Abstract:

This report contains live bird oiling observation data and provides additional context for the posted dataset, including information about the collection, analysis, and organization of the data. Characteristics of this dataset include the following:  This live bird oiling observation dataset focuses only on information related to live bird oiling observations, which were collected under multiple studies.  This dataset includes data collected cooperatively with the Trustees as well as one study performed independently by consultants for BP. BP has been working to produce and organize these cooperative and independent data and perform data verification checks. As a result, these data have not been previously publicly accessible.  This dataset combines results from nine NRDA studies.  Before posting, extensive work was done independently by BP contractors to verify some aspects of the posted data (e.g., positional coordinates and field data). The focus of this data posting is live bird oiling observations conducted visually by study personnel in vessels on state or federal Gulf of Mexico waters. Over 500,000 bird observations, made from May 2010 through March 2011 are included in this publication. These observations were collected during nine studies and can be classified into two general categories:  NRDA Cooperative – Studies conducted as part of the NRDA investigations agreed to and executed cooperatively by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), other Trustees, and BP.  BP NRDA Independent – Studies conducted by BP independently to develop data to support and inform the NRDA. This dataset includes data associated with field observations including observation date, location, species, counts, observed oiling, behavior, and condition.

Suggested Citation:

BP Gulf Science Data. 2016. Live bird oiling observations on Gulf of Mexico waters from May 2010 through March 2011. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7JD4V5M

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to collect observations of live birds that were oiled in Gulf of Mexico waters to support NRDA studies. These data were collected by BP to help guide cleanup operations under the direction of the U.S. Coast Guard and to support the Natural Resource Damage Assessment efforts by federal and state agencies and BP to evaluate potential injury to natural resources in the Gulf. The data and supplemental information are being made available to the public in a format that will facilitate the use of the data for research and other studies. GRIIDC is making these data available following the shutdown of the Gulf Science Data Portal. This will ensure that the data are available and searchable through GRIIDC data discovery.

Data Parameters and Units:

Data Publication Date = Date associated with the current data posting date (M/D/YY); Data Publication Reference = A general description of data provided in the data posting and a version control number; Study Reference Number = Study reference number (SRN) assigned by BP to provide a link between the data provided in the data file and the associated work plans and study descriptions; Study Name = Names of studies conducted as part of this Live Bird Oiling data publication. This name is part of the primary key of this table and is used within other documents from BP; Study Code = Three letter code designation for the study. Codes are associated with each Study Reference number.; Study Type = Studies are designated as either cooperative or independent; Study Team Type = Each survey was conducted by a cooperative, trustee-independent, or BP-independent team; Survey ID = Study code and a 3- or 4-digit number to uniquely identify each survey record. This identifier is part of the primary key of this table; Survey Date = The date on which the survey was conducted. (M/D/YY); Start Time = The time at which the survey began. (M/D/YY H:MM), data type = Military Time (local); End Time = The time at which the survey was completed. (M/D/YY H:MM), data type = Military Time (local); Duration = The duration of the survey, calculated by determining the difference between the start and end times(H:MM); Mode = The mode of transportation used for the survey. (ATV, Boat, Land, Foot, Vessel, Truck); Survey Location ID = This field contains a description of the survey location (descriptions may include geographical areas or transect names); Transect Width or Area = The width of the survey transect; Transect Width or Area Units = Units for the transect width or area measured (meters, arc degree); Observer Ct = A count of the number of observers on the field survey team.; Geographic Area = This field describes identification codes for the geographic area in which the survey was conducted, based on survey coordinates or location provided on the datasheets; Latitude Start = The latitude of the survey start location, reported in decimal degrees (WGS84); Longitude Start = The longitude of the survey start location, reported in decimal degrees (WGS84); Latitude End = The latitude of the survey end location, reported in decimal degrees (WGS84); Longitude End = The longitude of the survey end location, reported in decimal degrees (WGS84); Survey Type = Surveys were conducted either along transects or as point counts from a fixed location; Visibility in Miles = An observation of the visibility during the survey, in miles; Tide = Observation of tide conditions during the survey; Optics = A description of the optical equipment, such as binoculars or spotting scopes; Wind Direction Start = Observation of wind direction at the start of the survey; Wind Direction End = Observation of wind direction at the end of the survey; Wind Speed = Observation of wind speed during the survey. (MPH, knots); Weather = Observation of weather conditions during the survey; Speed MPH = Pelagic Surveys Only: Speed of vessel travel during transect surveys; Obsn Ht in Meters = Pelagic Surveys Only: Height (m) of the observation platform over the water during surveys; Survey Notes = General field notes from the survey forms; Obs ID = This identifier is unique to each record in the live bird oiling rate observation table; Group Number = NBSB Only: Code to group sets of bird observations together on the datasheet; Obs Time = Time of observation. (M/D/YYYY H:MM), data type = Military Time (local); Side Obs = Pelagic Surveys Only: Side of vessel where observation was made. Numeric values contained in this field are assumed to represent the circumference degrees for which observations were made. Where a symbol for degrees was used, it was replaced with the word “degrees.”; Bird Count = Count of the number of birds observed; Species = Description of species observed, 4-letter alpha codes; Age = Estimate of bird(s) age; Oiling = Observation of the level of visible oiling of the bird(s) observed (heavy, light, mod, trace, NULL, NA, None, UND) ; Distance = Estimated distance from observer to bird(s) (raw values); Distance Units = Units of the estimated distance from observer to bird(s) meters or not specified-NS); Behavior = Documents the behavior of the bird(s) when it was observed, as recorded on datasheets; Debilitated = Indication of whether bird(s) seemed debilitated during observation; Latitude Obs = Latitude of the bird observation, recorded in decimal degrees (WGS84); Longitude Obs = Longitude of the bird observation, recorded in decimal degrees (WGS84); Flight Dir = Direction (degrees) in which the bird was flying when observed. Numerical values represent degrees; Notes Obs = General field notes on the bird observation; Field Data Verification Status = Summary of the data verification process status described in Appendix B. Valid entries - Not started, Underway, and Complete;

Individual Files: