BBSMemoWinter05-06

Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Breeding Bird Survey

12100 Beech Forest Road

Laurel, MD 20708-4038

www.pwrc.usgs.gov

Memorandum to Cooperators

WINTER 2005/06

CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS —

1 — NEW BBS DATABASE 5 — 2005 ROUTE COVERAGE

2 — NEW PARTICIPANT INFORMATION 6 — MAPS & SIGNS

3 — COORDINATOR UPDATES – AL, SC, FL 7 — PARTICIPANT AWARDS

4 — RECENT MEETINGS & PLANNING 8 — NOTES FROM THE FIELD

NEW BBS DATABASE (Back to top)

The long-awaited overhaul of the BBS database and its web interface has finally begun to reach fruition. After more than two years of design and development we recently started the first phase of implementation, Beta testing the observer web entry portal. This is an intensive and important step wherein we locate and work out program glitches and streamline the web pages for most intuitive presentation.

The finished product will be available for public use in early May, well in time for observers to use the system to report their 2006 survey results. We encourage all observers to use this new web entry portal to enter the coming year’s data since this eliminates the tremendously costly and time consuming step of scanning data sheets in the office, an especially important consideration given the increasing demands on our staff of two.

Future phases will include the refinement and completion of the coordinator web interface (mid-Aug) and then the release of a stand alone data entry program (Jan 07). This latter feature will enable off-line data entry and require just one quick connection to the BBS web site for transmittal of completed data files. We look forward to these and other technological advances in the BBS and are confident that they will improve the quality of your BBS experience and enjoyment of the program.

NEW PARTICIPANT INFORMATION (Back to top)

If this is your first year, thank you for joining the flock of thousands who make the BBS a success! Through your efforts and those of your peers, federal, state, and local conservation agencies have reliable bird population information on which to base sound conservation and management decisions. We want your BBS observer experience to be as enjoyable and meaningful as possible. In working towards this goal we provide many resources, conveniently located on our general web site, to assist you. For instance, there you can find and download previous years’ species lists for your route, see where neighboring routes are located in the state, map the location of species found in the region using the NBII mapping application, and view trend maps for particular species. If you would like, we can also loan you bird song CD’s and other resources to help you brush up on you identification skills during the winter months. You can find our contact information both online and at the close of this Memorandum and we are happy to accommodate requests whenever we can. And remember, if you have any questions or problems regarding the BBS, please do not hesitate to contact your state coordinator or us here at the national office.

Here are a few guidelines to follow to help ensure that your first year is as productive and enjoyable as it can be:

1) Complete the BBS Methodology Training program and the final review.

We can not use your data if you do not.

2) Scout your route before the actual survey day to avoid unexpected delays.

3) Pay close attention to the instructions regarding survey timing and to the

specific route start time indicated on your data form(s).

4) Submit your data electronically for faster feedback.

5) Return your completed forms and maps in a timely manner.

6) HAVE FUN -- take a friend, take pictures, or mentor a fledgling birder.

Thank you again for participating and we look forward to hearing about your adventures with the BBS.

COORDINATOR UPDATES (Back to top)

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Bob Reid, Jr., observer since the program’s inception and long time coordinator for Alabama. We mourn the loss of Bob and extend our deepest sympathies to his family. Bob would be pleased to know that state biologist Eric Soehren has stepped in to fill the big shoes that he’s left behind.

Steve Wagner has retired from his position as South Carolina’s BBS coordinator leaving the duties to Laurel Moore. In Florida, Jennifer Swan passed the coordinator hat to Karen Whitney. We thank Steve and Jennifer for their generous service and wish them the best in their future endeavors. We also welcome Laurel, Karen, and Eric to the flock of state coordinators and look forward to long and productive relationships with them.

Alabama South Carolina Florida

Eric C. Soehren Laurel Moore Barnhill Karen Whitney

Alabama Dept. Cons. Wildlife and Freshwater Florida Fish &Wildlife

and Natural Resources Fisheries Div. Conservation Comm.

State Lands, Nat. Heritage South Carolina DNR FWC Gainesville Lab

64 North Union Street P.O. Box 167 4005 S. Main Street

Montgomery, AL 36130 Columbia, SC 29202 Gainesville, FL 32601

334-353-7996 803-734-3886 352-955-2230

eric.soehren@dcnr.alabama.gov barnhillL@dnr.sc.gov karen.whitney@myfwc.com

Current state coordinator contact information is available on the BBS web page via the “Contact Us” link.

RECENT MEETINGS & PLANNING (Back to top)

1) BBS International Strategic Planning Meeting - USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - November 15-16, 2005. Workshop to evaluate and prioritize the BBS goals and needs established in the 2000 Peer Review report.

2) Joint meeting of the Wilson Ornithological Society and Association of Field Ornithologists –

Beltsville, MD

· BBS Coordinators’ Workshop – April 21, 2005 – Workshop to address route stop

description/coordinate needs, observer recruitment/retention issues,

training/certification/assessment considerations, and species detectability issues.

· BBS Symposium - April 22, 2005 – A series of presentations oriented towards sampling

effort and statistical considerations followed by a facilitated discussion.

3) The Wildlife Society 12^th Annual Conference – Madison, WI – September 25-29, 2005. Scientific poster presentation of BBS observer qualifications and long-term observer trends.

Comprehensive meeting minutes and lists of other products from these events can be found at:

http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/bbsnews/MeetingProducts/index.html

2005 ROUTE COVERAGE (Back to top)

Our thanks to everyone who participated in the 2005 BBS season! Data for 2844 routes have been submitted to the national office so far (Table 1, page 4). This year, six states experienced an increase in route coverage by five or more routes. They were Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, Texas, and Georgia. Especially notable were Georgia and Texas who increased coverage by 10 and 16 routes respectively, and Connecticut who doubled their coverage from the previous year. Those accomplishments earned Connecticut and Texas a place alongside South Carolina as the only three states to move up to the highest coverage bracket this year, 76-100% of all routes covered (Figure 1, page 5). Unfortunately, this bracket became more exclusive as six states fell from their previous benchmarks to the next lowest bracket, 51-75% of routes covered.

While the numbers are not exact (a small percentage of 2005 data has yet to arrive), Table 1 provides a good indication of what your state’s route coverage situation looks like. Sixteen states witnessed their coverage decrease by five or more routes this year. Check and see if your state was one of them by comparing the “sampled in” columns from years 2004 and 2005 in Table 1.

Six states are in special need of assistance for their sampling effort. Rhode Island, Mississippi, Maine, Louisiana, Georgia, and California had half or fewer of their available routes sampled in 2005 (figure 1). If you nest in any of these states, or one of the states experiencing reduced coverage, please encourage your qualified birder friends to migrate over to your state coordinator to lend a wing with the BBS. As always, coordinator contact information is conveniently located

on our web site.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER - Do you have BBS data from previous years that were never sent in? Remember, it is never too late. Whether they are from last year or a decade ago, we can still use them. While we don’t wish to promote late data submission, don’t throw them out just

because they are old; send them to us!

Table 1. 2004-2005 Route Coverage Summary
UNITED STATES
UNITED STATES
	Number of Routes				Number of Routes
State/Prov	Existing	Sampled	Sampled	State/Prov	Existing	Sampled	Sampled
State/Prov	in 2005	in 2004	in 2005	State/Prov	in 2005	in 2004	in 2005
AL	91	77	65	PR	44	13	8
AK	103	78	66	RI	5	1	1
AZ	65	42	46	SC	34	25	28
AR	32	31	29	SD	62	35	32
CA	230	133	116	TN	47	41	40
CO	136	108	99	TX	197	137	153
CT	16	7	14	UT	101	93	82
DE	10	9	8	VT	23	14	16
FL	90	80	68	VA	70	59	58
GA	96	37	47	WA	93	72	68
ID	58	47	52	WV	57	50	49
IL	101	82	91	WI	92	81	84
IN	61	47	32	WY	108	56	54
IA	33	21	22	Totals	3520	2535	2415
KS	61	48	47	Totals	3520	2535	2415
KY	47	26	26	CANADA
LA	68	35	32	CANADA
ME	70	35	34	AB	179	81	89
MD	56	56	56	BC	136	74	66
MA	24	17	15	NWT	13	8	6
MI	83	60	52	MB	67	36	39
MN	86	73	59	NB	32	21	15
MS	37	17	14	NF/LB	29	14	13
MO	53	45	49	NU	4	0	0
MT	65	55	51	NS	29	20	20
NE	46	38	33	ON	191	79	70
NV	41	16	21	PEI	4	1	1
NH	23	22	16	PQ	156	53	61
NJ	28	18	16	SK	87	28	29
NM	62	59	61	YT	37	20	20
NY	112	65	67	Totals	964	435	429
NC	95	71	65	Totals	964	435	429
ND	44	29	26
OH	68	47	47	PROGRAM-WIDE
OK	65	52	41	BBS	4484	2970	2844
OR	122	86	80	BBS	4484	2970	2844
PA	109	89	79

Figure 1. 2005 U.S. BBS Route Coverage. Percentage of available routes sampled in 2005 by state. Lighter coloration indicates a greater number of vacant routes and the need for more participants.