures, but this time he turned to our project to tell our story. Scott has been of great help spreading the word to the student government at Duke. We appreciate this note and look forward to collaborating with Scott some more.

It’s that time of year when the Neotropical migrants return to their breeding grounds, and the wintering birds leave Durham. Sapsuckers and Cedar Waxwings are making their way North to breed, while warblers, thrushes, tanagers, and raptors are coming back from South and Central America. During migration, tons of birds fly overnight, or during the day, and this is one of the most dangerous time for them, they’re vulnerable, tired, and confused sometimes.

Our Duke bird window collision project has started a Spring survey around 7 buildings on campus. Thanks to the help of brave MEMs from the Wildlife Survey class, and enthusiastic undergraduates we are gathering data everyday for 21 days, in peak migration.

The survey has been going on for 4 days so far and we’ve been getting some birds…So far 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, one Cedar Waxwing, a Tufted Titmouse, a Northern Cardinal, a Yellow-rumped Warbler, and a Brown Thrasher have all been victims to windows around campus.

We also got our first report from grounds keeping staff from the Nursing School, a Downy Woodpecker.

The survey will continue until April 21st. Help us by reporting birds you find!