[va-bird] Southeastern Nighjar Survey needs VA participants

Dear VA birding community,

There is a general sense among conservationists and the general public that 
populations of Whip-poor-wills and Chuck'-will's Widows are drastically 
declining.  However, there has been no prior widespread or long-term 
monitoring strategy to document these changes.  Understanding the precise 
magnitude and scale of population changes for these Nightjars are critical 
if we are to plot a course for conservation.

The Center for Conservation Biology is initiating and coordinating the 
Southeastern US Nightjar Survey Network to collect information on the 
population distribution and trends of these two Nightjars.  We have 
organized a network of survey routes throughout ten southeastern US states 
including, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, 
South Carolina. Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia and have designed a 
set of protocols for efficient data collection.

The success of this program relies on volunteer participation.

Nightjars surveys are standardized population counts conducted along 
specific routes once a year at night.  Each route consists of 10 stops along 
a predetermined 9-mile route.  At each stop, a volunteer counts the number 
of Nightjars seen or heard for a six-minute period.  Each survey route will 
not take much more than 1 hour to complete.

Nightjar surveys must be conducted during a very specific set of dates for 
data standardization.  The survey window for this 2007 season is May 24th 
through June 8th.  These dates are chosen to coincide with the period of 
brightest moonlight, and the greatest and most consistent Nightjar detection 
probability. Calling rates of Whip-poor-will's and Chuck-will's Widows are 
strongly influenced by moonlight.  Surveying only on bright moonlit nights 
will yield the most precise and accurate population estimates.

Please consider adopting a survey route in Virginia or a nearby state.  We 
have created maps of existing routes and methods for you to create your own 
route that may make the survey more amenable.

If dates for the 2007 survey season are arriving too quickly for you, please 
consider registering for a route for the 2008 season.  Population trends can 
only be determined if data from routes if collected annually.  In fact, data 
become more scientifically credible towards indicating a real trend each 
year data is collected from the same route.

Contact Mike Wilson, mdwils@xxxxxx to adopt a route.

Visit the Southeastern Nightjar Survey webpage by following the link found 
at Center for Conservation Biology website: http://www.ccb-wm.org

Thank you for any interest,

Mike

Mike Wilson
Center for Conservation Biology
College of William and Mary
PO Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
phone: 757-221-1649
fax: 757-221-1650
email:mdwils@xxxxxx
www.ccb-wm.org 

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