[obol] Streaked Horned Lark habitat impacts study - "beta launch"

From: Joel Geier <joel.geier@xxxxxxxx>
To: Oregon Birders OnLine <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 11:45:56 -0700

Hi all,

I appreciate the many responses from birders who have detected a few
Horned Larks here and there this spring, and even sometimes around the
edges of vineyards or young plantings in past years. It's always good to
hear of these sightings, and I especially appreciate when they come with
geographic coordinates.

The big question, though, is how well larks are doing in these mostly
private agricultural areas, and how trends in the ag industry and
general land use will affect them in the future.

Seeing that at least a few birders are interested in helping already
this year, I'll try to put together some protocols for gathering data.

The basic elements will be:

1) Identify fields where larks are found during nesting season
(May-June), & record numbers of singing males, plus larks observed
visually (identifying males/females if you are able).

2) Record the habitat in these fields (type of crop, height & density of
stand). When larks are visually located, also record the characteristics
of the parts of the field that larks are observed in such as field
edges, roadsides, drowned out patches etc.)

3) Return to the same fields at approximately 2-week intervals through
June & July. Record changes in habitat & signs of recent field
operations (spraying, mowing, swathing, combining, flailing, etc.).

4) On the follow-up visits, record numbers of adult larks as previously
(will mostly be visual detections on later visits) plus any observations
of juvenile larks. Also check neighboring fields which the larks might
use for foraging.

I will work this into a more formal protocol, drawing on the protocols
used in previous Willamette Valley grassland bird surveys. I'll also put
together some resources for lark identification (males vs. females and
juveniles vs. adults), plus some background info on typical farming
practices and equipment used in Willamette Valley agriculture.

I expect this year's effort to be largely a learning process. At the end
of the summer we can assess what worked and what didn't work.

If you're interested in helping, please let me know. Next year we can
improve the methodology and hopefully bring the Willamette Valley's bird
conservation organizations on board.

Thanks & happy birding,
Joel

--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis





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[obol] Streaked Horned Lark habitat impacts study - "beta launch"

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