Overcast day. 10F at 8 am.
Once again, started the day by wading the river to change batteries in the net launcher. 4 birds fed for about 10 minutes at ~9:30, but the 2 pairs kept going after each other. Seems to be 2 territorial pairs fighting over the food source. It's probably not worth taking a shot today.
A few of us are heading to Rexburg to look for the 2 snowy owls this afternoon. Maybe we'll get a lifer!
04 February 2006
03 February 2006
Fri, Feb. 3
Started the day by wading the river again to replace the batteries in the net launcher remote control.
Snowing and cloudy til 11:30 when it cleared up and got sunny.
7:30 - about 10 ravens were circling and calling over north central Kelly this morn, but few birds went over by the bait. By 8:30 there were 6 ravens with a bunch of magpies over there. One of the ravens was starting to sidle up to the carcass.
8:45 - At least 8 ravens are now around the bait. 4 are at the bait. One is eating while the other 3 keep walking in circles around the feeding raven. It reminds me of kids on a merry-go-round. Either that, or they are guarding the feeding one; but that is double. They are likely just mad that one got the good spot and they are looking for a way in. The others in the area still look a little apprehensive about the whole ordeal.
10:30 - All of the birds have left. Should have taken a shot, but it's possible they will come back in greater numbers this afternoon or tomorrow. Patience. Patience. Patience.
11:30 - 2 ravens are back and feeding.
There were no birds on the GTNP bait that we set out yesrday. I checked it at about 12:30.
From noon until 3:45 no birds have been using the river bait, but 3 were eating a bed-time snack at 3:45. None were in the surrounding trees.
I recieved my bound thesis copies finally today!
Snowing and cloudy til 11:30 when it cleared up and got sunny.
7:30 - about 10 ravens were circling and calling over north central Kelly this morn, but few birds went over by the bait. By 8:30 there were 6 ravens with a bunch of magpies over there. One of the ravens was starting to sidle up to the carcass.
8:45 - At least 8 ravens are now around the bait. 4 are at the bait. One is eating while the other 3 keep walking in circles around the feeding raven. It reminds me of kids on a merry-go-round. Either that, or they are guarding the feeding one; but that is double. They are likely just mad that one got the good spot and they are looking for a way in. The others in the area still look a little apprehensive about the whole ordeal.
10:30 - All of the birds have left. Should have taken a shot, but it's possible they will come back in greater numbers this afternoon or tomorrow. Patience. Patience. Patience.
11:30 - 2 ravens are back and feeding.
There were no birds on the GTNP bait that we set out yesrday. I checked it at about 12:30.
From noon until 3:45 no birds have been using the river bait, but 3 were eating a bed-time snack at 3:45. None were in the surrounding trees.
I recieved my bound thesis copies finally today!
02 February 2006
Thurs, Feb. 2
Well, 5:45 comes early the day after a bluegrass concert.... I got up to set the net launcher out at the bait across the river since there were birds feeding there yesterday. Only I found out after I waded across the river with the launcher that there was no more bait. The coyotes had gotten into the last of it during the night. Luckily, I had the perfect deer waiting as back-up in the back of Grullo (Big Blue), so I went back and put that one out for the birds. I thought the deer would be perfect since the coyotes had eaten the insides before I picked it up. Further, there was snow covering the opening and it was frozen in the way the last one was.
8:45 - There are already 3 magpies feeding on the bait, and about 1/2 dozen ravens waiting and watching in the trees above. Maybe we'll get lucky again today.
10:00 - All of the ravens left about a 1/2 hour ago. There are still a few magpies feeding and a coyote came in for a look, but he left too. Not looking too good.
3:00 - Went to the G&F office earlier to get some more raven bait (3 road-killed deer; thanks Dan) and made another bait station in the Park. This time, we used tomato juice to simulate a blood trail and wolf kill site for the birds. Let's see if that will entice the birds to feed.
There were finally 4 ravens feeding on the bait across the river. Hopefully we can get a capture attempt in the morning if those four bring in some friends. While those 4 were feeding, two others were perched in a tree up-river, and one was banded with an orange band. One of the 5 birds caught on the same bait across the river just 2 days ago! Sorry, no read though.
There was a total of 9 magpies feeding on and off all day at our stockpile of bait in the office yard. At least one was banded. We haven't banded any magpies here in at least a year, and all the ones we did band were here at the office.
Good news on our publications! We were invited to submit a revised draft of the raven transmitter attachment paper. Also, we just got word today that the paper by Bryan and Amy St. Pierre-Reed was not rejected from the Wilson Bulletin. Another draft has to be submitted for review.
8:45 - There are already 3 magpies feeding on the bait, and about 1/2 dozen ravens waiting and watching in the trees above. Maybe we'll get lucky again today.
10:00 - All of the ravens left about a 1/2 hour ago. There are still a few magpies feeding and a coyote came in for a look, but he left too. Not looking too good.
3:00 - Went to the G&F office earlier to get some more raven bait (3 road-killed deer; thanks Dan) and made another bait station in the Park. This time, we used tomato juice to simulate a blood trail and wolf kill site for the birds. Let's see if that will entice the birds to feed.
There were finally 4 ravens feeding on the bait across the river. Hopefully we can get a capture attempt in the morning if those four bring in some friends. While those 4 were feeding, two others were perched in a tree up-river, and one was banded with an orange band. One of the 5 birds caught on the same bait across the river just 2 days ago! Sorry, no read though.
There was a total of 9 magpies feeding on and off all day at our stockpile of bait in the office yard. At least one was banded. We haven't banded any magpies here in at least a year, and all the ones we did band were here at the office.
Good news on our publications! We were invited to submit a revised draft of the raven transmitter attachment paper. Also, we just got word today that the paper by Bryan and Amy St. Pierre-Reed was not rejected from the Wilson Bulletin. Another draft has to be submitted for review.
01 February 2006
1 Feb
First day of blogger. Will update daily with field notes from the raven project and the happenings of the day.
Snowing and blowing until about noon, then overcast and windy.
Almost a dozen ravens show up on the deer carcass across the river from the office. This is an unexpected event since I shot the net launcher off yesterday on 10 birds. The birds feed all day with a few banded ones showing up in the mix (couldn't get any reads). A coyote came in at about 1 and feed for an hour or so, then left.
A collared moose and calf were feeding up-river from the bait all day as well.
Snowing and blowing until about noon, then overcast and windy.
Almost a dozen ravens show up on the deer carcass across the river from the office. This is an unexpected event since I shot the net launcher off yesterday on 10 birds. The birds feed all day with a few banded ones showing up in the mix (couldn't get any reads). A coyote came in at about 1 and feed for an hour or so, then left.
A collared moose and calf were feeding up-river from the bait all day as well.
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