Bird trip postponed
Jun. 17th, 2003 06:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vaneramosJon just called. He found out his son is graduating from college tonight. He asked if we could postpone our trip and bird count until next week. How could I say no?
Actually I'm relieved. I had tidied the apartment this afternoon, washing dishes and putting away laundry, and yet I felt mentally unprepared for the trip.
This bird count is part of the Canadian Breeding Bird Survey and has a counterpart in the U.S. Volunteers across the continent make this count once every spring to provide an index of nesting bird populations, a useful indicator of biodiversity and environmental health. The data can be viewed on the North American Breeding Bird Survey website.
People are encouraged to do the same route year after year for consistency. I was lucky to snap up the route nearest my cottage when the previous volunteer died, and have been doing it since June 2000.
You drive a 40 km route starting a half hour before sunrise. Every 0.8 km (about half a mile) you stop, get out of the car and count every bird you see or hear in three minutes. You have to be able to identify all potential birds by sight and song. It takes about five hours and is both delightful and exhuasting. Last year I identified 55 species.
If you are curious to know more, read my account of the first run three years ago: Songsters of summer solstice.
We'll drive up to the cottage on Monday night and do the count on Tuesday morning. Jon has Tuesday and Wednesday off, so we will be able to stay and enjoy the cottage for a while instead of rushing back.
Actually I'm relieved. I had tidied the apartment this afternoon, washing dishes and putting away laundry, and yet I felt mentally unprepared for the trip.
This bird count is part of the Canadian Breeding Bird Survey and has a counterpart in the U.S. Volunteers across the continent make this count once every spring to provide an index of nesting bird populations, a useful indicator of biodiversity and environmental health. The data can be viewed on the North American Breeding Bird Survey website.
People are encouraged to do the same route year after year for consistency. I was lucky to snap up the route nearest my cottage when the previous volunteer died, and have been doing it since June 2000.
You drive a 40 km route starting a half hour before sunrise. Every 0.8 km (about half a mile) you stop, get out of the car and count every bird you see or hear in three minutes. You have to be able to identify all potential birds by sight and song. It takes about five hours and is both delightful and exhuasting. Last year I identified 55 species.
If you are curious to know more, read my account of the first run three years ago: Songsters of summer solstice.
We'll drive up to the cottage on Monday night and do the count on Tuesday morning. Jon has Tuesday and Wednesday off, so we will be able to stay and enjoy the cottage for a while instead of rushing back.
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Date: 2003-06-17 04:06 pm (UTC): )
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Date: 2003-06-17 08:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-19 12:21 pm (UTC)http://www.naturesongs.com/birds.html
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Date: 2003-06-18 08:38 am (UTC)