This was a PRACTICE PROJECT for my Field Sampling course. The data collected is not part of a longer study and is incomplete due to the extreme brevity of the project. It does, however, document a change in species distribution at a birding hot spot during an El Nino fall through student observation and past eBird data. No control was done to determine if El Nino itself affected the species distribution. Equal effort was not employed. This powerpoint is is only uploaded as a course artifact for an ePortfolio.

1. Changes in Order &
Species Usage of the
Dotsero Ponds
Presented by Danielle Neumann
During an El Nino Year

2. The Dotsero ponds are located in Eagle County, Colorado in the
Rocky Mountains.
It is a high altitude group of ponds, with a stretch of flowing river,
that is a designated birding hot spot on E-Bird.
Species on the pond have been well documented over a number of
years by knowledgable local birders

3. Competing Hypotheses
During a strong El Nino year, the order
and individual species usage of the
Dotsero ponds will drastically change
from non-El Nino years.
El Nino weather events will not affect
the order usage or the species usage of
the Dotsero ponds.

4. “How will the species usage and order
usage of the Dotsero ponds differ
between an El Nino year & the previous
year?”
This focuses on species actually ON the ponds, feeding and
foraging on or in water.

5. Dotsero Ponds
Pond 1
Pond 2
Study Sites: Pond 1, Pond 2, Colorado River (from all viewable areas)

6. About Dotsero
Elevation: 6,783 feet
Drier than the rest of Eagle County, high altitude
desert
Has an active volcano
134 avian species have been documented at the
Dotsero Ponds through E-Bird
Home to a successfully nesting pair of Bald
Eagles

7. Methods of Data
Collection
Started from the same parking lot each visit
Flipped a coin to determine which way I started the loop
Recorded all species identified, pulling my relevant orders
from the data once compiled
Included E-Bird data for my study timeframe (all from
well-known birders who thoroughly document their
excursions.)
Assisted, at times, by our region’s most prominent &
knowledgable avian citizen scientist, JoAnn Riggle

8. Compilation of Data
I began with looking at 2014 statistics on E-Bird for October &
November
I counted the individuals from my study orders sighted on each E-
Bird visit
I compiled the individuals counted from each visit into orders to
create an overview of order usage on the pond for that month
I also compiled the numbers of each individual species, added up
from each visit, to create an overview of species usage on the pond
for that month
I then compiled E-Bird data from October & November 2015 (which
included my field visits) in the same manner

9. Overview of Order Usage Change
for October & November
Combined 20152014
From October & November 2014- October & November 2015:
Anseriformes usage decreased by 12%
Podicipediformes usage increased by 5%
Gruiformes usage increased by 7%
In 2015, one new family was represented with 1 individual - Suliformes

10. At first glance, it seems not much has
changed; order usage did not go up or
down in significant ways. However, species
usage and individual counts shows
otherwise…

11. Top Individuals Counted
October 2014 October 2015
4 species total10 species total
November 2014
8 Species Total
November 2015
11 species total

12. Differences in Individuals
6 less species in October 2015 than October 2014
3 more species in November 2015 than November 2014
No northern shovelers in October or November 2015
2nd highest individual count October 2014 & November 2014
Only 2 common goldeneye November 2014; 90 counted in November 2015
697 American coots counted in November 2014; only 142 November 2015
No ring-necked ducks in October or November 2015
4th highest individual count in November 2014
No Canada geese in October 2015, only 20 November 2015
Top highest individual count in October 2014, 85 counted November 2014

13. Some species seem to be arriving later and in
smaller numbers during October & November 2015
than during October & November 2014.
Conclusion:
Although the percentage of order usage of the
ponds did not alter significantly, species usage of
the Dotsero ponds differed from 2014 to 2015, an El
Nino year.

14. Discussion
Though no significant change was found in
the order usage of the Dotsero ponds, the
use by individual species (most notably the
common goldeneye, ring-necked duck,
northern shoveler, Canada geese) has
changed.
These species have either not yet arrived
at the pond, have arrived later or arrived in
significantly smaller numbers than in 2014.

15. Discussion
This study had many limitations:
Short length: to discover a true pattern, the last two years (at least!) should be
compared to 2015, and the next two years as well.
Influences: the biggest weather change for 2015 is the “Bruce Lee El Nino,” one of the
strongest El Nino’s on record. Avian migration is highly influenced by changing weather
fronts. However, national trends & other influences on avian migration need to be
studied in depth before assuming El Nino is the cause for migratory change.
Number of visits: the number of checklists submitted to E-Bird varied for each month in
each year. If this study was to produce serious results instead of assumptions, the pond
would have to be monitored with consistency over the period of the study.
November 15: 13 checklists
November 14: 5 checklists
October 15: 6 checklists
October 14: 11 checklists

16. Study Suggestions
Increased length!
Increased study of influences on
avian migration & any variation
during the years of the study
Consistent pond monitoring
during the years of the study
Broader study area to determine if
species are utilizing surrounding
water features
Calculate the abundance of
species & document trends or
changes