Photo Of The Month: January 2010
| | 2010/01 - January - American Wigeon St. George Golf Course, Washington County, Utah. January 17, 2009
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Click Here to View Past Photos of the Month
Each month I choose one picture that best exemplifies the month, and that is better than my average shots. The image to the left is the latest addition, and the link above can be used to view past months images. |
eBird and Utah
eBird is a real-time, online checklist program, eBird has revolutionized the way that the birding community reports and
accesses information about birds. Launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society,
eBird provides rich data sources for basic information on bird abundance and distribution at a variety of spatial and
temporal scales.
eBird's goal is to maximize the utility and accessibility of the vast numbers of bird observations made each year by
recreational and professional bird watchers.
It is amassing one of the largest and fastest growing biodiversity data
resources in existence. For example, in 2006, participants reported more than 4.3 million bird observations across
North America.
To date birders have recorded 414 species (+58 other taxa) in eBird for Utah. Click Here to view the entire list.
If you don't already use eBird, then
click here to give it a try.
Recent Notable eBird Sightings in Utah
Nocturnal Migration and Birding By Radar in Utah
Radar, originally developed to detect airborne targets such as aircraft and weather, is also a powerful tool
for detecting density, location and direction and speed of movement of biological targets such as birds, insects
and bats.
During the fall migration period of 2009 I will be following migration in northern Utah, using radar
and keeping daily notes, and images on a new blog, the
Utah Bird Migration Blog. I will try to capture
at least one radar image each night starting in July and ending in late October and try to interpet what the radar is
showing to help others learn more abotu fall migration in Utah and how using weather radar can be a useful tool.
Besides using radar to track migration, weather plays a huge role in what happens during migration, so I will also
attempt to predict fallouts, and patterns in migration based off weather as well.
So check out the Utah Bird Migration Blog and see whats happening this fall in Utah.
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Helpful Links
These 3 links are very useful for nocturnal migration. The first 2 are radar sites where you can
view up to date radar images and loops. The last link goes to a Clemson University site with tons
of infromation about reading radar.
Birds Of Utah Project
Over the next couple years I will be working on a comprehensive guide to the birds of Utah and hosting the project
on my site. There currently is not a guide that covers both the birds, their habits, their status and distribution
as well as the best locations to find them in the state. There are guides for locations and some bird specific
books, but nothing that combines both and lends as a reference and useable piece together.
In August of 2009 I will hopefully be able to start a little bir of work and slowly put together all the information
in one cohesive peice. So check back often to see what is happening.
Current Species Study
As I am working on information pertaining to a species I will keep that information on the site as my current study.
All species will be compiled, but not in a scientifc order or classification, instead on an as interested basis.
Basically whatever has my interest at the moment will be what I work on. And I will fill in the gaps as I go.
Useful Birding Links
Coming Soon
