[mou] owl survey volunteers

[Kim R Eckert]

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As many of you are already aware from previous mou-net postings from=20
Mike Hendrickson, a systematic survey of owls is being planned this=20
winter in northern Minnesota, and volunteers are needed to complete the=20=

planned survey routes. Here is some additional information about the=20
survey from Dave Grosshuesch of Duluth, one of the banders at Hawk=20
Ridge Nature Reserve, who is coordinating this survey. Note the first=20
surveys are scheduled for December 11-12, so it is important that you=20
respond ASAP if you'd like to participate. You are also encouraged to=20
pass this information on to others who might be interested. No special=20=

identification skills are needed to spot and identify owls (mostly=20
Great Gray and Northern Hawk owls will be encountered).

My apologies if you already received this information and have=20
responded to it. Thanks in advance for your help!  - Kim Eckert

MINNESOTA WINTER OWL SURVEY

Objective

This winter owl survey will be conducted to provide data about the=20
distribution, abundance, and habitat of winter owls found in northern=20
Minnesota between the months of December and March.

Route selection

Approximately 80 roadside survey routes were randomly selected by using=20=

the DeLorme Atlas, and they are located in Cook, Lake, St. Louis,=20
Koochiching, Itasca, Aitkin, Carlton, Lake of the Woods, Beltrami, and=20=

Roseau counties. Each map was divided into quadrants with a random=20
starting point and route within each quad. Random routes were selected=20=

to provide an unbiased sample of owl distribution and abundance.=20
Surveying additional areas away from these established random routes is=20=

also encouraged and may provide comparable data between random and=20
non-random surveys. If any additional non-random surveys are done, it=20
will be necessary that the routes be written down, delineated on a map,=20=

or plotted with GPS. Maps will provided for each survey route.

Methods

Routes will be surveyed once each month starting in December and going=20=

through March. Dates have already been picked for the surveys on these=20=

weekends: December 11-12, January 8-9, February 5-6, and March 5-6. A=20
survey may be conducted on either Saturday or Sunday (or both days if a=20=

team chooses to do so). This will allow a team to choose a day that=20
suits their schedule, or if unfavorable weather conditions (e.g., fog,=20=

heavy precipitation, or high winds) on a day would make a survey=20
difficult to complete. If possible, it would be best for teams to have=20=

at least two people/vehicle. If there is a reason a team cannot conduct=20=

the survey on Saturday or Sunday, the Friday before and the Monday=20
after may be used as alternate days.

Designated random survey routes should be conducted from 0.5 hour=20
before sunrise to 2.5 hours after sunrise, or from 2.5 hours before=20
sunset to 0.5 hour after sunset (please check the local sunrise/sunset=20=

times for your designated survey route area). It should be possible for=20=

a team with the time and interest to conduct two survey routes/day, if=20=

one route is done in the morning and one in the evening. Designated=20
survey routes should be conducted at a driving speed of no more than 30=20=

mph (please allow other vehicles to pass you while conducting your=20
survey). Also, please record any other raptor species observed while=20
conducting the survey.

Data sheets

Along with route maps, data sheets will be provided so each team can=20
record the following information: route number, county, start and end=20
times, weather conditions, species of owl, location of owl (if a=20
person/team has a GPS unit, please mark all owl locations =96 if=20
possible, use WGS 84 datum), time of owl observation, habitat code for=20=

each owl, and other notes. The same data sheet will be used for=20
designated survey routes and for any additional non-random survey=20
routes conducted.

If you are interested in participating in this survey, please contact=20
Dave Grosshuesch (sdgrossh@d.umn.edu) or Jim Lind =20
(jslind@frontiernet.net) via e-mail ASAP. Please include what counties=20=

you are interested in surveying, how many routes you would like to do=20
on December 11-12 (note that a team can run as many as four routes per=20=

weekend), and your mailing address. You can also contact Dave and Jim=20
at the MOU Papers Session in Minneapolis on Dec. 4. They will then be=20
assigning routes and mailing out route maps and data sheets early next=20=

week. Completed data sheets will be mailed to Dave Grosshuesch (5426=20
Juniata St., Duluth, MN  55804) after each survey has been conducted.

If you have any questions, you can also contact Kim Eckert=20
(kreckert@cpinternet.com), Mike Hendrickson (smithville4@charter.net),=20=

or Peder Svingen (psvingen@d.umn.edu).

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As many of you are already aware from previous mou-net postings from
Mike Hendrickson, a systematic survey of owls is being planned this
winter in northern Minnesota, and volunteers are needed to complete
the planned survey routes. Here is some additional information about
the survey from Dave Grosshuesch of Duluth, one of the banders at Hawk
Ridge Nature Reserve, who is coordinating this survey. Note the first
surveys are scheduled for December 11-12, so it is important that you
respond ASAP if you'd like to participate. You are also encouraged to
pass this information on to others who might be interested. No special
identification skills are needed to spot and identify owls (mostly
Great Gray and Northern Hawk owls will be encountered).=20


My apologies if you already received this information and have
responded to it. Thanks in advance for your help!  - Kim Eckert=20


MINNESOTA WINTER OWL SURVEY


<underline>Objective</underline>


This winter owl survey will be conducted to provide data about the
distribution, abundance, and habitat of winter owls found in northern
Minnesota between the months of December and March.


<underline>Route selection</underline>


Approximately 80 roadside survey routes were randomly selected by
using the DeLorme Atlas, and they are located in Cook, Lake, St.
Louis, Koochiching, Itasca, Aitkin, Carlton, Lake of the Woods,
Beltrami, and Roseau counties. Each map was divided into quadrants
with a random starting point and route within each quad. Random routes
were selected to provide an unbiased sample of owl distribution and
abundance. Surveying additional areas away from these established
random routes is also encouraged and may provide comparable data
between random and non-random surveys. If any additional non-random
surveys are done, it will be necessary that the routes be written
down, delineated on a map, or plotted with GPS. Maps will provided for
each survey route.


<underline>Methods</underline>


Routes will be surveyed once each month starting in December and going
through March. Dates have already been picked for the surveys on these
weekends: December 11-12, January 8-9, February 5-6, and March 5-6. A
survey may be conducted on either Saturday or Sunday (or both days if
a team chooses to do so). This will allow a team to choose a day that
suits their schedule, or if unfavorable weather conditions (e.g., fog,
heavy precipitation, or high winds) on a day would make a survey
difficult to complete. If possible, it would be best for teams to have
at least two people/vehicle. If there is a reason a team cannot
conduct the survey on Saturday or Sunday, the Friday before and the
Monday after may be used as alternate days.  =20


Designated random survey routes should be conducted from 0.5 hour
before sunrise to 2.5 hours after sunrise, or from 2.5 hours before
sunset to 0.5 hour after sunset (please check the local sunrise/sunset
times for your designated survey route area). It should be possible
for a team with the time and interest to conduct two survey
routes/day, if one route is done in the morning and one in the
evening. Designated survey routes should be conducted at a driving
speed of no more than 30 mph (please allow other vehicles to pass you
while conducting your survey). Also, please record any other raptor
species observed while conducting the survey.


<underline>Data sheets</underline>


Along with route maps, data sheets will be provided so each team can
record the following information: route number, county, start and end
times, weather conditions, species of owl, location of owl (if a
person/team has a GPS unit, please mark all owl locations =96 if
possible, use WGS 84 datum), time of owl observation, habitat code for
each owl, and other notes. The same data sheet will be used for
designated survey routes and for any additional non-random survey
routes conducted.


If you are interested in participating in this survey, please contact
Dave Grosshuesch (sdgrossh@d.umn.edu) or Jim Lind=20
(jslind@frontiernet.net) via e-mail ASAP. Please include what counties
you are interested in surveying, how many routes you would like to do
on December 11-12 (note that a team can run as many as four routes per
weekend), and your mailing address. You can also contact Dave and Jim
at the MOU Papers Session in Minneapolis on Dec. 4. They will then be
assigning routes and mailing out route maps and data sheets early next
week. Completed data sheets will be mailed to Dave Grosshuesch (5426
Juniata St., Duluth, MN  55804) after each survey has been conducted.


If you have any questions, you can also contact Kim Eckert
(kreckert@cpinternet.com), Mike Hendrickson (smithville4@charter.net),
or Peder Svingen (psvingen@d.umn.edu).


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