Abstract:

This report contains data that were collected to support NRDA beached bird studies. Unoiled frozen bird carcasses of various sizes were provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service(USFWS) for two of the studies presented in this publication (study reference numbers [SRNs] 5 and 6. For SRN 7, fresh bird carcasses were obtained by the USFWS from airport animal control operations. In all studies, bird handling was done under the direction of USFWS and required permits were obtained. This report provides additional context for the posted dataset, including information about the collection and organization of the data. Characteristics of this dataset include the following: • This dataset consists of data collected cooperatively by BP and the Trustees. • This dataset focuses on data collected under six NRDA work plans: three beached bird survey efforts implemented in 2010, a bird searcher efficiency study, and studies of the persistence of beached (stranded) and on-water (floating) bird carcasses. • Data collected under two of the work plans included in this publication (Appendix A: SRNs 5 and 6) have undergone a cooperative process during which Trustee and BP representatives jointly reviewed the datasets. A similar cooperative process was underway at the time of posting for data collected under a third work plan (Appendix A: SRN 7). Cooperative review has not been conducted for data collected under the remaining work plans included in this publication (Appendix A: SRNs 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3). Before posting, work was done independently by BP contractors to verify some aspects of the posted data (e.g., positional coordinates and field data). These beached bird assessment data were collected from northern Gulf of Mexico waters and shorelines in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Collection efforts occurred from May 2010 through August 2011 under six work plans. This data publication describes the date, location, and results of bird carcass searches conducted under NRDA in 2010 as well as the fates of bird carcasses placed in the field to support NRDA-related studies. This work was conducted as part of NRDA studies agreed to and executed cooperatively by the USFWS, other DWH NRDA Trustees, and BP. This dataset includes data associated with: • Bird carcass collection efforts conducted in 2010 under NRDA, including the date, location, and results of individual bird carcass searches (SRNs 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3). • NRDA bird searcher efficiency, including the date and location of individual carcasses deployed under the study and whether or not they were collected by teams conducting beached bird surveys (SRN 5). • Beached bird carcass persistence, including date and location of individual carcasses deployed under the study and whether or not they persisted throughout the study (SRN 6). • The on-water persistence of bird carcasses, including the date and location of individual carcasses deployed under the study and whether they were floating, stranded on a shoreline, or lost on any given day during the study (SRN 7). Sampling variations may exist across observers, methods, locations, and times. Information describing bird carcasses collected from survey transects by non-NRDA personnel may be available on the following website: http://www.fws.gov/home/dhoilspill/pdfs/Bird%20Data%20Individual%2005112011.pdf.

Suggested Citation:

BP Gulf Science Data. 2016. Data inputs for beached bird assessment from northern Gulf of Mexico waters and shorelines in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, 2010-05-17 - 2011-08-19. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N779433S

Purpose:

The purpose of the studies represented in this data set was to provide input for the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) of beached birds, and includes bird searcher efficiency, and carcass persistence 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:

Age = Age class of bird at time of collection; BBS Team = A code identifying the Beached Bird Survey (BBS) team that conducted the survey; Beach Position = If object was stranded on a beach/shoreline, position of object on beach/shoreline; Beach Position Description = Describes the position at which the carcass was placed relative to the high tide line; Beach Segment ID = Identifier for the BBS transect at which the carcass was deployed; Block Present = Documentation of whether block was present at time of data collection. (Yes, No, Moved, N/A = Not Applicable); Block Status = Status of wooden block placed under stranded objects. (Yes = Block present in previous location, No = Missing, PL = New block placed that day); Capture Latitude = Latitude coordinate where bird was captured, reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Capture Longitude = Longitude coordinate where bird was captured, reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Capture Method = Method used to capture a bird. (Talon Net, Coda Net); Carcass Condition Upon Receipt = Condition of carcass when received in Gulf of Mexico; Carcass Detected = Indicates whether the carcass was detected by the BBS team. (Yes, No); Carcass ID = Carcass-specific identification code; Carcass Placement Date = The date the carcass was placed on the beach segment (M/D/YYYY); Carcass Placement Time = Time at which the carcass was placed on the beach segment (military time H:MM); Carcass Position Relative to Surf = Position of carcass relative to the surf. (Low, Wrack, Upper); Carcass Recovered = Indicates whether the carcass was recovered by the BBS team or the carcass detection study team.; Carcass Size = Size category assigned to carcass based on weight of carcass. (Small, Medium, Large); Carcass State = State of the carcass at time of data collection; Carcass Temperature Upon Receipt = Temperature of carcasses upon receipt in Gulf of Mexico; Carcass Temperature Upon Receipt Units = Units of measurement used to record carcass temperature. (degrees C, degrees F); Carcass Weight = Weight of bird carcass, No values for dummies; Carcass Weight Size = Size category assigned to carcass based on weight of carcass; Carcass Weight Units = Units of measurement used to record carcass weight (g) Dummies noted as “NULL”; Carcasses Collected = Number of carcasses collected; Carcasses Placed = The number of carcasses placed on the beach segment; Cold Storage Temperature = Temperature of cold storage unit; Cold Storage Temperature Unit = Units of measurement used to record temperature of cold storage unit. (degrees C); Collection Age = Approximate age class of bird at its time of death. (AD = Adult, UNK = Unknown); Collection Comments = Comments related to object collection; Collection Condition = Condition of object at time of collection; Collection Date = Date of carcass collection (MM/DD/YYYY); Collection Evidence Tag Number = Unique number identifying all carcasses collected during the DWH oil spill; a subset of carcasses was collected as a result of NRDA studies; Collection ID Number = Number assigned to each bird collected during the search; Collection Latitude = Latitude coordinate where object was collected reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Collection Longitude = Longitude coordinate where object was collected reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Collection Oiling = Degree of visible oiling on object. (None, NULL); Collection Position = Position of the object on the beach/shoreline when collected; Comments = Comments related to object deployment.; Current Carcass Latitude = Latitude coordinate at which carcass was located on the date of observation, reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Current Carcass Longitude = Longitude coordinate at which carcass was located on the date of observation, reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Data Publication Date = Date associated with the current data posting (MM/DD/YYYY); Data Publication Reference = A general description of data provided in the data posting and a version control number; Datasheet Code = A code indicating a unique datasheet; Datasheet Comments = Comments recorded on field forms; Datasheet Notes = Field added during data verification and validation for notes recorded outside the provided "Notes" field; includes marginal notes or notes recorded on the top or bottom of a datasheet; Date = Date that the object was observed (MM/DD/YYYY); Date Moved to Cold Storage = Date carcass was moved to cold storage in Gulf of Mexico (MM/DD/YYYY); Deployment Date = Date object was first put in northern Gulf of Mexico waters (MM/DD/YYYY); Deployment Latitude = Latitude coordinate where object was first put in northern Gulf of Mexico waters reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Deployment Longitude = Longitude coordinate where object was first put in northern Gulf of Mexico waters reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Disposition = Intake center to which bird was transferred; Distance From Transect Start (m) = Distance in meters from transect start to carcass placement location; Drop Type = Method used to deploy object. (boat, helicopter); Effort Comments = Comments related to search effort; Effort ID = Unique identifier assigned to differentiate search efforts; End Time = Time at which segment search or activity ended (military time HH:MM); Euthanasia Date = Date bird was euthanized (MM/DD/YYYY); Euthanasia Method = Method used to euthenize bird. (CO2 = carbon dioxide); Euthanasia Time = Time bird was euthanized (military time HH:MM); Field Data Verification Status = Summary of the data verification process status described in Appendix B. (Not Started, Underway, Complete); Float Color = Color of radio transmitter float. (Orange, White); Form Code = Code uniquely identifying each study-related field form; Frequency = Frequency of radio transmitter attached to deployed object. R indicates that the frequency is being used for a second object after the fate of the first object was determined (units not specified); Habitat Type = If object was stranded on a beach/shoreline, type of beach/shoreline habitat where object was stranded; Identifier Key = Trustee Code uniquely identifying each data record using the following convention: Date_SurveyTransect_CarcassID_Time.; Initial Cooling Method = Method used to cool carcass. (Cooler/Ice Pack); Initial Cooling Start Time = Time at which carcass began cooling process (military time HH:MM); Latitude = Latitude coordinate where object was observed reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Latitude End = The latitude of the survey end location, reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Latitude Start = The latitude of the survey start location, reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Length of Segment = Length of segment as estimated in the field; Length of Segment Unit = Unit associated with length of segment. (km, m, mi); Live or Dead = Indicates whether the bird was alive or dead at the time of collection; Longitude = Longitude coordinate where object was observed reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Longitude End = The longitude of the survey end location, reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Longitude Start = The longitude of the survey start location, reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Margin Notes = Additional comments written in the margins of observational datasheet; Notes = Notes recorded in "Notes" field on the datasheet; NRDA/OPS/Evidence = Identifies whether the field form was completed by personnel working under NRDA, Operations, or as evidence custodians.; Object Collection Time = Time when object was collected (military time HH:MM); Object Type = Identifies object as a bird carcass or dummy; Observation Date = Date the observation was made (MM/DD/YYYY); Oiling = Degree of visible oiling on bird; Operating By = Mode of transportation used in the field. (Boat, Car); Percent of Segment Surveyed = Proportion of segment searches as estimated in the field(%); Placement Latitude = Latitude coordinate at which carcass was placed, reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Placement Longitude = Longitude coordinate at which carcass was placed, reported in decimal degrees. (WGS84); Position = Position of carcass relative to high tide; Pre-Shipping Carcass Condition = Condition of carcass prior to being shipped from Pennsylvania (PA); Pre-Shipping Storage = Method used to store carcass prior to shipping. (Cooler/Ice, Cooler/Ice Pack); Received Date = Date carcass was received in Gulf of Mexico (MM/DD/YYYY); Received Time = Time carcass was received in Gulf of Mexico (military time HH:MM); Scavenging = Degree of scavenging at time of collection; Scavenging = Describes the state of the carcass when deployed; Segment Code = Code assigned to each distinct segment that was revisited using a standard naming convention; Segment Name = Name assigned to the segment by field personnel. (Note: segment names were recorded in the field and may have been inconsistently used throughout the study.); Seizure Tag Number = Identification number of the evidence seizure tag associated with the search; Ship Date = Date carcass was shipped from Pennsylvania (PA) (MM/DD/YYYY); Ship Method = Method used to ship carcass. (UPS Overnight, NULL); Ship Time = Time carcass was shipped from Pennsylvania (PA) (military time HH:MM); Shipping Comments = Comments related to the shipping of the carcass; Species = Species of bird carcass.; Start Time = Time at which segment search began (military time HH:MM); Start Time = The time at which the deployment began (military time HH:MM); State = State in which birds were captured; Study Name = Abbreviated name of the study used in the database. This name is part of the primary key of this table and is used within other documents generated by BP; 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; Survey Mode = Indicates whether search was conducted by workers on (ATV [all-terrain vehicle], ATV/Foot, Boat Foot); Survey Transect Number = Identifies the BBS transect at which the carcass was deployed; Survey Type = Describes the type of survey conducted for carcass collection. (NRDA, Wildlife Operations); Tag Number = Identifies the tag attached to bird; Tide = Tide level at time of data collection. (Rising, Falling, Slack High, Slack Low); Time = Time of data collection or observation (military time HH:MM); Time Collected = Time that the bird was collected (military time HH:MM); Time Moved to Cold Storage = Time carcass was moved to cold storage in Gulf of Mexico (military time HH:MM); Trustee Scan Form Name = Name that Trustees assigned to the scanned field form; Weather = Description of weather conditions at time of object deployment; Wind Direction = Observation of wind direction during the survey; Wind Speed = Observation of wind speed during the survey; Wind Speed Unit = Unit associated with wind speed. (mph,kts);

Individual Files: