Virtual Beached Bird Survey Training

About the event

On Sunday, April 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., COASST (the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team) will conduct a virtual COASSTLite! introductory training session for anyone interested in participating in their work collecting data on beached birds, marine debris, and evidence of human impact along the coast.

More about COASSTLite! trainings:

There are two COASSTLite! virtual trainings to attend before you are a ‘fully fledged’ COASST surveyor on your own stretch of coastline:

“Level 1 (~3 hours) invites new participants to learn how to survey a beach and document beached birds in a standardized way. Level 1 trainees will survey their own beach monthly but will rely on the COASST office team to identify beached birds and enter data online.
Level 2 (~2 hours) trains established participants (those who have completed at least TWO monthly Level 1 surveys) in the techniques of measuring and identifying a bird while on the survey. This training can take place at one of our monthly virtual events or ‘on the fly’ at an in-person training/refresher (either with COASST staff or a current COASST participant.) Level 2 trainings are offered by invitation only.”

COASST originated in 1999 as a project of the University of Washington in partnership with state, tribal, and federal agencies, environmental organizations like Oregon Shores’ CoastWatch, and community groups. COASST believes coastal communities are essential scientific partners in monitoring marine ecosystem health. By collaborating with community members, natural resource management agencies, and environmental organizations, COASST works to translate long-term monitoring into effective marine conservation solutions. With over 1,000 participants, COASST is the largest beached bird network in the world.

Participants need no prior experience with scientific data collection, just a commitment to survey a specific beach at least once a month. Learn more here.