OBJECTIVES
We aim to determine if draw down of an impoundment at Necedah NWR creates habitat that is more desirable to whooping cranes after hatching colts and if said habitat can also provide better shelter for young colts leading to higher probability of fledging. We will also determine what impacts, if any, this drawdown will have on other avian species such as sandhill cranes and secretive marsh birds which may act as an indicator species in relation to wetland ecosystem quality (Conway 2009).
METHODOLOGY
Cranes
In this study we will compare the impacts of water control and vegetation management on crane colt survival rates. We will look at both whooping crane and sandhill crane colt survival to better measure if some years have low …show more content…
At least three 3 surveys a year will be conducted Morning surveys will begin 30 minutes before sunrise and completed within 2 hours of sunrise. Evening surveys will begin two hours before sunset and will be completed within 30 minutes after sunset. Survey route will be established and all the points will be consistent in both location and order in which they are surveyed. This consistency will help reduce bias as it relates to time of day and location point of each survey. Survey points will be inconspicuously marked using tiles with small stakes attached so they can be pushed into the ground with a distance of 400 m apart. The points will be marked with GPS points using datum WGS84. Maps will also be created to use in the field that shows each point in a given survey location along with coordinates and direction in which to face speakers that play secretive marsh bird calls. The surrounding topography, water features, and vegetation should be recorded for each point in the survey so that it is clear how these factors may impact response. Thick vegetation directly in front of the speakers may cause sound to travel less far as speakers that are played from an elevated edge such as a road or dike. The estimated distance of each call from surveyor will be broken up into 50 m, 100 m. Surveys in Wisconsin should be carried out as fallow: Survey 1 May 1st – May 14th, Survey 2 May 15th – May 31st and Survey 3 June 1st – June 15th (Conway
We aim to determine if draw down of an impoundment at Necedah NWR creates habitat that is more desirable to whooping cranes after hatching colts and if said habitat can also provide better shelter for young colts leading to higher probability of fledging. We will also determine what impacts, if any, this drawdown will have on other avian species such as sandhill cranes and secretive marsh birds which may act as an indicator species in relation to wetland ecosystem quality (Conway 2009).
METHODOLOGY
Cranes
In this study we will compare the impacts of water control and vegetation management on crane colt survival rates. We will look at both whooping crane and sandhill crane colt survival to better measure if some years have low …show more content…
At least three 3 surveys a year will be conducted Morning surveys will begin 30 minutes before sunrise and completed within 2 hours of sunrise. Evening surveys will begin two hours before sunset and will be completed within 30 minutes after sunset. Survey route will be established and all the points will be consistent in both location and order in which they are surveyed. This consistency will help reduce bias as it relates to time of day and location point of each survey. Survey points will be inconspicuously marked using tiles with small stakes attached so they can be pushed into the ground with a distance of 400 m apart. The points will be marked with GPS points using datum WGS84. Maps will also be created to use in the field that shows each point in a given survey location along with coordinates and direction in which to face speakers that play secretive marsh bird calls. The surrounding topography, water features, and vegetation should be recorded for each point in the survey so that it is clear how these factors may impact response. Thick vegetation directly in front of the speakers may cause sound to travel less far as speakers that are played from an elevated edge such as a road or dike. The estimated distance of each call from surveyor will be broken up into 50 m, 100 m. Surveys in Wisconsin should be carried out as fallow: Survey 1 May 1st – May 14th, Survey 2 May 15th – May 31st and Survey 3 June 1st – June 15th (Conway