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Atlas kits

To:
Subject: Atlas kits
From:
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 1998 11:06:32 +1000
Hi everyone,
I (like many others I guess) received my atlas kit last night.  On a quick read 
through it seems fairly straightforward 
and interesting.  A couple of points though which I noticed.  First the grid 
size seems to have gone back up to a 1 
degree block for total coverage of Australia or have I read the introduction to 
be kit incorrectly.  I know that the 
position data will be on a much finer scale so I guess Birds Australia are just 
being cautious about the scale that they 
will be able to achieve.  However is it still true that the final grid size 
will be smaller if they get a good enough 
response?
Secondly I was wondering how the dissemination of bird sightings affects the 
collection of data especially in regard to 
the abundance of birds.  I take it that the information from the 20 minute bird 
searches will be used to determine bird 
abundance, ie the more often a bird is recorded in a given block in 20 minute 
searches then the more common it is 
assumed to be in that area.  However with rapid dissemination of sightings (eg 
internet and other birding groups) will 
this affect this data.  For example I went to Heathcote on the weekend and 
thanks to a previous email made sure to stop 
in at the Costerfield Hall to see the Southern Whitefaces.  Now if a number of 
people were to use the same information 
then we might get an inaccurate view of how common the Southern Whiteface is in 
this block.  This effect might be even 
more pronounced for rare species. Is this a problem or am I not considering the 
statistics correctly. 
Best Wishes
John

                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
Best Wishes
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
John Boyce

Department of Microbiology
Monash University
Clayton, 3168
Vic. Australia
 
phone: work:  9905 4838
       home:  9376 6641

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