California Bird Atlas update, Big Weekend, 10,000 hours, and more
6:51 am
Hello Atlasers!
San Diego, we’re crushing it! As of this morning (16 May), we’ve reached a major milestone: 10,000 hours in the field atlasing! That effort has produced data for 71% of blocks (305 of 429) and 150 Confirmed species!
If you haven’t checked out the Atlas Dispatch, it’s available here and features lots of great documentation and media from our active San Diego community. Quick reminder: notes and photos matter. You never know what may be a first for the state, county, or block, or an unusually early or later breeding event. Not sure what to say? This Breeding Code Commenting Guide highlights the key things to mention for each code.
One quick aside, if you’re reading this and haven’t joined the California Bird Atlas, what’s stopping you? If you’re already eBirding, you’re most of the way there. Once you join the project, it’s simply a matter of adding breeding codes to your checklist. And now is a great time to join us as parks and backyard are full of fledglings and active breeders!
Save the date for the Big Weekend (June 4–7)!
The Big Weekend will focus on:
1. recruiting more atlasers (bring a friend!)
2. expanding coverage (fill in that map!)
3. spreading the word (share your discoveries!)
Host an event for the Big Weekend! A number of atlas-themed field trips are being planned throughout the state, but even unofficial outings can be included in our calendar. Consider:
Organizing a “birds & beers” meet-up to discuss atlasing
Lead an owl prowl in your neighborhood to build up our nocturnal effort
Plan an atlas-focused trip to a remote corner of the county (or beyond!)
Let us know what you’re planning and we can help spread the word.
If you have a birding buddy who is not using the atlas, encourage them to do so, and show them how easy it Is to contribute to the growing wealth of knowledge we’ve built in the last 5 months.
We’ve got some new tools to share soon, but for now, this tool, which combines the effort map with the hotspot map, is an easy way to identify areas in need of coverage. The May mini-challenge is to add effort to new blocks. A quick glance at the map suggests two key areas in need of coverage (multiple consecutive blocks with no Confirmed species):
1. the area bounded by roughly Rainbow, Escondido, Lake Henshaw, and Palomar Mountain.
2. the area between Otay Lakes and Jacumba
We still have 4.5 years to go, but now is a great time to do some pioneer atlasing in these areas! Find a trail or a city park, or even a short stop between home and your main destination for the day, and atlas your heart out!
You don’t need to travel far to make an impact. One effective strategy is to look at species maps and target missing Confirmed blocks near home. For example, Black Phoebe is often straightforward to confirm by watching for food carries and readily nests on sheltered spaces in public park buildings. A few examples of blocks in need of Black Phoebe confirmation:
Del Mar CE (Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve)
La Jolla Oe W CE (Calumet Park?)
Point Loma Oe W NE (much of PLNU falls in this block).
Consider building a target list of yet-to-be-Confirmed species for your home block and spend extra time watching those species on your next outing.
Thanks for your incredible work so far. Happy atlasing!
Justyn Stahl (North Park)
Review Coordinator, California Bird Atlas (CBA)