Volunteers must complete the Identification Qualification for Raptor Road Surveys to respond to this opportunity.
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.
Please read the UPDATED Raptor Survey Volunteer Manual 2024 (pdf) before conducting surveys. **The 2022 manual this is the current up to date version**
- Surveys should not be conducted on rainy or snowy days as these are unsafe conditions to be along roadsides.
- Surveys can begin on October 1 and happen through April 30.
- 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
If you have further questions contact Gene Groshon, Gene.groshon@calvertcountymd.gov (preferred)
410-535-5327
