Ben Springer, vice president of Southern Maryland Audubon Society (SMAS), soon joins Audubon Mid-Atlantic as a Marsh Bird Technician. He will survey birds and plants on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, in important areas for marsh-nesting species such as the endangered Saltmarsh Sparrow. His work will also help the Seaside Sparrow, American Black Duck, and Black Rail. People benefit too; healthy saltmarshes buffer storm surges, capture carbon, and filter pollutants before they reach local waterways.
A lifelong naturalist with a passion for birds, Ben was born and raised in Calvert County and earned his BA in Environmental Studies, with a minor in Biology, from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Most recently, he worked as a Park Technician at Kings Landing Park in Calvert County. Those who have joined Ben on his delightful birding trips will be pleased to know that he will continue volunteering with SMAS in the fall. Meanwhile, he said, “I’m really excited to get back out in the marsh!”