Plum Island

PIE LTER surveys of salt marsh breeding birds using point counts in Rowley and Newbury, Massachusetts

Abstract: 

This data set contains the results of point count surveys of breeding birds in the salt marshes of the Plum Island Estuary. Surveys have been carried out each year in June beginning in 2004 and are ongoing. Currently six circles of 100 m  radius are being surveyed. Three of the circles are in plots that had been regularly hayed and three in unhayed plots. Currently only one of the plots is regularly hayed.

85 species recorded as of 2020. Most frequently encountered are Agelaius phoeniceus, Ammospiza caudacuta, Tringa semipalmata.

Core Areas: 

Data set ID: 

175

Keywords: 

Short name: 

HTL-MAR-BreedingBirds

Data sources: 

HTL-MAR-BreedingBirds_V9_csv
HTL-MAR-BreedingBirds_v9_xlsx

Methods: 

Six count circles have been set up in various locations in the salt marshes of the Plum Island Ecosystem in Rowley and Newbury. Three 10 minute point counts have been carried out between June 1st and the first week of July at each circle. Counts are spaced out so that they are at least a week apart and all six circles are sampled on the same day. The counting period runs from 5 AM through 10 AM.

Initially two observers counted simultaneously and recorded their observations independently. Since 2008, we have adopted the double observer protocol recommended by Nichols, et al. (2000)  in order to estimate detection probabilities.  If only one observer was available, detection probabilities have been estimated through distance sampling. 

To carry out a count, observers enter the circle and proceed to the center, marked with a short pvc pipe.  One person serves as the primary observer and the other the recorder and secondary observer. After waiting a minute, the primary observer identifies to species all birds observed visually or detected by songs or calls  within a 10 minute count period. The secondary observer records those observations and adds any additional ones that the primary observer missed. Observers distinguish between three distances, 0-50m, 50-100m and >100m (the latter outside the circle). The edge of the circle is marked at various points with stakes to serve as a guide for distance or the distance is estimated  using rangefinder binoculars. The two observers switch roles at the next site.

Nichols, J.D., J.E. Hines, J.R. Sauer, F.W. Fallon, J.E. Fallon, and P.C. Heglund. A double-observer approach for estimating detection probabilities and abundance from point counts. Auk 117: 393-408

AOS for codes in data refers to the American Ornithologists' Society (AOS) taxonomy and nomenclature,  http://birdpop.org/AlphaCodes.htm.

Maintenance: 

Data collection is ongoing and updated annually after with the collection of that season's data.
Version 01, 22Jan2010, metadata and data entry
Version 02: January 20, 2012, updated data and metadata through June 2011. Used MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007.xlsm 1/18/12 4:51 PM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0
Version 03: February 20, 2014, data and metadata updated to comply with importation to Drupal and LTER PASTA. Used MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007_Sep2013.xlsm 9/30/13 02:57 PM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0.
Version 04: November 18, 2014, data and metadata update through June 2014 sampling to comply with importation to Drupal and LTER PASTA. Used MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007.xlsm 6/30/14 11:33 AM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0
Version 05: January 21, 2016, added new data, data and metadata comply with importation to Drupal and LTER PASTA. Used MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007_Jan2015.xlsm 1/15/15 4:26 PM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0
Version 06: January 18, 2019, data and metadata updates to comply with importation to DEIMS7 and LTER Data Portal. Used MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007_Jan2018.xlsm 6/21/18 3:53 PM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0
Version 07: November 13, 2019, data and metadata updates to comply with importation to DEIMS7 and LTER Data Portal. Used MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007_Sep2019.xlsm 9/3/19 5:19 PM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0.
Version 08: March 4, 2021, data and metadata updates to comply with importation to DEIMS7 and LTER Data Portal. Used MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007_Sep2020.xlsm 9/17/20 1:11 PM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0.

Version 09: March 16, 2022, data and metadata updates to comply with importation to DEIMS7 and LTER Data Portal. Used MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007_Jun2019.xlsm 6/7/19 12:58 PM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0

 

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