Vacancy: volunteer breeding bird monitoring

Vacancy volunteer breeding bird monitoring:

In the North Holland Dune Reserve and National Park Zuid-Kennemerland there are dozens of breeding bird plots. These are delimited areas within which the number of territories of the breeding birds occurring there is inventoried annually by volunteers using the BMP method of SOVON. Do you have knowledge of breeding birds and do you know the sounds (song) well? As a volunteer for the breeding bird monitoring you collect valuable data for both SOVON and PWN and contribute to the continuation of this important database.

About the breeding bird monitoring:

The Breeding Bird Monitoring Project (BMP) maps developments in the numbers and distribution of our breeding birds. The project started in 1984 and consists of various sub-projects. These are tailored to all bird species, or just a selection of species. Each sub-project has its own approach, but the basis is the same: carrying out multiple counts of territorial breeding birds in clearly defined areas, according to a fixed method.

Spread throughout the country, many volunteers set out each spring to map the breeding birds in their 'own' area. The BMP method is the standard for professional mapping of large areas commissioned by provinces and land managers and for provincial breeding bird monitoring networks. All observations for the BMP provide a valuable contribution to monitoring the numbers and distribution of breeding birds in the Netherlands.

In the areas managed by PWN, there are currently a few plots unoccupied. The vacant plots are mainly located in the dune area between Egmond aan Zee and Bergen aan Zee, such as Starrevlak, Nieuwe Land and Wimmenum-Oost. There are also a few plots available in the dune area near Castricum-Heemskerk.

Your role as a volunteer:

As a volunteer for the breeding bird monitoring, you have no problem getting up early. In the spring, you usually set off before sunrise to carry out the counts. You coordinate your working method and activities with a forest ranger. At the plot assigned to you, you inventory the birds. You recognise the behaviour and song of the species in your area, and you also recognise them by sight. You record your observations according to the BMP method of SOVON and then enter the field data digitally via the Avimap app, which was specially developed for the SOVON counting projects.

What do we ask:

• Available to visit your plot at least 7 times in the period from mid-March to the end of June.
• A good basic knowledge of breeding birds and bird sounds.
• Experience with the SOVON BMP method is an advantage.
• The willingness to set out early (before sunrise).
• Digital skills related to entering the counting data into the required app.
• Living in the area.
• In good physical condition
• Affinity with nature.

What we offer:

• Volunteer work in a beautiful and unique natural area.
• Insurance during the work.
• Expense allowance for costs incurred to participate in volunteer work, such as travel expenses.
• Free dune annual card for the North Holland Dune Reserve.
• Celebrations and attentions, including an annual volunteer outing and various volunteer evenings and information meetings.
• A digital volunteer newsletter four times a year.
• The opportunity to continue your education by participating in relevant training courses, for example from the range offered by ''Vrijwillig Groen'' (formerly De Groene Academie).