Not too much going on today. I went birding with Mike down at the S Ponds, only to find 25 ravens feeding there. We glassed the birds and got 4 band reads!! This was the farthest south we've gotten band reads.
I refreshed the McCal bait with two more deer after dark and replaced the flash card in the camera trap.
18 March 2006
17 March 2006
Fri, Mar. 17
Happy St. Pati's Day!
Overcast. 19F at 7am.
Derek cheacked McCal this morn and said there were patches of ravens all around.
In office making a new trap for trapping adults in town. I've got high hopes for this one.
I finally got the trap finished around 2 and headed to town to tray it out on the Mead pair. It only took about 10 minutes to set it up. After waiting about 15 min for the pair to come back to their nest, it was on. The minute that the bait bird saw the pair, he started screaming. The interesting part of the calling was that it was an appeasement call. He knew he wasn't supposed to be there, and it seemed that he was letting them know that. They flew up above him without saying a word. Shortly after, one of the pair flew about 10 ft. over the bait bird and back to its mate. Neither called. All the while, the bait bird was screaming his appeasement calls from time to time. After a gruelling 30 minutes, the pair took off, never having made one sound. I picked up the trap.
Overcast. 19F at 7am.
Derek cheacked McCal this morn and said there were patches of ravens all around.
In office making a new trap for trapping adults in town. I've got high hopes for this one.
I finally got the trap finished around 2 and headed to town to tray it out on the Mead pair. It only took about 10 minutes to set it up. After waiting about 15 min for the pair to come back to their nest, it was on. The minute that the bait bird saw the pair, he started screaming. The interesting part of the calling was that it was an appeasement call. He knew he wasn't supposed to be there, and it seemed that he was letting them know that. They flew up above him without saying a word. Shortly after, one of the pair flew about 10 ft. over the bait bird and back to its mate. Neither called. All the while, the bait bird was screaming his appeasement calls from time to time. After a gruelling 30 minutes, the pair took off, never having made one sound. I picked up the trap.
16 March 2006
Thurs, Mar. 16
Overcast and snowing in the mtns. 16F at 7am.
After running all of the blood samples from yesterday, I decided to take our raven in town for a little experiment. Jill and I took him to one of the occupied territories to see the reaction of the adults. After only a few minutes, one of the pair came right in to tell this intruder to back off. It was right next to our bird. Then it flew off and got its mate. With the right trap, the pair would have been caught! We'll give it a go tomorrow.
Jill found a new territory by Pearl Street, but it appears as if the birds are just getting ready to start building. We glassed the west side of town all afternoon, and found what appears to be a territory on Rancher St. Jill confirmed last year's Broadway nest when she saw a bird flying into the nest with liner materials.
After dark, I brought some more bait out to McCal and grabbed the flash card out of the camera trap.
After running all of the blood samples from yesterday, I decided to take our raven in town for a little experiment. Jill and I took him to one of the occupied territories to see the reaction of the adults. After only a few minutes, one of the pair came right in to tell this intruder to back off. It was right next to our bird. Then it flew off and got its mate. With the right trap, the pair would have been caught! We'll give it a go tomorrow.
Jill found a new territory by Pearl Street, but it appears as if the birds are just getting ready to start building. We glassed the west side of town all afternoon, and found what appears to be a territory on Rancher St. Jill confirmed last year's Broadway nest when she saw a bird flying into the nest with liner materials.
After dark, I brought some more bait out to McCal and grabbed the flash card out of the camera trap.
15 March 2006
Wed, Mar. 15
Snowy and 20F at 7am.
It snowed a good 4 inches last night. I figured with all the new snow, the ravens would be out feeding in their old haunts. May be a good day for trapping.....
Jill and I set up the net launcher in Spring Gulch at the cow feeders after herding the cattle. Within 10 minutes the ravens were coming back. Within the hour, a hundred or so were working their way into the trapping area. The wind was also picking up at that point; not too good for the flying net.
When there were about 50 ravens within the trapping area, I decided to go for it, despite the wind. Even if we don't get as many as we should, it should still be plenty.
Shot fired! A mess of ravens flew up and started circling and calling, but I could tell there were some birds squirming under the net. 15 total! not too shabby. One recapture - B/7 - a female caught last winter in Dec up in the park.
Thanks to Jill and Jared for their help.
It snowed a good 4 inches last night. I figured with all the new snow, the ravens would be out feeding in their old haunts. May be a good day for trapping.....
Jill and I set up the net launcher in Spring Gulch at the cow feeders after herding the cattle. Within 10 minutes the ravens were coming back. Within the hour, a hundred or so were working their way into the trapping area. The wind was also picking up at that point; not too good for the flying net.
When there were about 50 ravens within the trapping area, I decided to go for it, despite the wind. Even if we don't get as many as we should, it should still be plenty.
Shot fired! A mess of ravens flew up and started circling and calling, but I could tell there were some birds squirming under the net. 15 total! not too shabby. One recapture - B/7 - a female caught last winter in Dec up in the park.
Thanks to Jill and Jared for their help.
14 March 2006
Tues, Mar. 14
High clouds and overcast all day. 11F at 7am.
Full moon tonight.
Office day (had to fix the computers).
Two coyotes were sleeping by the McCal bait. One magpie was feeding and one raven was in the tree above it.
Jill thought she found a new nest in town. Awaiting confirmation....
Full moon tonight.
Office day (had to fix the computers).
Two coyotes were sleeping by the McCal bait. One magpie was feeding and one raven was in the tree above it.
Jill thought she found a new nest in town. Awaiting confirmation....
13 March 2006
Mon, Mar. 13
6F at 7am. Looks like a system is rolling in over the mtns.
Derek and I spent the day in town looking for new nests.
I finally found the new '05 Green Mtn. nest that I had been looking for by the fairgrounds. I confirmed that pairs were back at the Bickner and the Creekside nests. Derek found three new unknown nests on the east side of town.
Derek and I both got band reads from birds at Sidewinders this morning. About 75 birds were hanging around the dumpster. Band reads were Orange T, e, and J, and Silver inverted 2. All of the orange birds were from the two recent big captures in spring gulch and the silver band was a bird we caught back in Nov at the Gros Ventre campground. Interestingly, that bird had the highest lead count we ever saw, and Derek said the bird was top dog of the group.
Derek and I spent the day in town looking for new nests.
I finally found the new '05 Green Mtn. nest that I had been looking for by the fairgrounds. I confirmed that pairs were back at the Bickner and the Creekside nests. Derek found three new unknown nests on the east side of town.
Derek and I both got band reads from birds at Sidewinders this morning. About 75 birds were hanging around the dumpster. Band reads were Orange T, e, and J, and Silver inverted 2. All of the orange birds were from the two recent big captures in spring gulch and the silver band was a bird we caught back in Nov at the Gros Ventre campground. Interestingly, that bird had the highest lead count we ever saw, and Derek said the bird was top dog of the group.
Sun, Mar. 12
Derek and I went to cut up the deer out at McCal and to put some fake blood around to attract some birds. There was one magpie feeding when we walked up, but no sign of ravens.
After I got a hot tip from Jon that he saw a raven in town with a stick, I went in to check it out. Jill was sitting at K-mart looking for nests when I got there. She hadn't seen anything in the past 20 min, so we just waited a few more together. After a little while, I spotted to birds and one had a stick. I got in my truck and sped after it. I caught up with it over by Deckers, and low and behold, there was a nest. Looked like the birds had just started building that day.
I checked on the pair and nest by Karn's Meadow, but without luck. I thought I was onto something when I saw a pair up on Saddle Butte, but they seemed to be just feeding after I watched them for a while.
After I got a hot tip from Jon that he saw a raven in town with a stick, I went in to check it out. Jill was sitting at K-mart looking for nests when I got there. She hadn't seen anything in the past 20 min, so we just waited a few more together. After a little while, I spotted to birds and one had a stick. I got in my truck and sped after it. I caught up with it over by Deckers, and low and behold, there was a nest. Looked like the birds had just started building that day.
I checked on the pair and nest by Karn's Meadow, but without luck. I thought I was onto something when I saw a pair up on Saddle Butte, but they seemed to be just feeding after I watched them for a while.
Sat, Mar. 11
On a ski up Shadow Mtn, I saw a pair of ravens on territory by the campground.
Derek and I set up two deer as bait by the McCallister cabins. We forgot the knife, so we left them not cut open. We did not see either of the McCal raven pair, and the '05 RTHA nest has all but blown out.
Derek and I set up two deer as bait by the McCallister cabins. We forgot the knife, so we left them not cut open. We did not see either of the McCal raven pair, and the '05 RTHA nest has all but blown out.
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