(IVAR) - Final Report - Strategic Environmental Research and ...

Cyclical trends in the distribution of target activity are apparent in the hourly track counts.
Comparing the patterns between the three figures also illustrates differences in the seasonal
abundance of targets. As would be expected, the greatest amount of activity occurred during the
day and the lowest around midnight. These periods of relatively high and low activity correspond
with other observations of bird activity at SEA (Steve Osmek and Edwin Herricks, personal
communication). Track count filtering and further analysis of these results is on-going, as is the
comparison of these patterns from one year to the next.
Conclusion
We have successfully demonstrated Performance Criteria PB7.2 and PB8.2 by collecting bird
abundance data over a one-year period at SEA and then extracting and displaying the distribution
of those data over both hourly and daily time periods. Along with PB1.1 (Section 6.2.1.1),
which demonstrated (at NASWI, in that case) that both the AR- and eBirdRad-type radars can be
operated continuously 24/7, the results presented here demonstrate these avian radar systems are
capable of gathering bird abundance data day and night over long periods of time – a necessary
requirement in a wide range of temporal analyses.
6.2.2.8 Provides Seasonal Comparison Distributions [SB8.2]
The demonstration of PB7.2 has been incorporated in Performance Criterion PB7.2 (Section
6.2.2.7).
6.2.2.9 Samples Birds at Night [PB9.2]
Objective
Our objective for Performance Criterion PB9.2 was to demonstrate the capability of the avian
radar systems evaluated by the IVAR project to sample birds at night.
The ability to sample birds at night is one of the primary advantages of avian radar over other
methods of sampling birds, and this capability is especially important for systems that are
intended to provide around-the-clock situational awareness of bird activity.
In this demonstration, we present hourly trends and track histories to illustrate that using avian
radar systems to sample bird activity at night is “Achievable”.
Method
We demonstrated aspects of Performance Criterion PB9.2 indirectly as part of several other
performance criteria, criteria where nighttime sampling was part of the study design (e.g., PB1.1,
Section 6.2.1.1; PB4.2, Section 6.2.2.4; PB5.2, Section 6.2.2.5; PB7.2, Section 6.2.2.7). We
have used some of the same data here, specifically focused on sampling birds at night. In
particular, we identified extended periods of continuous operation of the SEAAR2l rooftop radar
at SEA and generated track counts and histories to illustrate the target activity that was seen by
the radar at night.
Results
We identified a 5-day period of continuous operation of the SEAAR2l radar and exported the
track updates for this period. From these track records we generated hourly track counts over the
entire period (12/1/2008 to 12/5/2008) and use Microsoft Excel® for analysis and display. The
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