Mike+Roche

// ‍Jeff / Sue - Final edit below Thanks for all of your advice, input, moral support & encouragement. A pleasure working with both of you. Mike Saturday 7/28/12 ‍ //


 * Introduction **

Teaching at a pre-engineering career academy brings me in contact with many academically motivated secondary school students having a fascination for computers and electronic gadgetry. Besides teaching the freshman biology requirement, I coordinate a series of mini-courses related to the freshman and sophomore research requirements and one of my goals for next year is to encourage more of these students to consider developing, proposing and conducting research projects that involve field study.

To that end, I am proposing a study that will make use of computers, sensors, interfaces and data logging software that will eventually be used as a model to be shared with students.

Preliminary data collection using sound and light sensors has shown rising levels of bird noise approximately one hour prior to changes in light intensity being detected in the backyard of a home situated on a one acre plot in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The purpose of this study is to see if introducing predator sounds in the form of Cooper's Hawk calls may in any way influence the sound levels associated with this pre-dawn chorus.


 * Hypotheses**
 * = Null ||= Introduction of recorded Cooper's Hawk calls during the hour prior to sunrise will not affect the average noise level of the pre-dawn chorus. ||
 * = Alternate ||= Introduction of recorded Cooper's Hawk calls during the hour prior to sunrise will affect the average noise level of the pre-dawn chorus. ||


 * Experimental Design**


 * Materials and Methods **

__Materials __
 * Apple iPad tablet
 * iBird North app
 * AR wireless speaker / transmitter
 * MacBook Pro computer
 * Vernier LabQuest mini interface
 * Vernier SLM-BTA sound level meter
 * Vernier LS-BTA light sensor
 * Vernier Logger Pro software v 3.8.5.1
 * notepad

__Methods__

Preliminary

1) Set up computer, interface and data logging sensors (sound level & light intensity) in second story window of house facing the backyard of the property.* 2) Program the computer to log sound level and light intensity levels every second during the hours of 3:30 - 6:30 a.m. 3) Save the data file. 4) Confirm that the sound levels begin to and continue to rise between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m. 5) Export the data sets to MSExcel for data analysis.


 * Note: **For those unfamiliar with data-logging, there are some informative tutorials on this site: http://www.vernier.com/training/videos/**


 * Experimental Trials**


 * 1) Set up computer, interface and data logging sensors (sound level & light intensity) in second story window of house facing the backyard of the property.**
 * 2) Program the computer to log sound level and light intensity levels every second during the hours of 3:30 - 6:30 a.m.**
 * 3) Save the data file.**
 * 4) Repeat steps 1-3 each day for a number of days. On four of the eight days, Cooper's Hawk calls will be played at five minute intervals during the 4:30 - 5:30 time period.**


 * This will result in a four days of experimental data (with calls) vs a four days of the control (no calls) for comparison.**


 * Photos have been included below to help explain set-up and provide perspective of study site in Monmouth County, New Jersey.**

Results / Findings / Discussion


 * Eight early mornings of data collection have taken place to date (4 with no calls / 4 with calls.) Due to weather and scheduling concerns associated with data collection during the early morning hours, it was not possible to conduct the study on alternating days.**


 * A sample graphing of noise levels on a "no call" morning is depicted below in Figure 1. This particular data set shows a quiet period with average noise level around 36 dB between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. EDT (0 - 60 minutes on the x axis). The noise level begins to rise at about 4:50 a.m. (80 minutes on the x axis) and continues to increase in volume until about 5:10 a.m. (100 minutes) when it reaches the average high volume of about 54 dB. From 5:00 a.m. until 6:30 a.m. the noise level averaged in the low 50's for this morning. The logging software was set to record data every second during the three hour sampling period that started at 3:30 a.m.**
 * Figure 1**


 * A sample graphing of noise levels on a different morning, when calls were played at 5 minute intervals between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m. EST, is depicted here in Figure 2.**
 * Figure 2**


 * In both cases, the light levels are shown in the bottom trace (blue line color) and you can note that the pre-dawn chorus reaches it's high level approximately one hour prior to dawn. In the hour prior to that, you can observe the gradual increase in noise levels ( time = 60 - 120 minutes) and this was the time period I chose to analyze for the study.**


 * Table 1 was derived from thousands of data points that were recorded using the data logging software and sound level meter. Averages were calculated for the five minute intervals between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. EDT (rows labeled //Int 1// through //Int 12//). I also calculated averages for the hour preceding and the hour following the intervals study period.**


 * A graph depicting the changes in sound level for each of the eight days is presented here in Figure 3. Note that this graph plots data from the middle third of the time period recorded. The first hour and last hour are not plotted here - only the hour when the chorus is starting and reaching the highest pre-dawn volume. Days when calls were used are indicated by the data points with the "+" signs. After eight days of data collection spread out during the month of July, there do not appear to be any significant differences in noise level patterns when calls were used vs days when no calls were played.**
 * Figure 3****

Table 2 (below) depicts the averages calculated for each of the five minute intervals between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. EDT (rows labeled //Int 1// through //Int 12//). A two-tailed t test was conducted for each interval to look for significant differences. None were detected. In all cases p > alpha of 0.05.



Data was also viewed during the course of that entire hour. A linear regression was applied to each data sets in an effort to see the average rate of change in noise level over the course of that sampling period, between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. EST. A sample of one of the data sets is shown below in Figure 4.


 * Figure 4**

Table 3 (below) contains data related to the average increase in noise levels during the entire one hour of sampling. A linear fit, as illustrated in Figure 4, was applied to each data set using Graphical Analysis software and the slope was recorded for each. Average slope was then calculated for each condition (no calls vs. use of calls) and a t test was performed to see if the difference was significant. It was not ( p = 0.35 > alpha of 0.05)



**Suggestions for Further Study**
It would be interesting to see if the Cooper's Hawk call might influence noise levels due to birds during a time other than dawn / pre-dawn hours. However, at this study site it would be hard to arrange such a study as there are many other noises during the day that are not due to birds. A more remote location would be necessary to conduct such an investigation.

The data set recorded on the morning of July 20, 2012 was unusually loud compared to the other seven days during the pre-dawn hours. I am very curious to as to why those levels were so high. All of the studies were done on mornings when there was no rain present or predicted. For those who may be interested, a graph of a rain shower (no associated thunder) that occurred one morning is attached at the end of this paper. From casual observations, the weather conditions were pretty consistent during the days I collected data for this study, but it would be interesting to compare the data sets to readings associated with barometric pressure, air temperature, wind direction and speed, etc... The closest data related to this is archived at our high school weather station (about 8 miles from the actual study site) and perhaps an interested student may wish to do a comparison in September.

**Conclusion**
After examining the data sets from both of the perspectives detailed above, it is concluded that no significant differences exist in the noise levels associated with the pre-dawn chorus when recordings of Cooper's Hawk calls are played in this particular locale.


 * References **

Dixon, Sam, (8 June 2010) The Dawn Chorus, In Nature UK, retrieved July 5, 2012, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/uk/indepth/dawn-chorus.shtml, 8 June 2010

McCarthy, Clara (This study appeared as a 2006 article in Proceedings of the Royal Society: B, as well as a research highlight in Nature) Finding Order in Chorus, retrieved July 5, 2012, from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Publications/Birdscope/dawn_chorus_order.html

Chu, Miyoko and Sargianis, Kristin, (originally published in Birdscope, 2004) Sounding Out the Dawn Chorus, retrieved July 5, 2012, from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/studying/birdsongs/chorus/document_view

Mitch Waite Group, 2012, iBird Explorer North (version 5.1, updated Dec 22, 2011 ) [bird identification / field guide / reference software] Retrieved from []

Vernier Data Logging Products user manual and specifications available at:
 * Sound level meter - http://www.vernier.com/products/sensors/slm-bta/
 * Light sensor - http://www.vernier.com/products/sensors/ls-bta/
 * LabQuest Mini interface - http://www.vernier.com/products/interfaces/lq-mini/


 * Appendix **

A graph of sound level data collected during a morning rain shower (no associated thunder) is shown below.


 * Figure 5**


 * References **

//Draft version of catbird study that will now need to be "scrapped" for this year - on the bright side passing off the idea to some of my students for June, 2013! //


 * Introduction **

Gray Catbirds (//Dumetella carolinensis//) are medium-sized perching birds common to many suburban yards in central New Jersey. They are members of the family Mimidae that includes mockingbirds and thrashers. Their summer range covers more than three quarters of the continental United States and their populations are stable and of "least concern" with respect to the IUCN red list of threatened species. Catbirds are known to frequent semi-open areas adjacent to dense, low growth vegetation and will typically nest in thick shrubs. Their diet consists primarily of insects and berries and they are known to forage on the ground, especially in leaf litter.

The purpose of this study was to see if introducing recorded calls of Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) might, in any way, affect the feeding behavior of catbirds occupying a habitat adjacent to a homeowners raspberry patch in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Preliminary observations revealed use of numerous way points as birds approached the raspberry patch prior to entering the fenced enclosure. Upon exiting the patch, the birds took a direct line of flight to the shrub line where their nests were observed. The researchers will attempt to quantify the number of way points utilized by the birds both approaching and exiting the raspberry enclosure during periods with and without use of recorded calls. It is hypothesized that use of the recorded calls will significantly impact the number of way points utilized by the birds in approaching the raspberry patch.

//Note: The raspberry crop has been dwindling so I may need to modify the study should the birds not be frequenting that specific location next week..//


 * Materials and Methods **

__Materials __
 * Apple iPad tablet
 * iBird North app
 * AR wireless speaker / transmitter
 * timer
 * digital camera
 * notepad

__Methods__ 1)

Gray Catbirds


 * References **

Mitch Waite Group, 2012, iBird Explorer North (version 5.1, updated Dec 22, 2011 ) [bird identification / field guide / reference software] Retrieved from []

BirdLife International (2012) Species factsheet: Dumetella carolinensis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 07/06/2012

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/106006846/0

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/featured_birds/default.cfm?bird=Gray_Catbird