Northern CA PPSR Projects 1

Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey

• Organization Name

  Point Blue
• Project Website

  http://data.prbo.org/apps/pfss/index.php
• Organization Website

  http://www.pointblue.org/
• Partners

  California Avian Data Center (CADC), a regional node of the Avian Knowledge Network (AKN)
• Contact Name

  Khara Strum
• Contact Email

  kstrum@prbo.org
• Contact Phone

  707-781-2555
• Other Contact Information

  SF Bay Research Center:  http://www.prbo.org/cms/600
  prbo@prbo.org
  
  

• Project Purpose (taken from project materials)

  To learn about species population trends, subsequently which shorebird species are at greatest risk, and which habitats they most depend upon.

  This study will help elucidate the importance of San Francisco Bay and Central Valley wetlands as wintering grounds for shorebirds and other waterbirds along the Pacific Flyway. The annual PFSS will help fill existing information gaps and provide guidance to resource managers on how best to conserve shorebird habitats in the face of environmental change, including urbanization, extreme weather and climate variation, agricultural flooding, and wetland restoration and management.

• Participant Activities

  Between November 15th and December 15th, participants scour the San Francisco Bay and Central Valley to count shorebirds.

  • Training: Attend a protocol training session prior to the survey and get your site assignment.
  • Scouting: Become familiar with your site, make sure you know the access points and how long it will take to cover the area.
  • Survey: One day between November 15th and December 15th.
• Data Entry

  • Other
• Other Participant Activities

  N / A
• System Studied

  • Birds
• Geographic Scope

  Regional
• Region

  All (see 'geographic scope')
• Location

  Bay Area and beyond
• Location - Map

  N / A
• Time Commitment

  • Once a year
• Volunteer Qualifications

  Best candidates for the project will:

  • have their own optics (binoculars and scope)
  • posess reliable transportation
  • be willing to follow a protocol and enter data online into CADC
  • have computer knowledge and skills
  • have a passion for and dedication to shorebird conservation
  • be excited about making a long-term committment to the project
• Volunteer Training

   5-6 hours one day for training.

  Resources regarding protocol, maps, etc. are also accessible on the website under resources, along with tips for project leaders, as well as for observers (counting, bird ID slides, etc.)

• Cost to Participant

  N / A
• How will the findings be used?

  • Data is currently available online in the Explore Data section. All data is stored in the California Avian Data Center.
  • San Francisco Bay survey data have been integrated with GIS habitat data from the San Francisco Estuary Institute to correlate habitat parameters with the census information.
  • Central Valley survey data have provided information used in key management decisions in regards to managed wetlands and agricultural practice beneficial to shorebirds, particularly in rice fields. (link to Central Valley flyer)
  • reports and publications produced using the data are available on the project website.
• Other Information

  N / A
• Photo

  
• last update:

  9/11/12