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| Two sub-adult Golden Eagles in a territorial dispute |
Mission
The Spring 2019 Camp Baker, Montana Eagle Watch Project
intends to contribute to the understanding of spring raptor migration (with a
particular emphasis on Golden and Bald Eagles) in western Montana. In addition,
if this project is continued long term it may have the potential to enhance our
knowledge of raptor population status and trends. Most importantly, as apex
predators, these raptors may serve as critical barometers of overall ecosystem
health and human-caused environmental changes (including climate change).
Project Description
Standardized scientific counts of migrating raptors
may provide valuable information regarding overall population numbers, and if any
particular species is in decline. Based
on preliminary spring raptor counts conducted at Camp Baker, MT, it is
estimated that this site may yield seasonal count totals of between 1,000 and 2,000 migrant
raptors, with approximately half or more being eagles. The Camp Baker Eagle Watch Project is
designed to determine not only total migrant raptor numbers and the seasonal
timing of passage of the birds, but we also want to assess the flight paths (or
overall breadth of the raptor migration flight lines). This information will help to determine how
difficult it will be to conduct a consistent, standardized count of the raptor
migration on an annual basis at this location.
It is important to emphasize that this project is exploratory in
nature. For example, if the migrating birds
are often extremely high, and/or use broad or widely scattered flight lines,
long-term raptor population monitoring at this site may not be worth the
effort. After an initial 3 years of this
project we shall assess if an ongoing, standardized count at this location is
likely to provide useful information from both a scientific and conservation
perspective.
Staff
Raptor migration observer: Adam Richardson
Adam first became aware of birds in elementary school
through his sixth-grade teacher Mr. McCormick.
It wasn’t until 10 years later working as a river guide that he became
aware of birding as a hobby and he began keeping a life list. More recently, as a participant of
Patagonia’s Environmental Internship Program he had the opportunity to work in
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, America’s only Arctic refuge. Thanks to the careful guidance and support of
field biologists employed by Manomet of Massachusetts, his interest in birds
was renewed eternally. Upon returning to
his full-time job he realized his most intense passion was avian studies. He spent 3 years working as a field
technician on a variety of upland game bird studies throughout the United
States. Currently he splits his time
between counting raptors in the spring and fall in Montana and summers
performing avian point counts throughout the intermountain west.
