All eight of the endangered species protected under the BCCP require regular monitoring. Staff follows
species-specific monitoring protocols that have been agreed upon by all of the BCCP partners.
They collect data to identify changes to territories, use of habitat, quality of habitat, changes
in productivity of species and other important topics. For non-scientists who might not be familiar
with the components of a monitoring protocol it may be helpful to present a synopsis of the one used
for the golden-cheeked warbler.
Staff conducts a series of habitat visits during the breeding season from mid-March to the end of May
to listen for, look for, and record the presence and behavior of the parent birds, fledglings, and
other animals they interact with such as predators. The most intensive monitoring occurs on prime
plots, 100-acre study plots that were delineated in excellent habitat soon after creation of the BCP.
Other partners, in addition to the City of Austin utilize this strategy for comparative monitoring year
after year. The assigned biologist arrives at the study plot in time to begin monitoring 30 minutes
after sunrise having checked that weather conditions are and will continue for six hours to be
conducive for monitoring (no rain and no more than light wind). They will monitor the study plot
10 times during the breeding season for six hours on each visit; and the visits must be a minimum
of five days apart. Given the unpredictable weather in spring, the biologists' schedules must remain
flexible to allow them to take advantage of good monitoring conditions and juggle multiple monitoring
responsibilities. In our technological age, part of the process of monitoring is transferring their
data into an electronic format. Staff utilizes spreadsheets and graphs, and most often a GIS system
for mapping and analysis.
It might seem ideal to spend so much of one's working time outside, and indeed the City's BCP
biologists love their job. They possess a rare combination of passion, professionalism, dedication,
and inquisitiveness and take their role as land managers of our community's natural resources very
seriously. What citizens may not realize is the physical demands of the job. They spend hundreds
of hours in the field each year crossing rugged terrain, kneeling and bending over very cold water
for hours, crawling in muddy caves, coming in contact with irritating plants and biting insects,
recording a variety of details they observe, and doing all of this no matter whether it is raining,
windy, very hot or very cold.
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