Journey North Bald Eagles

Bald Eagle

Christian Martin's Career
A Glimpse into the Life of a Field Biologist

Hello everyone! My name is Chris Martin. I am a conservation biologist who specializes in endangered and threatened raptors, birds such as ospreys, peregrine falcons, and bald eagles. I have worked for New Hampshire Audubon since coming to the New England area in 1990. Previously, I worked various natural resource jobs in Michigan, Minnesota, and Alaska as a biological technician for both the National Park Service and the National Forest Service. Over the years, I have been extremely fortunate to find jobs that have allowed me to be outdoors and watch birds.
While attending college in the late 70's I was convinced that I wanted a career in forestry -- to work to conserve trees and forested landscapes. Later in the mid-1980s, I earned a M.S. degree in Ecology.
In one of my early jobs I worked for the National Park Service at remote Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. I was placed in charge of a new peregrine falcon release project, planning and coordinating the wilderness release of young falcons as part of a regional restoration effort.
In 1989, after the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in the Gulf of Alaska, I joined a team of field biologists formed to document the effects of the spilled oil on birds and sea mammals. My particular task was to examine whether bald eagles were raising young successfully in an environment fouled by oil. Both of these former jobs provided skills and experiences that have served me well in working with birds of prey for New Hampshire Audubon.
Our Eagle Monitoring Project
This bald eagle monitoring project is a partnership between NH Fish and Game and NH Audubon’s conservation biologists. In addition, volunteer observers help by monitoring many of the state’s eagle nests and wintering sites. They help us by submitting their observations to Audubon, where I compile and interpret the information.
Our project’s primary goal is to identify and protect important eagle habitat on the Merrimack River. We want to answer questions like the following: How far do individual eagles typically travel from their overnight roost sites to their daytime feeding areas? How does roost site choice vary during the winter months with changing temperature, wind patterns, and river ice conditions? Do individual eagles depart the local area for other regional wintering sites during the course of a typical wintering season. Develop educational tools for schools, municipal decision makers and the public that focus attention on the river’s eagles, their movements and habitat preferences and related conservation issues. Provide information that will guide future river protection and land conservation.