The Bureau of Land Management Worland Field Office is seeking volunteers in the Basin, Worland and Thermopolis areas to assist with the Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023.
Those interested should call the Worland Field Office by December 21 to be assigned a survey route along a public road. Routes are limited and will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. Volunteers will receive instructions on survey methods and eagle identification. Two-person teams are preferred so that one person can safely drive while the other observes and documents eagles.
The national Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey effort began in 1979 to annually monitor eagle populations. The data are managed by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey, and provide important information on eagle trends, distribution and habitat.
Volunteering for the survey is not only an opportunity to contribute to the data pool, but also a fun way to enjoy and appreciate these amazing birds through the lens of a spotting scope or binoculars.
Winter is the time to count the most eagles in the Bighorn Basin as many bald eagles that nest in Alaska come south to winter, and many resident and non-resident golden eagles find the Bighorn Basin an excellent place to winter. A shallow snowpack in the sagebrush-steppe and river corridors with open water allow for access to hunt prey and scavenge on carrion.
For more information and to register, please contact BLM Wildlife Biologist Darci Stafford at (307) 347-5149.
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