Are you a Dedicated Birder? Become a Volunteer Banders for MAPS @ Starr Ranch Bird Observatory with Audubon California: Starr Ranch Sanctuary
Dedicated birders who would like banding experience are invited to apply to become volunteer banders for a MAPS (Mapping Avian Productivity and Survivorship) station at the Starr Ranch Bird Observatory. MAPS is a growing network of hundreds of songbird banding stations in North America run by the Institute for Bird Populations (IBP). Long term banding data from MAPS stations help track changes in populations and migration patterns. In 2005, they became part of an international monitoring network that tracks birds in their wintering grounds, MoSI (Monitoreo de Sobrevivencia Invernal) with stations from Mexico to Columbia (and Starr Ranch!). Starr Ranch ornithologists offer beginning and advanced bird banding workshops every several years to train citizen scientists in songbird banding, ageing, and sexing.
Be a Citizen Scientist: Help Monitor Starr Ranch Songbirds with Audubon California: Starr Ranch Sanctuary
Besides bird banding, Starr Ranch manages other songbird monitoring projects that utilize volunteer citizen scientists who are trained by ornithologists. Monitoring usually targets rare species and habitats such as coastal sage scrub but they also use songbirds as indicators of restoration success and climate change. New monitoring projects help them make decisions on which invasive plant species they will work to control.
Join the Research: Long-Term Wildlife Monitoring at Starr Ranch with Audubon California: Starr Ranch Sanctuary
Currently Starr Ranch biologists train citizen science volunteers to help them monitor wildlife that serve as good indicators of habitat quality and help them decide which invasive species they will work to control. These are long term projects that will also aid in detection of shifts in wildlife populations that may be associated with a changing climate.
Defend the Lands: Join the South County Fire Watch Team with Audubon California: Starr Ranch Sanctuary
In partnership with the Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo and the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), Starr Ranch runs a volunteer fire watch. Each year since 2008 volunteers are trained in late summer by the OCFA to deter arson and report behaviors that could lead to fires and to detect fires quickly if they start. Volunteers work in pairs during Red Flag Warnings, periods of high winds and dry conditions, usually in the fall. Lookout locations are at the edges of south Orange County preserved land from Starr Ranch south to the Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo.
Become a Stream Bioassessment Volunteer, Help Protect the Creeks with Audubon California: Starr Ranch Sanctuary
Since 2003, Starr Ranch biologists have trained volunteers to use a standardized protocol to gather data on stream water quality and the impacts of urban run-off on the physical, chemical, and biological components of water quality in the creeks of Starr Ranch. Their results are sent to a statewide database. If you would like to volunteer with the annual stream bioassessment project, please contact Sandy DeSimone.
Join the Weed Warriors, Protect Habitats One Hand Tool at a Time with Audubon California: Starr Ranch Sanctuary
Starr Ranch “Weed Warriors” help them remove invasive plant species. Invasive species can alter habitats and can have negative effects on wildlife. All of their weed control is non-chemical, and done with hand tools. Currently volunteers help them with periwinkle, English ivy, and Smilo grass removal. If you would like to become a “weed warrior” at Starr Ranch, please contact Sandy DeSimone.
Featured Projects
Join Big Sunday for Relaxation and Community Care at Wellness Mondays
Big Sunday,
dom@bigsunday.org,
(323) 549-9944
If you're feeling like you could use a holiday – or a way to relax and recharge while meeting great, helpful folks -you're going to love Big Sunday's Wellness Mondays. Every Monday at 10 AM, we'll be hosting a different, fantastic sound bath here at Big Sunday HQ. Every Sound Bath is wonderful, designed to help you relax, recharge, and reconnect with yourself and others. They're all incredibly relaxing, totally free, and everyone is invited! We want everyone to be as comfortable as possible and suggest that you bring your own mat, cushion, pillow, blanket, eye cover, etc. – whatever you need to feel relaxed and cozy!
Create Mosaic Suns With Big Sunday at our Art Tuesdays
Big Sunday,
josh@bigsunday.org,
(323) 549-9944
Every Tuesday, volunteers join us at Big Sunday HQ to decorate mosaics in the shape of a sun. These beautiful works of art are then donated to schools, shelters, food banks – anywhere in need of a little more sunshine and warmth! This wonderful project is the brainchild of our old friend Cathy Weiss and led by Cathy and our own Big Sunday staff. You don’t need to be a brilliant artist to participate – just friendly and sincere. Just about everybody who’s worked on one tells us the mosaic suns are their favorite Big Sunday project!.
Join Big Sunday for our Accessible Wednesday at 10am Event
Big Sunday,
passion@bigsunday.org,
(323) 549-9944
A spin-off of our flagship weekly event TM@10, Accessible Wednesdays @ 10 (AW@10 for short) hosts volunteers every Wednesday to work on hands-on projects to help local nonprofits. The difference? The projects we do on Wednesdays are specially geared to be accessible to folks of all ability levels! Our guests of honor at each AW@10 are groups of volunteers with intellectual and developmental disabilities from some of our partner organizations like AbilityFirst, ETTA, PassAbility, Partners For Potential, and Arroyo Development Services. At Big Sunday, we firmly believe that everyone has something to give, and that everyone has fun helping others! Anyone and everyone is invited to join us for AW@10, whether it’s with a group or as an individual who wants to help out and hang out with some of the best volunteers in the business. From assembling goodie bags for unhoused people and their dogs to decorating pumpkins for underserved kids at Halloween, there’s always something fun going on at AW@10. This week we will be sorting cloths for donations.
Join Big Sunday for our Thursday Morning at 10am Events
Big Sunday,
nicolo@bigsunday.org,
(323) 549-9944
TM@10 (Thursday Morning @ 10) is not only one of our favorite programs, but it’s one of our most popular, too! Every Thursday morning from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM, volunteers gather at Big Sunday HQ to work on hands-on projects that help local nonprofits. We’ve assembled birthday gifts for folks in shelters, written letters to soldiers stationed overseas, packed backpacks for ex-gang members starting college, made fleece blankets for shelter kittens, and done about a thousand other fun and meaningful things. In classic Big Sunday fashion, it’s a great way for people to meet new people, work together, and enjoy some laughs while helping someone else. It’s no wonder we have so many regulars who come every single week! We’re regularly joined by groups like AbilityFirst, Partners For Potential, and of course the famous TM Ladies! Projects we’ve worked on have benefited organizations like Covenant House, Carlos Santa Ana Academy, PATH, Exceptional Children’s Foundation, Angelus Plaza, and countless others.
Join Big Sunday for our Food Pantry and Food Fridays @ 10am
Big Sunday,
madison@bigsunday.org,
(323) 549-9944
Big Sunday has given away mountains of food over many years, but now we’re going to make it a weekly event. Our Food Pantry will be open year ‘round and will contain both perishable and non-perishable food. We’re also introducing Food Fridays. Every Friday morning we’ll be open from 10-11:30 to sort and pack food. We’ll also distribute to nonprofits and schools from all over town who will distribute the food to hungry and grateful people in their communities. All ages are welcome. Groups, too! We need volunteers, collectors, donors and sponsors.