As one who has done a fair amount of atlas analysis, my recommendations are:
1) When ever possible, visit un-atlassed areas followed by a variety of
habitats in moderately surveyed areas.
2) If you are filling out habitat sheets as well, then repeated surveys may
be useful as I suspect the surveys with habitat sheets will be more
carefully analysed in the future.
3) These days, especially if you are using GPS (and please do), don't be too
concerned about 'blocks', just about positions (and getting them right).
Therefore, look at the map of surveys (see the map viewer website at:
http://www2.abc.net.au/birds/mapviewer.html ) and try to fill the gaps. If
your position is accurate enough, the person doing the analysis can divide
up the surveys later into whatever 'block' size they want. For example, I
did some of my analyses for my PhD using 200km x 200km AMG derived blocks.
Having said that, breaking the area up in 10 minute blocks and trying to
survey them all certainly sets you a nice target! (You could probably teach
4WD classes when you return!)
4) I have a preference for 20min 2ha surveys as these compare well with the
Aust. Bird Count surveys. However, where you are going, some of the larger
surveys may be more suited.
Of course BA may have slightly different survey proirities so I hope they
reply as well.
Peter Griffioen
Original Question
====================================================
A question for the Atlas folk at BA but, I'm sure, of interest to many of
us.
On what basis will the data from this Atlas be mapped or analysed? I thought
I
heard, or saw, somewhere something about doing something on a 30 minute
block
basis.
I ask this as I'm wondering how best to configure my Atlassing to be of
greatest value. On recent trips I have made the effort to get into
previously
unatlassed blocks to fill some gaps. Wherever possible I try and do three 20
minute searches, ie an hours birding in a 10 minute block.
Now, I'm about to head up to Cunnamulla and will be staying at a site where
I
completed quite a lot of Atlas sheets last year and I know others have also
been there and done the same. I have, hot of the press courtesy of the Atlas
folk, the coverage of that area as of June 2001. Sure enough the Cunnamulla
blocks are well covered but the 1 degree block immediately to the north
(Cunnamulla is in the 10 minute block 28 05S 145 45E) has a grand total of
13
Atlas sheets returned from only 6 10 minute blocks (ie 30 unatlassed 10
minute
blocks). There are an equivalent number of unatassed blocks in the 1 degree
block immediately to the north east of Cunnamulla.
My question is: am I better trying to do a few blocks well or try and get
into
as many of these unatlassed blocks as possible? What is of the greatest
value
to the Atlas?
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