Delaware / New Jersey / Pennsylvania 2014 ESI BIRDS Polygons and NESTS Points

These data sets contains sensitive biological resource data for alcids, diving birds, gulls, terns, passerines, pelagic birds, raptors, shorebirds, wading birds, and waterfowl in Delaware Bay and nearby coastal areas of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Vector polygons in the BIRDS data set represent bird nesting, migratory staging, and wintering sites. Vector points in the NESTS data set represent raptor and wading bird nests. Species specific abundance, seasonality, status, life history, and source information are stored in relational data tables (described below) designed to be used in conjunction with this spatial data layer. This data set comprises a portion of the ESI data for Delaware/New Jersey/Pennsylvania. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources.

The ESI data were collected, mapped, and digitized to provide environmental data for oil spill planning and response. The Clean Water Act with amendments by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires response plans for immediate and effective protection of sensitive resources.

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Prepared by Research Planning, Inc., Columbia, South Carolina for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service, Office of Response and Restoration, Emergency Response Division, Seattle, Washington.

Data content is considered static once published. However, if issues with the Geodatabase linkages or table contents are identified, the Geodatabase and/or the associated Map Document may be updated. Assure most current data is being used by downloading from https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/esi_download and/or comparing modification dates provided at this site.

The primary attribute tables associated with the ESI biology data are BIOFILE, SOURCES, and BREED_DT. The geographic data layer containing biological resource information (in this case, BIRDS) is linked to the BIOFILE using the RARNUM field. There is a many-to-many relationship from the data layer to the BIOFILE, as an RARNUM may be repeated in several geographic features. Likewise, in the BIOFILE, the same RARNUM may appear in multiple records, representing a unique combination of species found in that region. To be represented by the same RARNUM, these species groups must also share the same seasonality, concentration, mapping qualifier, and source information.

The items in the BIOFILE are ELEMENT, SUBELEMENT, NAME, GEN_SPEC, S, F, STATE, S_DATE, F_DATE, GRANK, GRANKDATE, MAPPING_QUALIFIER, CONC, JAN, FEB, MAR, APR, MAY, JUN, JUL, AUG, SEP, OCT, NOV, DEC, BREED1, BREED2, BREED3, BREED4, BREED5, RARNUM, G_SOURCE, S_SOURCE, and BREED. The G_SOURCE and S_SOURCE fields provide links to the SOURCES table, where object level source information is available. The BREED field is the link to the BREED_DT table, where searchable breed information is provided. The links to both of these tables are also many-to-many.

During the collection of the ESI data, six relational data tables are used to store the attribute data. These are the BIORES, BREED, SEASONAL, SOURCES, SPECIES, and STATUS tables. When we create new ESI data, we populate these tables to maintain the integrity of the data collected. Once completed, all information populating these tables is collapsed into the BIOFILE to ease data queries and general usability of the final product.

NOAA ESI Guidelines

Although these data have been processed and used successfully on a computer system at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by NOAA regarding the utility of the data on any other system, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. NOAA warrants the delivery of this product in computer-readable format. If problems are encountered either in downloading the ESI data or if any file appears corrupted, please contact the ESI manager.

Data can be accessed by downloading the zipped ArcGIS geodatabase from the Download URL (see Distribution Information). Questions can be directed to the ESI Program Manager (Point Of Contact).

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DO NOT USE MAPS FOR NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES. Management boundaries are not to be considered legal boundaries. Edges may have been altered for cartographic processes. Besides the above warnings, there are no use constraints on these data. Note that the ESI database should not be used to the exclusion of other pertinent data or information held by state or federal agencies or other organizations. Likewise, information contained in the database cannot be used in place of consultations with environmental, natural resource, and cultural resource agencies, or in place of field surveys. Recognize that the information contained in the ESI database represents known concentration areas or occurrences of natural, cultural, and human-use resources, but does not necessarily represent the full distribution or range of each species or resource. This is particularly important to recognize when considering potential impacts to protected resources, such as endangered species, wetlands, etc. Acknowledgment of the originators, publishers, contributors, and sources listed would be appreciated in products derived from these data.

The software packages used to develop the atlas are Environmental Systems Research Institute's ARC/INFO(R) (version 10.2) and SQL SERVER(R) (version 2005). The hardware configuration is PCs with Windows Operating System 7.

A multi-stage error checking process is used to verify both attribute accuracy and logical consistency throughout data production. The process includes a standardized data entry methodology, hardcopy data review by in-house and external resource experts, a final Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) process, and multiple automated logical consistency checks. Quantitative data (such as densities, counts, abundances, or concentrations) provided by resource experts for inclusion in the data set may vary widely in attribute accuracy, depending upon the methodology used to collect and compile such data. For a more detailed evaluation of source data attribute accuracy, contact the sources listed in the Lineage section.

Spatial components for the biological data layers can come from expert interviews, hardcopy, or digital sources. Some of the spatial components of the biological data layers may have been developed using regional experts who estimate concentration areas. It is difficult to estimate the positional accuracy of such data, except to state that they are compiled on hardcopy base maps with a scale of 1:45,000. Some of the spatial components of the biological data sets are developed from pre-existing digital or hardcopy sources and reflect the positional accuracy of these original data. Note that biological resource data by their very nature are considered "fuzzy", and this should be understood when considering the positional accuracy of vector digital objects representing these resources. See the Lineage and Process_Description sections for more information on the original source data and how these data were integrated or manipulated to create the final data set.

These data represent a synthesis of expert knowledge, available hardcopy documents, survey data, maps, and digital data on bird nesting, wintering, migratory staging and other spatial/temporal concentration areas. See also the NESTS data layer, part of the larger Delaware/New Jersey/Pennsylvania ESI database, for additional bird information. These data do not necessarily represent all bird occurrences in Delaware/New Jersey/Pennsylvania. The following species are included in this data set: (Species_ID, Common Name, Scientific Name [n/a if not applicable]): 1, Common loon, Gavia immer; 3, Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata; 5, Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus; 8, Double-crested cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus; 11, Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus; 12, Canada goose, Branta canadensis; 13, Brant, Branta bernicla; 15, Snow goose, Chen caerulescens; 16, Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos; 17, Northern pintail, Anas acuta; 18, Green-winged teal, Anas crecca; 20, Northern shoveler, Anas clypeata; 21, Canvasback, Aythya valisineria; 22, Greater scaup, Aythya marila; 24, Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula; 26, Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola; 27, Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis; 29, White-winged scoter, Melanitta fusca; 30, Surf scoter, Melanitta perspicillata; 32, Common merganser, Mergus merganser; 33, Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator; 34, American coot, Fulica americana; 38, Herring gull, Larus argentatus; 40, Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis; 45, Common tern, Sterna hirundo; 52, Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor; 54, Great blue heron, Ardea herodias; 55, Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus; 56, Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia; 58, Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca; 59, Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes; 60, Red knot, Calidris canutus; 61, Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos; 62, Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla; 63, Dunlin, Calidris alpina; 64, Short-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus; 65, Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus; 66, Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri; 67, Sanderling, Calidris alba; 69, Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus; 70, Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus; 71, Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola; 73, Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres; 75, Razorbill, Alca torda; 76, Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus; 77, Osprey, Pandion haliaetus; 86, Least tern, Sternula antillarum; 87, Little blue heron, Egretta caerulea; 88, Great egret, Ardea alba; 89, Snowy egret, Egretta thula; 90, Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax; 91, Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus; 92, Great black-backed gull, Larus marinus; 93, Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis; 94, Tricolored heron, Egretta tricolor; 97, Green heron, Butorides virescens; 98, Laughing gull, Larus atricilla; 103, Common eider, Somateria mollissima; 107, Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus; 118, Brown pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis; 120, Yellow-crowned night-heron, Nyctanassa violacea; 123, Endangered diving bird, n/a; 124, Redhead, Aythya americana; 125, Clapper rail, Rallus longirostris; 127, Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus; 133, Black skimmer, Rynchops niger; 134, Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica; 136, Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia; 137, Royal tern, Thalasseus maximus; 138, Forster's tern, Sterna forsteri; 140, Threatened raptor, n/a; 141, American avocet, Recurvirostra americana; 142, Black-necked stilt, Himantopus mexicanus; 147, Savannah sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis; 148, Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis; 152, American oystercatcher, Haematopus palliatus; 153, Piping plover, Charadrius melodus; 155, Willet, Catoptrophorus semipalmatus; 156, Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla; 162, Gadwall, Anas strepera; 164, American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica; 167, Northern gannet, Morus bassanus; 169, American wigeon, Anas americana; 172, Sandhill crane, Grus canadensis; 173, American white pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos; 176, Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus; 178, Least bittern, Ixobrychus exilis; 179, Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps; 180, Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris; 181, Northern harrier, Circus cyaneus; 184, King rail, Rallus elegans; 185, American bittern, Botaurus lentiginosus; 186, American black duck, Anas rubripes; 187, Virginia rail, Rallus limicola; 188, Sora, Porzana carolina; 190, Blue-winged teal, Anas discors; 191, Wood duck, Aix sponsa; 192, Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus; 193, Black tern, Chlidonias niger; 195, American woodcock, Scolopax minor; 196, Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago; 197, Black scoter, Melanitta nigra; 198, Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus; 210, Marbled godwit, Limosa fedoa; 213, Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus; 214, Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria; 216, Belted kingfisher, Ceryle alcyon; 217, Mute swan, Cygnus olor; 220, Merlin, Falco columbarius; 223, Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda; 224, Sedge wren, Cistothorus platensis; 225, Marsh wren, Cistothorus palustris; 229, Swamp sparrow, Melospiza georgiana; 230, Red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis; 238, White-rumped sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis; 275, Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo; 277, Seaside sparrow, Ammodramus maritimus; 278, Saltmarsh sparrow, Ammodramus caudacutus; 284, Buff-breasted sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis; 286, Dowitchers, Limnodromus spp.; 289, Hudsonian godwit, Limosa haemastica; 293, Yellowlegs, Tringa spp.; 299, Scaup, Aythya spp.; 301, Mergansers, n/a; 302, Scoters, Melanitta spp.; 311, Endangered passerine bird, n/a; 334, Yellow warbler, Dendroica petechia; 385, Barn owl, Tyto alba; 393, Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus; 396, Phalaropes, Phalaropus spp.; 406, Cinnamon teal, Anas cyanoptera; 445, Wilson's storm-petrel, Oceanites oceanicus; 455, Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus; 462, Loons, Gavia spp.; 490, Eurasian wigeon, Anas penelope; 596, Purple martin, Progne subis; 606, Rare diving bird, n/a; 609, Rare gull, n/a; 639, Yellow-bellied flycatcher, Empidonax flaviventris; 722, Common yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas; 734, Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrow, Ammodramus nelsoni; 849, Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata; 857, Ross's goose, Chen rossii; 868, Federally threatened shorebird, n/a; 869, Blackpoll warbler, Setophaga striata; 870, Loggerhead shrike, Lanius ludovicianus; 871, Endangered raptor 1, n/a; 872, Endangered raptor 2, n/a; 873, Endangered raptor 3, n/a; 874, Endangered raptor 4, n/a; 875, Endangered shorebird 1, n/a; 876, Endangered shorebird 2, n/a; 877, Endangered shorebird 3, n/a; 878, Endangered tern 1, n/a; 879, Endangered tern 2, n/a; 880, Endangered tern 3, n/a; 881, Endangered tern 4, n/a; 882, Endangered wading bird 1, n/a; 883, Endangered wading bird 2, n/a; 884, Endangered wading bird 3, n/a; 885, Rare passerine 1, n/a; 886, Rare passerine 2, n/a; 887, Rare passerine 3, n/a; 888, Rare raptor 1, n/a; 889, Rare raptor 2, n/a; 890, Rare raptor 3, n/a; 891, Rare raptor 4, n/a; 892, Rare shorebird 1, n/a; 893, Rare shorebird 2, n/a; 894, Rare wading bird 1, n/a; 895, Rare wading bird 2, n/a; 896, Rare wading bird 3, n/a; 897, Rare wading bird 4, n/a; 898, Rare wading bird 5, n/a; 899, Rare wading bird 6, n/a; 900, Rare wading bird 7, n/a; 901, Rare wading bird 8, n/a; 902, Rare wading bird 9, n/a; 903, Rare wading bird 10, n/a; 1001, Gulls, n/a; 1002, Shorebirds, n/a; 1008, Terns, n/a; 1009, Shearwaters, n/a; 1017, Sandpipers, n/a; 1024, Alcids, n/a; 1026, Grebes, n/a; 1037, Cormorants, Phalacrocorax spp..

A multi-stage error checking process, described in the above Attribute Accuracy Report, is used to verify both attribute accuracy and logical consistency throughout data production. This process includes multiple automated logical consistency checks that test the files for missing or duplicate data, rules for proper coding, GIS topological consistencies, and SQL SERVER(R) to ArcGIS(R) consistencies. A final review is made by the GIS manager, before the final Geodatabase and metadata are created. After the data are delivered to NOAA, they are again subjected to several consistency checks, and processed into the final delivery format.

For each species, the mapping extent was dependent upon information availability and location of mapped coastal habitats and shorelines. Three main sources of data were used to depict bird distribution and seasonality for this data layer: 1) personal interviews with resource experts from: Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), NJ Department of Environmental Protection Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJDEP F&W), NJDEP F&W Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC); 2) numerous published and unpublished reports; and 3) digital/tabular data sets provided by: DNREC, NJDEP F&W, NJDEP ENSP, USFWS, USGS, and PGC.