Point counts are conducted during favourable weather conditions (i.e., light wind, no rain) by trained observers. Surveys occur between 05:15h and 10:30h and each consists of a 10-min point count where we record all birds seen or heard. Birds were recorded at three distances: within 50 meters (1), 50 – 100 meters (2), and >100m (3). The species of all birds seen and heard are recorded as well as all individual squirrels, chipmunks and pikas seen and heard. The 10-minute count is divided into 3 equal intervals (3 minutes, 20 seconds). Periods are numbered as: 1=0–3:20 min, 2=3:21–6:40 min, 3=6:41–10:00min. Each period is treated as a separate count (i.e., individuals in the later periods are counted even if they are detected in period 1).
'New Record' indicates a detection is new for the complete 10-minute count; for example if an individual is detected in the second period and was also detected in the first it received a 0. If it appears for the first time in the second period, it receives a 1. If an individual moves from the outer distance circle (50-100 m) to the 50 m circle during the count, this individual should be marked with a 1 in the ‘New Record’ column. If two male birds were detected simultaneously within 100 m at a count, both individuals receive a 1 in the 'Counter sing' column.
Survey-level information is also collected at each point count and includes: weather and wind conditions, stream noise, snow cover on the ground, phenology of vine maple and rhododendron.
