Local block priorities for these last 2 weeks of atlasing

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Glen Mittelhauser

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Mar 1, 2023, 10:10:32 AM3/1/23

to Maine Bird Atlas Block Busters

Hi Blockbusters!

You are an amazing! We are closing in on over 5 years of atlasing effort across Maine, and the dataset you have all generated is unlike anything that Maine has ever had for both breeding and wintering birds.

But, lets not get ahead of ourselves just yet. We have 2 weeks to finish up what we can with the wintering bird dataset. I think most of you know our atlasing priorities for these last 2 weeks quite well by now, but I wanted to dig a little deeper into which local blocks may be a higher priority to work in over others when you have a choice of multiple blocks that you could work in.

I started my morning by studying the winter atlas dashboard map (https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/88f5217da43144cd9eb1c2fbc5fbea4d). Later this week I have a little time to get out atlasing and I already know that none of our highest priority blocks (Found on this map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1eWMVV4OVAquqvMIyjyo-gDTDM12Ifcg&ll=44.620215236057376%2C-67.98971485940658&z=9) are within reach for a couple of hours of effort from the MNHO offices in eastern Maine.

Since I can't get to any of our highest priority blocks on a trip later this week, I started making a list of salmon-colored blocks (these are the blocks that can be completed with some additional effort in these last 2 weeks of atlasing) on the atlas dashboard map that were within a short driving distance for me. I made a list of 8 salmon-colored blocks that I could work in. I know that I cannot complete all 8 of those blocks on this one trip, so which of the 8 blocks should I consider a higher priority for completion?

The answer is quite simple (although difficult to explain), but we need to dig into our completion goals for the atlas in order to explain the process. Look at those large rectangles outlined in green (standard Topo maps or also called topo quads) on the dashboard map (https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/88f5217da43144cd9eb1c2fbc5fbea4d). You will notice that there are 6 atlas blocks contained in each of those green outlined rectangles. The goal for winter atlasing, as I am sure you all know, is to get at least 1 block completed in each of those green outlined rectangles throughout the state.

So for the 8 salmon-colored blocks that I identified that I could reach on a short day trip from the MNHO offices, they all already have at least 1 completed block in the green outlined rectangles. Some of my 8 salmon-colored blocks were in a green outlined rectangle with only 1 completed (dark gray colored) block, others have 2 of the 6 blocks completed, others have 3 of the 6 blocks completed, etc.

So if I can work in a salmon-colored block in a topo quad that has only 1 completed block, that would be my highest priority. If all of my 8 blocks have more than 1 completed block, I next look to see if any have only 2 completed blocks in the topo quad. Etc.

Out of the 8 potential salmon colored blocks that I can work in later this week within a short trip of the MNHO offices, most are in topo quads with 3 or more completed blocks in them, but there was one block that was in a topo quad with only 1 completed block in it. So that is my highest priority out of the 8 potential blocks I could work in and where I will focus my efforts later this week.

I hope this is clear. Let me know if you have any questions on anything for these last 2 weeks of atlasing.

Thanks! Glen

Glen Mittelhauser

Maine Bird Atlas Coordinator

Atlas webpage: www.maine.gov/birdatlas

Atlas Sponsor-a-species: www.mainenaturalhistory.org/sponsor-a-species

Atlas Travel Grants: www.mainenaturalhistory.org/travelgrant

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Maine Natural History Observatory

317 Guzzle Road, Gouldsboro, ME 04607