WRENDERINGS Progress Report Winter 1999

We've received data for the 1999 breeding season from many additional participants since the last issue of Wrenderings, over 10,000 more records. The threshold has been cleared, with 50% of the target number confirmed, in 14 more squares, bringing the total at this level to 131, 27% of the total. Congratulations to...

Jim Determan in K8, Olivenhain
Pete Famolaro in S13, San Miguel Mt.
Robbie Fischer and Joe Morlan in F5, Ysidora Basin
Mel Gabel in H23, Pinyon Ridge, and H26, Sleepy Hollow
C. C. Gorman, Rita Campbell, and Joni Ciarletta in K7, Encinitas
Yaz Ikegaya in S9, Downtown San Diego
Yaz Ikegaya and Jim Coatsworth in T9, Silver Strand
Margaret Lesinsky and Lisa Ellis in C1, San Mateo Point
Wayne Pray and Orval Carter in E19, Ward Canyon
Robert Sanger and Kathy Williams in L17, Mt. Gower
Lee Taylor and June Ginger in H6, Buena Vista Lagoon
Dennis Wysong and Shirley Grain in G7, Guajome
Jim Zimmer in H8, Vista SE

Let's also recognize, for having reached all the threshold criteria with between 33% and 50% of the target number of species confirmed breeding...

Jim Determan and June Ginger in H5, Oceanside
Emmy Garnica and Don Geiger in I7, Palomar Airport

It's encouraging that most of our participants who clear the "one-third confirmed" threshold confirmed go on to clear the higher "one-half confirmed" threshold.

The number of adopted squares is holding steady at 342 or 71% of the total. If you're thinking about adopting another square, please peruse the map of adopted squares; there have been some changes since the last issue of Wrenderings. Some formerly adopted squares become "open" again when participants move or change jobs. Also, if an observer hasn't sent us anything for a while and hasn't responded to our attempts to contact him or her, we will "release" a square in the hope of its attracting a more active participant.

Thus we can't emphasize enough the importance of your sending us the data from your square regularly. Covering an area as large as San Diego County to the ambitious level at which we're aiming requires we manage our resources very carefully. We can afford to schedule blockbuster weekends or send field assistants only where they maximize the effectiveness of our coverage. Please help make us as efficient as possible by sending in any data still outstanding.

Philip Unitt

birdatlas@sdnhm.org

Redhead chick sketch by Nicole Perretta