Maia Persche advises those who are new to WBBA II to get in touch with experienced Atlasers to use a resource.
Who are our incredible volunteers? With more than 1,100 Atlasers, it’s no surprise that once you get past the binoculars our volunteers are as varied as the bird species they observe. This series turns the spotlight on a few of the many dedicated men and women who have helped us achieve such tremendous success as we wrap up our second year and look forward to 2017.
This month, meet Maia Persche of Sauk County!
Name:
Maia Persche
Hometown:
Baraboo, WI
Age:
22
Number of years birding:
Coming from a birding family, I’ve been more or less interested in birdwatching my entire life. During high school, I conducted a number of migration surveys at Devil’s Lake State Park and the surrounding area. I also spent four summers during and right after college working on bird research in Wisconsin and New Mexico.
Other citizen science experience:
My family has been part of the Audubon Christmas Bird Count since before I was born, so my exposure to citizen science was from an early age. I help with the Bird Count in the Baraboo Circle every year, covering some incredible Nature Conservancy properties including Baxter’s Hollow.
Favorite bird:
I’m especially drawn to forest bird species, and while I can never settle on a favorite bird, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, and Acadian Flycatcher are all species that I keep coming back to.
Motivation to Atlas:
I was introduced to the WBBA in 2016 when I worked as a summer intern for the Atlas. WSO Board member Andy Cassini coordinated the internship, and I was one of four interns, along with Katie Cyr, Amanda Navine, and Kyle Scher. We had all recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with Biology and Wildlife Ecology degrees, and working on the Atlas was a great way to put our knowledge to work and contribute to the field.
Primary atlasing location:
As part of the internship program, we worked in priority and specialty blocks in Waukesha, Walworth, Washington, and Dodge counties. Later in the summer, we also spread out to other areas in southern Wisconsin. I am a primary atlaser for two priority blocks – one is along the Wisconsin River in far northwestern Columbia County, and the other is near Highland in western Iowa County.
One of Persche’s favorite Atlasing moments to date was unexpectedly finding a prairie full of singing Henslow’s Sparrows just after sunset. Photo by Ryan Brady.
Most exciting Atlas find:
Confirming Red-shouldered Hawks in Waukesha County, especially after many hours spent in search of the hawks, was one of the most rewarding atlasing moments of the summer. Finding a prairie unexpectedly full of singing Henslow’s Sparrows just after sunset was also an exciting discovery. Once I began atlasing, I found it pretty hard to not be on the lookout for nesting birds wherever I went. Although I wasn’t in one of my blocks at the time, my most unusual find was coming across a pair of nestling Turkey Vultures in the upstairs bedroom of an abandoned farmhouse in the Baraboo Hills.
Most rewarding part of Atlasing:
I love the sense of adventure – no two days spent atlasing are alike. Once you think you’ve learned everything there is to know about a block, something unexpected will happen. The detail-oriented nature of the work and the slow pace can get tedious at times (and so can the early mornings!) but hearing the dawn chorus and watching the sunrise over a marsh or getting started in a new block for the first time are well worth it.
Advice for someone “on the fence” about participating:
This is an inspiring project to be part of, and it’s great to feel like you are making a contribution to our understanding of Wisconsin avian ecology. I also think that conducting fieldwork can shape the way that you perceive landscapes and bird species, and that it is something that everyone who is interested in birds should at least try. Working on the Atlas offers the opportunity to keep returning to the same area to observe changes in phenology throughout the spring and summer – something that most of us don’t take the time to do. My advice is to get in touch with experienced Atlasers as they are a great resource, especially for overcoming some of the difficulties of confirming tough species or even just getting comfortable using the data entry system.