Opportunities From: Calvert Stewards

Volunteers must complete the Identification Qualification for Raptor Road Surveys to respond to this opportunity.

You will be emailed the Raptor Road Survey Manual after passing the raptor identification test to qualify you for this opportunity. Please read the manual before conducting surveys.

Surveys should not be conducted on rainy or snowy days as these are unsafe conditions to be along roadsides. Surveys can begin on November 1 and happen through March 31. Surveys can start any time after sunrise and must be completed before sunset. You may perform more than one route in a day.  Routes may be repeated after 3 days have passed since the last survey you conducted on that route.

The Manual includes raptor identification, the specific routes you can cover as well as how to enter your data into eBird.

Volunteers will be expected to:

Follow the survey guidelines in the manual Set up their own eBird account Submit all records to eBird in accordance with the manual Provide your own transportation and optics Track their hours using the Calvert Stewards website Email Gene.groshon@calvertcountymd.gov after you have conducted your survey. In the email include the date, survey route name, and total numbers seen of each species for that route. If you do multiple routes in a day please have separate totals for each route

Once you submit your qualifications they will be reviewed. You will receive an email regarding your qualifications. When fully qualified, you may then respond and assist with the Winter Raptor Research project by conducting surveys of raptors along specific driving routes. These surveys will not only help to aid in catching raptors for banding and further research but they will also be useful in estimating population sizes similar to Christmas Bird Counts. By comparing the data from different years of surveys we will be able to look for trends in the populations.

As a thank you for completing these surveys volunteers who complete 3 surveys will be eligible to participate in a day of banding as part of the Winter Raptor Response Team opportunity.

If you have further questions contact Gene Groshon, Gene.groshon@calvertcountymd.gov (preferred)

410-535-5327

 Identification Qualification for Raptor Road Surveys 

 

Calvert Stewards assist the Naturalists in capturing, banding and releasing hawks and falcons.

The project occurs December through March and is weather dependent.

** In order to participate on a banding day volunteers must complete the Identification Qualification for Raptor Road Survey opportunity and conduct 3 Raptor Road Surveys **

 

Gene will email volunteers with enough surveys completed about upcoming dates. 

Volunteers will travel in a county van to locations throughout Calvert County to band and measure raptors.

For more information:
Gene Groshon
410-535-5327
Gene.groshon@calvertcountymd.gov

 

Raptor Identification Qualification

Please respond to this opportunity to take the Raptor Identification Test in order to qualify to participate in the Raptor Road Surveys.

Download the test and email your answers to Gene Groshon gene.groshon@calvertcountymd.gov 

Once you have emailed the test to Gene he will go over any wrong answers with you and let you know if you qualify to conduct Raptor Road Surveys.  You will recieve the qualification on your Calvert Stewards profile which will allow you to respond to the Raptor Road Surveys opportunity.

Raptor Road Surveys

To assist with the Winter Raptor Research project you will be conducting surveys of raptors along specific driving routes. These surveys will not only help to aid in catching raptors for banding and further research but they will also be useful in estimating population sizes similar to Christmas Bird Counts.

You will be given a guide that includes raptor identification, the specific routes you can cover as well as how to enter your data into eBird. Volunteers will need to set up their own eBird account and provide your own transportation and optics. These surveys will be conducted October through March.

If you have issues downloading the test or have any other questions let me know!

Gene Groshon

Preferred: Gene.groshon@calvertcountymd.gov

410-535-5327