Hen Harrier National Survey 2022: Training Workshops
The Irish Raptor Study Group, BirdWatch Ireland and Golden Eagle Trust and have formed an exciting conservation partnership and collectively are co-ordinating the 2022 Irish Hen Harrier Survey on behalf of the National Parks & Wildlife Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The The Hen Harrier Project are also playing an important role in this national survey and contributing information on hen harrier collected in the Special Protection Area network. Collectively we are working together to obtain a reliable population estimate and determine the change in population compared to previous surveys in 1998-2000; 2005, 2010 and 2015.
The hen harrier is protected by the EU Birds Directive and listed on Annex 1 and as such monitoring, research and maintenance of protected areas are a vital component for the conservation of the species. In addition, survey and monitoring data collected during national surveys are vitally important as these data are used by the government and other agencies to help inform management and conservation decisions. Several declines were recorded during the last survey in 2015 and it is important that we re-survey to establish the status of the species in Ireland.
You can find out more about the results of the previous survey at the following link: http://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/IWM93.pdf
We would like to invite you to participate in the upcoming survey and hope you will enjoy the fieldwork and the collection of this important data. We invite you to attend one of the up-coming online volunteer survey training workshops, which will be essential preparation, if you are new to volunteering for hen harrier surveys. For volunteers who have taken part in previous hen harrier surveys, please also register for a workshop as a refresher on hen harrier ecology, survey methods and on the information to be recorded as part of the survey .
Hen Harrier National Survey Workshops 2022
Register in advance for your preferred Hen Harrier National Survey 2022 workshop using the registration links below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the workshop via webinar.
Tuesday 15th March 2022 7:00 PM
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tgXzSQ7_Qr6_g_fGwYt2RA
Tuesday 22nd March 2022 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VD7N8ssgRWeKqG0c54LZiA
Saturday 26th March 2022 4 PM
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ki9bsV7bTAGql8jTts_lcA
Similar to previous years, volunteer surveyors will cover all suitable hen harrier habitats within 10km grid squares during the breeding season (late March to August) and perhaps you would like to undertake the same squares that you covered during the previous surveys.
If, after taking part in the workshop you would like to be allocated a square and join the survey, please get in touch with one of the project team with your preferred square. The project team will forward all survey square information, maps and instructions electronically shortly after confirming the allocation of the survey square(s). If the square is not available we can offer an alternative. If you wish to participate in the survey but are unable to attend any of the workshops, please let us know and we will forward all information electronically.
Taking on a survey square is a commitment to undertake a minimum of three survey visits to observe suitable hen harrier habitat from late March onwards. Please only request squares you know you can cover and allowing for time to submit survey data online. To ensure the survey runs smoothly it is critical the details of each survey are submitted to the project team as soon as possible after completion of the survey
We look forward to working with all of you over the coming months on this important survey of one of our most endangered species. If there is anything you need from us for in relation to the survey please feel free to contact any of us at any time by email or by phone, contact details below.
Sincerely,
Ryan Wilson-Parr, John Lusby and Marc Ruddock
CONTACT DETAILS:
Mr Ryan Wilson-Parr Mr John Lusby Dr Marc Ruddock
Irish Raptor Study Group Birdwatch Ireland Golden Eagle Trust
Tel: +353 (0) 871510849 Tel. +353 (0) 857201892 Tel. +353 (0) 87357890
secretary@irsg.ie jlusby@birdwatchireland.ie marcruddock@goldeneagle.ie