Atlantic Canada Coastal Waterbird Survey

Méthodologie

<p>Methods are based on the BC Coastal Waterbird Survey. Observers count all waterbirds, by species when possible, at regular intervals at specific locations so that coordinated information on distribution and migration over a broad area can be acquired. </p> <ul> <li>- General Information: Prior to beginning the survey, surveyors fill out the Site Name, season, date, surveyor/assistant Information, weather condition data, and start time. </li> <li>- Survey Windows: Surveys are completed during a continuous 30-minute period on a single day, during each of the seasonal survey windows (Winter, Spring, Summer, Early Fall, Late Fall). Five surveys are completed each year at most sites. Note: due to access issues and ice cover, some sites are not covered in the winter, while others are covered only in the winter. This reflects where birds tend to congregate in different seasons. The survey windows include: Winter (January 18 - February 28), Spring (April 14 - May 28), Summer (June 15 - July 31), Early Fall (August 1 - October 15), Late Fall (November 1 - December 15). </li> <li>- Timing: Spring, Summer, and Early Fall surveys are conducted during the day at high tide (± 2 hours of highest point of tide at closest tidal station). Surveys in the Late Fall and Winter are conducted during daylight hours at any tidal cycle, due to shorter daylight hours.</li> <li>- Weather Conditions: Temperature, wind, fog, etc. are recorded for each site. </li> <li>- Species Identification: Birds are identified to the species level, where possible (e.g. Semipalmated Sandpiper, American Black Duck). If individuals are too distant or move too quickly to identify accurately, surveyors identify to the closest family/genus/subfamily (e.g., Gull spp., Sandpiper spp., Tern spp.). </li> <li>- Distance categories: For each bird/group of birds, surveyors record the approximate location of the birds. Coastal locations are classified as follows: <ul> <li>o OS – offshore, >500m from high tide line; </li> <li>o NS – nearshore, from high tide mark to 500m offshore; </li> <li>o IN – inshore, from high tide mark to coastline </li> </ul> </li> <li>- Flying birds: Birds departing from or landing in water/inland areas are recorded in their respective Distance Categories (see above). Otherwise, birds flying through the observation area (i.e. transiting birds) are recorded separately as “Flying”. Some exceptions to this: <ul> <li>o Placentia Bay sites (PBEA and PBWE) from 2018-2023 – flying birds are included in the distance category counts </li> <li>o Port of Saint John, NB, Belledune, NB, Halifax, NS, and Sydney, NS, areas (many sites) from 2019 to July 2025 – birds departing from or landing in water/inland areas are counted as “flying”. Protocol changed in August 2025 to record these birds into Distance Categories</li> </ul> </li> </ul>