Radar-, banding-, and reanalysis-derived metrics of nocturnal bird migration at Appledore Island, Maine

This repository contains integrated radar, banding, and meteorological datasets used to quantify relationships between nocturnal aerial migration intensity and terrestrial capture rates at Appledore Island, Maine (USA).Weather surveillance radar data were derived from two nearby NEXRAD stations: KBOX (Boston, MA) and KGYX(Gray, ME). Radar-based migration metrics include migration traffic rate (MTR; birds km⁻¹ hr⁻¹), vertically integrated reflectivity (VIR; cm² km⁻²), ground speed (m s⁻¹), and the zonal (U) and meridional (V) components of ground speed.Bird banding data were collected on Appledore Island and include nightly totals of the number of birds banded and corresponding net hours, providing a standardized measure of terrestrial sampling effort.Meteorological and environmental variables were obtained from the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR). All NARR variables correspond to the grid cell centered over Appledore Island and include surface, near-surface, and pressure-level atmospheric conditions relevant to migratory behavior.Together, these data support analyses of how atmospheric conditions and aerial migration dynamics influence local capture rates during nocturnal migration.Geographic Coverage:Appledore Island, Isles of Shoals, Gulf of Maine, USA
Approximate coordinates: 42.99° N, 70.62° W
Methods: Radar-based migration metrics were extracted from NEXRAD weather surveillance radar data collected at stations KBOX and KGYX. Radar variables quantify nocturnal biological reflectivity and derived movement metrics associated with migratory birds.Banding data were collected using standardized mist-netting protocols on Appledore Island. Daily capture totals were paired with total net hours to account for variation in sampling effort.Meteorological variables were extracted from the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) dataset. All variables represent conditions within the single NARR grid cell overlying Appledore Island and include surface, boundary-layer, and pressure-level atmospheric fields.Radar-derived migration metrics (KBOX, KGYX)MTR: Migration Traffic Rate (birds km⁻¹ hr⁻¹)VIR: Vertically Integrated Reflectivity (cm² km⁻²)groundspeed: Mean ground speed (m s⁻¹)KBOX_u: Zonal component of ground speed (m s⁻¹)KBOX_v: Meridional component of ground speed (m s⁻¹)Banding data (Appledore Island)number_banded: Total birds captured per daynet_hours: Total mist-net effort per day (hours)Meteorological and environmental variables (NARR)Surface and near-surface:air.sfcpressure.sfcmsl.pressurerelative.humidityvisibilitywindSpeedwindDiruwnd.sfcvwnd.sfcprecip.rateacc.total.precipevaporationtotal.cloud.coveralbedovegetationplant.canopy.watersnow.covercapehgtutcPressure-level fields:uwind_1000_hPa, uwind_950_hPa, uwind_900_hPavwind_1000_hPa, vwind_950_hPa, vwind_900_hPaair_1000_hPa, air_950_hPa, air_900_hPaomega_1000_hPa, omega_950_hPa, omega_900_hPatke_1000_hPa, tke_950_hPa, tke_900_hPa