By Don Rose
I have been doing the Washougal-Fern Prairie Winter Raptor Survey for the past 3 years. I will be unable to do this survey starting this year and I am looking for someone who is willing to take this route. Jeff Fleischer did a presentation to VAS a few years ago describing the survey. Surveys are conducted for one day each in December, January, and February with the option of doing November and March. The survey date picked within each month is up to the surveyor, which makes it easy to find the best weather date in most circumstances. Collected data is submitted to Jeff and input into a data system.
The big numbers seen on this route are Red-tailed Hawks and American Kestrels, but you never know what you might come up with on your count. Jeff does monthly data reports which cover the multi-state survey routes. This route is 42 miles long in the hills north and west of Washougal and usually takes about three hours to complete. All surveys are done as you drive the route. If you like participating in Citizen Science and this survey is of interest to you, contact me at drose@vancouveraudubon.org.
Thank you, Don Rose.
Vancouver Audubon 