Daily Archives: October 25, 2024

Listserv Posts

Winter Raptor Survey Project route vacancies

Hi Everyone,

Over the years, I have advertised vacant winter raptor survey routes in Idaho on IBLE. In one week we are about to embark on our 21st season of surveys for the Winter Raptor Survey Project sponsored by the East Cascades Bird Alliance (formerly Audubon Society). Surveys will be conducted on 580+ survey routes covering more than 34,000 miles of transects throughout all of ID, OR, and WA, through the northern tier of CA and UT, and throughout western MT. More than 470 primary volunteers will do once a month surveys from December through February, with additional options to survey in November and March.

I would like you to know that the following survey routes, with their mileage lengths, are still available for volunteers to be assigned to this winter :

Winchester 73
Craigmont – Mohler. 60
Nez Perce 71
Troy – Deary 78
Churchill – Oakley 68
Dietrich 63
Richfield 44
Heyburn 41
Acequia. 39
Rupert North 69
Burley East – Lake Walcott 67
Burley SW 51

The fact that we have 153 routes throughout Idaho and that we only need these 12 routes to fill the entire state for this project says volumes regarding the dedication that Idaho volunteers in this project put forth 🙂

To participate, I ask that our volunteers commit to one survey per month during the primary survey period from December through February. Volunteers can select survey dates each month to dovetail with their own life schedules. November and March are also available for surveying but these are optional months as they do contain migrational activity and this is a wintering project. You should have at least a pair of binoculars to help you find and ID the birds, spotting scopes are encouraged but not mandatory.

If this sounds like something that you would like to do, I encourage you to email me soon so that you can hopefully cover the route(s) of your choice, I will necessarily fill these on a first come first served basis. If you make that decision, I will provide additional information and instruction to get you properly prepared for what you will be doing on these surveys. This is a fun way to enjoy winter birding while at the same time collecting valuable population data for this wonderful family of birds, I hope that you will join us this winter! :). Thank you,

Jeff Fleischer
Project Developer / Coordinator
Winter Raptor Survey Project
East Cascades Bird Alliance (formerly Audubon Society)
Bend, OR

Listserv Posts

Re: Partial Migrants

Since I see RT Hawks year-round, guess I just hadn’t given it much thought & assumed they stay within a local area. Will see both Rough-legged & Red-tailed Hawks in winter, as well. And, as noted, oftentimes the Rough-leggeds will noticeably outnumber the Red-taileds. But, had never really put 2 & 2 together, to think that a number of Red-taileds had simply left for milder climates. Until today, when watching small kettles of Red-tailed Hawks soaring overhead. Fascinating thing about nature & birds, specifically…always something new to learn.
 
Brian Carrigan 
Blackfoot 
Listserv Posts

Partial Migrants

Got up early this AM, started fire in the woodstove, ground & made my coffee & took a long walk along the Snake River. Saw my Bald Eagle couple perched in their favorite riverside snag. Heard Townsend’s Solitaires calling & DE Juncos are numerous. Common Ravens are sure boisterous this morning!
 
Now, on back deck & had an observation I haven’t paid that much attention to in the past. Have seen 4 small groups of Red-tailed Hawks (8-12 birds each) in flight overhead, headed South. Looked it up & RT Hawks are classed as “partial migrants” mainly in the Fall & Spring. I had just assumed they all stayed in an area year-round. Indeed, some do remain year-round, but others also migrate. With the explosion of mice & vole numbers we had this summer, must have been a good year for the Red-tails! 
 
Now, given the last post, hoping some of Pocatello’s Evening Grosbeaks find their way north to my place! My sunflower seeds are ready in the feeder. 
 
Brian Carrigan 
Blackfoot