Conducting a Line Transect Survey for Monitoring Migratory and Wintering Shorebirds
Byrne MW. 2013. Conducting a Line Transect Survey for Monitoring Migratory and Wintering Shorebirds
This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) explains the implementation of a line-transect survey method, distance sampling, and determining shorebird habitat types for two components of the Southeast Coast Network (SECN) Migratory, Wintering, and Beached Shorebird Monitoring Protocol (Byrne et al. 2009a); the migratory and wintering component and the beached bird component. This SOP is integrally linked to the SOP #1.4.26 (Byrne 2013a) for Establishing Sampling Units and Subsample Transects, and it is assumed the readers have reviewed that document prior to their review of this document. Because the transect-survey methodology does not differ between the two components, beached-bird monitoring is typically opportunistic unless specific events occur (e.g., oil spill, disease) and data are collected concurrently with the migratory and wintering activities as beached, dead, or moribund birds are encountered. This SOP also includes a sequence of events and datasheets. This SOP supersedes SOP #2 included in the Byrne et al. (2009a) wintering and migratory shorebird monitoring protocol.