How
Do I Report Hawk Sightings?
Daily Report Form
The
hawkwatch Daily Report Form (DRF) used by hawkwatchers
throughout North America is available in two versions, one
for Excel and one in PDF format, which can be read and printed
by software called Adobe Acrobat Reader.
If
you have Excel-compatible software on your computer (such
as Microsoft Works), you can use the
Excel
version (58K file). The Excel version offers the added
advantage of allowing you to submit your report forms electronically,
either on disk or preferably as an email attachment. This
allows us to incorporate your data directly into our overall
database without having to reenter your numbers from a printed
form.
If
you do not have Excel-compatible software, you can use the
4 page PDF version
Pg-1
Instructions for Recording and Reporting Hawk Count Data
- Pg-2
Definitions for Data Forms -
Pg-3 Field
Recording Sheet -
Pg-4 HMANA Daily
Report Form.
PDF files are a widely used format that can be read and
printed out using free software called Adobe Acrobat. (For
example, the IRS and many other government agencies make
their forms available in PDF for download at their sites.)
Visit the
Adobe
Acrobat web site, where you can download the software
for free. Installation is simple, and the Adobe site provides
instructions.
DRF
Instructions
The
report form instructions are
contained in 2 simple text files you can download and read
with any word-processing software. They provide explanations
for the reporting codes and information on how to submit
your forms to EMHW.
Pg-1
Instructions for Recording and Reporting Hawk Count Data -
Pg. 2
- Definitions For Data Forms
Fill
in your report as soon as possible and send it to Paul Roberts,
254 Arlington St., Medford, 02155 or email it to Paul at
phawk@world.std.com
If you are using Excel, it would be
greatly appreciated if you would send your reports in as
Excel files, preferably as an email attachment, so they
can be directly incorporated into our data base.
Please
note: Submitting a DRF of your observations, no matter how
few birds you saw, means your information will contribute
to the continent-wide data base and will be available to
researchers. There is still so much to be learned about
hawk migration, every scrap of information adds to our knowledge
of the birds' movements through our area. The form only
takes a couple of minutes to fill out, and isn't as hard
as it may look.
If
you don't report your sightings on a DRF, you may have had
a personally enjoyable experience, but you will not have
contributed to the study and preservation of these wonderful
birds.
The
Next Steps
If
you have a large count or any unusual species during a spring
or fall flight, call 781-483-4263 and leave a message as
to what you saw (count by species), where and when (date
& time of day). Please provide your name and a phone number
where we can reach you if you have not reported previously
this season. You can also post your observations to the MASSBIRD and/or BIRDHAWK Internet mailing lists.
(See information on these lists below). You have to register
as a member at these sites (free) in order to be able to
post to them.
You
can also post your observations to the MASSBIRD
and/or BIRDHAWK Internet mailing lists. (See information
on these lists below). You have to register as a member
at these sites (free) in order to be able to post to them.
Migration-Related
Internet Mailing Lists
(click
links for subscription info)
Massbird
is the comprehensive birding-related mailing list for Eastern
Massachusetts. Many general birders are interested in hawk
migration, but do not subscribe to the lists that focus
exclusively on hawks. If you are a subscriber, cc. your
HAWKNET emails to this list.
Birdhawk,
maintained by the Hawk Migration Association of North America,
could be described as the inverse of MASSBIRD. This list
carries daily hawk migration counts from many hawkwatch
sites all over the country. You can also view daily,
monthly and seasonal counts of hawks for many HMANA hawk
watches by visiting
HawkCount
EMHW
will post daily count totals from Wachusett Mountain, Mt.
Watatic and one or two other selected sites for which we
may have significant information to all three lists above.
