[Bristol-Birds] VA IBA Workshop - Breaks Interstate Park

Area Birders,
Aimee Weldon, VA IBA Coordinator, asked that the following announcement be 
posted to Bristol Birds.

Roger Mayhorn
Grundy, VA

LEARN HOW TO CONDUCT STANDARDIZED BIRD SURVEYS FOR THE VIRGINIA IMPORTANT BIRD 
AREAS PROGRAM

 

The Virginia Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program is offering two spring training 
workshops for volunteers to learn how to conduct point counts (a standardized 
bird survey technique) on potential or recognized IBAs in Virginia.  This 
simple survey technique allows us to estimate abundance of bird populations as 
well as species diversity.  Understanding changes in bird abundance over time 
is very important as it allows us to track the health of bird populations and 
then target conservation efforts where they will have the greatest impact.  

 

There is currently a great need to acquire abundance information in many areas 
that are, or have the potential to become, IBAs.  You can help with this 
important effort by becoming Point Count Certified for the Virginia IBA 
Program.  After just one certification workshop, you can continue to contribute 
valuable information to the IBA Program for a lifetime.  The data you provide 
will be used to assess which areas should become IBAs, determine which 
populations are in the most trouble, pinpoint where we should direct our 
conservation efforts, and track the impact (positive or negative) of our 
conservation activities on bird populations.   

 

At each workshop participants will learn:

  a.. The value of point counts and how we use the information to track bird 
population trends
 

  a.. How to use GPS units to determine and then locate survey points
 

  a.. How to conduct point counts and then practice these new skills in the 
field
 

The workshops will be held in two beautiful locations in northeastern and 
southwestern Virginia:

 

April 22 (Earth Day!), 10am - 2pm: Manassas National Battlefield Park, a 
recognized IBA

May 5 (1st day of VSO annual meeting), 11am - 3pm: Breaks Interstate Park, a 
potential IBA

 

Certified volunteers can apply to survey areas within potential IBAs this 
spring as detailed in the March VSO newsletter or to survey existing IBAs.  
Registration is limited to 20 so sign up now to ensure yourself a spot!  Lunch 
will be provided at each workshop for a small fee of $12/person.  Contact Aimee 
Weldon - aweldon@xxxxxxxxxxx or 804-752-5850 - to register or for more 
information.

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