Californian Bird Atlas and weekly hotspots
5:46 am
Thanks Ruslan. I’ll send a more detailed message about the CBA soon, but two major points to reiterate here with regard to hotspots are:
(1) If you’re submitting a CBA checklist, the location you choose (whether that’s a hotspot or a personal location) should be one for the block you are in, and the effort on that checklist should be wholly contained within that block. If you cross an atlas block boundary, you need to stop the first list and start a new one, choosing/creating a location in that new block.
(2) If you detect breeding behavior in an adjacent block (an Osprey Nest Building in an adjacent block), you’ll need to create an incidental checklist for the block the behavior occurred in, despite the fact that you saw it from a different block. If it flies through with nesting material, use your best judgement as to where it was headed. And if you don’t know you can just use CN (Carrying Nesting Material) for the last block you saw it in.
Of course, there will be gray areas in a lot of the atlasing process and you’ll need to use your best judgement based on available knowledge. That knowledge can be enhanced by:
1. reviewing the Atlas Resources available at
https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/home particularly the breeding codes (I recommend bookmarking these!)
2. Cross-checking any early (anything in January especially) breeding activity with the San Diego County Bird Atlas. Realize there are not filters in place for breeding codes as there are for the birds themselves, so you won’t be alerted in the app for outliers, but they are reviewed. If you encounter breeding activity (above singing), it is very helpful in assessing the record if you ***add notes and photos***.
Please note that few if any species (e.g., owls) should be Carrying Food (as defined by the breeding codes, e.g., to a nest) at this time of year. Species-specific accounts here:
Please note that few if any species (e.g., owls) should be Carrying Food (as defined by the breeding codes, e.g., to a nest) at this time of year. Species-specific accounts here:
3. Ask questions! Feel free to email me offline.
More to follow.
Thanks for contributing and Happy Atlasing!
Justyn Stahl
North Park