3.4.2 Observation Stations

See Tables 2 and 3 for species-specific recommendations.

Relative Abundance for all stages of life. It is the preferred method for counting breeding pairs, and broods for all but the most conspicuous species (e.g., geese and swans). It can also be used to derive correction factors to improve the accuracy of aerial transect surveys of breeding, migrating, or wintering birds (e.g., as done in the annual waterfowl breeding population and habitat survey, USFWS and CWS, 1987).

Foot surveys allow observers to get closer to birds in areas that are not accessible by road, but birds are often more wary of a person on foot than of a vehicle (Summers, pers. comm.).

Office Procedures

• Review the introductory manual No. 1 Species Inventory Fundamentals.
• Obtain relevant maps of the project area (e.g., 1:50 000 air photo maps, 1:20 000 forest cover maps, 1:20 000 TRIM maps, 1:50 000 NTS topographic maps). Any map which is used to record data should be referenced to NAD83.
• Outline the Project Area on a map and determine Biogeoclimatic zones and subzones, Ecoregion, Ecosection, and Broad Ecosystem Units for the Project Area from maps.
• Delineate on topographic maps or air photos one to many Study Areas within this Project Area. Study Areas should be representative of the Project Area if conclusions are to be made about the Project Area. Generally, a Study Area will be equivalent to a single wetland.
• Determine a suitable sampling design (see next section).
• Determine the number of the Study Areas (wetlands) to be surveyed (sample size).
• Identify shortest routes between observation stations.

Sampling Design

• A Project Area may contain one or many wetlands. Each wetland area is considered a Study Area. Generally, each Study Area should be small enough to be surveyed in one day.
• Depending on the size of the Project Area and number of wetlands (Study Areas) it contains, you may:
• Survey all Study Areas (wetlands) in the Project Area, e.g. for a small, well-defined wetland (Study Area) such as an inlet or bay.
• Survey only a selected number of the Study Areas (wetlands) in the Project Area. Note that the size of the wetland in each Study Area that is surveyed must be known, or
• If appropriate, assign each Study Area into a stratum based on habitat type or expected bird densities, then select Study Areas (wetlands) from each stratum to be sampled. Note that the size of the wetland in each Study Area that is surveyed must be known.
• For each Study Area (wetland):
• Place observation stations at one or more vantage points within each wetland so that entire wetland is surveyed.
• If it is not possible to survey the whole wetland, randomly or systematically place an adequate number of independent observations stations to sample the wetland. Random sampling plans, while producing statistically valid results are not always the most efficient. Further, they are often difficult to carry out in practice. Often systematic surveys with random starts should be considered. Care must be taken to devise a suitable sampling plan which minimizes the mean square error (bias² + variance) of the estimate. When sampling using observation stations:

1. A maximum detection radius from the observation station must be set so that the sample area is of a standard, known size. Note that detection distance will vary among species, so detection radius should be set conservatively to allow all species to be counted as accurately as possible within the plot.

2. Stations must be placed far enough apart so that each station can be considered an independent sample (this will avoid replication of counts).

Sampling Effort

• Breeding Pair Counts: Each wetland should be surveyed repeatedly during the appropriate daily survey window until required precision is obtained.
• Brood Counts: Each wetland should be surveyed every three days during the appropriate daily survey window until required precision is obtained.
• Non-breeding Bird Counts: Each wetland/field should be surveyed repeatedly until required precision is obtained.

Care must be taken during the counts to avoid biases as much as possible (e.g. consistent over or under counting). When biases are inherent in the counting method, no amount of additional sampling will remove them.

The use of alternating observers may help to average some observer biases. Ideally, if several observers are participating in each survey, they should rotate areas between surveys; otherwise, all sites should be surveyed by one observer during a given survey. The order in which basins are surveyed should be rotated between surveys.

Time of Survey

• Breeding Pair Counts: Crews should survey for breeding pairs after migrants have passed through the area and before males desert incubating females (these times will vary between species).
• Brood Counts: Crews should survey for broods after hatch (these times will vary between species).
• Non-breeding Bird Counts: Surveys of moulting, migrating and wintering birds should be timed according to the chronology of these events for each species (see Table 1).

Personnel

• Map reading, bird identification, and skills to estimate flock size accurately are essential.
• Crew size depends on the extent and thoroughness of the survey.

Equipment

• Vehicle, boots/chest-waders, if on foot
• Binoculars
• Spotting scope with window mount and tripod
• Maps and/or aerial photographs
• Night vision telescopes (with high power and high contrast)

Field Procedures

• Do not survey in rain, high winds, fog or any other conditions that reduce visibility.
• Survey the entire wetland (Study Area) or selected observation stations.

1. Total Counts:

• Observe birds from a vantage point (observation station) along the shoreline of the wetland with binoculars and a spotting scope.
• Use as many observation stations as necessary to cover the entire wetland.
• Count by species, all the birds on the entire wetland.

2. Sample Counts:

• Observe birds from randomly or systematically placed observation stations along the shoreline of the wetland with binoculars and a spotting scope.
• Use as many observation stations as necessary to get an adequate sample of the wetland. Stations must be far enough apart so that each station can be considered an independent sample.
• Count by species, all the birds that are within the predetermined detection radius from the observation station. Birds outside this radius will be counted on a presence/not detected basis only.

• Counting:
• Breeding Pair Counts - Record the number of pairs, lone males, and males in groups noting the number of males in each separate group.
• Brood Counts - Record the number of ducklings and age class of each brood using the system devised by Gollop and Marshall (1954).
• Non-breeding Bird Counts - Record all birds in the surveyed area of the wetland, recording the number of birds in each sex and age class.
• Count slowly to see diving and resurfacing birds.
• On each visit count at least three times and record the largest value. This is considered one replicate survey for the wetland.
• If vegetation obscures part of the area, indicate the proportion of the wetland surveyed (if doing total counts).
• Record wetland characteristics including water level, extent of emergent vegetation and state of surrounding habitat.

Data Entry

The Design Components for this survey are observation stations. When digitally entering your survey data, choose `Station' from the `Design Component Type' picklist.