NC Partners in Flight 2008 Spring Meeting

March 27, 2008 from 9:30am until 4:30pm, Blue Jay Point County Park, Wake County

The Society of American Foresters have approved this meeting for 4.0 CFE Contact hours, Category 1

Tentative Meeting Agenda

 'Corporate CURE Area Update' - Benjy Strope, Corporate CURE Technical Assistance Biologist, NC Wildlife Resources Commission  

10:10 am - 10:40 am

Project highlights of the Murphy-Brown NC Wildlife Resources Commission CURE area in Ammon, NC. 

‘Effects of Perimeter-area Ratio and Landscape Context on Scrub-successional Birds in Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Habitat’ - Corey Shake, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program, NC State University.

10:45am – 11:15 am

A summary of results from the first year of data on this two-year study that examines how size, shape, and landscape context affect scrub-successional birds. The study focuses on how these factors influence two bird response variables: (1) whether or not a species occupies a CREP habitat patch and (2) nest success rates of five focal songbird species within a patch. The study aims to help the NC Division of Soil and Water Conservation create riparian buffers that provide benefits for declining bird species.

‘An Update on the NC Birding Trail’ – Salinda Daley Bachelor, NC Birding Trail Coordinator, NC Wildlife Resources Commission

11:20 am – 11:35 am

Learn about the latest development from the NC Birding Trail, a driving trail connecting great birding spots across the state.  Topics will include a progress update, information on our Birder Friendly Business/Community training program, and future direction related to signs, the trail guide series, educational goals, and marketing.

Noon – 1:30 pm: Lunch on your own

'Breeding Painted Bunting Citizen Science and Traditional Monitoring Surveys - 2007' – Jamie Rotenberg,  Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Studies, UNC- Wilmington

 1:30 pm – 2:10 pm

UNCW, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Service and other participating partners, including Citizen Science volunteers, conducted monitoring of populations of NC's breeding Painted Buntings. Results from both the 2007 Citizen Science-collected data and the traditional monitoring will be presented along with an update on trends, and distribution.

‘Over-wintering Waterfowl Movements in Coastal North Carolina’ - Michael J. Begier, Wildlife Biologist, USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services

2:15 pm – 2:45 pm

North Carolina, including the northeastern coastal plain, is a known over-wintering site for many species of waterfowl. The counties surrounding Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge provide habitat for several of these species. From a study site location in Washington County we were able to observe arrival and departure migration patterns and daily movements between foraging and roosting locations of several species of birds. We utilized a 50 KW Furuno® radar equipped with a microcomputer and advanced tracking software from Sicom Systems, Ltd. to continuously monitor bird movements.

‘NC PIF Updates’

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

-Swainson’s Warbler Roanoke River Research

-Breeding Bird Survey Assessment Research

-Mecklenburg County Avian Monitoring/Research

-Appalachian Mountain Joint Venture

-Bald Eagle Monitoring

-Peregrine Falcon Monitoring

-Important Bird Areas

-Wind Energy

-WRC Game Land/CURE Bird Monitoring

-Nightjar Surveys

-Land Acquisition

-Forest Landbird Legacy Program

-Atmospheric Pollution and High Elevation Birds

-Upcoming NC PIF meetings

Mark Johns

Certified Wildlife BIologist

Partners in Flight Biologist

Wildlife Diversity Program

NC Wildlife Resources Commission

johnsme@mindspring.com

http://faculty.ncwc.edu/mbrooks/pif/