Methodology for Louisiana Summer Bird Atlas
Louisiana Bird Resource Center
Synopsis
The LSBA program hopes to generate maps of relative abundance of birds in the state during learly summer. To do this, we use the same methods as for the Louisiana Winter Bird Atlas, namely borrow the familiar, standard CBC methodology in terms of party-hours and party-miles to generate indices of relative abundance, and apply these to 7.5 quad grid cells, which are roughly 35% as large as a CBC circle. Two differences from the Winter Bird Atlas methodology are: (1) a minimum of only 10, not 20, party-hours (total; not necessarily all in same day) is necessary to characterize a quad, and (2) those 10 should be morning-only hours to capture vocal activity. These hours can be distributed in any way within the 6-week survey period (over the 3-year life-span of the project). In fact, the same areas can be resampled multiple times as long as the numbers of birds are calibrated by party-hours and party-miles.
The general idea, at least for the quad compilers, is to treat the quad survey as a small, square CBC circle and sample accordingly to produce the standard, familiar "birds/party-hour" data on relative abundance.
Data-entry and display will all be online, in partnership with the eBird program at Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.
Goals
1. Publish an atlas of summer bird distribution
for Louisiana using the same 7.5 quad scale as in the Wiedenfeld
& Swan's Breeding Bird Atlas.
2. Add a level of information not present in Wiedenfeld &
Swan or any other atlas to our knowledge, namely information on
relative abundance based on birds/party hour (or party mile for
roadside species). The atlas will reflect these data with perhaps
5-6 color shades, on a scale such as <1/party-hr, 1/party-hr,
10/ph, 100/ph, and 1000/ph.
3. Have all data displayed online as soon as entered by observers
and subsequently filtered by quad compiler. Allow instantaneous
uploading of new data to web page that displays atlas results.
[This will not happen until at least 2008.]
Methods
1. Overview
This survey method combines the grid approach of an atlas with the effort-calibrated approach of the CBC. Breeding Bird Atlases typical provide only presence/absence data and do not provide information on relative abundance. Therefore, they cannot be used to assess differences in relative abundance within a state nor long-term population trends. CBC methodology, in contrast, permits this by calibration of all field data by party-hours, a technique familiar to all birders. The problem with using CBC circles for atlasing is that they are too few and too irregularly distributed geographically. Also, CBC circles are so large (ca. 175 sq. miles) that covering them thoroughly requires substantially more effort relative to the roughly 62 sq. miles of a 7.5 quad.
2. Specifics
a. Each quad has a compiler responsible for doing surveys and submitting data. Each compiler is encouraged to recruit qualified help to survey their quad. Data gathered within the quad by observers other than the compiler are submitted directly to eBird but are eventually filtered by the compiler before adding to the official database.
b. A survey consists of a bird count, CBC-style with respect to keeping track of numbers of individual birds, party-hours, party-miles, and rough habitat coverage. For inclusion in the atlas, a quad needs at least 10 party-hours of surveying, hopefully more, over the 3-year lifespan of the project. Those hours can be distributed over any number of days within the official "summer atlas" period, as long as they are in the morning (except for aquatic habitats). Thus, flexibility in survey dates allows avoidance of bad weather, and also permits a single observer to cover different sections of a quad on different days. An ideal survey might consist of the compiler organizing 2-4 teams to survey sections of the quad on a single day, CBC style. As long as party-hour and party-mile data are recorded, the fundamental unit of the atlas, namely birds/unit effort, remains intact. Repeat surveys of the same spots on different days are also possible, again as long as the data are calibrated by effort. In summary, surveys can be conducted as often as resources permit.
c. The minimum unit for data-entry in terms of time period would be 1 hour. This mimimizes the biases of brief sample periods. Once that threshold is reached, all additional time counts toward the total. As with CBC methods, avoid counting same birds more than once in same day.
See FAQ for additional details (and let Remsen know what esle should be addressed at the FAQ)
3. Date Entry
The Louisiana Summer Bird Atlas has its own data-entry page at eBird:
Data-entry Louisiana Summer Bird Atlas: LSBA .
BE SURE TO SPECIFIC AN INDIVIDUAL QUAD FOR YOUR DATA ... OTHERWISE THEY DO NOT GO INTO THE LSBA DATA-BASE.
You have to register first if not already an eBird registrant. Then, enter your data by following the instructions. BE SURE TO SPECIFY A QUAD instead of a locality name. Put your locality details in the Comments box for reference, as well as any direct evidence of breeding (nests, fledglings). If you have problems. let me or Richard know; this is a novel program for eBird, so we're still working out the problems. If you don't have computer access, just send your survey data to us, and we will enter it for you.
Official "Summer" period
Start: 1 June. This avoids almost all spring migrants.
End: 15 July. Most species are still singing fairly frequently then, and only a few species have started migration (some shorebirds, Louisiana Waterthrush, Orchard Oriole, Purple Martin, and a few individuals of various other species).
Output
The atlas will consist of maps of the state for each species with each quad coded for relative abundance of that species in perhaps 4-6 shades of the same color. The relative abundance scale can vary among species, as can the unit of analysis (e.g., birds/party-hr on foot, birds/party-hr by car, etc.). [Details not important until we have a better feeling for the data.]
For fun, we will maintain tallies of total number of species, total number of party-hours, and so on, divided by region (Coastal Zone, Southern Interior, Northern Interior; see LA subdivisions for boundaries). See:
Unofficial Quad Stats (updated 23 July)
Timeline:
2007 - field-test methods on selected quads; promote the program;
plan for next summer
2008 - all-out quad surveys
2009 - all-out quad surveys
2010 - produce print version
Quad compiler responsibilities:
o All submitted data will be filtered eventually through the Quad Compiler (details for data submission and uploading to be worked out with eBird and CLO).
o The Quad Compiler will make sure that at least 10 party-hours are invested in the quad between 1 June and 15 July and will make sure the data are entered into the eBird portal. The minimum unit for data-entry in terms of time period would be 1 hour. Thus, theoretically, you could accumulate the 10 hours on 10 separate 1-hr time blocks.
o Quad Compilers should try to pick survey dates to correspond to good birding weather to minimize "weather effects" on counts. In fact, therefore, we don't see a reason to keep track of weather data for each data entry.
o Quad Compilers should consider organizing one or more all-out 1-day surveys within a quad, carving it up into territories. In other words, make it like a Christmas Count (but one with the flexibility to avoid bad weather and holidays).
Maps.
SEE: http://appl003.lsu.edu/natsci/labirdweb.nsf/$Content/Find+a+Quad?OpenDocument
Also, try:
Once you've located a quad at the latter, you can download a good map as a tiff file and then print that out (or save as pdf file and print that out -- resolution not as good but file size not huge, unlike tiff files).
Quad Compilers - so far <<for now, we've just listed the same compilers as for WBA until we hear one way or another from each; those who have responded for SBA are bold-faced>>:
Abbeville East - Richard Greig
Abbeville West - Richard Greig
Arizona - M. E. Lewis
Barataria - David Muth
Barataria Pass- Curt Sorrells
Baton Rouge East - Jane Patterson
Baton Rouge West - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Baxter Bayou - Roselie Overby
Beggs - Mac Myers
Belle Passe - Dan Purrington
Bertrandville - David Muth
Blanchard -- Larry Raymond
Bluff Creek - Michael Seymour
Bossier City - Jim Ingold
Boudreaux Lake (Cameron) - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Boyce - Jay Huner
Breaux Bridge - Bill Fontenot
Broussard - James Beck
Bryceland - Rosemary Seidler
Bunkie - Marty Floyd
Buras - David Muth
Cameron (Cameron) - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Caminada Pass- Curt Sorrells
Carencro - Bill Fontenot
Carville - Van Remsen
Cecilia - Bill Vermillion
Chalmette - Glenn Ousset
Chef Menteur - Phillip Wallace
Cheneyville - Marty Floyd
Clear Lake - Nancy Menasco
Cocodrie Lake - Jim Johnson
Collinston East - Roselie Overby
Collinston West - Roselie Overby
Comite -- Brian O'Shea
Cow Island (Cameron) - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Creole - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Crew Lake - Joyce Bennett
Crowley West - James Beck
Delacroix - Glenn Ousset
Delcambre - Elias Landry/Van Remsen
DeRidder - Matt Pontiff
Dixie - Paul Dickson
Downsville North - Stephen Pagans/Joan Brown
East Point - Paul Dickson
Elm Grove - Nancy Menasco
Elmer - Steve Shively
Erwinville - Mara Domingue
Fearman Lake - Melanie Driscoll
Fish Lake - Stephen Pagans/Joan Brown
Fordoche - Mara Domingue
Forked Island NW - Paul Conover
French Settlement - Van Remsen
Frost -- Jane Patterson
Gardner - Steve Shively
Gheens (Lafourche) - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Gibsland - Rosemary Seidler
Gilliam - Linda Adrion/Rosemary Seidler
Gilleyville - Joyce Bennett
Gonzales - Jacob Saucier
Grand Bayou (Cameron) - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Grand Chenier - Dave Patton
Grand Isle - Curt Sorrells
Haaswood (St. Tammany) - Jennifer Coulson
Hackberry Beach - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Hahnville -- Lee Ellis
Hebert Lake - Richard Greig
Hellhole Bayou - Melanie Driscoll
Holly - Ron & Susan Martin
Holly Beach - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Homer - John Dillon
Hortman - Shreveport BSG
Hurricane Branch - Jim Johnson
Indian Beach - Dan Purrington
Intracoastal City - Richard Greig
Johnsons Bayou - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Kaplan North - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Keatchie - Ron and Susan Martin
Koran - Jim Ingold
LaBranche - Melvin Weber/Ron Stein
Lac Sainte Agnes - Jacob Saucier
LaCour (Pointe Coupee) - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Lake Cataouatche East - David Muth
Lake Charles SE - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Lafayette - Dave Patton
Langston - John Dillon
La Place -- Melvin Weber/Ron Stein
Latanier Bayou - Paul Conover
Leeville - Dan Purrington
LeRoy - Erik Johnson
Little Woods - Glenn Ousset
Luling - Peter Yaukey
Mt. Airy NW - Richard Gibbons
Madisonville - Chris Brantley
Mandeville - Chris Brantley
Mangham - Joyce Bennett
Maringouin NW - Brian O'Shea
Mooringsport - Larry Raymond
Monroe North - Janis Harrison
Morganza - Mara Domingue
New Orleans East - Phillip Wallace
New Orleans West - Peter Yaukey
New Roads - Mara Domingue
Nicholson (St. Tammany) - Jennifer Coulson
Pass Tante Phine - Dan Purrington
Patterson - Jay Huner
Peveto Beach - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Phoenix - Glenn Ousset
Pioneer - Roselie Overby
Pilottown - Dan Purrington
Plaquemine - Van Remsen, Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Plaucheville (Avoyelles) - Jacob Saucier
Point - Stephen Pagans/Joan Brown
Point a la Hache - Phillip Wallace
Port Arthur SE (for Sabine Pass, LA) - Steve Cardiff/Donna
Dittmann
Port Hudson - Mara Domingue
Port Sulphur - Curt Sorrells
Powhatan - Paul Dickson
Rapides - Steve Shively
Rayville - Joyce Bennett
Rocky Branch - Stephen Pagans/Joan Brown
Rosepine - Matt Pontiff
St. Francisville - Keith Ouchley
St. Gabriel - Van Remsen, Donna Dittmann, Steve Cardiff
St. Landry - Richard Gibbons
Savoie - Lee Ellis
Shreveport East - Jean and Jeff Trahan
Shreveport West - Charlie Lyon
Simsboro - Rosemary Seidler
Smith Bayou - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Sorrento - Jay Huner
South Point - David Muth
Spanish Fort - Phillip Wallace
Spring Ridge - Larry Raymond
Stonewall - Hubert Hervey
Thornwell - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
Triumph - Curt Sorrells
Venice - Dan Purrington
Vivian North - Richard Gibbons
Wallace Lake - Mac Hardy
Walls - Mara Domingue
West of Johnsons Bayou - Steve Cardiff/Donna Dittmann
West Monroe North - Stephen Pagans/Joan Brown
Weyanoke - Phil Stouffer
Woodworth East - Paul Wallace
Woodworth West - Steve Shively
Wright - Dave Patton
Youngsville - Erik Johnson