01
Central Texas
Golden-cheeked Warbler surveys
Presence/absence protocol surveys and habitat assessments under my recovery permit, or coordinated with your firm’s permit. Detections, effort, and habitat records kept to the current USFWS protocol.
For environmental consulting & engineering firms · Subcontract support
A permitted biologist
for your project team.
Golden-cheeked Warbler protocol surveys, nesting bird surveys, and construction monitoring as a 1099 subcontractor. Field data and reporting delivered in your firm’s format, under your contract or your client’s.
Subcontract and proposal inquiries answered within one business day. Download the one-page capability statement (PDF). Résumé, W-9, and certificate of insurance on request.
Booking spring 2027USFWS 10(a)(1)(A) recovery permit · Golden-cheeked Warbler
Presence/absence protocol surveys & habitat assessments ESPER32178096-0
Texas · Valid 2026–2031 · Work under the permit is scheduled once the required Texas authorization and written landowner permission are confirmed.
Now schedulingSurvey window Mar 15 – Jun 1, 2027Limited survey areas per season
What I can fill on your team
Field roles I take on.
One experienced biologist, self-directed in the field, with nine years inside a large consulting firm before going independent.
02
Nationwide
Nesting bird & MBTA support
Pre-construction nesting bird surveys, active-nest monitoring and buffers, and on-call nest evaluations for construction crews.
03
Active sites · CA & NV tortoise
Biological construction monitoring
Daily monitoring, clearance-survey support, and compliance records on active sites, including Mojave desert tortoise projects in California and Nevada. HAZWOPER and OSHA 10 current.
Working with me
What your PM needs to know.
The details that usually decide whether a subcontractor fits a work order, in one place.
- ContractingTravel Twist Biologist LLC, single-member. Work under your master services agreement and work order, or under a direct agreement with your client.
- Pricing structureDay rate or per-visit pricing depending on the assignment. Travel, lodging, and per diem quoted separately and agreed before work starts.
- Permits & authorizationsUSFWS recovery permit ESPER32178096-0 for GCWA surveys and habitat assessments. Scheduled once the required Texas authorization and written landowner permission are confirmed.
- Insurance & paperworkCertificate of insurance, W-9, and résumé provided with the proposal or on request. Safety training listed on the qualifications page.
- Deliverables in your formatShapefiles or feature classes, ArcGIS Field Maps or Survey123 records, photo logs, datasheets, and either a complete technical report or raw data and maps for your own report.
- Capacity & schedulingA limited number of GCWA survey areas each spring so every area gets the full protocol effort. Nesting bird and monitoring assignments scheduled year-round.
Booking the 2027 season
How a GCWA survey subcontract comes together.
Protocol surveys need at least five visits between March 15 and June 1, with 60% before May 15. Scoping in the fall keeps the schedule realistic.
- Now – OctoberSend the basics
County, approximate survey-area boundary or acreage, whether prior surveys or habitat assessments exist, and your proposal or NTP timeline. We confirm access, protocol requirements, and who holds which permit.
- November – DecemberProposal & vendor setup
You receive a written scope, schedule, and fee, plus the W-9 and COI. Your proposal names me as the permitted surveyor.
- January – FebruaryTask order & calendar
Survey areas locked, visit schedule built to the protocol, landowner permissions and Texas authorization confirmed.
- March 15 – June 1Field season
Visits logged to protocol, data delivered after each visit or at agreed milestones, and a technical report or data package at season’s end.
Common questions
From project managers.
Questions that usually come up on the first call.
Can you work under our firm’s GCWA permit instead of yours?
Yes, if your permit and its conditions allow subpermittees or listed personnel. Which permit covers the work, and the reporting that follows, is confirmed during scoping. Either way, surveys follow the current USFWS protocol and are documented for your file.
Can you take on nesting bird or monitoring work outside Texas?
Yes. Nesting bird surveys, nest monitoring, and biological construction monitoring are available nationwide, and desert tortoise monitoring in California and Nevada. Travel and lodging are part of the quote.
Do you write the report, or do we?
Either. I can deliver a complete technical report with maps and appendices, or field data, photo logs, and GIS layers formatted for your own report template.
How quickly can you start?
Nesting bird and monitoring assignments can often start within a couple of weeks depending on location and current commitments. GCWA protocol surveys are booked by survey area for the spring season; contact me before the season so the visit schedule fits the protocol.
Do you carry your own insurance?
Yes. A certificate of insurance is provided with the proposal or on request, along with the W-9 and a current résumé for your vendor file.
Can you provide references?
Yes. Named references from consulting and research project teams are available on request.
Protocol reference: USFWS Austin Ecological Services Field Office. Survey requirements are rechecked for each season. The recovery permit does not authorize development or incidental take.
Send the work order.
Share the county, survey area, and your timeline, and I’ll reply within one business day. Prefer to talk? The number is one click away.