[mou] Owl Monitoring Program Seeking Volunteers
b.pomeroy
b.pomeroy@mchsi.com
Mon, 6 Feb 2006 19:21:11 -0600
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Minnesota Owl Monitoring
=20
Overview:
As top predators in the food chain, owls are considered good indicators =
of environmental health. For this reason, they are important to =
monitor, however, it is difficult to obtain adequate data using =
traditional avian survey methods such as the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) =
and the Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Due to the lack of abundance and =
population status data about owls, the Western Great Lakes Region Owl =
Monitoring Survey was initiated in 2005. The goal of this survey is to =
increase our understanding of Northern Saw-whet, Barred, Great-horned, =
Great Gray, Long-eared, Eastern Screech and Boreal owls through surveys =
conducted by volunteers during the breeding season each spring.
=20
Methods:
Random routes, identified by the Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources, =
will be used to conduct owl surveys throughout much of the northern =
forest region of Minnesota. Volunteers will be asked to survey their =
assigned route one time during each of the three periods (see below), =
which will be done to test the seasonal variation in calling activity. =
However, if a volunteer is unable to conduct three surveys, it will be =
possible for a volunteer to conduct one survey in Period 2. Volunteers =
will be required to drive a ten-mile route, stopping at one-mile =
intervals and listening (passively, no call-back tape) for 2 minutes. =
Given this formula (10 stops per route, 2 minute listening period per =
stop), each route should take less than 1.5 hours to complete. At each =
station, volunteers will record all owls detected, an estimate of =
direction and distance to the calling bird, the time, wind speed, and =
noise levels onto a data sheet (which we provide). Additionally, =
weather data will be recorded at the start and end of the survey.
=20
When
Survey dates are predetermined as follows:
Period 1--March 11-19, 1006
Period 2--March 20-April 9, 2006
Period 3--April 10-23, 2006
=20
Owl monitoring volunteers will be provided with the necessary training =
and materials, including a CD of Minnesota's northern owl calls. =20
=20
If you are interested in participating..
If you are interested in participating in the Owl Monitoring Survey, or =
would like additional information, please contact Julie O'Connor or Dave =
Grosshuesch. We will contact you about the route, training materials, =
and datasheets used in the survey.
=20
Julie O'Connor: phone #: (218) 348-2291, or email: jpmcocon@aol.com
Dave Grosshuesch: phone #: (218) 525-7253, or e-mail: =
dgrosshu@nrri.umn.edu
Bruce
www.arrowheadadventuresmn.com
"I care to live, only to entice people to
look at Nature's loveliness."
-- John Muir
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<DIV>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> =20
</SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix =3D st1 ns =3D=20
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"=20
/><st1:State><st1:place><B><U>Minnesota</U></B></st1:place></st1:State><B=
><U>=20
Owl Monitoring<?xml:namespace prefix =3D o ns =3D=20
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" =
/><o:p></o:p></U></B></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><B><U>Overview</U></B>:</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman">As=20
top predators in the food chain, owls are considered good indicators of=20
environmental health.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For =
this=20
reason, they are important to monitor, however, it is difficult to =
obtain=20
adequate data using traditional avian survey methods such as the =
Breeding Bird=20
Survey (BBS) and the Christmas Bird Count (CBC).<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Due to the lack of abundance =
and=20
population status data about owls, the Western Great Lakes Region Owl =
Monitoring=20
Survey was initiated in 2005.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> =
</SPAN>The=20
goal of this survey is to increase our understanding of Northern =
Saw-whet,=20
Barred, Great-horned, Great Gray, Long-eared, Eastern Screech and Boreal =
owls=20
through surveys conducted by volunteers during the breeding season each=20
spring.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><B><U>Methods</U></B>:</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">Random routes, identified by the Minnesota =
Dept. of=20
Natural Resources, will be used to conduct owl surveys throughout much =
of the=20
northern forest region of=20
<st1:State><st1:place>Minnesota</st1:place></st1:State>.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Volunteers will be asked to =
survey their=20
assigned route one time during each of the three periods (see below), =
which will=20
be done to test the seasonal variation in calling activity.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>However, if a volunteer is =
unable to=20
conduct three surveys, it will be possible for a volunteer to conduct =
one survey=20
in Period 2.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Volunteers =
will be=20
required to drive a ten-mile route, stopping at one-mile intervals and =
listening=20
(passively, no call-back tape) for 2 minutes.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Given this formula (10 stops =
per route,=20
2 minute listening period per stop), each route should take less than =
1.5 hours=20
to complete.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>At each =
station,=20
volunteers will record all owls detected, an estimate of direction and =
distance=20
to the calling bird, the time, wind speed, and noise levels onto a data =
sheet=20
(which we provide).<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> =
</SPAN>Additionally,=20
weather data will be recorded at the start and end of the =
survey.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><U><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">When<o:p></o:p></FONT></U></B></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">Survey dates are predetermined as =
follows:</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">Period 1--<st1:date Month=3D"3" Day=3D"11" =
Year=3D"1006">March=20
11-19, 1006</st1:date></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">Period 2--March 20-<st1:date Month=3D"4" =
Day=3D"9"=20
Year=3D"2006">April 9, 2006</st1:date></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">Period 3--<st1:date Month=3D"4" Day=3D"10" =
Year=3D"2006">April=20
10-23, 2006</st1:date></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman">Owl=20
monitoring volunteers will be provided with the necessary training and=20
materials, including a CD of Minnesota=92s northern owl calls.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><B><U>If you are interested in=20
participating=85.</U></B><U><o:p></o:p></U></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman">If=20
you are interested in participating in the Owl Monitoring Survey, or =
would like=20
additional information, please contact <st1:PersonName><?xml:namespace =
prefix =3D=20
st2 ns =3D "urn:schemas:contacts" /><st2:GivenName>Julie</st2:GivenName> =
<st2:Sn>O=92Connor</st2:Sn></st1:PersonName> or=20
<st1:PersonName><st2:GivenName>Dave</st2:GivenName>=20
<st2:Sn>Grosshuesch</st2:Sn></st1:PersonName>.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We will contact you about the =
route,=20
training materials, and datasheets used in the survey.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><st1:PersonName><st2:GivenName>Julie</st2:GivenName>=20
<st2:Sn>O=92Connor</st2:Sn></st1:PersonName>: phone #: <st1:phone=20
phonenumber=3D"2183482291">(218) 348-2291</st1:phone>, or email:=20
jpmcocon@aol.com</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><st1:PersonName><st2:GivenName>Dave</st2:GivenName>=20
<st2:Sn>Grosshuesch</st2:Sn></st1:PersonName>:<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>phone #: <st1:phone=20
phonenumber=3D"2185257253">(218) 525-7253</st1:phone>, or e-mail: =
</FONT><A=20
href=3D"mailto:dgrosshu@nrri.umn.edu"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">dgrosshu@nrri.umn.edu</FONT></A></P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Bruce<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.arrowheadadventuresmn.com">www.arrowheadadventuresmn.c=
om</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>"I care to live, only to entice people =
to<BR> look at=20
Nature's loveliness."<BR>-- John Muir</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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