Distraction Displays: Mass Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Draft Map Species Total per Block: 2007-11

Nice Job Team!

The first thing we need to look at is our coverage across the state. Were we able to find 50 or more species in the blocks in the counties other than the Cape and Islands? Were we able to get good coverage on the Cape and Islands? Were we able to close the gaps we had in Berkshire, Bristol and Plymouth Counties?

You'll see from the map below, which still has a few bits of data to add, that we were able to meet all of those goals, and go well beyond our expectations. As always, click on the map to get a larger version.These numbers are driven by many factors: ecoregion, elevation, urbanization, access, amount of land, variety of habitats, and time spent in the block. In many cases there are not a lot of "un-found" species in a block - it is likely to be in the 5-10% range - but of course, they weren't found, so it will take a bit of magic to even estimate who might have been missed.

An interpretive key:

Red = weak species counts, most reds are on the "border" blocks and make sense,

Pink = Wide category, weak if inland (except on Cape and Islands) but there are very few of those,

Light Blue = Good coverage in Bristol, Plymouth or Cape and Islands. Ok elsewhere. Again, there are few of these blocks outside of the "Pine Barrens Curtain".

Medium Blue =  Good to excellent coverage in any county.

Dark Blue =  Excellent coverage in any state in the union!

Atlas Wakes

From the Department of Data Crunching

Hello Atlasers,

As promised we are returning to somewhat regular posting now that the New Year is upon us. For the next few weeks we will posting summary statistics and some "in progress" maps as we get our feet wet with our nearly complete data set.

These post will not include any additions from the Mass Heritage data base whichwill take a while to integrate - we did include a subset of those data for the State of the Birds data set, but those data are not yet included in the USGS data that y'all entered. These posts also will not include any eBird data, although we will work to integrate those data if they can be reliably matched to a block. eBird data will not be used for comparisons, because it increases our alredy unfair advantage over Atlas 1 tools to even loftier heights - but we will include it, if possible, in some set of "current distribution" maps. 

More to come.

Adult Merlin Greeting a Fledgeling

From The Department of Immigration

 

This deserves a full screen. Merlin was one of those species which, 20 years ago, was a real pie-in-the-sky as a breeding bird in Massachusetts. During the Atlas we confirmed 3, and have another 2 probables. One of those probables, in Williamstown, was likely a nesting bird too. My money says in 10 years we will have many more, and welcome to them!

Photo: Great Barrington, Merlin adult feeding a fledgling. From Rene Laubach, photo by James Schumacher, sometime in July 2011.

Newsletter August 22, 2011

From The Department of Badgering

Download Massachusetts Breeding Bird Atlas 2 Newsletter Aug 22 2011

 

(photo: Carpeaux: Laughing Girl Adorned with Roses, MFA, Boston)

Newsletter To Cape Cod Atlasers from Mary Keleher

From The Department of Really Swell Terminal Moraines

Hi All,

Just wanted to remind everyone that there's still about one month left of atlasing for the 5th and final year of the state's 2nd Breeding Bird Atlas!

Some species Safe Dates have ended but there are still many species whose Safe Dates do not end until mid-August. So keep on looking for breeding birds.

 

Three more species were confirmed today. While I was in the Falmouth 01 block early this morning I spotted fledgling House Wrens & Field Sparrows. I used my favorite tool, www.massaudubon.org/blockfinder, to see if these species had been recorded in the block yet. They were listed only as Probable so I entered them in as an Incidental sighting to Confirm them for the block.

And later in the morning I was in the Hyannis 06 block with Keelin Miller. We watched a Willow Flycatcher perch along the edge of a marsh area, catch an insect & fly off into the thicket across the road from us. This was repeated about a dozen or so times making it obvious to us that the bird was carrying food (CF) to a nearby nest. This was the first comfirmation for this species for Barnstable County for this atlas period. Thanks to Keelin for spotting this bird yesterday! Here are a few photos of the bird, a couple of them showing the bird with a big dragonfly! http://www.flickr.com/photos/34356219@N07/sets/72157627216263666/

 

Late last week I was in the North Truro 06 block at a marsh that looked like it might be a good place for rails. I played a Virginia Rail recording and in within seconds 2 of them came running to the edge of the reeds. One of them came out and circled around me. I used the blockfinder tool and saw that this species had not yet been recorded for this block. I entered it as Probable with the T code.

 

Many of you have completed blocks to the percentage requirements for the atlas (close to 20 Primary Hours of atlasing, about 60 species per block, and 70% of those species being Probable/Confirmed.

There are still several of you that asked to be assigned to blocks this year. Many of you have opened cards and have been entering in data. For those of you that have NOT opened your cards please do so and enter in your data.

If you are assigned to a block this year and you did not have a chance to do any atlasing please let me know so I can mark the block with "No Visits" for the year.

Thank You!

Mary

Please Enter Data Now

"The suspense is killing me - I hope it never ends." Oscar Wilde

Right now we have 309 field cards open for our 5th and final year of the Mass Breeding Bird Atlas 2.

That is an incredible push for the last year, and I really want to thank all of you for such a strong finish.

This is a photo of my desk. Ugh. Actually, it is my second desk, the first one is too full of paper to put these papers on it! I have a full day ahead of me to enter and check all my data (checking because I tend to click on Piping Plover not Killdeer on the field cards - the coordinators generally call me and gently tell me that I am a pain).

Please enter all your data as soon as you collect it. Remember to submit maps of all the T&E species through the My Contributions part of the USGS site.

Thanks for all the work - the end is near.

 

Springfield South - 04: Atlas Post-tornado

From The Department of Public Works

 
Mark Lynch went back out to his Springfields South 4 block to have a look post-tornado. Enclosed is his report.

"Sunday, we finally went to see what kind of shape our atlas block SPRINGFIELD SOUTH 4 was in. This is in Springfield proper, not WEST Springfield (west side of the Connecticut River) where all the news coverage had been of tornado damage, so we were hoping for the best. Pre-tornado, there was very little habitat left in this block to begin with: some strips of woods along a small river amidst an urban neighborhood (with no trails or access); a cemetery next to a small pond with a woodlot and finally a golf course. That was it."

 

British Columbia Needs Some Help - (and not just with hockey)

From The Department of "Eh"

So, now that you are all trained atlasers, the province of British Columbia would like a little help, please.

See below for a killer opportunity to Atlas BC.

 

 

10 June 2011 – If you can get to British Columbia, the BC Breeding Bird Atlas has some exciting ideas for your summer holidays! One is an offer from Canadian Mountain Holidays to take you heli-hiking in the spectacular Rocky Mountain Trench for free! All you have to do is get to the base camp near Golden, BC and agree to do point counts and general bird atlassing while hiking along magnificent alpine ridges. If space is available, you may even get a free stay in one of Canadian Mountain Holidays' lodges. And that's not all we're offering… If you'd rather escape to a remote northern BC lake for some birding, we could send you off on a free float plane adventure for a week or two. All we ask is that you do some serious atlassing in return. We also have funds available to help cover your expenses while birding almost anywhere in British Columbia as long as you're atlassing. These offers are valid for June and the first half of July; for more information, contact Dick Cannings at dcannings@birdscanada.org.

Chester 03 - The Jewel of the Pioneer Valley

From The Department of Parulas and Minor Miracles

Chester 03, my new home for June 12 and 13, 2011. Hampden County -  unexplored, sparsely populated, and rich in historical and natural wonders. Chester fit right in with my other atlas rambles in Tolland Center and Sandisfield.

The SW corner of Massachusetts is a gem - the pike swings north out there, and there is 30 miles between the Westfield and Lee exits, so it doesn't have the "exit sprawl" you see along major highways. There is little development, and lots of public land.

My best bird was a singing Parula - we'll see if that stays - it was right on Rt. 20, about 1/4 mile west of Sanderson Brook State Park. There is a store with a parking lot (for rent sign on the building, unoccupied) across from a stand of tall spruce (?) trees. He was singing all afternoon on June 13.  

Another Turkey Vulture Nest

From The Department of Faces and Mother's Love

There is a dairy farm in northern Plymouth County where they are hosting nesting Turkey Vultures in one of their barns. They are thrilled with the Vulture guests. This makes two nests in one week - after only 15 others in 4 years.

Now we just need a few Black Vulture nests.....