BBS routes available - 8 counties

[Hugh Kingery]

            Birding magazine interviewed Chan Robbins (founder of the Breeding Bird Survey) last year. He said, “The BBS shows with greater and greater precision the rates of change in continental bird populations and the geographic areas where the greatest changes are taking place. Initially, my greatest concerns were for species that were disappearing from my long-term routes . . . . but then I began to realize that counts of the most common species were dropping sharply at stops where no change in habitat could be detected; at stops where I used to count eight or nine Red-eyed Vireos, my counts declined to just two or three. . .”

            Agencies, federal, state, and other, use BBS data in their land-use planning. BBS provides data that guides protection of bird habitats.

            We invite qualified observers to participate in the Breeding Bird Survey “BBS.” Participants must have the skills to identify the likely species on their routes by sight and by sound.

            Since 1966 (1968 in Colorado and the West) the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, originally US Fish & Wildlife Service, now the Biological Research Division of the US Geological Survey, has sponsored the Breeding Bird Survey program to monitor birds across the US (and Canada, with the Canadian Wildlife Service). In 2012, volunteers ran almost 3000 routes in the US & Canada. Scientists use BBS results to derive population trends for the species that the system samples well.

            Colorado has 132 designated BBS routes, and we consistently run more routes than all other states in the U.S. except Texas and California.

            A BBS route covers 24.5 miles. Observers record all the birds they hear and see during a 3-minute stop, then drive a half-mile to the next stop. You run the route, once only, during the peak of the songbird singing season, from May 25 on the plains to July 15 in the high country. The ability to identify species by sound is crucial--I estimate that I record 75-85% of the birds on my routes by sound, not sight.

            We seek a commitment of three years, because the BBS doesn't use route data unless the same person runs it for at least 3 years. The observer should have the ability to identify, by sound and sight, most of the species likely to occur along that route. On my routes, I identify over 75% of the birds by sound, without ever seeing them.

            Let me know if you would like one or more. The following list is organized geographically (sort of). We have a huge number of routes available this year –28—and I hope that we can fill most of them with qualified observers who have good ears.

            The following lists the available routes; I can send more detailed descriptions to you if you’d like to consider one but want more information. We have only a few vacant routes this year -- what an improvement over last year!

           

Key to route descriptions:

Number and name          County     Page in DeLorme Atlas

                    Central Mountains

 

17316 Powderhorn      Gunnison, Hinsdale    pp 66-67

Start near Blue Mesa Res. at US 50 & CR 26; south on CR 26 to Colo 149; east on Colo 149 to CR 29; south along Cebolla Creek on CR 29, 27, & 5 to end.

 

17253 Lake City         Hinsdale          p 77

Starts on Colo. 149 at summit of Spring Creek Pass; continues to Rd 30, then up Lake Fork of the Gunnison (CR 30 & FR 4) ; left on CR 35 to end.

 

            Southwest

 

17124 Blackhead Peak     Archuleta        p 88

Starts about 20 miles east of Pagosa Springs: on FR 665, go westerly to US 84; S on 84, but no stops on 84, to CR 326; Left (east) and resume route on CRR326, to end.

 

            Grand Junction area

 

17216 Paonia        Delta   p 57

Starts a mile S of  Paonia; W on Rd M753 miles; S on CR 39.5 & 39 to Crawford; W & S on 38.5 to end.

 

17016 Colona     Ouray, Montrose, San Miguel    p 66

Start 8 mi S of Montrose, at County Line where Dave Wood Rd becomes CR 15. South on CR 15 & FR 510 which becomes Dave Wood Rd (again); continue on JJ58 Rd, 59.Z Rd, Z.60 Rd, 60.X Rd; east on Colo 632 2 mi, then S on 58.P Rd to end. (Actually, not as complicated as it sounds).

 

            Northwest 

 

17351 Angora             Rio Blanco      p 22-23

Start 8 miles NE of Rangely; Start on CR 61 or 65 at Holandrus Res.; south on 61/65 to Colo 64 east on Colo 64 two miles; south and east on CR 122 to end.

           

Hugh Kingery
Franktown, CO