As part of our effort to understand the numbers and range of winter resident Golden Eagles we are conducting a one day raptor count covering much of Delaware County. How much of the county we cover depends in large part on the availability of  volunteers. The counts should take about 4 hours. They are conducted during the day when birds might be soaring or perch hunting.

We are creating territories/routes with approximately 50-60 miles of road in each. This should allow enough time for slow travel while regularly stopping and scanning. The routes should be started between 9 and 10 AM when birds have become active.

Since we expect to have more territories than skilled people, we need to maximize our highly skilled birders – those who are able to identity distant eagles by silhouette. These team leaders can bring along others or we will team them with other people as spotters. Golden Eagles are the focus but all raptors will be counted.

Because this is the first year for this count, we will be looking for feedback on the length of the routes and any other constructive comments you might have. We are hoping this is successful enough to expand the area beyond Delaware County next winter. In case of extreme weather, teams can count the following day. If you would like to participate in this count, please contact Tom Salo at salothomas@gmail.com or 607-965-8232. If you believe you are skilled enough to lead a team, share information about your experience and skill level. If you have a preferred part of the county you want to survey, we will try to accommodate you. Participants will be sent a territory map, data form and count protocol.