[mou] Breeding Bird Survey Volunteers Needed

[John Green]

This is a joint message from Jan Green and Bob Janssen

The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), coordinated by the USGS Patuxent Wildlife
Research Center (www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/), is the best long-term database
for bird populations in North America.  The survey started in 1967 and
provides data for breeding species distribution, abundance and trends.

There are 84 routes in Minnesota.  In recent years coverage has ranged
from 70% to 80%.  This is a call for volunteers to survey the following
vacant routes.  Many of these last year were run by Noel Cutright from
Wisconsin as a special project.  For several routes in north-central
Minnesota he counted 60-75 species.  We need volunteers to duplicate those
counts this year.  The open routes with the county of their starting point
are listed below.  For the route positions on a map of Minnesots go to
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/results/routemaps/index.cfm and then choose
the Minnesota link.  Each route is to be run on a single day in June.
	005	Chandler	Murray
	017	Knapp		Wright
	021	Chokio		Stevens
	030	Tenney		Wilkin
	041	Oklee		Red Lake
	044	Wylie		Red Lake
	046	Little Fork	Koochiching
	049	Erie		Pennington
	060	Franklin	Renville
	061	Tracy		Lyon
	066	Chokio		Stevens
	075	Blackduck	Itasca
	078	Glendale	St. Louis (north)
	139	Cass Lake	Cass
	140	Nebish		Beltrami

We have both run a route for over 35 years and can attest to how
rewarding it can be.  There is a sense of discovery for what species you
will find (hear actually) and the satisfaction you gain from the detailed
knowledge of one slice of Minnesota's terrain that you can call your own.
Documenting trends over time, especially as land use and bird populations
change, also is very important.

If you want to volunteer for one of the open routes, please contact Bob
Janssen who is Minnesota's BBS coordinator by email (RBJanssen@aol.com) or
by phone (952-974-0735).  If you want more information about the Breeding
Bird Survey, go to the web site given above.

Jan Green