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
• "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