Purpose:
The purpose of this program is to monitor population trends of either
summer or winter resident species rather than migrations around Puget Sound.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Data correction Mar 17, 2006: Wrong ITIS number for
Unidentified Sea Lion 180623 -> 180615 Data correction Mar 14, 2006: Wrong ITIS
number for Unidentified [Large|Small] Gulls 180297 -> 176802. The nearshore
strata were
... sampled in two fashions: 1) in nearshore habitat that was
relatively narrow, the plane flew parallel to the shoreline generally 100
meters from the high tide line; 2) in nearshore habitat with broad extensive
shallow areas such as river estuaries, the plane flew in an S-pattern to sample
a larger proportion of the habitat available in that locality. The offshore
strata were sampled in a crisscross pattern that zigzagged back and forth
across depth contours, with an attempt made to cut across most all banks and
similar major underwater bathymetric features. There was no attempt made to
survey during the same tidal stage in these areas. The survey always began in
the southernmost study areas and proceeded to the northern portions; therefore
the same areas were usually sampled during the same time of month each year,
give or take a week. The last two summer surveys (1997-98) did not include the
southern and central portions of Puget Sound, due to budget cuts. These areas
were chosen to be continued on a less frequent basis because low and consistent
numbers of birds were seen there during the July survey window in the previous
five summer surveys. Effort data is provided in separate files.
CURRENTNESS REFERENCE: ground condition
SPATIAL REFERENCE INFORMATION - GEODETIC MODEL
Horizontal Datum Name: D_WGS_1984
Ellipsoid Name: WGS_1984
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.000000
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257224 
