Short version of the Atlas Manual (Draft V3)
Note that this version is to be included in the software for the purposes of providing people with a basic overview of the Atlas project.
INTRODUCTION:
The Purpose of Bird Monitoring (Atlassing) is to collect accurate information on the occurrence, abundance, distribution and movements of birds. This provides invaluable information which helps us understand birds better, but also provides very useful insights into trends in ecosystems, as well as warnings of where biodiversity is threatened.
The information you collect has value for a variety of reasons, not least to help with land management and conservation planning. It also helps build a more comprehensive and fascinating picture of the bird life of our region.
You will also find that atlassing can be a lot of fun, and add value to the birding you already do. If you are just getting interested in birding, it will take you on a wonderful adventure into observation and knowledge about some of the most remarkable creatures in our environment!
These notes are a summary of the main points which are contained in the Atlas Manual, which may be viewed on the Internet at www.birding.co.za/gbatlas-manual.htm.
GUIDELINES FOR LISTING USING AVITRACK:
1. SELECT A REGION
The
interface on which you mark your records can be pre-loaded with lists for
different regions. For the Gauteng Atlas Region
select "
2. OBSERVER NAME & Atlasser code
When you first use the list, you need to enter your name using the "options menu" Click File>Options and then enter the names of the people using the computer in the box provided. You will need to close and then open Avitrack for this default to be operational.
On registration, you will also be given an Atlasser code number, This should be included with your name as follows:
Ron Obsatawa G1342
3. GRID REFERENCES AND LOCALITIES
The primary means of collecting data will be by grid reference. However for many conservation areas, data for the conservation area is still relevant.
Where conservation areas are very large, and fine scale atlassing is not practical, the conservation areas should be broken down into easily recognizable units.
All region lists should also have a drop-down list of localities associated with them.
Alternatively you need to enter a grid reference to indicate the grid within which you were recording. (POSSIBLE INCLUDE A LIST OF POSSIBLE GRID REFERENCES FOR EACH REGION TO PREVENT MISTAKES ?)
4. GRIDS and MAPPING
An atlas must be based on data which has a position on the surface of the land/sea. Accurate and correct description of the area where you record the birds is vital to ensure the accuracy, validity and usefulness of the data. The following is a brief guide to grid-references.
4.1 Ensuring accuracy
In order to ensure accuracy of records, you should strictly observe the following guidelines:
• Only use 000 maps, and a ruler to measure distances.
• "Where you are using an odometer reset at each available landmark" to limit errors which are as a result of odometer variation, or even the way you drive! This is important as car odometers vary, old tyres vs new and the way you drive (inside of corners) etc
• Focus your birding at least 100m inside the grid boundaries – this extra precaution will help ensure that all your data is in fact representative of the grid. Remember that the each grid area includes nearly 26 km2 – so there is plenty to bird!
• If using a GPS, make sure your GPS is set to use the Degree, Minute format and not Degree Minute second format.
4.2 Quarter Degree Squares
The
largest acceptable unit of geographical area is one quarter degree square
covering an area of approximately 690 km2. (an old
4.3 3X3 Minute Grid Squares. These should be the primary grid size used by atlassers, because the standard quarter degree square (QDS) provided data which is not detailed enough for more meaningful analysis and more refined maps than those currently in the Atlas. Given the detail with which for example vegetation and land use are now being mapped, any larger scale grid will not provide sufficiently detailed distribution or population data.
This
grid square is derived by dividing a quarter degree square into a 3 minute
grid. The new 3X3 minute grid size Bird-
For more information on grid references and mapping visit http://www.birding.co.za/challenge/
4.4. Urban Street Addresses. We accept lists for an area defined by a street address, and a radius of 1km from the provided street address. Lists which are within the boundaries of a an urban property (Garden List) are defined simply by the street address (
4.5. GPS Point Area. This is defined by a GPS point and 200m around it.
5 Recording time and birding effort
Each list is for a defined time period. List for single days are better than lists for several days (3 day max).
You should choose which type of birding you are doing:
CASUAL BIRDING. Is birding which is not continuous and focused. (If your birding is broken up by some other activity or takes place in two or more different time periods, on the same day or over several days (up to a week) different time periods, you should either record this as “Casual Birding” or make a new list for each shorter period of intensive birding and discard records outside of these periods.
INTENSIVE BIRDING. Is birding over a continuous period of time, without interruptions by other activity, which attempts to record the maximum number of species in the chosen area. You should only select this category where you recorded the start and finish time for the period of birding. a specific start and finish time, and where (in the time available) there is a continuous effort to record as many species and individual birds as possible.
Time periods and samples.
Analysis of atlas information is based on lists, which are essentially “samples” of birding. Even if recorders do not enter any information regarding the numbers of each species, the samples provide data on abundance, as the more abundant a species, the more often it is recorded on a list. Three lists which record the results of three periods of intensive birding provides more data that one list for one long period of intensive birding and is thus preferable.
6. Summary of “Best Practise” for Listing
The following provides guidelines for the best practices for listing, from most desirable to least desirable. (Note that ALL types of submissions are useful and welcome)
A Spatial (area and position)
B Temporal (time)
C Other Issues (Good Practise)
7. VETTING
A key component of bird monitoring is a system of record verification. This involves a vetting panel and it is their responsibility to check that birds are not being recorded in error. There are several types of errors which creep into the database:
1. Recorder error - a simple administrative mistake whereby the recorder ticks a bird unintentionally
2. Observer error - an identification error. The most problematic is when birds are recorded out of range, out of habitat or out of season, as this then reduces the quality of the overall data.
In order to check for the above errors, the list has a built in alert system, which consists of a set of ratings for each species. For each region, the following ratings apply: (Note that this is a new proposed rating system)
1. Common and widespread in a variety of habitats.
2. Common but habitat specific or Seasonal in occurrence.
3. Difficult to identify (some existing data has been questioned, because of doubt about the reliability of these records.
4 Regional Rarity
5 National Rarity
You are likely to get enquiries, by e-mail from the vetting panel. Some of these may seem annoying, but are essential in maintaining the integrity of the project. If you get queries relating to the identification of a bird, please assist the vetting panel by providing information on how you identified the bird in question.
The fact that you receive a “vetting query” does not mean that the vetting panel is questioning your ability or even questioning the record - they are just asking you to make sure and provide the necessary information.
Vetting Panel
A committee has been elected from among the more experienced birders in the bird clubs involved. Every observer will have unusual records scrutinised, from the most experienced to the beginner. It is unavoidable in a project of this nature that mistakes are made when identifying birds and these mistakes need to be sifted out for this project to have any value. There is little doubt that the vetting process is a very educational process which takes birding forward on many fronts. Vetting challenges birders to improve their birding skills and learn more about the birds in their region – ultimately it helps make birding more rewarding.
CODE 3, 4 & 5 SPECIES
Birds for which vetting will be done are those rated 3, 4 or 5. Please use the unusual sightings tab for any of these birds, as well as for other birds in atypical habitat, or unusual seasons, (ie European Bee-eaters breeding, Spotted Flycatcher in July, Puffback Shrike at Marievale.)
Etienne Marais
(With considerable input from Ernst Retief)
November 2005