It has been 20 years since the last breeding bird atlas in New York State and a lot has changed! The third atlas will take place from 2020-2024 and involve thousands of volunteers from across the state. This talk will cover the history of the atlas, the importance of atlas data, and how you can get involved. Learn how the third atlas will differ from previous atlases, including how we will be using eBird for data entry. eBird will make it easier to track progress and allow anyone to enter data anywhere. Atlasing is a great excuse to explore new areas and provides an intimate look into the daily lives of birds. Whether you are a beginner or advanced birder, this unique opportunity will strengthen your birdwatching skills while contributing valuable data to a large conservation-oriented project.

Julie Hart is a native Vermonter who started birding while working as a bird conservation intern with National Audubon, Audubon New York, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. She traveled for several years doing field work around the globe before returning to VT to serve as the coordinator for Mountain Birdwatch with the Vermont Center for Ecostudies. She spent several years chasing Bicknell’s Thrush around the mountains of the Northeast and Hispaniola before moving to Wyoming to continue her education. She received her Master’s degree studying the impacts of climate change on Cassia Crossbill in southern Idaho. She is now settled in the Albany area where she is the Project Coordinator for the third Breeding Bird Atlas in NY under SUNY ESF, New York Natural Heritage Program. In her travels she has participated in two bird atlases and considers atlasing her favorite type of birding.