Welcome new participants to our COASSTLite! home page. Here you will find the links and resources you need to get started with our program virtually. Please reach out to us if you have any difficulties or would like to sign up for a future training.
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For two decades, COASST surveyors were trained in only one way: at an in-person, hands-on event, hosted at a local community center or event space. In 2020 we decided to use our time in lockdown to develop a virtual training system. COASST Lite! – a virtual training for our beached bird surveyor program – was born.
How does it work? There are two online pathways to becoming a ‘fully fledged’ COASST beached bird surveyor.
- All in one (~3.5 hours)
- Learn it all in one go! This training requires sitting on a Zoom call for a long time, however it is great if you want to get fully trained quickly. This training was established in 2026 and has quickly become our go-to offering.
- In 2 sessions: Level 1 (~2 hours) and Level 2 (~2 hours). These trainings are offered less frequently now that the All in One option is established, so please let us know if you would like this option instead and we will work with you to schedule.
- Level 1 invites new participants to learn how to survey a beach and document beached birds in a standardized way. Level 1 trainees will survey their own beach monthly, but will rely on the COASST office team to identify beached birds and enter data online.
- Level 2 trains established participants in the techniques of measuring and identifying a bird while on survey. This training can take place by request, at one of our All in One events, or ‘on-the-fly’ at an in-person training/refresher (either with COASST staff or a current COASST participant.)
Visit our Trainings and Events page to find a training date that works for you! Email us at coasst@uw.edu to RSVP and receive a link to the webinar.
What do I need for the training?
Nothing you can’t get in your own home:
✓ A computer or mobile device with a strong internet connection to stream a Zoom Webinar, with audio and/or video streaming capabilities
✓ A printed or digital copy of the COASST data sheets to take notes on
✓ A plush animal or well-loved dog toy… you’ll find out why!
✓ A camera (your phone would work best!)
What happens after the training?
You aren’t signed up yet! AFTER you attend the online training you’ll indicate to us that you would like to join our team by:
✓ Signing up for a slot during our Office Hours (this link is shared during the training) to select a beach from our map, or create a new beach of your own!
✓ Paying a $50 materials fee for the survey kit here. The answer to the question “What is the essential COASST photo tool?” is “scale ruler“. Scholarships are available and you can select that option in the contract linked below. Once we have all of your information we will send you survey supplies so that you can get started with surveys at your very own beach!
✓ Filling out this Form to let us know who you are, how to reach you, and to let us know that you intend to survey a beach monthly for our program.
✓ Agreeing to this Contract to let us know that you intend to survey a beach monthly for our program.
✓ You’ll send us your first survey datasheets and any photos you took ideally within 2 months of your training, to make sure everything is still fresh in your mind.
