We invite qualified observers to participate in the Breeding Bird Survey "BBS." Participants must have the skills to identify the likely species on their routes by sight and by sound.
Since 1966 (1968 in Colorado and the West) the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, originally US Fish & Wildlife Service, now the Biological Research Division of the US Geological Survey, has sponsored the Breeding Bird Survey program to monitor birds across the US (and Canada, with the Canadian Wildlife Service). Last year volunteers ran almost 3000 routes in the US & Canada.
Scientists use BBS results to derive population trends for the species that the system samples well.
Colorado has 132 designated BBS routes, and we consistently run more routes than all other states in the U.S. except Texas and California.
A BBS route covers 24.5 miles. Observers record all the birds they hear and see during a 3-minute stop, then drive a half-mile to the next stop. You run the route, once only, during the peak of the songbird singing season, from May 25 on the plains to July 15 in the high country. The ability to identify species by sound is crucial--I record 75-85% of the birds on my routes by sound, not sight.
The observer should have the ability to identify, by sound and sight, most of the species likely to occur along that route. On my routes, I identify over 75% of the birds by sound, without ever seeing them. We seek a commitment of three years, because the BBS prefers route data run by the same person for at least 3 years.
Let me know if you would like one or more. The following list is organized geographically (sort of). I hope that we can fill most of them with qualified observers who have good ears.
The following lists the available routes; I can send more detailed descriptions to you if you'd like to consider one but want more information. I know it's old –fashioned, but I use the DeLorme (printed on paper) Atlas to locate routes.3
Hugh Kingery
Key to route descriptions:
Number and name County Page in DeLorme Atlas
I especially enjoyed the first few pre-dawn stops along the wetlands area of Poncha Creek; the dawn Chorus there was often a tad overwhelming. An experience I will never forget." – Tina Mitchell
ROUTE DESCRIPTIONS
East Central & North
17036 Wildhorse Lake Logan p 95
Starts at intersection of CRds 25 & 58, 25 miles NW of Sterling; West 2 mi, S 10 mi on CR 21; West 1.5 mi, south on CR 15 and 17 to end.
17007 Fleming Phillips p 95
Starts 8 miles SW of Fleming; easterly on a series of county roads through Haxtun to end, 5 ½ miles east of Haxtun.
17214 Kirk Kit Carson p 97
Starts 5 miles S of Kirk; westerly on CR MM to end.
Southeast
17058 Campo Baca P 101
Start in Campo; W on CR J 11 miles; north on CR 13 4 miles; west on CR M to end.
17028 Two Buttes Prowers & Baca p 103
Start at intersection of CR 26 & CR D; east on CR D 9 miles; S on Colo 89 to end.
17327 Timpas Otero p 100
Starts 15 miles west of LaJunta. From Colo. 10, go south on GR 14 for 9 miles, east on GR 11 5.5 miles to Timpas, south 2 miles, east one mile, then south on GR 18 to end.
17220 Haswell Bent, Kiowa p 99
Start 6 miles N of Las Animas; N 7 miles on CR 10; swing around SE edge of Adobe Cr Res. SWA, then N 4 miles on Road 17; E on Road E 2 miles; N 5 miles on Road 19, E 1 mile on Road K, then N on Road 20 to end.
17321 Sheridan Lake Prowers, Kiowa p 103
Start on Prowers Co. Rd 30 at Rd VV; north on VV to Kiowa CR W; then east on W to end.
17050 Crowley Crowley p 96
Starts in Olney Springs; NE on Canal Road to CR 8, then north 5 miles; jog west to CR 7, then north 10 miles, jog east, then north on CR 8 to end
San Luis Valley and Southwest
17124 Blackhead Peak Archuleta p 88
Starts about 20 miles east of Pagosa Springs: on FR 665, go westerly to US 84; S on 84, but no stops on 84, to CR 326; Left (east) and resume route on CRR326, to end. Beautiful scenery, demanding drive.
17125 San Luis Costilla 91-81
Start at 11 miles S of Blanca; From Rd. @.5, go north on CR 12 7 miles; just N of Smith Res., go W on Rd CC w miles, then N on CR 104 miles, W on US 160 a mile, N on CO 150 to end.
17223 Piedra Archuleta p 88, 87, 77
Start at Highway 160, 10 miles west of Pagosa Springs; North on Rd 146 and fR 629 7 miles; Left (NW) on Piedra Road to Road 631 and FR 640 past Williams Creek Res. to end
Northwest
17009 Buford Rio Blanco pp 35, 24, 34
Start 2 miles SW of Buford on CR 8; SWly and NWly on CR 8 to CR 4; west on CR 4 & 36 to CR 13; south on CR 13 to end.
17201 Browns Park Moffat p 12
Start 20 miles SE of Browns Park NWR; north on CR 10 to Colo 318; NWly on Colo 318 to CR 83; south on CR 83 to end in Browns Park NWR.
17308 Baxter Pass Garfield pp 42, 32
Starts 15 miles NW of Highline Lake; N on CR 201 over Baxter Pass to end
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/638109700.1412417.1550096961250%40mail.yahoo.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
No comments:
Post a Comment