Subject: Re: GPS Usage by Birders??
Date: Jan 12 11:56:12 1998
From: "Ed Schulz" - eschulz at gte.net


Bob and Tweeters,

> Question: Are there any birders that use Global Positioning
Satellite
> devices for birding purposes??

A number of volunteers in the Everett area have been collecting
data on the colony of ospreys that nest in the Snohomish River
estuary and providing that information to WSDF&W biologists. We
have been using GPS for two years and that has helped
considerably in correlating observations taken from shore and
those taken from boat. Most of the nests are on pilings that
have been erected to anchor log rafts. When you are out in a
boat among the hundreds of pilings it is very confusing trying
to figure out which nest is which, even after having spent many
hours observing from the shore using a telescope and having been
very familiar with the area. For this application the GPS has
really been helpful.

I have also used GPS in the wetlands on Spencer Island to locate
a crest staff gauge that a group working with Adopt-a-Beach is
monitoring. For most of the season locating the gauge is no
problem, but as the Reed Canary grass grows it gets increasingly
difficult to figure out where you are, and eventually in
midsummer the grass gets to about six feet tall and it is like
wandering around in a cornfield.

Ed Schulz
email: eschulz at gte.net
Phone: (425) 259-6877
Everett, WA