Please add me to Route 361, Megargal
Penny Miller
4800 Catalina Dr.
Wichita Falls, TX 76310
Email: txbirds@xxxxxxxxx
Phone: 940-867-9761
On Mon, Mar 27, 2017 at 9:07 AM, Brent Ortego <brentortego@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
BREEDING BIRD SURVEY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
This is my last request this season for volunteer sign-up to conduct
roadside breeding bird surveys (BBS) in Texas during 2017. There is 1
vacancy in the Panhandle, 2 in West Texas, 3 in North Central Texas, 1 in
Central Texas, 2 in Northeast Texas, 3 in Southeast Texas, and 2 in South
Texas. Read below for more details.
For those not familiar with the survey methodology, the BBS is the
National Survey which is the primary source for breeding bird population
trends in the nation. This survey has about 3000 randomly located routes
across the United States. Each route is 24.5 miles long with 50 stops
spaced 0.5 miles apart. At each stop during a 3 minute period, the
observer tallies all birds seen within ¼ mile and all birds heard. The
route lasts from 30 minutes before sunrise until you finish which is
normally about 11 a.m. The route needs to be run ONCE each year during the
months of May or June; exact dates vary with each route. It might require
a pre-survey scouting trip just to familiarize yourself with the route, and
a little paper/computer work after the route is done. The observer needs
to be able to identify most of the birds along the route by call and all by
sight. Along routes in agricultural areas, this might only mean about 20
species by call, but in more complex forested areas i
t might mean 70 species.
National and local conservation organizations regularly use BBS data (see
www.stateofthebirds.org) in their analysis. They focus very strongly on
breeding bird population trends generated by YOUR DATA, and also used bird
density data extensively. Partners In Flight has developed models to
estimate breeding density and distribution for all species they are
tracking with BBS data. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has used the
data when they developed a statewide conservation plan for birds (see
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/pwd_pl_w7000_1187a/) .
Conservation âJoint Venturesâ across the nation regularly use BBS data as
they implement their new âAll Birdsâ management goals. It has been very
satisfying seeing the product of our works being used to influence national
and local decisions on avian conservation.
Texas has 196 BBS routes and 14 vacancies. The National Office has
started listing routes as vacant when they have not received data from a
volunteer for two years. If you see your route listed as vacant, check
your files and resubmit your data because the National Office has not
received it.
This seems like a lot of routes, but it is not for a state our size. Due
to the variability of the data, we are trying to run at least 14 routes per
ecological area and there are 10 ecological areas in Texas. This should
provide us a statistically valid sample of population trends of birds
breeding near highways. We are getting close to obtaining this sample size
in every bird region. We always have problems getting qualified birders to
do routes in the more rural parts of the State. While there are many good
birders in Texas, the birders are concentrated in urban areas and the birds
are spread throughout the State causing logistics problems of running
routes in remote parts of the Texas. A classic example is West Texas and
the Panhandle, lots of country and few birders.
When you volunteer, I will need your NAME, MAILING ADDRESS, E-MAIL,
TELEPHONE NUMBER and ROUTE of interest.
I am listing below vacant routes by geographic areas. Species data for
each route can be obtained at the link = https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/
RouteMap/Map.cfm. Those areas with the largest numbers of vacancies are
the areas needing the most help. If you are interesting in helping, or
would like more information, reply to this e-mail.
BBS - USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center<https://www.pwrc.usgs.
gov/bbs/RouteMap/Map.cfm>
www.pwrc.usgs.gov
The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is a large-scale, long-term
monitoring program designed to track the status and trends of North
American bird populations.
PANHANDLE
Route 100 Channing Hartley County
WEST TEXAS
Route 394 Pecos Reeves County
Route 418 Pumpville Val Verde County
NORTHCENTRAL TEXAS
Route 063 Weatherford Parker County
Route 078 Grayback Wilbarger
County
Route 361 Megargel Archer County
CENTRAL TEXAS
Route 353 Hawley Jones County
NORTHEAST TEXAS
Route 056 Morton Harrison County
Route 058 Athens Henderson County
SOUTHEAST TEXAS
Route 322 Union Hill Walker County
Route 334 Powell Park San Augustine County
Route 906 Neches Hardin County
COASTAL PRAIRIE
No Vacancies!
SOUTH TEXAS
Route 019 La Pryor Zavalla County
Route 204 Guerra Zapata County
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/RouteMap/Map.cfm location of route maps
BBS - USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center<https://www.pwrc.usgs.
gov/bbs/RouteMap/Map.cfm>
www.pwrc.usgs.gov
The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is a large-scale, long-term
monitoring program designed to track the status and trends of North
American bird populations.
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBS/PublicDataInterface/index.cfm?fuseaction>
PublicDataInterface.viewPublic raw data online retrieval system link
provides location of species totals by route by year. Explore US Results
and Analysis tab.
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBS/learning/ BBS Methods
BBS - Learning Tools - Patuxent Wildlife Research Center<
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBS/learning/>
www.pwrc.usgs.gov
The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is a large-scale, long-term
monitoring program designed to track the status and trends of North
American bird populations.
Brent Ortego
brentortego@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:brentortego@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Victoria, TX
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