Mike raises a lot of good issues and questions which I know are shared by other birders. No one wants to get the block request and data entry functions out to everyone more than I do. We are working hard to get both those functions out as soon as we can - we are testing the software now and appreciate everyone's patience. If people have been keeping notes on early breeders, that information can be entered when the data entry function is up and running. And in blocks where early breeders were missed this year, the blocks can be surveyed early in the season next year and added then. I will post a message when we know the date the block request and data entry functions will be available.
Also, the MNBBA gets support and direction from many organizations: MOU, the Bell Museum, MN DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Audubon MN, Natural Resources Research Institute and the more than 170 partners in Bird Conservation MN. The bulk of the funding for the BBA comes from LCCMR through the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. The recruitment of Regional Coordinators continues. This is an area where an immediate contribution to the project can be made. We are still looking for help and welcome any volunteers. Bonnie Sample MN Breeding Bird Atlas Coordinator 651-739-9332 bsam...@audubon.org -----Original Message----- From: Minnesota Birds [mailto:mou-...@lists.umn.edu] On Behalf Of Michael Hendrickson Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 5:53 PM To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU Subject: [mou-net] Breeding Bird Atlas Website Hello Some birders maybe be aware that Minnesota Audubon and Minnesota Bird Conservation are steering the Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas project. Last week Bonnie Sample announced the website for the atlas and today I finally got around to search the website. While searching the website this afternoon I noticed that the two most important aspects of the website is still under development. Those two areas are the registration section and for birders to claim a survey block. We are already into April and so far no one has the ability to register for the atlas project or claim a survey block. I was one of the lucky guys and was able to claim my two blocks in Sax-Zim Bog before this link was open to the public. I hope very soon these two areas will be finished so birders who are waiting to register and can do so and also claim a survey block. I know others inside the atlas project inner loop have gotten their blocks like myself before the link to claim a survey block is finally finished and open to the public. Also the link to report birds to the project is still under development as well. I also see that there are 54 counties without regional coordinators out of 87 counties in Minnesota. I know this is the first year out of 5 years for the project but so far in the atlas first year, the project missed out on southern owls and northern owls courting and nesting period. I hope the atlas find more coordinators and also finish the links on the website so birders who are waiting to work on the project can register and claim some blocks before May 1. Mike Hendrickson Duluth, Minnesota Website: http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/ Blog: http://colderbythelakebirding.blogspot.com/ ---- Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html ---- Join or Leave mou-net:http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives:http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
