A couple of weeks ago, we posted a map showing which atlas blocks were priorities in terms of the number of survey hours they had received. Since then, a number of people have made targeted efforts to visit those blocks and ensure we have data from all of them. Given how much things have changed, we now have an updated version of that map, which shows just how much progress has been made (full screen version here): Continue reading “Updated priorities”
COA’s Big January: prizes galore!!
Many Connecticut birders will know that the Connecticut Ornithological Association has a long history of running a friendly competition every January, in which birders seek to find as many species as possible before the month ends. This year, the COA has changed the competition to encourage participation in the atlas. And to raise the stakes there are some seriously impressive prizes available. Continue reading “COA’s Big January: prizes galore!!”
Where to atlas next?
In the last couple of weeks, we’ve received several emails from people who have completed the target hours in their blocks, and are trying to decide where their efforts can now most benefit the atlas. Although we have general priorities, there are enough blocks that need work that we don’t have a simple prioritized list. Nonetheless, there are simple strategies that everyone can use to make a decision about where they can help the most. Continue reading “Where to atlas next?”
2,174 and counting …
As of this afternoon, 2,174 eBird checklists have been shared with the ctbirdatlas account. Within those checklists, we have received almost 10,000 individual records with breeding codes attached, representing 152 potential breeding species. Given that the breeding season is still getting going for many species, this level of effort bodes well for the project’s success and we are very grateful to everyone who has shared their checklists. Continue reading “2,174 and counting …”
What species should you report?
Several questions about the atlas have recently appeared in my in-box, or on the CTBirds list. Since the same questions are starting to repeat, I plan to use the blog to give some answers over the next few days, so that the information is available for everyone. We are also working on an FAQ page for the web site. Continue reading “What species should you report?”
Atlas training
Following last weekend’s COA meeting, we received a lot of questions about how to collect atlas data. Answers to most questions can be found on the project web site, but we are also running training sessions around the state over the next couple of months. Continue reading “Atlas training”
Atlas update from the COA annual meeting
This weekend the COA held its annual meeting in Middlesex Community College, and it was great to see so much enthusiasm for the atlas project (to view slides from the talk I gave, click here). A number of questions came up during the meeting and I will try to address the ones I heard repeatedly on the blog over the next week or two. But, first, I wanted to pass on a few statistics about where the project stands. Continue reading “Atlas update from the COA annual meeting”
Our History
Scientifically-designed bird atlases began in the UK in the 1960s. Dozens of bird atlases have been produced since, at scales ranging from counties, to countries, to continents.
For a list of projects in the US, click here. Most projects have focused on breeding birds, but some have tackled winter or migration patterns. Most simply document where each species occurs, but some also estimate abundance. And, while the focus has largely been on documenting distributions, most have also made some attempt to explain the distributions in relation to habitats, land use, and other factors. Increasingly, atlases are being repeated with a primary goal of determining whether and how bird distributions are changing. Continue reading “Our History”