Lake Michigan Sea Duck Survey 2009-2014

These data contain observation and null polygons for waterfowl aerial surveys of Lake Michigan collected through the years 2009-2014. Polygons were created adjacent to either side of the flight lines (transects). The right and left offset of the polygons from the flight path, was determined using the average altitude of the plane along the transect and the observation angle through the plane's window. Observed birds were counted and identified by species. This count data was attributed to the polygon closest to the point along the transect where the observation occurred, and on the side of the plane in which the observation took place. The point data represent counts where each point represents a single species. If multiple species were observed, then the points will spatial coincident. Physical and biological attributes that may be influential to the distribution of waterfowl have been joined to the observation and null polygons.