2020 Projects
We are looking for eager community volunteers to help monitor conservation efforts at the Center! Below is our list of 2020 Citizen Science projects. See how you can participate in monitoring in the field, data collection, and data entry. Whether you are a curious lover of the outdoors or a scientist by trade – there is something for everyone!
If you are interested in a particular project, please reach out to the staff contact. You can also view upcoming Citizen Science training and drop-in opportunities.
Birds
Cavity-Nesting Songbird Monitoring
Volunteers monitor nine boxes weekly to track Eastern Bluebird and competing cavity-nesting species, including Tree Swallows.
Activities Involved: Hiking, Data entry
When: April – August
Volunteer Commitment: Volunteers not needed at this time
Age Requirements: Adult
Staff Contact: Corinne Palmer | cpalmer@schlitzaudubon.org
Daily Bird Sightings
Bird species seen daily by birders are recorded on the bird board located in the Great Hall. Volunteers load this data into the national eBird database monthly.
Activities Involved: Hiking
When: Daily, all year
Volunteer Commitment: Whenever you bird at Schlitz Audubon! *Please email Corinne Palmer with rare sightings.
Volunteer Age Requirements: 14 and older
Staff Contact: Corinne Palmer | cpalmer@schlitzaudubon.org
Bird Point Counts
Counting birds at the same points year after year allows land managers to track bird trends over time. Point counts entail recording all birds seen and heard from select points in a five-minute period.
Activities Involved: Hiking, Data entry
When: Six weeks, last week of April – first week in July.
Volunteer Commitment: Each data collection begins at dawn on the same day of the week for six weeks and takes approximately two hours. Requires knowledge of Wisconsin birds by sight and sound.
Volunteer Age Requirements: Adult
Staff Contact: Jean Strelka | jstrelka@schlitzaudubon.org
Project Feeder Watch
Volunteers watch feeders from inside our Great Hall. Our observations, submitted to Cornell University, help us understand the distribution and abundance of feeder birds over time.
Activities Involved: Birdwatching in Great Hall, Data entry
When: November – April
Volunteer Commitment: One-half hour training session followed by one hour weekly observations.
Volunteer Age Requirements: Adult
Staff Contact: Jean Strelka | jstrelka@schlitzaudubon.org
West Meadows Weekly Bird Survey
Participants walk a one-mile route to survey for birds seen and heard once a week
Activities Involved: Hiking, Data entry
When: April 15 – October 15, each Wednesday at 7:00am
Volunteer Commitment: Surveys take 2 – 3 hours each. Volunteers should plan on participating every Wednesday during the survey period. No training required but volunteers should have some knowledge of Wisconsin birds by sight and sound.
Volunteer Age Requirements: Adult
Staff Contact: Jean Strelka | jstrelka@schlitzaudubon.org
Insects
Firefly Monitoring
Help researchers learn more about our firefly populations, distribution and the environmental factors which influence firefly populations.
Activities Involved: Hiking
When: Weekly monitoring, training date TBD
Volunteer Commitment: Participants required to attend one training, then as able, on a drop-in basis.
Volunteer Age Requirements: Youth ages 5-15 must be accompanied by an adult.
Staff Contact: Moya Mowbray | mmowbray@schlitzaudubon.org
Bumble Bee Monitoring
To gain a better understanding of our bumble bee populations: which species are on our property and where to find them.
Activities Involved: Hiking
When: July and August
Volunteer Commitment: Multiple surveys
Volunteer Age Requirements: Adult
Staff Contact: Drew Shuster | dshuster@schlitzaudubon.org
Monarch Larval Monitoring
Larval stage monarchs depend on Milkweed. Small teams of monitors look specifically at milkweed abundance, milkweed diversity, Monarch larval density, and Monarch survival rates at the Center. Data is entered into a national database to increase knowledge of Monarch lifecycles in the wild, as well as milkweed diversity and abundance.
Activities Involved: Hiking, Data entry
When: Weekly, late May – mid-September.
Volunteer Commitment: MLMP Citizen Scientists must attend a formal training session, date TBD. Monitoring commitment will depend on the number of volunteers.
Volunteer Age Requirements: Youth ages 8-15 must be accompanied by an adult.
Staff Contact: Moya Mowbray | mmowbray@schlitzaudubon.org
Dragonfly and Damselfly Count
Survey teams count all dragonfly and damselfly species observed during an eight-hour survey period.
Activities Involved: Hiking
When: July
Volunteer Commitment: One day survey period. Date TBD.
Volunteer Age Requirements: Adult
Staff Contact: Marc White | mwhite@schlitzaudubon.org
Mammals
Acoustic Bat Monitoring
Staff members use two devices to listen for bat echolocation calls of bats to see how many species are on the property.
Activities Involved: Hiking
When: Every Wednesday starting in June for six weeks.
Volunteer Commitment: Participation in training on June 3, June 17, or July 1 is required. After training, volunteers can participate in any monitoring session.
Volunteer Age Requirements: 16 and older
Staff Contact: Cassie Rincon | crincon@schlitzaudubon.org
Reptiles & Amphibians
Wisconsin Frog & Toad Survey
Monitor frog calls during the breeding season to determine the size and distribution of populations. The survey covers 10 sites in Northern Milwaukee County, two of which are at Schlitz Audubon. Data will be shared with the Wisconsin DNR.
Activities Involve: Hiking, Data entry
When: Three sessions after sunset April-July (subject to weather conditions)
Volunteer Commitment: Participants must be willing to drive/carpool to survey sites. It takes 3-4 hours to complete a survey. Training will be provided at the time of the surveys. Volunteers are invited to participate in any or all three surveys.
Volunteer Age Requirements: Adult
Staff Contact: Michelle Allison | mallison@shlitzaudubon.org
FrogWatch USA
Monitor frog calls during the breeding season to determine the size and distribution of populations.
Activities Involved: Hiking, Data entry
When: Training session on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. Monitoring takes place Wednesdays, April – August, 30 minutes after sunset.
Volunteer Commitment: Training session with the Racine Zoo is recommended, but training can be provided at the time of the surveys. Potential volunteers are welcome to participate in a survey to decide if it is a good fit for them. Surveys take approximately 1 ½ hours.
Volunteer Age Requirements: Adult
Staff Contact: Michelle Allison | mallison@shlitzaudubon.org
Turtle Monitoring
Volunteers count turtles basking in the spring sun at four ponds. This tracks the abundance and locations of turtle species.
Activities Involved: Hiking
When: April and May
Volunteer Commitment Volunteers not needed at this time
Volunteer Age Requirements: Adult
Staff Contact: Drew Shuster | dshuster@schlitzaudubon.org
Wetlands
Wetland Monitoring: Aquatic Funnel Trap Survey
To observe and record amphibian and macroinvertebrate species utilizing the ponds on our property and determine if and when they are breeding.
Activities Involved: Hiking, Wading in ponds, Data entry
When: March-May
Volunteer Commitment: Attend the Wetland Monitoring Orientation and a training session in late February. Join a team and choose a pond where you will conduct three 5-day wildlife surveys. Each team member should be available at least two days out of each survey session.
Volunteer Age Requirements: an adult must accompany Youth ages 8-15.
Staff Contact: Tess Stahler | tstahler@schlitzaudubon.org
Macroinvertebrate Scoop Sample Survey
To determine which macroinvertebrate species (aquatic insects and crayfish) are living in each of our ponds.
Activities Involved: Hiking, Data entry
When: March – May
Volunteer Commitment: Attend the Wetland Monitoring Orientation in late February. Volunteers should complete three Macroinvertebrate Scoop Sample Surveys in at least one pond throughout the monitoring season.
Volunteer Age Requirements: Youth 8-15 must be accompanied by an adult.
Staff Contact: Tess Stahler | tstahler@schlitzaudubon.org
Wetland Monitoring: Visual Encounter Egg Mass Survey
To determine which species of amphibians are breeding in our ponds by looking for egg masses.
Activities Involved: Hiking, Wading in ponds, Data entry
When: March – May
Volunteer Commitment: Attend the Wetland Monitoring orientation in late February, conduct two or three surveys (up to 30 minutes each) in at least one pond throughout the monitoring season.
Volunteer Age Requirements: Youth ages 8-15 must be accompanied by an adult.
Staff Contact: Tess Stahler | tstahler@schlitzaudubon.org
Visual Encounter Terrestrial Survey
Search for migrating salamanders and potentially breeding frogs and crayfish near vernal ponds.
Activities Involved: Hiking, Data entry
When: March – May
Volunteer Commitment: Attend the Wetland Monitoring Orientation in late February, conduct two or three surveys (up to 30 minutes each) for at least one pond throughout the monitoring season.
Volunteer Age Requirements: Youth 8-15 must be accompanied by an adult.
Staff Contact: Tess Stahler | tstahler@schlitzaudubon.org
River Monitoring
Mussel and River Monitoring
Volunteers monitor the health of the Milwaukee River and the mussel species living adjacent to our Cleaver property.
Activities Involved: Hiking, Wading in water, Data entry
When: Date TBD
Volunteer Commitment: Two-hour training and four-hour survey. Date TBD.
Volunteer Age Requirements: Adult
Staff Contact: Aubrey Ellickson | aellickson@schlitzaudubon.org
Plants
Plant Phenology
To observe the time that the plants on our property leaf out, bloom, develop fruit, and go dormant or die each year.
Activities Involved: Hiking
When: March – December
Volunteer Commitment: with an individual observation hike, or as much as every 2-3 weeks throughout the growing season, conducting regular observations on the same individual plant.
Volunteer Age Requirements: All ages
Staff Contact: Tess Stahler | tstahler@schlitzaudubon.org
Tree Inventory
Inventory and map mature trees at the Center by species with the use of a sub-meter GPS unit and an application called ArcCollector.
Activities Involved Hiking, Data entry
When: June 15 – October 15
Volunteer Commitment: Volunteers regularly meet Wednesday 9:00am – 12:00pm and occasionally on weekends. A two-hour training is needed to go over maps and methods. Strong tree identification and organization skills required.
Volunteer Age Requirements: 16 and older
Staff Contact: Kyle Goergen | kgoergen@schlitzaudubon.org