Description
A limited-capacity advanced field workshop for yellow-billed cuckoo may be offered in 2024 depending on interest. Survey locations and dates would be TBD. The workshop requires at least five participants (max nine). The camp would be offered to biologists, consultants, and land managers interested in obtaining the minimum 12 supervised field survey hours required to apply for a USFWS permit to conduct yellow-billed cuckoo surveys in the USFWS Region 6 states of Colorado, Utah, Montana, and Wyoming (See details * below).
Each participant would gain experience implementing the current call-playback protocol (Halterman et al. 2016) in recently occupied YBCU breeding and foraging habitat. Surveys would take place from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm (including travel between sites) each day and provide participants with a minimum of 8 hours of observation along the North Fork of the Gunnison River in western Colorado. Participants would also practice designing protocol surveys (via basic desktop analysis) and conducting habitat assessments. Total camp cost is $695 per participant for a two-morning camp (food, travel, and lodging are not included). Upon completion, each participant will receive a one-page letter of completion and recommendation, signed by an ESA section 10(a)1(A) permitted cuckoo biologist, documenting completion of the additional survey hours. Space is limited to the first five online registrants.
*Combined with at least 4 hours of supervised field observation from the Field Session of the Protocol Workshop, the 8 additional hours from the Advanced Field Workshop/Camp will fulfill USFWS Region 6 requirements of a minimum of 12 total supervised survey hours for permit eligibility.
**All supervised field hours (conducting surveys for the western DPS of the yellow-billed cuckoo) obtained through Western Biology’s survey protocol training workshop and advanced field workshop/camp in USFWS Region 6 will count toward supervised field hours in other USFWS Regions.
***According to USFWS R6 Permit Coordinator: “Recovery permits for YBCU take a minimum of 60-90 days to issue from the point of receipt of an application. Unfortunately, we do not have an expedited process available given the workloads of all who are involved in the review and issuance process. Participants should plan on the training and additional survey hours counting toward a permit valid beginning in the [following] season.”
Spencer Morrison –
Adam is an incredible biologist and the “cuckoo camp” is a great way to further understand the survey protocol and become more comfortable with being able to ID the incredibly rare bird. Also, this camp is the best way to get the hours needed for the section 10 permit. Highly recommend and incredibly educational!
Hailey –
Cuckoo Camp may sound crazy, but it’s so much more than that. Adam and Murrelet provide expert insight and practical knowledge, especially as it pertains to YBCU DPS’s. Our field sessions included a wide variety of suitable habitat examples – many where YBCU have been detected. This is a very practical way to meet the requirements for the ESA permit, but also notably fun and engaging. Highly recommend!