2002 Final Report

to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
J. Daniel Lambert

Abstract
Mountain Birdwatch is a long-term monitoring program for songbirds that breed in high-elevation forests of the Northeast. Skilled volunteers conduct annual surveys along 1-km routes that are located on mountains in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Primary emphasis is placed on Bicknell's Thrush, the region's only endemic bird species, and a montane fir specialist that is vulnerable to ongoing and projected habitat loss. Other focal species include Blackpoll Warbler, Swainson's Thrush, White-throated Sparrow, and Winter Wren. In 2002, Mountain Birdwatchers gathered observations from 142 locations, with point count surveys completed on 118 routes. As in 2001, Blackpoll Warblers and White-throated Sparrows were abundant and occurred on nearly every route. However, their numbers were 10-13% lower than the previous year. Swainson's Thrush and Winter Wren occupied a second tier of abundance, with unchanged numbers since 2001. Bicknell's Thrush remained uncommon, detected during just half of the surveys by point count. Ultimately, observers documented the species on 80% of the routes through chance encounters and audioplaybacks. Despite its rarity, Bicknell's Thrush maintained constant numbers and undiminished distribution in 2002.

In addition to monitoring population levels, VINS biologists and volunteers measured habitat characteristics on 45 routes, collected GPS coordinates on 62 routes, and completed photographic documentation of 52 routes. This information will help determine what factors influence avian abundance and distribution on northeastern mountains, an essential consideration in conservation planning. To provide a basis for such planning, we constructed a GIS model of Bicknell's Thrush breeding habitat (Lambert et al. 2003) and used conservation lands data to identify key management units and conservation opportunities. This assessment revealed the significance of the White Mountain National Forest and the Adirondack Park Forest Preserve, which contain 35% and 22% of modeled U.S. habitat, respectively. Although most of the region's Bicknell's Thrush habitat is conserved, management approaches vary among landowners and large gaps in coverage remain. In western Maine, less than one in four hectares of potential habitat occurs on conservation land. Mountain Birdwatch will continue to monitor the Northeast's high-elevation bird populations, as well as the patterns of land management that affect them.

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