Clear and cold. -7F at 7am.
I spent the afternoon in town looking for new nests. I found one new pair building a nest by the hospital. The male of the pair was not banded, but I didn't get a look at the female. There are two nests in the NER headquarters, but no birds were around. I found an old nest up on snow king, but the resident pair was taking sticks away from it to build on their new nest. I have not located the new nest yet. There appears to be a territorial bird further west on snow king up from the post office. I found where the nest was last year on the high school, but the nest had been taken down or blown out. Neither of the Food Town pair is banded, but they are still building. The Teton Inn nest has blown out.
When I got to town at noon, I spotted two ravens in the Home Ranch parking lot that looked pretty cozy, so I went in to take a look. When I stopped, I noticed that one was banded, Yellow K (a nestling from '05). A first-year with a girlfriend!! That's unheard of. The conventional thought is that ravens don't breed in the wild before the age of three. This bird is not even one, and was feeding another raven! I doubt that they were on a territory at the time, but still an interesting observation.
10 March 2006
09 March 2006
Thurs, Mar. 9
Snowing and windy. 27F at 7am.
Feels like winter again. It was blowing and snowing all day, but I thought I'd make a break from the office and check out the situation in Spring Gulch. There were a ton of birds there feeding with the cows again. I estimated about 100 or so. There were a bunch of banded birds, but the snow was blowing so hard, it was difficult to see the bands. However, I was able to get 5 band reads; Yellow J, Yellow hanging f, Yellow X, Silver hanging B, and black/white/black tab.
Derek found a new nest in town; in the Food Town sign. The pair had just begun to build the nest.
Feels like winter again. It was blowing and snowing all day, but I thought I'd make a break from the office and check out the situation in Spring Gulch. There were a ton of birds there feeding with the cows again. I estimated about 100 or so. There were a bunch of banded birds, but the snow was blowing so hard, it was difficult to see the bands. However, I was able to get 5 band reads; Yellow J, Yellow hanging f, Yellow X, Silver hanging B, and black/white/black tab.
Derek found a new nest in town; in the Food Town sign. The pair had just begun to build the nest.
08 March 2006
Wed, Mar. 8 - First raven on nest
Clear and calm. 5F at 7am.
Derek and I went to pick up the big box trap at Spring Gulch - Y2 that the cows had destroyed a while ago. Before we went in, we glassed the few birds that were around (~15) and got one band read - orange K. The bird had been banded there with the first big capture a month ago. It looked as if the cows had been fed earlier that morning, but there were fewer birds on the feeders than I would have expected.
On our way back, we saw a raven IN a nest (the Spring Gulch nest). The bird hadn't laid yet, but was most likely building. A little earlier than I would have expected, but it has been warm during the days.
We got a band read from a bird that is likely part of a breding pair by the golf course. The banded female (W/7) had been banded in Dec. of '04 at the cabins in the letter trap. It was perched on a branch with her mate and they had a green apple that had a few bites taken out of it.
Derek and I went into town to drop off Grullo for repairs and checked on a few nests in town. It appeared that the Mead nest had been built upon, and we both thought for a minute that a raven was on it. When we went around the other side for a better look, we saw no bird. I later checked the Art Center nest and it was in similar shape; built up but no bird. It was hard to see, but the Karns nest looked similar.
Derek and I went to pick up the big box trap at Spring Gulch - Y2 that the cows had destroyed a while ago. Before we went in, we glassed the few birds that were around (~15) and got one band read - orange K. The bird had been banded there with the first big capture a month ago. It looked as if the cows had been fed earlier that morning, but there were fewer birds on the feeders than I would have expected.
On our way back, we saw a raven IN a nest (the Spring Gulch nest). The bird hadn't laid yet, but was most likely building. A little earlier than I would have expected, but it has been warm during the days.
We got a band read from a bird that is likely part of a breding pair by the golf course. The banded female (W/7) had been banded in Dec. of '04 at the cabins in the letter trap. It was perched on a branch with her mate and they had a green apple that had a few bites taken out of it.
Derek and I went into town to drop off Grullo for repairs and checked on a few nests in town. It appeared that the Mead nest had been built upon, and we both thought for a minute that a raven was on it. When we went around the other side for a better look, we saw no bird. I later checked the Art Center nest and it was in similar shape; built up but no bird. It was hard to see, but the Karns nest looked similar.
07 March 2006
Tues, Mar. 7
Partly cloudy and calm. 27F at 7am.
We have had extra bait sitting out in front of the office since at least December. Every day we have up to 9 magpies feeding, but not once has a raven come in to feed. That is, until this morning. When I came around the corner, I flushed 4 ravens off the bait and got a glimpse that at least one was banded. We got a dusting of snow last night, and maybe that has enticed the birds to feed again. Otherwise, I can't imagine why the birds would feed now and not over the past few months.
At around noon, Derek and I watched as 7-9 ravens bathed in the snow and the river. They would go down and take a dip in the river, then go up and bathe in the snow. They would snow-plow through the snow and start flapping around to try and "dry" off. Then, each one would fly up to the top of the bank and do flips down the bank. Once they got about 1/2 way down, they would go up again and roll down the hill. Each one did this and it looked like great fun for them. Looked pretty cold to me, but it was almost 40F out.
We have had extra bait sitting out in front of the office since at least December. Every day we have up to 9 magpies feeding, but not once has a raven come in to feed. That is, until this morning. When I came around the corner, I flushed 4 ravens off the bait and got a glimpse that at least one was banded. We got a dusting of snow last night, and maybe that has enticed the birds to feed again. Otherwise, I can't imagine why the birds would feed now and not over the past few months.
At around noon, Derek and I watched as 7-9 ravens bathed in the snow and the river. They would go down and take a dip in the river, then go up and bathe in the snow. They would snow-plow through the snow and start flapping around to try and "dry" off. Then, each one would fly up to the top of the bank and do flips down the bank. Once they got about 1/2 way down, they would go up again and roll down the hill. Each one did this and it looked like great fun for them. Looked pretty cold to me, but it was almost 40F out.
06 March 2006
Mon, Mar. 6
I got back in town around noon. After arriving in Kelly, Derek and I stopped to glass a few ravens that were hanging out. We got band reads on all three birds (of 9) that were banded. P/9 had been banded in Kelly last winter and not seen since. C/5 was banded during the '04 hunting season and seen last spring in Spring Gulch and in June behind Bubbas. B/A was definitely paired with another bird (both had horns to end that debate), and is likely going to breed near Kelly.
Starlings were going in and out of a nest box. A crow was on the office. Bluebirds and red-wings are coming back in increasing numbers every day since this weekend. Goldfinches are getting breeding plumage. Juncos are back. The dippers are displaying.
Starlings were going in and out of a nest box. A crow was on the office. Bluebirds and red-wings are coming back in increasing numbers every day since this weekend. Goldfinches are getting breeding plumage. Juncos are back. The dippers are displaying.
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