Habitat Descriptions

[Puck]

I am organizing an Audubon Christmas Bird Count Circle with the AMC. This is a twenty four hour event where teams go into a prescribed circle and take a bird census. This is an even that has been on going through out the US for about 100 years. The information is used to track migratory patterns, population distributions and fluctuations. More information is forthcoming, however, http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/index.html for the curious.

I am in the process of working with the AMC and completeing the New CBC Circle application. Can you believe there is no circle in Whites. I hope to set the center on Mt Willard 44 deg 12.23'N, 71deg 24.79' W. There is 7.5 mi radius. This location helps to center the activity at the highland center to compile the data, and to include the old growth of Nancy Brook, Part of the Pemi and onto Mt Washington. This should be a good year as some northern birds are expected to interupt into New England.

I could use help in compiling a list of different habitat in this area with dominant tree/plant species. Although I have spent a lot of time in this area assume I know nothing so no stone is left unturned. Thanks for any input.

 

[arghman]

Not sure if this is along the lines of what you're looking for, but NH Natural Heritage Inventory just published a book of natural communities in NH by Sperduto & Nichols; it is general & only mentions some limited areas as examples. There are some other reports NHI has published but they don't include specific sites in the PDF version, to protect sensitive information. See http://nh.gov/dred/divisions/forestandlands/bureaus/naturalheritage/Reports.htm

I've got this new PC program that handles topo maps, & am trying to explore its capabilities, here's a shot at drawing the circle area you mentioned (a polygon approximation):


For that matter, why not call up NH NHI? They may be able to help you out... good luck.

 

[dougb]

I'd also check out the database at the Natural Resoruces Conservation Service. They have a lot of info (perhaps too much), but as a minimum, you can locate where there are a bunch of different soil types - which drive and are affected by the local habitat. In CT, hydric soils = official wetlands, so that gives an immediate clue.

http://efotg.nrcs.usda.gov/efotg_locator.aspx?map=NH

 

[Puck]

Thanks for the sources. What I was looking for was along the lines of personal experience ie "Saco Lake mixed coniferous and hard woods. Pine, black spruce, yellwo and white birch, maple. opened meadow area....common area for roughed grouse..."

Any tips on winter finches would be great.

Thanks again.

Craig