The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve is encouraging visitors to the Blackbird Creek Reserve in Townsend and the St. Jones Reserve in Dover to help document the species of birds they see.

The “Big Year” project will create a snapshot of the birds within the reserves’ boundaries and provide input for conservation plans, land stewardship and restoration efforts.

The bald eagle, red-shouldered hawk, clapper rail and tree swallows are among the birds that have been spotted by volunteers so far this year.

DNERR is one of 30 national estuarine research reserves across the country whose goals are to establish, protect and manage natural estuarine habitats for research, education and coastal stewardship.

Birdwatchers often challenge themselves to see or hear as many species as possible within a single year. DNERR’s Big Year is similar, but visitors to the reserves don’t have to be avid birdwatchers to participate.

Chronolog stations at Blackbird Creek and St. Jones allow participants to take photos and upload them into a database. The photos are used to create a time-lapse project to observe and document environmental changes.

Volunteers who want to participate can register at any time of the year here. They can then log their observations into one of two apps, iNaturalist or eBird.