GVI staff training on bird watching

Four days of bird watching training in Sian Ka’an Reserve were provided at the beginning of June 2009 to four GVI staff (2 from Punta Gruesa -Rowana and Nikki and 2 from Pez Maya -Sam and Jaen) in order to improve the accuracy of bird monitoring carried out at each of the bases. The training was given by Blanca Roldán Clarà (Fig.1), Master of Science from El colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Chetumal, México, who did her Master Thesis on the Black catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris).

It consisted of bird watching and familiarization with songs in the morning and, in the evening, a briefing on the species seen, followed by some lectures. During the first and third day, birding was carried out around the Pez Maya base along the five transects monitored there. During the second day, the training was moved to San Juan through the palm savannah, along a transect monitored by Blanca and colleagues. Finally, on the fourth day, four mist nets were installed; half an hour later the birds caught in them were untangled, identified and closely observed (Fig.2). The lectures received in the evenings included the following topics: “Common land birds of Pez Maya”, “Common sea birds of Pez Maya” and “Migratory birds of Sian Ka’an”. These four days of birding with a specialist were really fruitful since they provided the needed practice, knowledge and material (songs and documents) to GVI staff carrying out the yearly bird monitoring. And it was also a lot of fun!

GVI staff training on bird watching