Hallo birders; some of us are still not clear on how to take part in Kenya Bird Map. I have developed a quick guide here that will also be uploaded on our website soon. How to participate in KBM: 1. How do I get started? You will first need to register as a Kenya Bird Map observer and be given your African Citizen Scientist Observer number. To register, kindly send an email to [email protected] or contact the Kenya Bird Map office, Ornithology Section, National Museums of Kenya Headquarters. Once you are registered, you will receive starter toolkits to act as guidelines on how to carry out mapping and submit your bird sightings. 2. What does a field mapping exercise entail? Day1: • For each pentad, conduct a birdwalk for two hours or more. Remember to record only species within the boundaries of the pentad. If you need to exit and re-enter the pentad you will need to know where the boundaries of the pentad are located. You should look for visible landmarks on the map which can also be easily done using the Google Maps option on the Kenya Bird Map website or use a GPS for this (a smart phone with a GPS application will also work well). • Record new species in the order you see and/or hear them. • Keep track of the birding hours and indicate the end of each hour . This will tell us how many new species you see after each hour. Days 2-5: • On an ad hoc basis, continue adding new species in the order you see/hear them. This could involve visits to parts of the pentad that you were unable to cover on day 1, or recording birds during the night. • You can only add species to a pentad list for 5 days. After 5 days (i.e. on day six), you can start a new list for the pentad. The process discussed above is called a full protocol. Make sure to indicate this when submitting it to the Kenya Bird Map or uploading it on the website. Please note: If you are not able to cover a pentad for two hours or more, kindly go ahead to list the birds seen/heard in the pentad. However, when submitting it to the Kenya Bird Map or uploading it on the website, make sure to indicate it as an ad hoc protocol. 3. How do I submit my data to the project? You can submit your records using one of these methods: • by filling in the data sheet online on the Kenya Bird Map website (kenyabirdmap.adu.org.za). Website maneuver guidelines are available. Kindly email the Kenya Bird Map for a copy. • by completing a hardcopy Field Data Sheet (available at the Kenya Bird Map office) and posting it to: Kenya Bird Map, Nature Kenya, P.O. Box 44486-00100, Nairobi. • by sending a scanned copy of your birdlist to the Kenya Bird Map; via email.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 12:47:50 +0000
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