On Sept. 6, the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team will deliver a training session at Bainbridge Island Fire Department’s station #21 on Madison Avenue from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. COASST participants help collect data on beach-cast carcasses of marine birds, as well as beach characteristics, on a monthly basis to establish the baseline pattern of beached bird mortality on North Pacific beaches, per a news release.

Through an interactive, hands-on workshop, trainees will become acquainted with the custom COASST field guide, Beached Birds, and have a chance to try out their newly acquired identification skills on seabird species common to the North Pacific.

COASST is a citizen science project of the University of Washington in partnership with state, tribal, and federal agencies, environmental organizations, and community groups. By collaborating with community members, natural resource management agencies and environmental organizations, COASST works to translate long-term monitoring into effective marine conservation solutions, the release says. Currently, nearly 800 participants survey beaches in Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska.

Participants need no prior experience with scientific data collection, just a commitment to survey a specific beach at least once a month. A refundable kit deposit is requested to take home survey materials, and deposit scholarships are available.

For more information and to reserve a training spot, call COASST at 206-221-6893 or email coasst@uw.edu. State that you are interested in the Bainbridge training. More information can be found on COASST at www.coasst.org.