Posted for Sergio Harding:
Hello VA Birders,
The 2007 breeding season is bearing down upon us, and volunteers are
needed to run currently vacant Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) routes. The
BBS is the longest-running North American breeding landbird survey, and
is invaluable to the bird conservation community for tracking the status
and trends of breeding bird populations.
Four routes are currently available. These include route 17 (Fincastle
route in Botetourt/Roanoke counties), route 19 (Amherst route) and route
20 (Big Island route), both in Amherst county, and route 50 (Finchley
route in Mecklenburg county). Maps showing the generalized locations of
these routes can be found at
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/results/routemaps/virginia.cfm?CountryNum=840&StateNumber=88
Requirements for participation in the BBS include:
1)Access to suitable transportation to complete the survey.
2)Good hearing and eyesight, including the ability to hear high-pitched
vocalizations.
3)The ability to identify all breeding birds in the area by sight and
sound. Knowledge of bird songs is extremely important, because most
birds counted on these surveys are singing males.
4)New BBS participants must also successfully complete the BBS
Methodology Training Program before their data will be used in any BBS
analyses. The training program ensures that participants are familiar
with BBS methodology, and can be completed online in less than one
hour.
If you meet the first 3 criteria and would like to participate in the
BBS, and are able and willing to commit to running a route for two or
more years, please contact me at sergio.harding@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, or at
804-367-0143.
For information on the BBS, please visit the website at
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/. The VA BBS depends entirely on
volunteers for its continued success. Thanks to all of you who have
participated or are currently participating in the BBS - your efforts
are appreciated.
Sergio Harding
Nongame Bird Conservation Biologist
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
4010 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23231
(804)367-0143
fax (804)367-2427
e-mail: sergio.harding@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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