Lead a Field Trip!

If you love sharing your knowledge of birds and nature, we encourage you to consider being a field trip leader. You do not need an extensive knowledge of birds, but you should be enthusiastic, well-organized and have a personal desire to increase your own birding skills. We have many experienced leaders in WAS and you may shadow them on any trip and/or call them to ask questions.

Some responsibilities include:

• Choose a location and facilitate the trip. They do not all need to be on Whidbey Island.

• Determine the amount of time needed - half day or full day.

• Scout the site a few days prior to your trip.

• Locate available bathroom facilities.

• Request copies of the current Shorelines from the Newsletter Editor to give to first-time participants to encourage them to become members of Whidbey Audubon.

• Request copes of the Whidbey Island bird checklist from the Field Trip Chair to hand out to participants.

• Be an exemplary ethical role model for the group.

• Use the Code of Birding Ethics from the American Birding Association (ABA).

• Be sure everyone knows these practices.

• Inform the group of any special circumstances applicable to the the areas being visited.

• Keep track of your sightings, documenting unusual occurrences and submitting records to WAS.

• Vary the locations for field trips.

• Encourage new birders to ask questions. If you don’t know the answer, look it up.

Please notify the Field Trip Chair of your desire to lead a trip. Dave Parent, Field Trip Chair, dpdvm@whidbey.com.