The Sanibel Captiva Audubon Society is excited to announce the start of their mini lecture series this season at 5:30 p.m. on February 11 at the Community House. The first presenter is Alli Smith, a project coordinator with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Smith will present on the useful apps eBird and Merlin Bird ID. Smith will elaborate on how to contribute to these apps, how they work behind the scenes, and how data from these apps are used by scientists for bird conservation.
Smith’s love of birds was sparked on a middle-school field trip to Cape May to see the annual spring spawning of horseshoe crabs and the shorebirds that depend on them. She attended the Young Birders Event at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in 2011 and learned about careers in bird conservation, and later earned a B.S. in Wildlife Science from the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
Since graduating, Smith has worked in Southwest Florida with shorebirds, burrowing owls, and community science. She strongly believes in the power of birds to connect people to one another and to conservation. Smith has found the most impactful experiences to be working with participatory scientists, volunteers, and birders, which is what has led her to her current role with Merlin and eBird.
Birding and participatory science have a significant positive impact on conservation and our understanding of birds, and eBird and Merlin are fantastic ways for birders of all levels to connect with the birds around them.
Smith connects people to the Cornell Lab’s Merlin Bird ID and eBird through talks, webinars, and other outreach activities, while assisting eBird and Merlin users by managing the help desk. Smith loves supporting both new and experienced birders, and these apps are amazing tools that can help anybody learn!
San-Cap Audubon Society board members are excited to host Smith and explore an app many birders use daily. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on San-Cap Audubon’s website. If tickets are not purchased in advance, they will cost $10 at the door.