Fall Migration Approaches, Once Again...
Bringing an end to data collection for the second VA Breeding Bird Atlas project. The start of this year’s Fall migration season marks the final phase of our five-year VABBA2 journey.
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To Code or Not to Code?
This is a question we often find ourselves asking each spring, as residents birds get busy with their breeding activities and migratory birds begin moving through Virginia. The simplest way to address this question is to consult our handy Breeding Timeline Charts found on the Atlas website (vabba2.org).
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Common Atlas Coding Boo-Boos
Check out this great Atlas advice article contributed by Kurt Gaskill, a volunteer coordinator for Atlas region 2. He shares some Atlas tips gleaned not just from his participation in the VABBA2, but also from his experiences in the first VA Breeding Bird Atlas.
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Tackling Tricky Codes Pt. 3: The Confirmations
Mid-June has somehow already arrived, which means that confirmed breeding codes are springing up on many checklists. We’re excited to see volunteers adding new species confirmations to their blocks or documenting uncommon breeding species, e.g. the Dickcissel pair recently found in Bedford county. Given this surge in breeding data, now is a great time for the […]
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Breeding Codes and Migratory Species
Migratory birds, particularly those colorful, diverse species that spend winter in the Neotropics and summer in the US, add a new dimension to collecting breeding data for the VA Breeding Bird Atlas. Breeding codes should be used carefully in the late Spring and early Summer.
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Tackling Tricky Codes Part 2: The Probables...
For our second installment of this series, we’ll be focusing on tricky Probable codes. Much of atlasing effort is focused on trying to upgrade species to this category or higher.
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Tackling Tricky Breeding Codes (Part 1): the Possibles...
Breeding behaviors and the use of breeding codes to describe these behaviors is probably the most unique, interesting, and important aspect of a Breeding Bird Atlas project. In Virginia, we have a diverse bird community, which makes collecting breeding evidence both fun and challenging. The Atlas handbook provides detailed descriptions of each breeding code, but […]
