Song Sparrow SALTATORS, CARDINALS Red-winged Blackbird White-crowned Sparrow AND ALLIES Eastern Meadowlark White-throated Sparrow Northern Cardinal Rusty Blackbird Dark—eyed Junco Rose-breasted Grosbeak Common Grackle Lapland Longspur Brown-headed Cowbird Snow Bunting BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES,

GRACKLES, ETC. DO BIRD NEST S INTEREST YOU? by Tony Erskine

One basic question in bird conservation is, “How well are Robins (or House Sparrows, or Whatever) coping with what people have left of their environment?” Monitoring populations is only part of the answer; if bird numbers are declining, we need to know if the problem is failures in nesting or losses at other seasons.

The Maritime Nest Record Scheme (MNRS) and related programs were set up to address breeding performance of birds - along with other kinds of bird nest information that may be noted by volunteer observers. Why volunteers? One research worker (or team) may find a lot of nests of a target species, but they can’t be everywhere at once, during our short nesting seasons. Birders are out anyway, looking in every bush. If they note whatever nests they see, that will provide more nests, from more places, to include in studies of nesting. Tracking success of a nest needs extra visits to see what happened later - and also extra care.

If you are interested in helping assemble nesting data of birds for future study, please contact Tony Erskine at 506-364-5035 or fax at 364-5062 or E-mail at tony.erskine@ec.gc.ca or via mail at Maritime Nest Records Scheme, c/o CWS, Box 6227, Sackville, N.B. E4L 1G6.

MNRS will provide instructions, cards for recording data, and fact sheets on various topics (including timing of visits). We are also moving into the computer age with on line submission of data or, if you prefer, computer readable cards (a bit more difficult!). Lots of formats so that data submission is easy and enjoyable!

Finding and tracking nests is a challenge, and can be exciting too. It isn’t possible to track nesting success

without looking at nests, but remember that bird’s lives depend on nesting success. Always be careful to minimize disturbance to nesting birds.

MNRS needs your eyes - and your nest notes!

MNRS Nest Cards:

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The 2004 nesting season showed similar numbers of cards and of observers to those of recent years. 549 records sent in by 39 observers in 2004, was about half of the average annual receipts in 1963 to 1992. Breeding

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