Riparian landbird monitoring in Pinnacles National Park: Progress report for 2015

Dettling, Mark; Humple, Diana

This document contains a brief progress report for landbird monitoring conducted in 2015 in riparian habitats in Pinnacles National Park (PINN) as part of the National Park Service’s Inventory and Monitoring Program. Surveys were part of a pilot year undertaken to finalize methodologies outlined in the draft Protocol Implementation Plan (PIP) for Riparian Landbird Monitoring in Pinnacles National Park submitted for regional review (Humple and Dettling 2016). This PIP was based on Gardali et al. 2010. The Analysis and Synthesis reports (combined with those from the Point Reyes National Seashore and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area) that are produced every six years (e.g., Humple and Porzig 2012) include in-depth analyses and discussion that are not objectives of this progress report. The field methods followed at PINN are standardized with those already approved and published by the Inventory and Monitoring Program for riparian landbird monitoring in Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, with little variation anticipated. Landbird monitoring was conducted by Point Blue Conservation Science (hereafter Point Blue; formerly PRBO Conservation Science) in Pinnacles National Park along nine transects using the point count method. The surveys were conducted during the breeding season of 2015. Monitoring at these locations is planned to occur every three years, with this being the first year of implementation (Humple and Dettling 2016, Gardali et al. 2010). Of the 67 bird species that were detected, 23 were California Partners in Flight Focal Species (CalPIF 2000, CalPIF 2002a, CalPIF 2002b, CalPIF 2004, CalPIF 2009, RHJV 2004), two were also California Bird Species of Special Concern (Shuford and Gardali 2008), and two more were also listed as vulnerable to climate change in California (Gardali et al. 2012). Transect narratives to facilitate the relocation of point count stations were either created or updated (to reflect changes in vegetation) depending on whether or not the transect was newly established or established during a previous project, and are included in the Protocol Implementation Plan (Humple and Dettling 2016).

Riparian landbird monitoring in Pinnacles National Park: Progress report for 2015

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