Tropical Audubon Society

South Florida’s Voice of Conservation

With the success of Captain Toe's pelagic trips and the great trips organized by Michael Brothers, this is a good time to remind eBird users that there is a protocol for pelagic birding lists. An excellent article titled "eBird Pelagic Protocol" is available on the eBird website. http://help.ebird.org/customer/portal/articles/1375503

Two important things to remember are that pelagic lists begin no closer than 2 miles to land and that lists should be broken down into approximate 1-hour intervals, with best guess estimates on location or GPS coordinates. The article also addresses nautical vs. statue miles and other interesting aspects of birding offshore. Lists that include birds seen at the marina or the jetty on the way out, should be a separate list from the pelagic entries.