Across the continent, birds are nest-building, and the NestWatch project at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology wants people in the North Country and around the U.S. to watch.

Perhaps there’s an American robin building her mud-and-grass bowl on your porch light, or a northern mockingbird weaving a twiggy nest in your shrubs. If you find a nest nearby, you have a front-row seat to the daily drama of bird life.

Spring is also the perfect opportunity to become part of NestWatch, which has been tracking trends in the nesting success of hundreds of species of birds across the country for more than 40 years.

“It’s only when many thousands of volunteers are collecting data over a vast area that scientists can fully measure the impacts of environmental change and land use on breeding birds,” says Jason Martin, NestWatch project leader.

NestWatch participants visit one or more nests or nest boxes every three to four days and report what they see at www.NestWatch.org, including information such as when the first eggs are laid, total number of eggs and young, and when the hatchlings take their first faltering flights.

Volunteers do a bit of online training to understand how best to observe nesting birds without disturbing them, learn the best time to check nests, and how to avoid accidentally leading predators to them.

Participants also get some tips on how to find nests.

“Look for birds carrying bits of grass, twigs, feathers, and other nesting material and remember where they go,” says Martin. “Males sing to mark their territories so if you see male birds singing, there’s probably a nest nearby.”

Participation in NestWatch is free and open to anyone who is interested in birds and nature.

People may sign up via the NestWatch website www.nestwatch.org. There are online tutorials and a chance to share stories with others on Facebook.