Marine Bird Census in Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, 1981

Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska observations document marine bird sightings from ship-based surveys conducted between May 31 and July 21, 1981. The dataset, processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) into the standard F033 format, originates from voyages of the R/V THOMAS G. THOMPSON and RV Alpha Helix. It captures population density and distribution data alongside detailed environmental and species-specific information.

Use Cases

• Analyzing species distribution patterns using reported start/end positions, date, and elapsed time for each survey track.
• Studying bird behavior and ecology with columns for age, sex, plumage, direction of flight, behavior, and food source associations.
• Correlating bird sightings with environmental conditions using data on meteorological and sea surface conditions, ice characteristics, and surface debris.
• Assessing survey methodology and effort by examining platform type, observing techniques, speed, and course.
• Investigating habitat use through reported distances to shoreline and shelf break for each transect.

Strengths

• Data follows a standardized national format (NODC F033), ensuring structured recording of observations.
• Surveys cover a specific, focused time range (1981-05 31 to 1981-07-21) across two major research vessels.
• Records include multifaceted data, combining species counts, behavioral notes, and concurrent environmental measurements.

Limitations

• Key quantitative details like total row count, file size, and the complete column list are unavailable from all sources.
• The dataset's age (1981) limits its direct applicability to current ecological assessments without complementary modern data.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata exists between platforms (2026 on Data.gov vs. 1981 on NASA Earthdata), casting doubt on maintenance history.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Field observations from ship survey tracks aboard R/V THOMAS G. THOMPSON and RV Alpha Helix, processed to NODC F033 format.

Time Range

1981-05-31 to 1981-07-21

Freshness

2026-03-06 00:22:56.304867

Geography

Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska