Browse Projects
100% Complete
18 Total pages
3 Contributing members
Alexander Wetmore - Monthly Bird Lists, June 1902-February 1903
Do you remember what your favorite hobby was as a 17 year-old? Is it something you still enjoy today? For future Smithsonian Secretary Alexander Wetmore, his passion as a teen carried on to adulthood--birds. Wetmore, an ornithologist and curator, kept this monthly set of bird observations as a teenager in his hometown of North Freedom, Wisconsin. Wetmore would go on to research birds for the rest of his long and vibrant scientific career! Help our other volunteers to transcribe this set of ornithology records and make a young Wetmore's scientific exploration available for generations of new researchers.
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64 Total pages
19 Contributing members
Alexander Wetmore - Monthly Bird Lists, June 1902-January 1905
How do you think the wildlife found in a small town compares to that of a big city? How about the native bird population? Find out with future Smithsonian Secretary Alexander Wetmore's monthly bird lists from 1902-1905. During this time, Wetmore traveled from his small hometown in Wisconsin to college, in the city of Independence, Kansas--making observations about the local birdlife in the process. Wetmore would go on to have a decades-long ornithology career with the Smithsonian. Explore Wetmore's college field notes and help other digital volunteers transcribe his observations!
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46 Total pages
15 Contributing members
Alexander Wetmore - North Carolina, 1917: To Investigate Damage to Farm Crops
How much harm could a mourning dove do to a farmer's crops? in June 1917, naturalist Alexander Wetmore was sent to investigate claims that these birds were doing exactly that in response to a complaint from Mr. J. F. Hunter in North Carolina. The materials begin with a small notebook where Wetmore recorded his trip expenses, then proceeds with a thorough report of his observation and conclusions. Join us to transcribe this material and learn how the United States Department of Agriculture worked with farmers at a time when the nation was beginning to send troops into World War I.
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87 Total pages
5 Contributing members
Alexander Wetmore - Panama, Costa Rica and Guatemala, 1940; Panama, 1944
How did Alexander Wetmore, ornithologist, curator, and former Secretary of the Smithsonian, spend his Thanksgiving 75 years ago? Exploring the volcanoes, vivid landscapes, and unique wildlife of Panama, Guatemala, and Costa Rica! Take a break from the turkey and whet your appetite for adventure with Wetmore's photo album, which features fascinating images from his expeditions in 1940 and 1944. Join us in transcribing the image captions in Wetmore's album and get a new look into the specimen collecting process as he experienced it.
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128 Total pages
7 Contributing members
Alexander Wetmore - Photo Album, 1914-1920
Have you ever wondered what kinds of birds live in different regions of the United States? Travel the country and find out with Alexander Wetmore, ornithologist, curator, and former Secretary of the Smithsonian, and his 1914-1920 photo album. This unique collection of images were taken while Wetmore traveled the country with the United States Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Biological Survey. The photos give insight into Wetmore's explorations of Utah, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Florida, South Carolina, Minnesota and North Dakota. Join us in transcribing the image captions in Wetmore's album and get a new look into US wildlife!
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51 Total pages
7 Contributing members
Alexander Wetmore - Photo Album, Africa, 1957
Did you know that 400 different bird species live in Hwange National Park--established in 1928 and currently the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe? That makes Hwange the perfect place to study for a scientist like Alexander Wetmore! Wetmore, an ornithologist and former Smithsonian Secretary, visited Hwange (then called Wankie Game Reserve) during his 1957 trip to Africa. This album documents Wetmore's trip through Zimbabwe, as well as other animal reserves like Kruger National Park. Wetmore's journey though Africa was taken just five years after Wetmore retired as Secretary and became a Smithsonian Research Associate--continuing his ornithology research around the world! Travel through Africa with Wetmore and help other volunteers to help transcribe these image captions!
100% Complete
56 Total pages
8 Contributing members
Alexander Wetmore - Photo Album, Bonaire and Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, 1969
The Bonaire Islands are famous for one particular type of bird--the Caribbean flamingo. The Islands are one of only four nesting grounds for the species. What other birds make their home on the island's shores? Find out with ornithologist and former Smithsonian Secretary Alexander Wetmore's 1969 photo album. Wetmore traveled to the Netherlands Antilles with his wife, Beatrice, and studied the islands' coastlines and interiors (including photographing cave drawings!). Find a few flamingos in this fascinating album and help transcribe image captions!
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100 Total pages
5 Contributing members
Alexander Wetmore - Photo Album, Colombia, Curacao, Venezuela, and Bermuda, 1941
Have you ever wondered what kinds of wildlife live on the thousands of miles of Caribbean coastline? So did ornithologist and future Smithsonian Secretary Alexander Wetmore. In 1941, Wetmore traveled through Colombia, Curacao, Venezuela, and Bermuda to collect specimens for the US National Museum (now the National Museum of Natural History). The photos Wetmore took of his expedition trip document the vast countries he explored--from farms and port towns to villages, with candid photos of local men and women's daily lives. Join other volunteers on a Wetmore expedition and help transcribe the image captions from this album!
100% Complete
72 Total pages
9 Contributing members
Alexander Wetmore - Photo Album, Curacao and Venezuela, 1954
If you were planning a research expedition to Venezuela, how would you prefer to travel? Former Smithsonian Secretary and ornithologist Alexander Wetmore took to the air and sea to explore Venezuela and the island of Curacao in 1954. This album documents Wetmore's research exploration of the region--from boating down the coastline, to incredible aerial photographs taken from a Catalina plane. Go exploring with Wetmore and other scientists studying the region (including the husband-and-wife botany team of William and Katherine Phelps). Help transcribe the image captions from this album and make Wetmore's research newly discoverable for present-day scientists! You can also view images from the first half of Wetmore's 1954 trip in Volume 1 of the Venezuela travel albums. (Formatting Note: No need to describe image placement on the page! Please use [[image]] on the first line to indicate a photo, followed by a second line with the caption, and a third with the date.)
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60 Total pages
7 Contributing members
Alexander Wetmore - Photo Album, Europe, 1930, 1934, 1938
Head off on a European adventure with Alexander Wetmore's 1930s photo album! Wetmore, an ornithologist, curator, and former Secretary of the Smithsonian, took these photos while traveling for International Ornithological Congress meetings in 1930, 1934, and 1938. Wetmore and other scientists traveled through Spain, France, Holland, and England, and this album documents his travel through the landscapes and landmarks of Europe, including museums abroad. Join other volunteers on a Wetmore winter trip and help transcribe the image captions from this album!
100% Complete
61 Total pages
7 Contributing members
Alexander Wetmore - Photo Album, Finland and England, 1958
There are 340 native bird species that make their home in Finland--ranging from cold-weather birds found in the North to warmer weather ones near the South (and only five of those many species were introduced to the area by humans!). It's no surprise why an ornithologist like Alexander Wetmore would choose Finland as an area to study. Wetmore, an ornithologist and former Smithsonian Secretary, visited Europe in 1958. This album documents his travel through the farms and countryside of Finland during his time as a Smithsonian Research Associate--a position he took on after his retirement as Secretary, allowing him to continue his ornithology research across the globe! Travel through Finland and England with Wetmore and help other volunteers to help transcribe these image captions!
100% Complete
107 Total pages
12 Contributing members
Alexander Wetmore - Photo Album, Haiti and Dominican Republic, 1927, 1931
Have you ever wondered what kinds of birds live on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola? Go exploring with Alexander Wetmore, ornithologist, curator, and former Secretary of the Smithsonian, and his 1927/1931 photo album. This unique collection of images was taken while Wetmore traveled through Haiti and the Dominican Republic, collecting natural history specimens for the US National Museum (now the National Museum of Natural History). The photos document not just the birds Wetmore collected, but also rain forests and caves, archaeological excavations, and the preparation work behind the expedition. Join us in transcribing the image captions in Wetmore's album and get a look into the Smithsonian's history of specimen collecting!
