Okay, I admit it. I'm a map nerd.
You can declare yourself a map nerd if you've done any of the following:
(1) caught yourself spending over 30 minutes pouring over one USGS historical 1916 quad map of your hometown,
(2) read Ken Jenning's Maphead
(3) get fired up when Google hasn't updated their maps to show that a certain State Route is now an Interstate and for some reason is not showing the correct boundaries to your local park
Well I'm guilty on all three counts.
This post combines two interests of mine -- interactive online maps and upland bird hunting.
Don't worry hunters, I'm not posting x/y coordinates to your secret aspen coverts and alder haunts where you chase grouse and woodcock. All the information used to create this map is contained in the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Grouse Management Plan (beware Dial-Up users, this is a 2.7 MB PDF file!).
Here is the finished product and a description below on how it was created. Mouse over counties to see statistics. Also, please feel free to comment!
Click here to view the full map.
County boundary data was downloaded as a shapefile from the US Census Bureau's Tiger Line file page. Then flush rate values from page 22 of the aforementioned management plan were entered into the shapefile.
This was done using ESRI software which I have a license for, but for those looking for a reliable freebie check out Quantum.
Next, TileMill was downloaded from Mapbox and the shapefile was input into the software. A few other shapefiles were added (such as the dark lines showing regions) and were styled using the Carto language. Once styled, the map was pushed to Mapbox hosting and can be viewed in almost any web browser on most operating systems (including Droid)!
Wanna know the best part? (- yes, I picked this phrase up from the 5 year old next door.) Guess how much this cost to style in TileMill and host? Yeah, $0!
Learning how to use the software was fairly easy and slightly addictive. There is a fee once you post a ton of data or if your map goes viral on twitter and you receive a ton of hits...but to get started you can't beat this. There is also a very active forum for questions.
Anyway, back to the birds...
See the pale areas? Flush rates are low here and it's no surprise for Allegheny and Philadelphia counties. Last time I drove to PNC park for a Bucco game I don't recall seeing any 20 acre clear-cuts near the Fort Pitt Tunnels. And, unfortunately, I live smack dab in the middle of Beaver County (lots of deer, little grouse -- maybe that's why i have burr-in-hand more than bird-in-hand). Oh well, my Brit and I don't mind driving to chase birds on Saturday mornings.
So what's the point here? Well there are a few:
1. If you're into mapping give Mapbox a try.
2. Mapping should be fun if you have a particular interest in the topic and you're working with data that is openly available (thanks PGC).
3. If you're an avid upland bird hunter...don't move to Beaver County! --although I do have a few honeyholes.
4. I commend the PA Game Commission for all the habitat work they have been doing to transfer our mature forests to early successional habitat (I bet you can tell I'm an RGS member now) and making it easy to follow on twitter.
Quit yappin and start mappin.
-Regards
