Current Nature: Be Part Of Bird Science On Nantucket

Calling all nature seekers, bird lovers, and anyone looking to get involved in community science on Nantucket! The Linda Loring Nature Foundation is excited to offer two fun and easy ways for the community to get involved in bird monitoring this year: Nantucket Osprey Watch and Project FeederWatch. These opportunities are open to all and designed to be educational, engaging, and easy to participate in.

An Osprey in flight over Nantucket. Photo by Will Dell'Erba

Nantucket Osprey Watch: This year, we are excited to be launching a new community science program—Nantucket Osprey Watch—focused on learning more about the island’s Osprey populations. It’s simple to get involved, and we welcome volunteers of all ages to help monitor Osprey nests across Nantucket.

For the first year, our primary goal is to locate all Osprey nests around the island and monitor them throughout the nesting season. The information collected will help answer important questions about Osprey populations, nesting habitat preferences, and more. The best part? Anyone can participate; our volunteers will be asked to submit brief, 15-minute observations each week from April through September. The program is designed to be fun and interactive, and once you sign up, you’ll be able to track your nest’s progress throughout the season.

Osprey flying over Nantucket by Will Dell’Erba

Also, if you have an Osprey pole on your property, we invite you to join the Nantucket Osprey Watch. If you can’t commit to a full monitoring season, you can still help by simply reporting any Osprey nests we may have missed on our map. When you’re out for a walk, keep your eyes peeled! Ospreys love their platforms, but they’ve branched out to nest in all sorts of places now. You might find them in old trees (their original preference), on rooftops, radio towers, buoys, and even on beach dunes.

The Nantucket Osprey Watch enables everyone to track the progress of the ospreys on our island throughout the season. To see the latest updates for each nesting site, simply visit the website and click on the interactive map. At the end of the season, we will compile a report summarizing everyone's observations.

Feeder watching at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation.

To get the Osprey party started, we’ll be hosting an Informational Q&A Zoom session on April 2 at 5 PM. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about the program, how to submit your observations, and what to expect during the first year. Register here for the Osprey Watch Q&A.

For additional information, including the map, forms, and sign-up details, please visit Nantucket Osprey Watch.

Project FeederWatch: If birding from the comfort of your own home is more your style, Project FeederWatch is the perfect fit! This national community science initiative, run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, allows anyone to contribute valuable data about the birds visiting backyard feeders across North America.

You don’t need an elaborate feeder setup—just a simple spot for the birds to come and eat! Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced birdwatcher, it’s easy to get involved. Your observations will help us gain a deeper understanding of bird populations and spring migration patterns.

American Goldfinches on feeders at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation

Join Libby Buck and Seth Engelbourg for Backyard Feeder Birding Workshop: Tips, Tricks, and FeederWatch Fun! via Zoom on Friday, April 11, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM. This workshop will cover everything you need to know about feeder watching, including how to set up and maintain your feeder, how to identify common backyard birds, and how to submit your observations to Project FeederWatch. Register for the Zoom workshop.

Additionally, we invite you to join us at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation on April 14th and 15th for an in-person Feederwatch event! We’ll practice feederwatching together, observe backyard birds, and submit real-time data to Project FeederWatch. Drop in anytime between 9:00–11:00 AM, and enjoy coffee, snacks, and plenty of tips from our expert birders. Register for the Feederwatch Workshop.

A female northern cardinal at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation's "Bird Buddy."

These two community science programs offer an exciting way to contribute to bird conservation while learning more about the birds that live on Nantucket. Whether you decide to track Ospreys or monitor backyard feeders, your participation will help us better understand bird populations and support their conservation.

Sign up today for the Osprey Watch program or the FeederWatch workshop. We look forward to seeing you there! All events are free, but registration is required for each event.

Stay tuned for more editions of Current Nature, a bi-weekly column featuring seasonal topics, natural history information, and advice on the outdoors from the staff at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation.