The Third Pennsylvania Bird Atlas (“PABA3”)
March 2024 Update
By Tom Kuehl
In early January the Pennsylvania Bird Atlas eBird Website (the PA Portal) went live with a full menu of informational links at the bottom of the Portal Home Page. The Portal provides a link to the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) Atlas Block Tool which provides for sign up to become the Principal Atlaser (Block Owners) for an Atlas Block. Then later in January the PGC completed the application on that website for County Compilers to approve requests for Block Ownership. At that time an email from Margaret Brittingham, Southwest Regional Co-Coordinator, was posted on the State College Bird Club Listserve that encouraged Block Ownership. As I can’t say it better, I am using it:
“Hello birders. Spring is on the way, and block sign-up is open! Are you interested in becoming more involved with the PA Bird Atlas? We are looking for birders to become “Principle Atlasers” for PA atlas blocks. Blocks are approximately 3 miles*3 miles in size.
Becoming a Principle Atlaser for a block means that you will take responsibility for that block surveying the block to confirm breeding birds, spending around 2 hours surveying at night for nocturnal species, conducting bird surveys in winter, and regularly submitting your data through the Pennsylvania Bird Atlas portal in eBird. It’s a great way to really get to know an area well and the birds that are found there. To learn more about the atlas and to sign up for a block, see https://ebird.org/atlaspa/home and go to Atlas Blocks.
To sign up as Principal Atlaser for a block, go to the Atlas Map Tool https://arcg.is/1H40Xm0 and use the interactive map to find an available block and submit a request form.
Thanks, and Happy Birding!
Margaret Brittingham – Centre County PABA3 Coordinator”
With a reminder on how to get started:
Read the Handbook - On the Portal (https://ebird.org/atlaspa/home) – at the bottom click on Atlas Essentials and the How to Get Started Atlasing to get to the Handbook and Breeding Timeline Chart.
For those who will be submitting data using the eBird App on your smartphone it is now time to switch your atlas portal from an eBird default to the Pennsylvania Bird Atlas. For instructions on doing so continue with the options under How to Get Started Atlasing and continue to Using the Pennsylvania Atlas Portal, which is the bottom option in the box in the upper right corner on About Ebird.
While we encourage you to sign up a Principal Atlaser (thinking your home block and in blocks where you regularly bird), a reminder that I am borrowing from a follow-up email from Greg Grove on State College Bird Club Listserve:
“Just want to emphasize you do not need to be a "Principle Atlaser" to contribute to a block. Anyone can add records in any block regardless of who (if anyone) is signed on as Principle Atlaser.”
Of note is that quite a few Club members have already navigated the Block Ownership process and with 16 of Westmoreland’s 111 Blocks already with owners.
If you are looking to get started, but need some help, then don’t hesitate to reach out.
Note: The May 7th Club Meeting will include an Atlas presentation by Alex Busato, so on hand help available and for any questions you have on PABA3 and how to participate, and all well in advance of the rush of species that will be in breeding safe date in June and July.
Tom and Janet Kuehl
PBA3 Westmorland County Coordinators Useful Info
Email: tjk.kuehl@gmail.com
Mobile: 412-398-1977
