Thanks to those of you that have responded so far to this request! Sorry that field work and the holiday weekend have slowed my response to questions that several folks have sent. It seems by having you go to the SE site for the protocol (only), I inadvertently confused some people. This survey IS being done across the NE as well as SE states, but the NE states do not have a website like the SE states. (Trust me on this, as I am on the steering committee that has developed this effort!) That means we can use the SE website for the protocol, survey timing, data sheet, general instructions, etc., but NOT for routes in MD.
Everyone in the NE and SE is using the same protocol, which can be found at the link http://www.ccb-wm.org./nightjar/protocols.htm (which is back on line now). Unfortunately for us, the routes were not done for MD or other NE states. That means that in MD we have to set up our own routes. If you currently run a BBS route, one option for you is to do the nightjar survey on stops 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17,19 (or start at another point, skip every other point for 1 mile spacing, do a total of 10 stops). If you do not have a BBS route, then please set up your own route or routes. The protocol link above has some general guidelines on how to do this, and how to provide the locations of your route when you report your data. In general, select an easy to identify start point, like a road intersection or specific street address, then proceed one mile, stop and collect data according to the protocol, and repeat until you have completed 10 stops, each about one mile apart. You may need to
vary the mileage to slightly greater than 1 mile to have a safe place to pull off of the road, but try to stay close to a mile and no less as much as possible. If you would like assistance with setting up a route, I'll do my best to help you out.
If you are interested, please contact me if you haven't already so that I can coordinate the surveys as needed. Your help is greatly appreciated and critical to understand nightjar populations in the NE and SE regions!
Hope that clears up some confusion. Looks like we have a good, dry week ahead, with a good survey period starting 1/2 hour after sunset- so get out there and listen! Note that this week will be good for post-sunset surveys, and next week will be better for late night or pre-dawn surveys.
Thanks again,
Gwen Brewer
Waldorf, MD
-------------- Original message --------------
From: Gwen Brewer <>
> States across the northeast and southeast are participating in a coordinated
> nightjar survey to collect population distribution and trend data on
> Whip-poor-wills and Chuck-will's Widows May 24-June 8. Standardized survey
> protocols call for coverage of a route with 10 stops that are each located one
> mile apart, with 6 minutes of data collection (listening for nightjars) at each
> point. Ideally, two observers participate and record data at the same time
> along the same route. Portions of BBS routes can be used, or participants may
> create their own routes. Surveys must be carried out under certain conditions
> that include sufficient moonlight, thus the dates from May 24- June 8. Routes
> only need to be surveyed once and we are looking for coverage state-wide. I
> especially encourage those of you that cover BBS routes to do this along stops
> 1-19, using every other stop for a total of 10 points. Additional routes are
> also easy to set up.
> These data are needed to assess how our nightjars are doing across the region as
> well as in the state. The protocol is easy to follow and can be downloaded at
> the Southeastern Nightjar Survey webpage by following the link found at Center
> for Conservation Biology website: http://www.ccb-wm.org.
> Please contact me if you would like more information or would like to cover a
> route! It won't take much time or effort, but can make a great deal of
> difference in our understanding and conservation of these species.
> Gwen Brewer
> Waldorf, MD
> |