Help be a part of counting Florida’s bluebird population

The Florida Bluebird Society’s 2013 Statewide Fall Bluebird Blitz will be held Friday November 8 and Saturday November 9, 2013.

Faith Jones, Chair of the FBS Statewide Bluebird Blitz, said the goal of the Blitz is to gather information about bluebirds in Florida in an effort to help determine the health of the species in the Sunshine State.  Reports from participants over a span of years will help reveal if Florida’s bluebird population is increasing or decreasing.  This requires learning the location and number of bluebirds throughout the state.  The Fall Blitz will help reveal where bluebirds find food and survival habitat between breeding seasons.

Jones stressed the role volunteers play in this concentrated effort.

“The more volunteers who participate in this important project, the more the Florida Bluebird Society is able help provide more information designed to help conserve and protect bluebirds in Florida,” Jones said

Based on 2013 Spring Blitz results, the FBS will continue the new electronic reporting procedure.  Under the revised reporting system, sightings can be entered on a spread sheet and emailed back to the FBS.   As in the past, a printed form also can be downloaded and completed and mailed to Jones.  In addition, bluebird sightings can be submitted on e-bird.  These sighting will be incorporated into the final Blitz report.  The merged report will be posted on the FBS Web Site.

The spread sheet and form, along with complete information on the Blitz and past reports by counties, are available on the FBS Website at: floridabluebirdsociety.com.