For Volunteers 15 years old and up
Location: Battle Creek Cypress Swamp
Time/season: Surveys may be conducted April 1 - Sept 30, from park open time until 1.5 hours before park close time
Battle Creek Cypress Swamp Hours:
Labor Day through Memorial Day
- Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Sunday: 1-4:30 p.m.
Memorial Day through Labor Day
- Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 1-6:00 p.m.
Naturalist in charge: Gene Groshon
For more information Contact: Gene Groshon, Gene.Groshon@calvertcountymd.gov (preferred) or 410-535-5327
Each Prothonotary Warbler (PROW) that we capture at Battle Creek is fitted with a unique combination of bands on its legs. Every bird receives a silver aluminum band on it’s lower right leg; this band has a tiny number on it that corresponds to a national database. The other bands seen on our banded PROWs are plastic color bands that are unique to each individual bird. This allows staff, volunteers and visitors to be able to identify individual birds just using their binoculars or camera! Using the data we collect from the resighting of color banded birds we will have a better understanding of their territory size, lifespans, breeding activity, and nest site fidelity. We need citizen scientists (like you) to report any banded birds that they see.
Conducting your survey
- Binoculars are necessary to ensure you can see the bands and the correct colors
- Cameras are highly recommended to help with documenting the sightings and confirming the bands.
- Although the time slot is advertised from 9am-4 pm, you may conduct a survey any time that day during park hours.
- Surveys may be conducted April through September
- Surveys should not be conducted during thunderstorms or extreme winds
- You may walk any direction around the boardwalk but must complete at least one lap. If you would like to turn around and do it again that is fine too.
- When you find a color banded prothonotary be sure to note which numbered yellow sign on the boardwalk you were closest to.
- Data should be emailed to Gene at gene.groshon@calvertcountymd.gov
Recording data
There are several ways to record data
*New for 2025* We will now be collecting data using a new application created by our GIS department which can be found here! In addition to submitting data through the application please also send data directly to Gene by one of the below methods. This application is brand new so we are still testing it out and hope it will make it easier for visitors to the park to report data.
- Include the info listed below in an email directly to Gene
- Download the fillable pdf and then email form to Gene
- Print a copy of the Prothonotary Warbler Survey brochure (to print double sided, flip on short edge). scan an email, or mail, or drop off at Battle Creek.
- Record the data on your own paper, in a notebook or on your phone. Below is a description of the data needed for each sighting of a banded bird during your survey
- Date
- Sighting Time
- Color of band on upper right leg (it could not have a band)
- Color of band on lower left leg
- Color of band on upper right leg
- Number on nearest yellow sign
- Inside or Outside of boardwalk loop
- Behavior observed: feeding, preening, singing, calling, carrying nesting material, feeding young, entering a nest box
- any additional comments
Data should be emailed to Gene.groshon@calvertcountymd.gov
Reminders:
- If you spot a banded bird, try to see the band colors and their arrangement on the bird. Remember if a bird is facing you, it’s right leg will be on your left side. If you can’t see or can’t remember the arrangement that’s okay! Still write down your observations and make a note of this in the comment area provided.
- The color bands that we’ve used are: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, White, Black, Light Brown and Gray.
- Some birds may not have a color above the aluminum bird band on the right leg.
- Some birds may only have 1 color band on their left leg
- Some birds may only have an aluminum band and no color bands.
- There are yellow numbered signs every 30 feet along the boardwalk. Use the number on the sign to let us know where you saw each banded bird.
