Carmel River Mouth nest-searching

In 2003 the Big Sur Ornithology Lab collaborated on a nest monitoring project with California Polytechnic State University, studying the success of a 37-acre riparian restoration effort. The research goals of the project are to: locate and monitor nests of five Riparian Focal Species (Warbling Vireo, Swainson's Thrush, Wilson's Warbler, Song Sparrow, and Black-headed Grosbeak), collect baseline data on their breeding ecology and habitat use, determine nesting success, and color-band breeding adults in order to determine population size.