Whmsi Project Report 28feb09-final - Eco

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WESTERN HEMISPHERE MIGRATORY SPECIES INITIATIVE PROJECT Long-term Bird Monitoring in the Caribbean – Why, What, Where and How? THIRD REPORT1 Prepared by: Ann Haynes-Sutton Ph.D. Monitoring Coordinator, SCSCB, Marshall’s Pen, PO Box 58 Mandeville, Jamaica [email protected] For: Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds Date: 28 February 2009 1 Second Implementation Report SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 1 TABLE OF C O NTENTS BACKGROUND .............................................................................................................................................3 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ...............................................................................................................3 WORKPLAN .............................................................................................................................................3 PREPARATION OF CARIBBEAN REGIONAL BIRD MONITORING DATABASE ...................3 CONSERVATION MONITORING COALITION AND PROJECT SPONSORSHIP.......................3 CARIBBEAN REGIONAL BIRD MONITORING CAPACITY BUILDING STRATEGY .............3 REGIONAL WORKSHOP ........................................................................................................................4 STRATEGY FOR LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY: .......................................................................6 ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR SELECTED PARTICIPANTS:.....................................................6 APPENDIX 1: UPDATED WORKPLAN.................................................................................................7 APPENDIX 2: CARIBBEAN REGIONAL BIRD MONITORING CAPACITY BUILDING STRATEGY..................................................................................................................................................13 APPENDIX 3: LIST OF PARTICIPANTS AT SCSCB MONITORING WORKSHOP ....................18 APPENDIX 4: LIST OF INTERNATIONAL PRESENTERS AND FACILITATORS AT SCSCB MONITORING WORKSHOP ....................................................................................................................20 APPENDIX 5: AGENDA FOR WORKSHOP (19-23 FEBRUARY 2009) .........................................22 APPENDIX 6: LABEL FOR FOLDER COVER FOR WORKSHOP MATERIALS...........................26 APPENDIX 7: BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON WHMSI PROJECT AND SCSCB FOR PARTICIPANTS .........................................................................................................................................27 APPENDIX 8: WORKSHOP EVALUATION SHEET ..........................................................................29 APPENDIX 9: OUTLINE FOR MANUAL............................................................................................33 APPENDIX 10: LIST OF WORKSHOP MATERIALS PROVIDED TO EACH PARTICIPANT .36 APPENDIX 11: CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION......................................................................37 SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 2 BACKGROUND The contract for the project was signed on 11 December 2008 and the first payment was received on 16 January 2009. In anticipation of this, the Society for Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB) began to implement the project according to the agreed work plan in December 2008 (Appendix 1). The First Report (Inception Report) was submitted on the 16th December 2008 and the Second Report (First Implementation Report) was completed and submitted on 28 January 2009. This document is the Third Report (Second Implementation Report). P ROJEC T I M P L E M E N T A T I O N WORK P LA N The current status of the activities in relation to the agreed workplan is summarized in Appendix 1. Section 4 Time frame/workplan describes the status of the project in relation to the deliverables and indicators. Details of progress towards each of the deliverables are given below. P R E P ARA T I ON OF CARIBBEAN REGIONAL BIRD M ONI T ORING DA T ABASE Work continued on the assembly of a regional database of projects, protocols, reports and resource persons involved in monitoring birds in the Caribbean. An intern with Boston University has collated the responses. However there are many programmes that have not yet responded and they will be contacted to encourage them to respond. CONSERVA T I O N MO N I T ORING COALI T I O N AND PROJEC T S PONSORSHI P Coalition partners including US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) – Division of International Conservation, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Optics for the Tropics, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Bahamas National Trust (BNT), Klamath Bird Observatory, National Aviary, Wetlands International (WI), US Forest Service, BirdLife International (BLI), private donors and other organizations provided massive support, including donations of materials, financial support for additional participants, staff time for attending the workshop and preparing materials and the use of facilities and support staff. At the workshop the participants identified the need for long-term mentoring support and the facilitators agreed to provide it. It is expected that several other regional experts would be willing to provide such support and the arrangements for a Caribbean monitoring mentoring partnership will be worked out by the SCSCB Monitoring Working Group. CARIBBEAN R EGIONA L BIRD M ONI T ORING CAP ACI TY BUI LDING S TRA T EGY Work continued on the capacity building strategy (Appendix 2). However there has not been time since the workshop to incorporate all the responses from the participants, especially those they gave at the discussion session on next steps on the last day of the workshop and on the workshop SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 3 evaluation form. Therefore the completion and review of the Capacity Building Strategy have been postponed until early March. REGIONAL W ORKSHO P Implementation of Workshop The workshop took place 19-23 February in Nassau, Bahamas. The workshop included a complete introduction to designing, implementing, analyzing and reporting basic bird monitoring programmes in the region. Simple standard protocols for monitoring landbirds, wetland birds, seabirds and shorebirds and their habitats were presented and participants were able to practice monitoring techniques during field sessions at the workshop. The participants committed to share their experiences and train others in their islands. To facilitate this process all the materials from the workshop will be made available online, and a manual “Caribbean Birdwatch - How to design and implement a bird monitoring programme in the Caribbean” will be produced. At the end of the workshop participants and presenters agreed that the workshop had been an overwhelming success and pledged to continue to work to promote its objectives. The results of the evaluation are still being compiled and will be provided with the final report. Participants: Twenty-six participants attended the workshop 2 . They came from 19 organizations in 16 countries (representing 18 islands and 2 mainland countries) across the Caribbean (Appendix 3). Participants included directors and staff of national organizations in charge of managing protected areas, conservation officers from government agencies and NGOs, protected area wardens and staff, monitoring contractors and volunteers. All shared a common interest in learning monitoring methodologies and how to use the results from monitoring to more effectively conserve and manage migratory and resident bird species. Presenters: Presenters included John Alexander (Executive Director, Klamath Bird Observatory), Frank Rivera Milán (Ecologist, Division of Migratory Bird Management, USFWS), Geoff Welch (International Management Plans Advisor, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), Lynn Gape (Deputy Executive Director, Bahamas National Trust), Jeff Gerbracht (eBird Project Manager, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology), Arne Lesterhuis (Coordinator Technico, CNAA, Wetlands International). Floyd Hayes (Professor, Pacific College), Lisa Sorenson (Assistant Professor, Boston University/President, SCSCB), and Ann Sutton (Co-chair Monitoring and Seabirds Working Groups, SCSCB) (Appendix 4). Materials and comments were also received from Steve Latta (Assistant Director, Department of Conservation and Field Research, National Aviary), Joe Wunderle (International Institute of Tropical Forestry), Gina Zimmerman (Research Ecologist and Coordinator, Avian Research and Conservation Institute), Will Mackin (Co-chair SCSCB Seabirds Working Group), David Wege (Senior Caribbean Programme Manager, BirdLife International) and several others. 2 Close to 50 applications were received. Thirty-two persons were invited but several were unable to attend due to family crises or problems getting visas. SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 4 Workshop materials: • Agenda The agenda is provided in Appendix 5. • Protocols: Basic standard protocols for monitoring landbirds, shorebirds, wetland birds, seabirds and habitats were presented in the form of powerpoint presentations (see below) and field tested at the workshop. The results will be used to refine the manual. • Pres entations: The presentations were provided to the participants on a CD at the end of the workshop. The intention is to review and revise the presentations as necessary and then make them available to the Monitoring Working Group on a new Workspace called Caribbean Birdwatch set up on ConserveOnline. The presentations are too long to include with this report but will be sent separately. • Background readi ng: Important literature on monitoring was provided to the participants on their CDs. More literature will be uploaded to the new Caribbean Birdwatch ConserveOnline workspace. • Participant packag es: Each participant received a package of materials including a pair of binoculars, a clipboard, a field guide and several other items. For a complete list see Appendix 10. Some of the other items in the packages are provided in Appendices 6 and 7. • Evaluation s he et: All participants were asked to complete an evaluation sheet (Appendix 8) • Certificate of participation: At the end of the workshop each participant was presented with a certificate of participation (Appendix 11). Manual: Due to the very limited time available for the preparations for the workshop it proved impossible to draft, review and print the monitoring manual before the workshop. The outline has been reviewed (Appendix 9) and the materials have been submitted by the presenters. It now remains for the material to be formatted, reviewed, finalized and circulated. This will be done by 31 March 2009. Capacity building strategy: Work continued on the Capacity Building Strategy, with extensive discussions throughout the meeting. The document is to be completed and reviewed (see above). Development of partnerships, support and linkages: Optics for the Tropics donated 30 pairs of binoculars and t-shirts. Cornell Laboratory for Ornithology donated 35 bird song CDs and 40 copies of bird song analysis software (Ravenlite), Herb Raffaele donated 40 copies of “Field Guide to the Birds of the West Indies” and the Bahamas National Trust provided voluntary services to help with the organization of the workshop and free use of its headquarters as a venue for the workshop. Technical assistance was received from more than 13 organizations and individuals (see above). A private donor sponsored all costs related to the attendance of 2 Cuban ornithologists. Requests for permission to use the materials developed for the course have already been received for a US Forest Service training workshop that is to take place in Trinidad in May 2009. Two of the presenters from the SCSCB workshop will attend the Trinidad workshop. SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 5 STRA T EGY FOR LO NG- T ER M SUS TAI NABILI T Y: SCSCB continued to seek funding and support for monitoring to be implemented in the long-term, which has long been identified as a priority for the SCSCB’s Monitoring Working Group. In the course of the meeting the possibilities for joint proposals for funding from the WHMSI, Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act and Ramsar were discussed. ADDI T I ON A L TR A IN ING FOR SELEC T ED P AR T ICI P AN TS: Information about the Partners in Flight Internships which was provided by Carol Beidelman of US National Park Service, was circulated through the SCSCB listserve (BirdsCaribbean) and to all the applicants to the workshop, as well as other selected individuals. SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 6 A P P ENDIX 1 : U P D A T E D W ORK P LAN Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds Final work plan and deliverables – Long-term Bird Monitoring in the Caribbean – Why, What, Where and How? Updated February 2009 Date: 28 February 2009 Funding Agency: Organization of American States, Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative Implementi ng Agency: Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds Contact person: Ann Sutton ([email protected]) Goal: The project will build capacity in the Caribbean region to monitor migratory bird populations and thus collect data that can be applied to adaptive management of protected areas, birds and their habitats. This will be implemented through a partnership with international, regional and local agencies, and non-governmental organizations with interest in conservation and management of migratory birds in the Caribbean region. The partnership will be developed by Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB) and will include Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology (CLO), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the National Aviary (NA), the US Forest Service (USFS), BirdLife International (BLI) and the USDA International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF) which have ongoing or proposed monitoring programmes or related activities in various islands. We also expect to engage many organizations that are actually or potentially involved in monitoring in the Caribbean. SCSCB along with these organizations will design and initiate a coordinated regional strategy to promote monitoring as a means to provide relevant information to decision-makers and protected area managers and host a training workshop to begin disseminating essential skills. Objectives: • Develop a capacity-building strategy for the provision and use of monitoring data on migratory birds and their habitats in natural resource management. • Design common protocols that can be used to monitor migratory and resident landbirds, waterbirds, seabirds and shorebirds in the Caribbean region. • Host a regional workshop to begin to implement the capacity building strategy. SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 7 Deliverables: The deliverables of the project are listed below. All reports will be available in hard copy and on line on SCSCB’s website. They will be developed initially in English and translated into Spanish and French to the extent that this can be done with voluntary assistance. The deliverables will include: • Caribbean regional bird monitoring capacity building strategy (including training at all levels e.g. community-based monitoring, university, voluntary and government, technical support, mentoring, funding and on-line materials) • Caribbean regional bird monitoring database of projects, protocols, reports and resource persons • Regional trai ni ng workshop at which at least 10 persons will be trained so that they will be capable of training and mentoring others in their own and in neighboring countries in a wide variety of skills related to all stages of bird monitoring • A ma nual How to Design and Implement a Bird Monitoring Program for the Caribbean will be produced. The manual will promote simple but statistically robust methods for designing and implementing a monitoring program and will include 1) adaptive management, 2) design of monitoring programmes 3) basic protocols for monitoring landbirds, waterbirds, seabirds and shorebirds, 4) protocol for monitoring of IBAs (Important Bird Areas) 3) how to store and analyze monitoring data 5) how to present monitoring results in a format appropriate for decision-makers and managers, and 5) guidelines for application of monitoring results to natural resource management • Partners hips established between SCSCB and at least 3 local and international training organizations to support monitoring • A strategy (including identification of a source of funding) to enable SCSCB to support the above activities in the long-term and to work through partners to extend monitoring to cover other taxa, habitats and threats. SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 8 4. Time frame / work plan: ACTIVITY DELIVERABLES INDICATORS OF SUCCESS RESPONSI BLE PERSONS Ann Sutton COMPLETION DATE STATUS 28 Feb 09 Development of Capacity Building Strategy Virtual conservation coalition established to work on monitoring issues, including CLO, IITF, USFS, TNC, BLI, NA and SCSCB and many other organizations Capacity Building Strategy developed At least 4 major organizations actively participating in project development and implementation Starts October 2008, continues beyond end of project On-going. Major supporters include: RSPB, Klamath Bird Observatory, USFWS, Wetlands International Strategy developed circulated for review and finalized Ann Sutton Draft prepared and circulated for review. Presented and discussed at workshop. Completion postponed to March 2009. Protocols agreed and manual produced Manual produced and printed; DVD produced with manual, workshop presentations, protocol data sheets, etc. Ann Sutton, Lisa Sorenson with assistance from presenters and others Drafted: December 2008 Reviewed: January 2008 Finalized: February 2009 January 2009 Development of materials Monitoring Training Workshop Workshop held -Total no of participants Ann Sutton leads, partners assist. February 2009 26 participants, including directors of protected areas and national organizations, conservation officers from government agencies and NGOs, protected area wardens and volunteers. -Representation of special interest groups (decisionmakers, protected area managers, scientists, volunteers) Evaluation sheets completed but not yet compiled. -Variety of modules - Responses on evaluation sheets Additional in depth training for selected participants Indentify internships for persons with interest, talent and opportunity e.g. with US banding stations on-going SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project Workshop report produced Ann Sutton March 2009 On-going Number of opportunities identified Steve Latta March 2009 On-going Number of persons accepted for further training 9 ACTIVITY DELIVERABLES INDICATORS OF SUCCESS RESPONSI BLE PERSONS COMPLETION DATE STATUS 28 Feb 09 March 2009 SCSCB and team March 2009 and beyond On-going regional projects Project development for funding Develop project for funding e.g. Neotropical Migratory Bird Act 5. Workshop dates: The workshop will last for 5 days and will be held between19-23 February 2009. 6. Completion date: The expected completion date for the project is 20 March 2009. SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 10 7. Work Schedul e N° Activity1 3 4 5 6 7 8 J 2009 F M >9 STATUS 1 2 A 2008 S O N D X X X Complete Complete A STRATEGY and MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT 1 Finalize workplan 2 Develop Terms of Reference for consultants X 3 Engage consultants X X Complete 4 Hold online consultations with experts X X X X X On-going 5 Prepare protocols and produce manual X X X X X On-going 6 X X On-going B Produce and circulate and review capacity building strategy TRAINING WORKSHOP 1 Invite and select participants 2 Plan venue, accommodation, meals, field work, and transportation 3 Hold workshop X Complete 4 Prepare workshop report X Onschedule D INTERNSHIPS AND ADDITIONAL TRAININ G E FUNDING PROPOSALS F G ESTABLISH MONITORING NETWORK/PARTNERSHIP, WEBSITE AND DATABASE SUBMIT FINAL PROJECT REPORT H DESIGN PHASES 2&3 PROJECT (YEARS 2 AND 3) SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project X X X X X X X X X Complete Complete X On-going X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X On-going X X X X On-going Onschedule X X On-going X Not started 11 FINAL SCHEDULE OF DELIVERABLES (extract from contract) O n December 15th, 2008 at the latest SCSCB will submit to the GS/OAS to its satisfaction, an interim technical-financial progress report of the Project (First Report) in conformity with Annex IV to this contract. The First Report will include workplan and deliverables, the tentative list of participants and venue, the establishment of the coalition and the list of participants as well as other logistic information. Thirty (30) days after the above-referenced report is submitted, the GS/OAS will notify the SCSCB in writing its observations and comments. In case that the GS/OAS is not satisfied with the First Report, the SCSCB will have thirty (30) days from the date when the written notification is received to make the necessary corrections to the above mentioned Report and resubmit it to the GS/OAS. O n January 31 st, 2009 at the latest SCSCB will submit to the GS/OAS to its satisfaction, an interim technical-financial progress report of the Project (Second Report) in conformity with Annex IV to this Contract. The Second Report will include a draft version of the Capacity Building Strategy and Manual. O n February 28th, 2009 at the latest SCSCB will submit to the GS/OAS to its satisfaction, an interim technical-financial progress report of the Project (Third Report) in conformity with Annex IV to this Contract. The Third Report will include the final version of all workshop materials and agenda including all documents and presentations. O n March 20th 2009 at the latest after the signature of this contract, the SCSCB will submit to the GS/OAS to its satisfaction, a final technical-financial report of the Project (Final Report). The Final Report will include the Manual produced and printed, DVD produced with manual, workshop presentations, protocol data sheets, Caribbean regional bird monitoring database and Caribbean regional bird monitoring capacity building strategy in accordance with Annex IV of this Contract. SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 12 A P P ENDIX 2 : CARIBBEAN REGIONAL BIRD MONI TOR ING CAP ACI TY BUI LD ING STRA T EGY WESTERN HEMISPHERE MIGRATORY SPECIES INITIATIVE PROJECT Long-term Bird Monitoring in the Caribbean – Why, What, Where and How? CARIBBEAN REGIONAL BIRD MONITORING CAPACITY BUILDING STRATEGY: FIRST DRAFT Prepared by: Ann Haynes-Sutton Ph.D. Marshall’s Pen PO Box 58 Mandeville Jamaica [email protected] For: Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds Date: 31 January 2009 SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 13 1. Background This document was prepared as part of the Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative/Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds project “Long-term Bird Monitoring in the Caribbean – what, where, when and how?” Its objective is to build on the experience of implementing this project in order to develop follow up projects to continue and expand the work initiated through the workshop. 2. Importance of adaptive manag ement and bird monitoring in the Caribbean The Caribbean region, formed by an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands and islets, occupies the fifth position in the list of the world’s 25 biodiversity hotspots (Myers et al. 2000). This region is only surpassed in number of species and endemism by the tropical regions of the Andes, Sundaland, Madagascar and Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Three percent of endemic vertebrates world-wide are of Caribbean origin, given that 51% of the region’s 1,518 vertebrate species are endemic. Birds, with 668 reported species, form the largest group of vertebrates. Of these, 148 species (22%) are endemic to the region, with 105 species being restricted to single islands. The diverse Caribbean avifauna includes more than 120 migratory species that breed in North America, but use insular habitats as wintering or stopover sites. Species showing population declines in North America like the Cape May Warbler (Dendroica tigrina), Northern Parula (Parula americana), Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens), Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum) and Prairie Warbler (Dendroica discolor) are common migrants in the Caribbean. In addition, the region provides the only known wintering grounds for the globally endangered Kirtland’s Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) and Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharus bicknelli), as well as to the possibly extinct Bachman’s Warbler (Vermivora bachmanii). Like landbirds, a high number of aquatic bird species, seabirds and shorebirds are found in Caribbean wetlands and coastal habitats during their non-breeding seasons. Some of these species spend as much as eight months of the year in the region. In spite of the critical importance of Caribbean ecosystems for resident and migratory bird species, only 11.3% of the region’s primary vegetation remains (29,840 km 2 of 263,500 km 2 ). This dramatic habitat loss has been mainly related to activities of a highly dense human population, estimated in 37.5 million, with an annual growth rate of approximately 2.5%. Natural forests are expected to continue shrinking as more land is used for agriculture, cattle raising, and urban development. In addition to these threats, Caribbean avifauna is affected by competition with invasive species, illegal hunting and trade, as well as the regular passage of hurricanes and tropical storms that destroy prey resources, and nesting, roosting and foraging sites. The unsustainable use of Caribbean natural resources and climate effects, which have already threatened with extinction 56 resident species, also represent a challenge for the conservation of Neotropical migrants on their wintering grounds. Management programmes for the protection and restoration of habitats in the Caribbean are of outmost importance given the diminishing availability of primary habitat. While monitoring the SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 14 number of species and individuals using resources can be used to assess the outcomes of these programmes, it can also provide an opportunity to implement adaptive management practices. Being highly diverse, easy to detect and better known than other vertebrate groups, bird species are the best available indicators of overall habitat quality. Estimating population sizes is a basic step toward the development of management and conservation strategies, but despite the region’s critical importance for avian biodiversity, there are currently no regionwide monitoring programmes that can provide data on the status of migratory species or the extent to which conservation efforts in the region meet their needs. Instead very little data exist on species presence or number of individuals, mainly coming from scattered short-term projects. Nevertheless, a regionwide programme is needed to assess the gaps in protection, evaluate strategies for addressing threats, improving implementation of protected areas, and understanding migration patterns and population trends related to ongoing and expected impacts of climate change. Developing such a regional programme would require a coordinated effort to design a common protocol for monitoring landbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds and seabirds throughout the region, train personnel in field monitoring techniques, and provide funding to implement the programme in the longterm. The Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB) is the leading nongovernmental organization dedicated to the protection of the region’s bird species and their habitats through research, education, conservation action and capacity building (Sorenson 2008). SCSCB has c.300 conservationists and researchers among its membership, including representatives of 23 of the region’s territories and states, and of all NGOs and government agencies working with avian conservation in the islands. The broad expertise of its members has provided SCSCB the opportunity to examine the major challenges for the protection of Caribbean bird species, particularly through the efforts of the Monitoring and Seabirds, Waterbirds and Wetlands Education working groups. 3. Benefits of a regional approach to monitoring These include: • • • • Possibility of developing and sharing protocols in order to facilitate sharing of data and to make it easier for inexperienced prospective monitors to initiate monitoring programmes Opportunity to increase awareness of the importance of monitoring and its contribution to effective management of species and their habitats, including IBAs and protected areas Possibility of developing large, cooperative projects for funding Possibility for sharing skills and training opportunities. 4. Existing monitoring programm es and the ingredients for success This section to be developed following analysis of SCSCB’s monitoring questionnaire. 5. Impedi ments to establis hi ng monitoring and possible strategies to address them SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 15 The SCSCB’s Monitoring, Seabirds, Waterbirds and Wetlands Education Working Groups have identified the need to develop the capacity in the region for monitoring the status of birds and their habitats (see scscb.org). Some impediments include; • The need for monitoring is not widely recognized among government agencies, protected area managers and project managers, and • When agencies recognize the need for monitoring, there are many problems that inhibit the development of effective monitoring programmes, including: ! Lack of skills and confidence to conceive monitoring programmes that address the information gaps in a cost effective way. Very often this means that monitoring is not implemented because it is expected to be too difficult to develop and too costly and time-consuming to implement. ! Monitoring programmes are sometimes developed that do not provide answers to the questions that face natural resource managers. ! Monitoring programmes are not always statistically robust. ! Results of monitoring programmes are often not presented to decisionmakers in a format that they can use. ! Shortage of people with the relevant skills to develop and implement bird monitoring programmes ! Shortage of funds to implement monitoring, particularly for long-term programmes. ! There is no regional repository for monitoring data, and thus the cumulative usefulness of individual monitoring programmes is missed. ! There are several local regional and international monitoring programmes in the region but there is little coordination and so opportunities for synergies are being lost ! Few materials are available in all the languages of the region (Spanish, English, French and Dutch). 6. Most important types of monitoring – Methods/protocols existing and ne eded Through the SCSCB’s on-going Project “Long-term Bird Monitoring in the Caribbean – what, where, when and how?” basic standard monitoring protocols are being developed for all major groups of birds and some selected taxa. Once the workshop is complete, the gaps will be identified. 7. Development of monitoring skills Some of the challenges involved in development of monitoring skills include: • Identification of actual and potential monitors within existing agencies • Providing the types of skills they need • Ensuring they have access to appropriate equipment • Encouraging the agencies they work for to allow them to develop and maintain appropriate monitoring programmes SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 16 • • • 8. Providing continuing training and support, through making people aware of existing training programmes, including training courses, internships, volunteer participation in on-going monitoring programmes, and development of special training courses Making monitoring training materials available on scscb.org Developing new and innovative approaches to training and support (e.g. Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center proposed mentoring project) Next steps – directio ns for the future To be developed following the Workshop. SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 17 A P P ENDIX 3 : L IS T OF P AR T ICI P AN TS A T SCSCB MONI T ORI NG WORKSHOP Country Name Position, Organization Antigua Joseph Prosper [email protected] Bahamas (New Providence) Bahamas (New Providence) Bahamas (Abaco) Bahamas (Grand Bahama) Bahamas (Inagua) Bahamas (New Providence) Bahamas (New Providence) Beliz e Cayman Islands Cuba Ancilleno (Leno) Davis Volunteer and Board Member, Environmental Awareness Group The Nature Conservancy Senior Park Warden, Bahamas National Trust [email protected] Chief Park Warden, Abaco, Bahamas National Trust Deputy Park Warden, Grand Bahama, Bahamas National Trust Senior Park Warden, Inagua, Bahamas National Trust Deputy Park Warden, New Providence, Bahamas National Trust Monitoring contractor, Bahamas National Trust [email protected] Belize Audubon Society Department of Environment [email protected] [email protected] Center for Environmental Services Center of Investigation & Env. Services Forestry Wildlife & Parks Division Executive Director, Sociedad Ornitologica de la Hispaniola Forestry & National Parks Department Environmental Officer, Ecosystems Management Branch, National Environment & Planning Agency The Nature Conservancy/M.Phil. student, [email protected] Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic Grenada Jamaica Jamaica 3 4 5 Randolph (Casper) Burrows David Knowles Prescott Gay Henry Nixon Apollo Butler Predensa W. Moore Marcelo Pau Kristan Godbeer3 Ernesto Reyes Mourino 4 Carlos Peña Rodriguez5 Bertrand Jno Baptiste Jorge Luis Brocca Anthony Jeremiah Ricardo Miller Peter John Ainsworth Email [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Funded by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Funded by a private donor Funded by a private donor SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 18 Country Surinam Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles Puerto Rico St. Vincent and the Grenadines U.S. Virgin Islands 6 7 8 9 Name Position, Organization Email University of the West Indies, Mona campus Nature Conservation Division [email protected] Executive Director, STINAPA [email protected] Mayra Vincenty Fitzroy Springer Puerto Rico Ornithological Society Ministry of Agriculture Forestry & Fishes [email protected] Lisa Yntema 6 [email protected] Marchal Lingaard Fernando Simal [email protected] U.S. Virgin Islands Carol CramerBurke Turks and Caicos Islands Turks and Caicos Islands Montserrat Ethlyn GibbsWilliams 7 Volunteer/monitoring contractor, USVI Fish & Wildlife; St. Croix Environmental Association; USFWS Volunteer/monitoring contractor, St. Croix Environmental Association Executive Director, TCI National Trust Jonathan Sayao 8 Public Awareness/Education Officer, TCI National Trust [email protected] Lloyd Martin 9 Monstserrat National Trust [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Partly self-funded Funded by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Funded by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Funded by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 19 A P P ENDIX 4: L IS T OF I N T ERN A T I ONAL P R ESEN T ERS AND FACI LI T A T ORS A T SCSCB MON I T ORING W ORKSHO P John D. Alexander, M.S. Executive Director, Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO). Twenty years working to integrate bird conservation and land management in the Klamath Siskiyou Region and beyond. John serves in many regional and national capacities in support of science and conservation holding leadership positions in Partners in Flight, the North American Banding Council and the Western Bird Banding Association and serving on the North American Bird Conservation Initiative Monitoring Sub Committee, the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Research Advisory Committee, Intermountain West Joint Venture Landbird Science Committee and Avian Knowledge Alliance. John works in support of the Klamath Bird Monitoring Network, the Landbird Monitoring Network of the Americas, the Western Hemisphere Banding Network, the Costa Rica Banding Network, and the Avian Knowledge Network. His research focuses on using bird monitoring as a tool for measuring the ecological effects of land management and the role of science in effective conservation delivery. John is currently a PhD student at Prescott College. (Email: [email protected]) (URL: www.KlamathBird.org) N. Lynn Gape, Deputy Executive Director of the Bahamas National Trust. Formerly the Director of Education for the BNT with over 34 years of experience working in education in The Bahamas. Joining the Trust in 1991 allowed Mrs. Gape to work with the Bahamas Ministry of Education and the West Indian Whistling Duck and Wetlands Conservation Project to develop the widely-used environmental resource Wondrous West Indian Wetlands. She also collaborated in 2007 with the American Museum of Natural History to produce another teacher’s resource Treasures in the Sea, adopted by the Ministry of the Education as the approved resource for teaching about marine life. Working with Birdlife International she developed the Important Bird Areas Programme in the Bahamas and with Dr. Sorenson developed the beginning courses used to teach local IBA Site Support Groups about monitoring their sites for environmental concerns as well as bird populations. (Email: [email protected]) (URL: http://www.bnt.bs/) Jeff Gerbracht, eBird Project Manager, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. Jeff’s professional career has focused on project management and computer programming. His lifelong interest in ornithology and conservation led him to leave American Airlines and join the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as an application developer in 2001. Jeff has developed several interactive GIS, data entry and analysis applications for the Lab, including eBird, the Land Bird Monitoring Program and a Breeding Bird Atlas application. Jeff currently manages the continued development of eBird and Trail Tracker and is developing Neotropical Birds, a project creating online species accounts for all Neotropical bird species not presently covered by the Birds of North America.(Email: [email protected]) (URL: ebird.org, neotropical.birds.cornell.edu) Floyd E. Hayes, Ph.D. Professor of Biology at Pacific Union College, and Editor in Chief for Jo urnal of Ca rib bea n O rni t hology, S CS CB. Three years of extensive field work as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay eventually culminated in a Ph.D. dissertation, followed by nine years working as a Professor of Biology in two universities in Trinidad and a year working as a Wildlife Biologist for the US Virgin Islands. Dr. Hayes conducted field research on the ecology, behavior and biogeography of variety of bird species plus some less elegant animals, including marine invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles. Dr. Hayes is currently SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 20 developing new courses and directing a new major in Environmental Studies, and enjoys birding and rock climbing in his spare time. (E-mail: [email protected]) (URL: www.geocities.com/floyd_hayes) Frank F. Rivera-Milán, Ph.D. is an Ecologist working with the Population and Habitat Assessment Branch, Division of Migratory Bird Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service. Previously he was with the Service's Division of International Conservation. He has over 25 years of experience working in Latin America and the Caribbean, and in 1990 earned a PhD from the University of Maryland at College Park. As part of his dissertation work, Dr. Rivera developed a management-based monitoring program for game and nongame columbids on Puerto Rico and territories. Currently he is also monitoring psittacids, columbids and other birds in collaboration with government agencies and NGOs in the Bahamas and Cayman islands. Frank's interests include population ecology, ecological modeling, and the application of methods in ecology and statistics to wildlife management. He has over 30 peer-refereed publications in US and international journals, and in his current job is mostly involved with the development and application of survey sampling designs and counting methods for landbirds, waterbirds, and shorebirds. Lisa G. Sorenson, Ph.D. President, Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB), Project Coordinator of the West Indian Whistling-Duck (WIWD) and Wetlands Conservation Project, Assistant Professor, Boston University. Twenty-five years experience working in the Caribbean, including four years of field research on the breeding ecology of White-cheeked Pintails in the Bahamas, field research on West Indian Whistling-Ducks (WIWD) on Long Island, Bahamas, environmental impact assessment work, project planning, and conservation education and training. She has also conducted research assessing the potential consequences of global warming on wetlands and waterfowl in both breeding and wintering areas of North America. Currently Dr. Sorenson is leading/coordinating a region-wide outreach and environmental education program and delivering training workshops on the importance and value of local wetlands and their birdlife. (Email: [email protected]) (URL: www.scscb.org; www.whistlingduck.org). Ann Haynes-Sutton, Ph.D., is a Conservation Ecologist who has lived and worked in central Jamaica for 30 years. Her main focal areas are wetlands, birds, conservation education, and management of protected areas. For her Ph.D. she studied and applied conservation of Jamaican seabirds on offshore cays. A member of the executive of the Society for Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds for many years, she is Co-chair of the Monitoring and Seabirds Working Groups. She is currently consulting/volunteering with several NGOs, including working on a project to manage, interpret and develop ecotourism in a wetland in the Portland Bight Protected Area in southern Jamaica. In her spare time she manages a private nature reserve, leads bird tours, and is working on a new photographic field guide to Jamaican birds (due to be published in May 2009). (Email: [email protected]) (URL: www.scscb.org). Geoff Welch, International Management Plans Adviser, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB, UK). Has worked for the RSPB for 30 years, 25 years as a site manager, mostly on wetlands, and then internationally, initially in Turkey and Central Asia, and, since 2006, globally providing support to BirdLife Partners in management plan development. Has also assisted in student training in bird identification and basic survey techniques in Turkey and Central Asia as part of their national IBA programmes. (Email: [email protected]) (URL: www.rspb.org.uk). SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 21 A P P ENDIX 5 : AGEND A FOR W ORKSHOP ( 1 9 - 2 3 FEBRUARY 2 0 0 9 ) Workshop Agenda SCSCB Bird Monitoring Training Workshop February 19 – 23, 2009, The Retreat, Bahamas National Trust, Nassau, Bahamas DAY 1 – Thursday, February 19th, 2009 08:30 - 09:00 09:00 - 09:30 09:30 – 10:00 10:00 – 10:10 Registration Welcome, introduction to SCSCB and the Workshop – Eric Carey, Executive Director, Bahamas National Trust, Lisa Sorenson & Ann Sutton, Society for the Conservation & Study of Caribbean Birds Round-robin Introductions – Lisa Sorenson Workshop Logistics – Ann Sutton 10:10 – 10:30 Coffee break 10:30 – 12:30 10:30 – 11:00 11:00 – 11:45 Presentations – Why Monitor? Introduction to Caribbean Birds – Floyd Hayes, Professor, Pacific Union College What is Monitoring? Why Monitor Birds? – John Alexander, Executive Director, Klamath Bird Observatory EBird: Levels A – C Monitoring, What this Data Shows and How it can be Used for Conservation Planning and Management – Jeff Gerbracht – eBird Project Manager, Cornell Lab. of Ornithology 11:45 – 12:30 12:30 – 13:30 Lunch 13:30 – 15:00 13:30 – 14:00 14:30 – 15:15 Presentations – Designing Monitoring Programmes How to Establish a Monitoring Programme – Geoff Welch, International Management Plans Adviser, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, UK Research, Monitoring and Management of Bird Populations in the Caribbean – Frank Rivera, Ecologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service Examining the Data: Simple Approaches to Data Analysis – Floyd Hayes 15:15 – 15:30 Coffee break 15:30 – 16:00 15:30 – 16:15 16:15 – 18:00 Presentations – Monitoring Landbirds Point Counts: Methods, Design, Case Studies, Preparation for Field Trip – John Alexander Point Counts: Demonstration of Distance Estimation and Practice Counts at The Retreat 18:00 – 19:00 Dinner 19:00 – 20:30 Clinics and Individual Presentations, Theme: Landbirds – Chair: John Alexander 14:00 – 14:30 SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 22 DAY 2 – Friday, February 20th, 2009 06:00 – 09:30 Field trip to pine forest, coppice, woodland sites; practice point counts and area searches for land birds– John Alexander 09:30 – 10:00 Coffee break 10:00 – 12:30 Data entry and analysis from morning field trip, sample analyses – Jeff Gerbracht, Frank Rivera, John Alexander 12:30 – 13:30 Lunch 13:30 – 15:00 13:30 – 14:15 14:15 – 15:00 Presentations – Designing Monitoring Programmes (2) Methods: Sampling Design and Parameter Estimation – Frank Rivera Working with Volunteers to Establish a Monitoring Program: Opportunities and Challenges – Lynn Gape, Deputy Executive Director, Bahamas National Trust 15:00 – 15:30 Coffee break 15:30 – 17:00 15:30 – 16:00 16:00 – 16:30 16:30 – 17:00 Presentations - Colonial Waterbirds & Shorebirds - Introduction to Protocols Introduction to Monitoring Seabird Colonies – Ann Sutton Introduction to Monitoring Heron and Egret Rookeries – Floyd Hayes Introduction to Monitoring Shorebirds – Geoff Welch 17:30 – 18:30 Dinner 18:30 – 20:00 Floyd Hayes Clinic and Presentations – Theme: Seabirds, Herons & Egrets, Shorebirds – Chair: DAY 3 – Saturday, February 21st, 2009 06:00 – 09:30 06:30 – 07:45 07:45 – 09:45 Field Trip to P. Maillis Farm, Adelaide Wetlands and Beach for training in seabird methods and counting waterbirds. Estimating Numbers of Ducks and Other Birds – Geoff Welch, Frank Rivera et al Simulated Seabird Colony: Demonstration and Practice Counts of 2 Methodologies 09:45 – 11:00 Transfer to The Retreat and coffee break 11:00 – 12:30 Data Analysis and Presentation – Ann Sutton and Frank Rivera 12:30 – 13:30 Lunch 13:30 – 15:00 13.30 – 14:00 Presentations - Monitoring Wetland Birds - Introduction to Protocols Introduction to Surveying Wetland Birds - Lisa Sorenson and Ann Sutton SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 23 14.00 – 14:30 14:30 – 15:00 Sorenson SCSCB/Caribbean Waterbird Census (modified Neotropical Wetland Census) Protocol Ann Sutton and Lisa Sorenson Protocols to Survey and Monitor West Indian Whistling Ducks - Ann Sutton and Lisa 15:00 – 15:30 Coffee break 15:30 - 17:30 Clinic and Presentations – Theme: Wetlands – Chair: Lisa Sorenson 18:15 – 22:00 Dinner at Greek Festival – Greek food, sweets, displays, live band, & dancing DAY 4 – Sunday, February 22nd, 2009 06:00 – 09:30 Field trip to Harrold and Wilson Ponds National Park Wetland Habitats, Lake Cunningham, and Montagu Beach to practice waterbird count protocols – Lisa Sorenson and Ann Sutton 10:00 – 10:30 Coffee break 10.30 - 12:30 Data entry and analysis from morning field trip – Lisa Sorenson and Ann Sutton 12:30 – 13:30 Lunch 13.30 – 15:15 13:30 - 14:15 14:15 – 14:45 Presentations – Equipment, Parrots and Columbids Selecting and Caring for Equipment – Floyd Hayes and Frank Rivera Parrot Protocol: Management-based Monitoring of Bahama and Cayman Parrots – Frank Rivera Columbid Protocol: Management-based Monitoring of Columbids in Puerto Rico – Frank Rivera 14:45 – 15:15 15:15 – 15:30 Coffee break 15:30 – 17:00 15:30 – 15:45 15:45 – 17:00 Presentations – Monitoring IBAs and Habitats Monitoring Important Bird Areas (IBAs) – Geoff Welch Habitat Surveys: Simple Ways to Measure and Assess Habitats, including the Relevé method – Geoff Welch, Floyd Hayes, John Alexander 17:00 – 18:00 Dinner 18:00 – 20:00 Neotropical Waterbird Census – Arne Lesterhuis, Technical Coordinator, Wetlands International SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 24 DAY 5 – Monday, February 23rd, 2009 06:00 – 09:30 Field Trip to Forest (Bahamas Youth Camp) and Wetland (Bonefish Pond) Habitats to Practice IBA and Relevé Habitat Monitoring Techniques – Geoff Welch & John Alexander et al. 10:00 – 10:30 Coffee break 10:30 - 12:30 Data Entry and Analysis from Morning Field Trip – Floyd Hayes 12:30 – 13:30 Lunch 13:30 – 15:15 Network 13:30 - 14:15 14:15 – 14:45 14:45 – 15:15 Presentations – Applying and Presenting Results, WorldBirds, Avian Knowledge 15:15 – 15:30 Coffee break 15:30 – 17:00 Discussion - Directions for the Future – Chair: Ann Sutton 18:30 – 22:00 Farewell dinner: keynote speaker, Lynn Gape, Deputy Executive Director, Bahamas National Trust; Presentation of Awards and Certificates Applying and Presenting Results, Examples – Floyd Hayes Sharing Data - Using WorldBirds in Monitoring – Geoff Welch Avian Knowledge Network (AKN) – Jeff Gerbracht SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 25 A P P ENDIX 6 : LAB E L FOR FO LD ER COVER FOR WORKSHOP M A T ER I ALS SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 26 A P P ENDIX 7 : BACKGROUND INFORMA T I ON ON WH MSI PROJEC T AND SCSCB FOR P AR T ICI P A N TS Bird Monitoring Training Workshop Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds / Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative (WHMSI) February 19 – 23, 2009, The Retreat, Bahamas National Trust, Nassau, Bahamas LONG -T ER M BI RD M ONIT OR ING IN T HE CAR IBBEAN – WHY , WH AT , WHER E, WHEN AND HOW? Bac kgr ound SCSCB’s Working Groups (including Monitoring, Waterbirds and Seabirds) have been working since 2003 to identify gaps in regional monitoring strategies for birds. These include weaknesses in every step of the monitoring process, from the availability of trained field biologists to the use of the results of monitoring in regional and national policy and conservation and protected area management. The overall goal of this project is to initiate and promote a coordinated regional bird monitoring network as a means to improve sciencebased conservation planning and adaptive management of birds and habitats in the region. The emphasis is on providing practical training in simple, standard protocols for monitoring landbirds, waterbirds, seabirds and shorebirds (and their habitats) and promoting the formation of a coordinated regional monitoring network so that information can be shared and used to support local and regional conservation efforts. The project will collaboratively develop a strategy for building capacity and start to implement it at a regional bird monitoring training workshop. Products will include: • A Caribbean strategy for capacity building for bird monitoring, • A database summarizing on-going monitoring programmes, • A training manual for monitoring protocols for major groups of birds and habitats (e.g., IBAs), including supporting activities (such as the use of volunteers). Project materials will be made available on-line on the SCSCB website (see below). The objective of the workshop is to provide persons from across the Caribbean with equipment, materials, training and skills to apply basic bird monitoring protocols, so that they can: • Design and implement a long-term bird monitoring programme in their own country • Train and mentor others • Form the basis of a regional monitoring network. The workshop format includes three tracks: • Background material – introduction to the major considerations for designing, implementing and applying results of monitoring programmes. • SCSCB Protocols, field trips and analysis – simple approaches to monitoring landbirds, seabirds, herons and egrets, waterbirds and habitats, and analysing the results. • Clinics and participant presentations – an opportunity for participants to get personal guidance and advice on their projects from experts in the field. Follow up activities will include: • Revision and publication on website of manual and powerpoint presentations SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 27 • • • • • Completion of the capacity-building strategy Development of follow-up projects Establishment of a monitoring coalition Participation in other training initiatives e.g. training workshop in Trinidad in May, internships with monitoring programmes Further development at the next Monitoring Working Group meeting – Antigua, July 2009 Acknowledgements We are very grateful to the Organization of American States, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative & Division of International Conservation and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds for providing funding for this workshop. We also thank our many partners and sponsors for their donations of time, expertise, materials and equipment to this make this workshop a success, including: • The Bahamas National Trust • Optics for the Tropics • Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology • Klamath Bird Observatory • the National Aviary • USDA International Institute of Tropical Forestry • US Forest Service (USFS) • BirdLife International • The Nature Conservancy AB OU T TH E S OCIETY F OR TH E CONS ERV ATION AND S TUD Y OF CA RIBB EAN B I RDS The Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB) is a nonprofit membership organization working to conserve the birds of the Caribbean and their habitats through research, education, conservation action and capacity building. Founded in 1988, SCSCB is the largest single bird conservation organization in the Greater Caribbean region, including Bermuda, the Bahamas and all islands within the Caribbean basin. The overarching goal of the SCSCB is to increase the capacity of Caribbean ornithologists, resource managers, conservation organizations, institutions, and local citizens to conserve the birds of the Caribbean and their habitats. We aim to achieve this by 1) developing regional conservation projects, activities, and materials that facilitate local research, management, conservation, education and outreach, and 2) Building networks and partnerships with local, national and international organizations and institutions that share our bird conservation goals. The Society holds a week-long biennial meeting, has a number of active Working Groups and publishes The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology and two bi-annual newsletters. With assistance from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, SCSCB also sponsors the publication of local bird field guides. The society works to raise public awareness, knowledge and appreciation of the value of the region’s many endemic bird species and their habitats through two flagship programs: the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) and the West Indian Whistling-Duck (WIWD) and Wetlands Conservation Project. SCSCB also raises awareness about migratory birds through celebration of International Migratory Bird Day. To learn more, visit www.scscb.org. SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 28 A P P E N D IX 8 : WORKSHO P EVALUA T I ON SHEE T Your name (optional): ________________________ Place an “X” in the box that best represents your opinion, where 1 = Excellent, 2 = Very Good, 3 = Good, 4 = Fair, 5 = Poor 1. Workshop organization and design How do you rate: 1 2 3 4 5 Comments Workshop venue (BNT Retreat) Hotel accommodation Meals and coffee breaks Transportation Pre-workshop information Equipment and materials received Amount of time allotted to powerpoint presentations, time in the field, clinics and discussions 2. Facilitation Team Did they: 1 2 3 4 5 Provide good background information and were they knowledgeable of the issues? Give adequate answers to questions? Use interactive methods? Use sufficient supporting materials? Do a good job facilitating discussion of the issues? Motivate participants to use what was learned in sessions? Additional comments: SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 29 3. The primary objective of the workshop was to provide you with equipment, materials, training and skills to apply basic bird monitoring protocols, so that you can design and implement a long-term bird monitoring programme in your own country (or improve protocols/programs in place), train and mentor others, and from the basis of a regional monitoring network. To what extent was this objective met? Excellent _____ Very good _____ Good _____ Fair _____ Poor _____ 4. Rank all bird monitoring protocol/background sessions and check the ones you found most valuable. 1 2 3 4 5 ___ Introduction to Caribbean Birds Comment: ___ What is monitoring? Why monitor? Comment: ___ How to establish a monitoring programme (11 steps) Comment: ___ Landbird monitoring – points counts with distance estimation Comment: ___ Landbird monitoring – area search technique (50 x 10 m transect) Comment: ___ Seabird monitoring Comment: ___ Waterbird monitoring Comment: ___ Shorebird monitoring Comment: ___ eBird and AKN (Avian Knowledge Network) Comment: ___ WorldBirds Comment: ___ Neotropical Waterbird Census (Wetlands International) Comment: ___ Statistics (sampling design and parameter estimation) Comment: ___ Simple approaches to data analysis Comment: ___ Applying, presenting and publishing Comment: ___ Working with volunteers: opportunities and challenges Comment: SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 30 ___ Research, monitoring and adaptive management Comment: ___ Parrot Protocols Comment: ___ Columbid Protocols Comment: ___ Monitoring IBAs Comment: ___ Habitat Surveys Comment: ___ Field Equipment Comment: 5. What 3 aspects of the workshop did you value the most? (e.g., background presentations, clinics and discussion sessions, sessions on statistics, data entry and analysis, opportunity to get personal guidance and advice from experts in the field, networking opportunities, field trips to practice monitoring protocols, etc.). a. b. c. 6. What are the 2 or 3 most important things (key points or concepts) you learned this week? 7. How will you use what you learned this week? 8. What do you think was missing or how can we improve future workshops? 9. What are the 2 most important topics/questions related to monitoring that you would like to see addressed in future training workshops or in the development of SCSCB’s monitoring program? SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 31 10. When you go back to your island, what specific questions would you like to use bird monitoring to answer? 11. Overall, how would you rate your satisfaction with the workshop? Excellent _____ Very good _____ Good _____ Fair _____ Poor _____ Additional comments: SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 32 A P P ENDIX 9 : OU T L I N E FOR M ANUA L SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION AND STUDY OF CARIBBEAN BIRDS/WESTERN HEMISPHERE MIGRATORY SPECIES INITIATIVE BIRD MONITORING WORKSHOP Long Term Bird Monitoring in the Caribbean - what, where, when and how? DRAFT OUTLINE (Version 6, 1 March 2009) 10 MONITORING MANUAL FOR CARIBBEAN BIRDS How to Design and Implement a Bird Monitoring Program for the Caribbean Table of Contents Acknowledgements 1. Background 2. Introduction 3. Objectives of SCSCB’s Monitoring Working Group 4. Objectives of manual 5. Importance of Caribbean birds and their conservation 6. What is monitoring? Why monitor birds? 6.1 Assessing success of conservation programmes (adaptive management) 6.2 Assessing impacts of negative events or changes (e.g. climate change, development, hurricanes, diseases, tourism) 6.3 Increasing education and awareness 6.4 Global priority species - Internationally recognized threatened, endangered or rare species • BirdLife/IUCN • Partners in Flight • American Bird Conservancy Watchlist for the Caribbean • SCSCB working groups 6.5 Importance of monitoring habitats 7. How to establish a monitoring programme 7.1 How to design a monitoring programme 7.2 Defining objectives 7.3 Sampling: Sampling, sources of bias, precision and accuracy, relative and absolute estimates 7.4 Survey design: Time of day, season, weather, observers, sample size, location of sample points, pilot surveys, survey team composition and size, health and safety 7.5 Selecting methods: Total counts, point counts, transects, distance sampling, identifying survey points, how many points are needed? How long should counts last? 10 N.b. This Table of Contents is still under review and may be substantially revised based on comments and availability of material. SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 33 7.6. Recruiting and training observers • Working with volunteers • Improving observational skills • Preparing for fieldwork 7.7 Examining the data – simple approaches to data management 7.8 Selecting and maintaining equipment • Binoculars • Telescopes • Tripods • Cameras • GPS • Rangefinders • Playback and recording 7.9 Monitoring single species 7.10 Habitat Monitoring 7.11 Sharing data • E-Bird • World Bird • Avian Knowledge Network 8. Applying the results of monitoring 8.1. Reporting to decision-makers 8.2. Reporting to the scientific body 8.3. Reporting to the general public 9. SCSCB monitoring protocols for landbirds 9.1. Common landbirds - Basic Point counts 9.2 Common landbirds – Area searches 9.3 Common landbirds - Point counts with distance estimation 9.4. Other landbirds • Parrots • Doves and pigeons (general) • White-crowned Pigeon • Bicknell’s Thrush 10. SCSCB monitoring protocols for aquatic wetland birds (including shorebirds) 10.1 Caribbean Waterbird Census 10.2 Shorebirds 10.3 West Indian Whistling-Duck 10.4 Aerial surveys for ducks 10.5 Seabirds • Special problems with monitoring seabirds • WI Nesting Colony Database • Small colonies – total counts • Large colonies (e.g. Sooty Terns) – circular plots • Magnificent Frigatebirds 10.6 Herons and Egrets – colony counts 11. SCSCB monitoring protocols for habitat monitoring 11.1 BirdLife IBA protocol 11.2 Adapted Klamath method SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 34 11.2 Fixed point photographic method 11.3 Using Google earth 12. Other monitoring programmes 121.Christmas bird count 12.2.Breeding bird surveys 12.3.International Shorebird Survey 12.4.Wetlands International Neotropical Waterbird Census 12.5.Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (site assessment) 12.6.MAPS and banding 12.7.Piping Plover 12.8.Project Colony Watch 12.9.Other RECOMMENDED FUTHER READING SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 35 A P P ENDIX 1 0 : L IS T OF W ORKSHOP M A T E RIALS PROVIDED T O EACH P AR T ICI P A N T Pre-workshop materials • Application form • Letter of invitation • Information for participants • Database questionnaire • What to bring Workshop materials • Introduction to the WHMSI project and SCSCB • Workshop Agenda • Certificate of participation • CD with WHMSI/SCSCB workshop presentations and background materials Field forms • Point counts • Seabird surveys • Caribbean water bird census • Habitat surveys • IBAs Field equipment • 1 pair binoculars (for personal use or donation to their institution) • Clipboard • Bahamas National Trust bag CDs • Bird song CD (Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Bahamas/Cuba/Jamaica/Costa Rica as appropriate) • Ravenlite Books • Raffaele et al. 2003. Birds of the West Indies. Princeton Field Guides, Princeton, New Jersey) • Bibby, C., Jones, M. & Marsden, S. 1998. Expedition Field Techniques - Bird Surveys. Expedition Advisory Centre, London. • Gilbert, J. 2008. RSPB Reserves 2008. RSPB, Sandy, Bedfordshire, UK. S CS CB field identification cards • Wetland Birds of the Caribbean identification card • Seabirds of the Caribbean identification card • Landbirds of the Bahamas identification card • Resident and Migratory Ducks of the Caribbean identification card T-shirts • International Migratory Bird Day 2009 • Optics for the Tropics Other suppli es • Field notebook (waterproof) • Beaufort scale • Pencils • Pens • Notepad SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 36 A P P ENDIX 1 1 : CER T IF ICA T E OF P AR T ICI P A T I O N SCSCB/WHMSI Monitoring Project 37