Riparian landbird monitoring in Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore: Progress report for 2016-2017

Dettling, Mark; Humple, Dianna

This document contains a brief progress report for landbird monitoring conducted in 2016-2017 in riparian habitat found in Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area as part of the National Park Service’s Inventory and Monitoring Project, and following protocols established for this purpose in these two parks (Gardali et al. 2010, updated in 2019). The Analysis and Synthesis reports that are produced every six years (e.g., Humple and Porzig 2014) include in-depth analyses and discussion that are not the purview of this progress report; that report will be produced after the 2018 riparian landbird monitoring season in Pinnacles National Park (Humple et al. 2017) and in combination with results from that park. Monitoring was conducted by Point Blue Conservation Science (hereafter Point Blue; formerly PRBO Conservation Science) at 15 study sites within the parks using one or both of two methods, point counts and constant-effort mist netting. We report on point count surveys that were conducted during the peak landbird breeding season (May-June) of 2017, and mist netting that was conducted from 13 August 2016 to 14 August 2017 (367 instead of 365 days based on other variables that influence the transition timing between “summer” and “fall” banding seasons). Monitoring at this entire suite of sites takes place every three years, with monitoring occurring at a subset of sites (point counting at some sites, and mist netting at all sites where that occurs) annually (Gardali et al. 2019). Of the 114 bird species detected, 29 were California Partners in Flight Focal Species (CalPIF 2000, CalPIF 2002a, CalPIF 2002b, CalPIF 2004, CalPIF 2009, RHJV 2004), and four of those were also California Bird Species of Special Concern (Shuford and Gardali 2008). Site narratives were updated to reflect changes in vegetation and other environmental factors. Two important changes in the protocol that occurred were that one point count transect (Coast Camp) and one mist-netting station (Lagunitas Creek) were discontinued during this period due to access issues or major changes at the site, respectively. Public outreach is an important component of Point Blue’s mist netting programs; approximately 900 members of the public viewed mist netting at these sites during this year-long period through organized class visits, and hundreds more as drop-in visitors.

Riparian landbird monitoring in Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore: Progress report for 2016-2017

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