Re: [cayugabirds-l] June is a great time to participate in the Breeding Bird Atlas!

2023-06-14 Thread Suan Hsi Yong 
FYI, I created this google map with priority blocks in an area west of
Watkins Glen, the vast majority of which have very low coverage:


https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1BMjfDvMd1paOaVFckK0ClHu2D5ALxk8=sharing

This is also now linked from
https://cayugabirdclub.org/resources/breeding-bird-atlas (under Priority
Blocks in Google Maps, "West of Seneca Lake").

Suan

On Tue, Jun 13, 2023 at 8:42 PM Matthew Medler 
wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> Now that spring migration is over, it's time for breeding birds to take
> center stage! This year is the fourth year of NYS Breeding Bird Atlas III,
> and June is the peak breeding season in our area. I'm writing now to share
> some Atlas updates and also encourage people to get out to enjoy this
> special type of birding.
>
> Local birders have done an amazing job of Atlasing in Ithaca and
> throughout Tompkins County. This Atlas Effort Map shows the abundance of
> well-covered (dark blue) and completed (black) priority blocks in the
> Ithaca area: https://ebird.org/atlasny/effortmap
>
> And there's good news: it's now much easier to complete a priority Atlas
> block! A block can now be considered Completed when 45 species (or 67% of
> reported species) are marked as Probable or Confirmed. (Previously the
> requirement was 50% of all species had to be Confirmed.) Additionally, the
> two-hour nocturnal effort requirement has been changed to a recommendation.
> These two changes make it much easier to finish a block in one season of
> focused Atlasing!
>
> Although Ithaca and environs are well-covered for this third Atlas, there
> are many areas to our west that are in need of significant coverage.
> Looking at the Effort Map (https://ebird.org/atlasny/effortmap), all of
> the blocks shaded in light yellow and surrounded by a thick black border
> are priority blocks that currently have 0-5 hours of coverage. There are
> 20+ priority blocks just waiting to be explored to our west!
>
> So if you have the interest and ability to get out and explore, I'd
> encourage you to head west and spend some quality time in one or more of
> these blocks. Atlasing is a very satisfying type of birding that emphasizes
> careful observation of birds and an understanding of behaviors and habitat.
>
> Not sure where to get started? Here are a few priority blocks with at
> least some state land that currently have 0-5 hours of coverage (the goal
> for completion is 20 hours of coverage):
> Bradford CE  (Schuyler Co.):
> about half of this block is covered by state forests (Coon Hollow, Sugar
> Hill, and Goundry Hill)
> Bradford NW  (Schuyler and
> Steuben Counties): this block contains small pieces of both Sugar Hill and
> Birdseye Hollow State Forests, as well as several county roads that are
> likely lightly traveled
> Cameron CE  (Steuben Co.):
> this block contains a parcel of Cameron Mills State Forest
> Corning NW  (Steuben Co.):
> about 1/4 of this block is covered by West Hill State Forest, which
> includes a road called Woodcock Road
> Savona NW  (Steuben Co): Mt.
> Washington Multiple Use Area is located in the NW corner of this block
>
> If you have any Atlas questions for our area, please let me know.
>
> Good birding,
> Matt Medler
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[cayugabirds-l] June is a great time to participate in the Breeding Bird Atlas!

2023-06-13 Thread Matthew Medler 
Hi All,

Now that spring migration is over, it's time for breeding birds to take
center stage! This year is the fourth year of NYS Breeding Bird Atlas III,
and June is the peak breeding season in our area. I'm writing now to share
some Atlas updates and also encourage people to get out to enjoy this
special type of birding.

Local birders have done an amazing job of Atlasing in Ithaca and throughout
Tompkins County. This Atlas Effort Map shows the abundance of well-covered
(dark blue) and completed (black) priority blocks in the Ithaca area:
https://ebird.org/atlasny/effortmap

And there's good news: it's now much easier to complete a priority Atlas
block! A block can now be considered Completed when 45 species (or 67% of
reported species) are marked as Probable or Confirmed. (Previously the
requirement was 50% of all species had to be Confirmed.) Additionally, the
two-hour nocturnal effort requirement has been changed to a recommendation.
These two changes make it much easier to finish a block in one season of
focused Atlasing!

Although Ithaca and environs are well-covered for this third Atlas, there
are many areas to our west that are in need of significant coverage.
Looking at the Effort Map (https://ebird.org/atlasny/effortmap), all of the
blocks shaded in light yellow and surrounded by a thick black border are
priority blocks that currently have 0-5 hours of coverage. There are 20+
priority blocks just waiting to be explored to our west!

So if you have the interest and ability to get out and explore, I'd
encourage you to head west and spend some quality time in one or more of
these blocks. Atlasing is a very satisfying type of birding that emphasizes
careful observation of birds and an understanding of behaviors and habitat.

Not sure where to get started? Here are a few priority blocks with at least
some state land that currently have 0-5 hours of coverage (the goal for
completion is 20 hours of coverage):
Bradford CE  (Schuyler Co.):
about half of this block is covered by state forests (Coon Hollow, Sugar
Hill, and Goundry Hill)
Bradford NW  (Schuyler and
Steuben Counties): this block contains small pieces of both Sugar Hill and
Birdseye Hollow State Forests, as well as several county roads that are
likely lightly traveled
Cameron CE  (Steuben Co.): this
block contains a parcel of Cameron Mills State Forest
Corning NW  (Steuben Co.): about
1/4 of this block is covered by West Hill State Forest, which includes a
road called Woodcock Road
Savona NW  (Steuben Co): Mt.
Washington Multiple Use Area is located in the NW corner of this block

If you have any Atlas questions for our area, please let me know.

Good birding,
Matt Medler

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ARCHIVES:
1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html
2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds
3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html

Please submit your observations to eBird:
http://ebird.org/content/ebird/

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