Hawks Aloft, Inc. Thinning Avian Monitoring for Jemez Collaborative Landscape Forest Restoration...

Hawks Aloft, Inc.

ThinningAvian Monitoring for Jemez Collaborative Landscape

Forest Restoration Project 2012-2104

Forest Landscape Restoration Act (PL 111-11, Sec. 4003(c)), the natural resources monitoring program objectives are:

(1) contribute toward the restoration of the structure and composition of pre-fire-suppression old growth stands,  (2) reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, and/or maintain or re-establish natural fire regimes,  (3) improve fish and wildlife habitat, including endangered, threatened and sensitive species,  (4) maintain or improve water quality and watershed function, and  (5) prevent, remediate, or control invasions of exotic species.

Monitoring Objectives:

Avian Survey Routes/Survey Methods• 13 Survey routes established• 10 routes established in 2012, 1 (Guadalupe

River) in 2013, 2 (Paliza North, Paliza South) in 2014

• 148 total points• All points at any active route surveyed 3

times per year between May 15 and July 31• Due to access limitations (fire, closures,

washed out roads, etc.) 7 routes were surveyed only 2 times in 2013 and USFS Riparian was surveyed only once. Only Calaveras Canyon, Ponderosa Springs and Ponderosa Springs Experimental routes were surveyed 3 times in 2013.

• In 2014, Calaveras Canyon and Thompson Ridge routes were inactive (replaced by the Paliza routes), only 2 visits were made to the Obsidian Valley and Paliza South routes due to accessibility (washed out roads), and 3 visits to all other sites.

Point Count Protocol• Bird detections placed at

distance from point at which the bird is first detected in the plot (e.g. on the ground, in vegetation, or actively using the habitat [swallows, hummingbirds, hunting raptors])

• Flying birds recorded as flyovers (excluded from data analysis) unless they land in the plot or are actively using the habitat (e.g. swallows, hummingbirds, hunting raptors)

• Data recorded as far out as detections occur, but data analysis is limited to detections within 125 m radius of the point.

Project Challenges:Inability to access all routes during all years due to fires/flooding/washed out roads.

Banco Bonito Total Species Richness

Type # Species # Points # VisitsControl 42 13* 101Treatment 29 6* 27*3 points changed from ctr to trt for 3rd visit in 2014

Species Richness by yearYear Type # Species # Points # Visits2012 Control 31 13 392012 Treatment 18 3 92013 Control 33 13 262013 Treatment 15 3 62014 Control 32 13* 362014 Treatment 24 6* 12

*3 points changed from ctr to trt for 3rd visit in 2014

Banco Bonito Avian Cumulative Density

Type # birds/visit

Control A 8.80

Treatment A 8.15

Tukey-Kramer HSD test

Type #birds/ha

Control A 1.79

Treatment A 1.66

Tukey-Kramer HSD test

Expected outcomes and timeframe: In thinning treatment areas, we expect to see an initial decline in avian density and species richness. Following treatment, we expect increases as herbaceous plant cover matures in 5-8 years

Observed outcomes: As expected, we documented modest declines in avian density and species richness in thinned areas. During 2014 surveys, avian diversity had begun to increase at treatment points, exceeding both 2012 and 2013 surveys.

PhotographyKeith BauerDoug BrownMike FugagliThomas KilroyAlan Murphy

Data AnalysisTrevor Fetz

MapsMichael Hill

Surveyors Trevor FetzMike FugagliGail GarberErin GreenleeMichael HilcheyRaymond Van BuskirkKieran SullivanJennifer Goyette