General Information Page

The Audubon Society of Missouri (ASM) is pleased to announce that we have entered into a Cooperative Agreement with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to establish a web-based database to collect bird occurrence data at MDC Conservation Areas. The goal is to collect enough bird occurrence records to generate useful bird checklists for Conservation Areas. This Conservation Area Checklist Project will be known as CACHE. Everyone can help participate in this important project by birding Conservation Areas and recording their sightings. Here is more info to get birders acquainted with the project:

How

Birders will bird Conservation Areas and make lists of birds heard and/or seen. This is not a point count project. There is no specific route and no required time periods for observation. Any birder can participate and contribute observations to the database. Birders may visit sites at any time and as many times as desired. Visits may be by individuals or groups. Organization field trips are encouraged. One individual from a formal birding group should enter the sighting data as opposed to several individuals entering duplicate data.

The following information will be required to enter sighting information: name of the person reporting the bird(s) and number of individuals of all species observed. Previously generated lists are acceptable for the database. The data entry will be as user friendly as possible. Birders who would like to contribute to the project, but are unable or reluctant to enter the data onto the website will be encouraged to pass their lists on to others who will enter the data for them!

Where

All Missouri Conservation Areas are included in the project. This means data from any area will be accepted in the database.

For providing this service to MDC which will result in the generation of bird checklists on MDC areas, ASM will be receiving monetary compensation from MDC to be used towards partnership habitat restoration projects. Patrick Harrison will be developing and administering the database. Jerry Wade will be serving as volunteer coordinator. He will be contacting people to encourage participation. But don't hesitate to contact him at wadej@missouri.edu if you have data or will be birding any of the ten initial sites so that we can get an idea of potential coverage.

This is a wonderful opportunity for birders to put their skills to good use by assisting in the development of checklists and to participate in a project that will reward ASM with funding to help bird habitat. So, get out there and bird MDC Conservation Areas! Questions about the project can be directed to Jerry Wade at above address.

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**SUMMARY -- Provided by Jerry Wade, CACHE Volunteer Coordinator.

The ASM/MDC Checklist Project (CACHE) is an opportunity for every birder to contribute by providing bird observations for the database. This is birding for fun and with a purpose.

CACHE is designed so every birder in Missouri can contribute. There are three ways you can participate: bird Conservation Areas (CAs); provide lists from previous trips to CAs; and enter data on the website for others.

1. Get out and bird MDC Conservation Areas.
   a. Record your observations and enter them into the database, or provide your lists to someone who will enter the data for you (see below). You may bird as many Conservation Areas as you want as many times as you want. Your visit may be a 30 minute drive through, an hour-long walk, or you may be there all day. You may only wish to bird a CA near your home or you may travel across the State. Whether you bird a CA only once or many times, alone or with a group, we need your lists. If you aren’t willing or able to enter the observations yourself, let me know and I will team you with a Data Entry Aide.

   b. Become a Conservation Area Birder. This higher degree of commitment will help us build checklists with sufficient numbers of seasonal observations. Chose one or more Conservation Areas to bird at least four times a year, once each season. Although it would be most helpful if at least one of the areas you select is among those of special interest for this first fiscal year, you are encouraged to select any and as many as you wish. Just email me indicating that you are willing to make the commitment. Be sure to include the name(s) of the Conservation Areas you have chosen.

2. Gather up your lists from past birding visits to Conservation Areas and enter the data on the website, or share it with a Data Entry Aide who will enter the data for you. Lists can be handwritten on scraps of paper or in notebooks, filled-in checklists, computer printouts, or whatever you have. The only requirements are that the lists include the date and your name.

3. Volunteer to be a Data Entry Aide. You will be teamed with a birder(s) who will provide birding lists but cannot enter the information on the website themselves. If you would like to help in this way, please send an email to me.