Very cold, clear and breezy. -19F at 7am.
It was the kind of morning where you feel bad for anything that has to be outside and doesn't know how to make a fire. After replacing the batteries in the remote, I did a few dry fires of the net to make sure the firing pin wasn't frozen. It wasn't, but it has been so cold, that the batteries in the detonator had been run down, so I doubt the net will fire right. At 9:30, there were about 5 ravens feeding on the bait. It was still -4F.
At 12:30 there were 5 ravens, but a coyote had moved one of the elk quarters out of net range. At 3:30 a golden eagle was eating from the bait. There were no ravens there at that time.
I removed the remote trigger and replaced it with the ~500 ft cord so I can plug the detonator in at the road where the birds can't see me. (also so I can sleep in tomorrow). We will have to signal the person detonating the launcher from a 1/2 mile down the road where you can see the bait.
11 February 2006
10 February 2006
Fri, Feb. 10
Cold, clear, and breezy. -4F at 7am
So, we're running the experiment today. I put out two elk quarters this morning where the previous bait was and reset the launcher...
At 9:30 there were 4 ravens by the bait. By 12:30 there were 6. Still 1/2 of yesterday, so I guess we were both right: 1/2 of the birds were scared and the other 1/2 weren't. Hopefully more will come in soon.
By 2:30 there were 9 birds feeding, but everyone had other things to do, so I didn't shoot it off.
So, we're running the experiment today. I put out two elk quarters this morning where the previous bait was and reset the launcher...
At 9:30 there were 4 ravens by the bait. By 12:30 there were 6. Still 1/2 of yesterday, so I guess we were both right: 1/2 of the birds were scared and the other 1/2 weren't. Hopefully more will come in soon.
By 2:30 there were 9 birds feeding, but everyone had other things to do, so I didn't shoot it off.
09 February 2006
Thurs, Feb.9
Clear and cold. -2F at 7am
despite the fact we shot the net launcher off yesterday afternoon, I reset the launcher there again this morning. I brought some extra bait out in case the coyotes had finished off the elk that was out there, but they did not seem to touch it. I didn't put the new bait out for fear of scaring any ravens that may come in. I am banking on the fact that a few birds that I spooked in the am yesterday when the net froze will come back today. When I checked it at 8, there were about 6 magpies back on it. Not too surprising.
We spent a few hours before lunch trying to get a shot. There were 8-10 ravens on the bait and every time they got on it and we drove up to detonate the net, they would flush. When we went back after lunch, there were only 4 birds, so we decided to wait until tomorrow. DC and I are running a little experiment tomorrow. He thinks that putting out new bait at the same location will increase the number of birds tomorrow. I think it will scare them. I suppose we'll see.
Total # of ravens banded to date from the projects inception is 414!!!!!
We got two band reads today. Orange A and Orange B. Two of the five birds that were caught the other day on the river bait. Looked pretty cozy too; probably a mated pair.
There were 6 ravens perched above the Gros Ventre River bait at 3pm, but they all took off.
despite the fact we shot the net launcher off yesterday afternoon, I reset the launcher there again this morning. I brought some extra bait out in case the coyotes had finished off the elk that was out there, but they did not seem to touch it. I didn't put the new bait out for fear of scaring any ravens that may come in. I am banking on the fact that a few birds that I spooked in the am yesterday when the net froze will come back today. When I checked it at 8, there were about 6 magpies back on it. Not too surprising.
We spent a few hours before lunch trying to get a shot. There were 8-10 ravens on the bait and every time they got on it and we drove up to detonate the net, they would flush. When we went back after lunch, there were only 4 birds, so we decided to wait until tomorrow. DC and I are running a little experiment tomorrow. He thinks that putting out new bait at the same location will increase the number of birds tomorrow. I think it will scare them. I suppose we'll see.
Total # of ravens banded to date from the projects inception is 414!!!!!
We got two band reads today. Orange A and Orange B. Two of the five birds that were caught the other day on the river bait. Looked pretty cozy too; probably a mated pair.
There were 6 ravens perched above the Gros Ventre River bait at 3pm, but they all took off.
08 February 2006
Wed, Feb 8
Cold and clear. -2F at 7am
Set-up the net launcher at the bait in the park before dawn. We set out a dummy net launcher when we put the bait out, so I replaced that with the live one. I had covered the bait last night so the coyotes and wolves would eat the rest of the bait overnight. Once the net and remote were set, I removed the cover on the bait and took off before first light.
At 10am Jill and I went out to try and catch some ravens at the bait in the park. There were about 25-30 ravens on the bait. Unfortunately, when we went to shoot it off, Nothing! I thought maybe it was the range of the remote, so I snuck up 1/2 way, but still nothing. At that point, I decided to just spook the birds and see what was going on. Turns out the launcher was frozen and the firing pin didn't go all the way. I reset everything and put a new shell in, left, and hoped the birds would come back....
Got more bait.
12:30 - There were about 15-20 ravens back on the bait. Let's try again. At about 2:30, we were able to make it back out and there were 14 ravens on/near the bait. We waited until the got within range and did a drive by and shot the launcher off. The snow that I had put on top of the net for camo had hardened and stopped the net short of a full fire. However, we still captured 2 ravens and 2 magpies. We banded both ravens and let the magpies go. Both ravens were adults and very docile when banding. To fix the net camo problem, Derek had the insight of covering the launcher with a white sheet that is tied to the leading edge of the net. After a test fire, we figured it was worth a try. We'll try and put more bait and the net launcher out there again in the morning.
Set-up the net launcher at the bait in the park before dawn. We set out a dummy net launcher when we put the bait out, so I replaced that with the live one. I had covered the bait last night so the coyotes and wolves would eat the rest of the bait overnight. Once the net and remote were set, I removed the cover on the bait and took off before first light.
At 10am Jill and I went out to try and catch some ravens at the bait in the park. There were about 25-30 ravens on the bait. Unfortunately, when we went to shoot it off, Nothing! I thought maybe it was the range of the remote, so I snuck up 1/2 way, but still nothing. At that point, I decided to just spook the birds and see what was going on. Turns out the launcher was frozen and the firing pin didn't go all the way. I reset everything and put a new shell in, left, and hoped the birds would come back....
Got more bait.
12:30 - There were about 15-20 ravens back on the bait. Let's try again. At about 2:30, we were able to make it back out and there were 14 ravens on/near the bait. We waited until the got within range and did a drive by and shot the launcher off. The snow that I had put on top of the net for camo had hardened and stopped the net short of a full fire. However, we still captured 2 ravens and 2 magpies. We banded both ravens and let the magpies go. Both ravens were adults and very docile when banding. To fix the net camo problem, Derek had the insight of covering the launcher with a white sheet that is tied to the leading edge of the net. After a test fire, we figured it was worth a try. We'll try and put more bait and the net launcher out there again in the morning.
07 February 2006
Tues, Feb. 7 - A day for the records!!
Clear and Cold. -3 at 7amSame old, same old. The net launcher has fresh batteries this morning again. Not new batteries, but recharged ones (we are a conservation organization...). There have been no birds visiting the bait this morning though. I watched three groups of ravens totaling 9 birds flying towards the elk refuge and/or town this morning. I am afraid that is the population of birds inhabiting Kelly. I will likely pull the launcher from the river site and try to trap some birds over in Spring Gulch. Every time we are over there, there's over 100 ravens feeding from the cow feeders. Oh, the picture on the right is the bait across the Gros Ventre River that we have been working for the past few weeks. The small lump on the far bank is the bait. You can see all of the snow that has been matted down by the magpies and few ravens and my tracks along the hill. The launcher is set up in the overhanging willows against the hill.
Well, the trap was going to get pulled regardless, so we shot the launcher at two ravens feeding. Unfortunately, the back of the net had become frozen to the launcher, so we missed both birds. The net had been sitting out for a while now, and I suppose the thawing during the day had allowed some water to permeate down to the back of the net and froze at night. Each morning I would uncover the net and move it around to free up any ice that had form, but I guess I didn't get deep enough. Another hard lesson learned.
24 RAVENS BANDED!!!!
Finally, a successful capture! Jill and I went over to Spring Gulch at about noon and herded the cattle from the pen where all of the ravens have been feeding on their corn and feed. When we drove up, there were roughly 100-150 ravens feeding in the area. We moved the cattle and roped them off so they would not be in spooked by the net launcher. After setting up the launcher under the feeders and baiting the area with rolled corn, we waited for about an hour for the birds to come in. And come in, they did! I figured there was about 75-100 ravens slowly
making their way into range. They first started at the feeder farthest away and got spooked by trucks a few times. (I am pretty sure they would only get spooked by trucks with racks or things strapped on top) The birds finally made their way over and I don't think my heart had pounded so much since my first capture attempt. There were at least 50 ravens making their way into launcher range, and another 50 on their tails. With Jill's prodding, we realized that if we waited any longer, we may catch far too many birds to handle, so I shot it off. 28 ravens and 2 mallards were captured!! While the picture on the left is a bit overexpose, you can tell that here are a few birds captured. The record catch up to this point had been 15 ravens. No birds were injured while trapping, and we let the mallards go right away. By my best guess, I figure we missed at least 30-40 birds that I thought were in range. The capture went off at about 1:15 and all of the birds were banded, measurements and blood taken, and released well before dusk. Much thanks to Jill (she shed more blood than anyone I've seen banding birds), Marylyn, Jon, Drew, and Dan for help banding.When it rains, it pours!
Dan said there were at least 20 ravens on the park bait now. I guess we'll try for a few more birds tomorrow.
06 February 2006
Mon, Feb. 6
A bit colder this morning. -6F and clear. Once again, I got up and switched the batteries. There was no new snow on the ground, so I made sure to use the tracks I made yesterday. It's not too clear if the birds get freaked out by fresh tracks. I have been trying to notice the answer to that question for a while, but it has yet to become clear. I have tried certain bait stations using only snowshoes and others without. Only time can tell....
Fewer birds seem to be interested in the bait this morning. I had expected otherwise since it was so clod. I figured that the birds would go to a known food source first to try and get the much needed food for warmth. Just when you think you have it figured out...
No birds really used the river bait today. There were two ravens and a magpie over by the park bait, along with a lot of mammal tracks. We didn't walk up to check on the status of the bait, but it looked like some was still there at least. On the way back into Kelly, we glassed 3 ravens perched in a cottonwood snag. There was definitely a mated pair, plus another. One of the mated pair was banded. After a while of waiting and watching them allopreen, I got the read; green band B/A. That was a bird banded at the office last winter with Peggy (a raven with a broken leg that we also caught). I thought I was onto something for a while because B/A's mate had "ears" while they were allopreening, and I thought B/A was a male. Turns out she's a female (DNA testing). More obs on that question later I suppose. It seems fewer magpies (~5) were at the office today feeding on the excess bait.
Fewer birds seem to be interested in the bait this morning. I had expected otherwise since it was so clod. I figured that the birds would go to a known food source first to try and get the much needed food for warmth. Just when you think you have it figured out...
No birds really used the river bait today. There were two ravens and a magpie over by the park bait, along with a lot of mammal tracks. We didn't walk up to check on the status of the bait, but it looked like some was still there at least. On the way back into Kelly, we glassed 3 ravens perched in a cottonwood snag. There was definitely a mated pair, plus another. One of the mated pair was banded. After a while of waiting and watching them allopreen, I got the read; green band B/A. That was a bird banded at the office last winter with Peggy (a raven with a broken leg that we also caught). I thought I was onto something for a while because B/A's mate had "ears" while they were allopreening, and I thought B/A was a male. Turns out she's a female (DNA testing). More obs on that question later I suppose. It seems fewer magpies (~5) were at the office today feeding on the excess bait.
Sun, Feb. 5
A little warmer today. Switched the batteries again in the morn, but no more than 4 birds showed up all day. Took most of the day off. Didn't take a shot.
Picked up some more bait at the G&F office and went to the 30th anniversary meeting of the Jackson Hole Bird Club. A man asked me at the meeting if I thought that only males ravens have the "ear" feathers used in mating displays. I had told him I did not think so, but we'll have to keep an eye out for that.
Dan (cougar project) reported 2 sets of wolf tracks going up towards the bait in the park.
Picked up some more bait at the G&F office and went to the 30th anniversary meeting of the Jackson Hole Bird Club. A man asked me at the meeting if I thought that only males ravens have the "ear" feathers used in mating displays. I had told him I did not think so, but we'll have to keep an eye out for that.
Dan (cougar project) reported 2 sets of wolf tracks going up towards the bait in the park.
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