This years' Great Backyard Bird Count - one of the largest volunteer-collected data projects - takes place from February 16th-19th. As we prepare to take part, we've invited Dr. Charles Clarkson, Director of Avian Research at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, to talk about the importance of volunteer-collected data projects and the effect they have on conservation efforts. The lecture will cover the Audubon’s Avian Research Initiative, provide an overview of the volunteer-collected data to date, and identify the work that is planned in the future. A short, guided walk around Wilcox Park will follow the talk, for those who are interested.
This event is free and open to the public, and registration is requested (but not required). Light refreshments will be served. Register below, or by calling (401) 596-2877 x306.
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About the presenter:
Charles Clarkson was born in the mountains of central Virginia and lived out his childhood playing in the woods and admiring nature. As an adolescent, Charles began to gravitate towards birds and after his first college course in Ornithology, he decided that there could be no more satisfying life than one devoted to his feathered friends.
Following the completion of his PhD, Charles moved to Rhode Island in 2011 and began teaching at Salve Regina and Roger Williams Universities. In 2015, Charles was employed as the coordinator for the Rhode Island Bird Atlas, a five-year, statewide project aimed at documenting the distribution and abundance of our birds. In addition to coordinating the project, Charles also serves as a board member for The Aquidneck Land Trust and as the co-chair of the Conservation Committee for the International Waterbird Society. In 2022 Charles transitioned into his new role as the Director of Avian Research for the Audubon Society of Rhode Island where he is leading efforts to conserve bird populations across all properties Audubon manages. His work includes establishing a baseline dataset on bird abundance and distribution as well as targeted research on the impacts of pesticides to nesting and migrating birds.
