Clear and cold. 11F at 5am, 7F at 9am.
Got up early again to try and trap at the bait. One pair of birds (I assume the nesting pair right there) was so territorial all morning, that the rest of the ~20 birds never really came in to feed. At about 8 am, the group had increased in numbers enough (~18) that they were able to get past the pair, but even then they were really skittish because of them. The most birds on the bait at one time was about 6-8, and at least 10 were always beside it. The majority left at about 8:30 when they were spooked by something, and I gave up at about 9.
Office day most of the time dealing with permits and reports.
23 March 2006
22 March 2006
Wed, Mar 22
Partly cloudy. 15F at 5am.
Up early to uncover the bait and put the net launcher out. I hid in a nearby shed (maybe 30ft away) so I could try and get some pics. At 5:50, the birds started rolling in. They waited maybe 10-15 minutes, then started in on the bait. There were no jumping-jack displays. They also didn't seem aware that I switched the fake net launcher for the real one. Within the hour, I had about 20-25 ravens feeding. One coyote walked by, but didn't come in. Last night, I put out a dryer sheet to keep the human smell up and the coyotes off. I got about 250 pics, but it was pretty dark for most of them. The birds seemed to be spooked by the camera lens, and every time I moved 1/4 inch, they scattered. By 8 am, they had spooked enough times that they finally started leaving. Deciding not to take a shot, I called Drew and had him come get me.
I went to town in the afternoon to glass for nests. A group of 4 birds were hanging out by the Karns Mdw parking lot. I sat at kmart for a while with not luck until I saw a banded bird at the climbing gym. After that read, I started around town, but didn't come up with much. The Pearl pair was up in the trees, but not building. On the way back, I stopped at the museum to see a raven sitting on the nest I found yesterday! That's a new one.
Up early to uncover the bait and put the net launcher out. I hid in a nearby shed (maybe 30ft away) so I could try and get some pics. At 5:50, the birds started rolling in. They waited maybe 10-15 minutes, then started in on the bait. There were no jumping-jack displays. They also didn't seem aware that I switched the fake net launcher for the real one. Within the hour, I had about 20-25 ravens feeding. One coyote walked by, but didn't come in. Last night, I put out a dryer sheet to keep the human smell up and the coyotes off. I got about 250 pics, but it was pretty dark for most of them. The birds seemed to be spooked by the camera lens, and every time I moved 1/4 inch, they scattered. By 8 am, they had spooked enough times that they finally started leaving. Deciding not to take a shot, I called Drew and had him come get me.
I went to town in the afternoon to glass for nests. A group of 4 birds were hanging out by the Karns Mdw parking lot. I sat at kmart for a while with not luck until I saw a banded bird at the climbing gym. After that read, I started around town, but didn't come up with much. The Pearl pair was up in the trees, but not building. On the way back, I stopped at the museum to see a raven sitting on the nest I found yesterday! That's a new one.
21 March 2006
Tues, Mar. 21
Overcast. 15F at 7am.
It was hard to tell how many ravens were at the bait, but it was a few. Horned Larks were out today on the Kelly Rd.
A pair was on territory at the sage nest, but one of the birds took a stick from it and flew south. I was not able to follow it. The first RTHA nest of the year was confirmed today as a pair was building by Rye. I saw no raven activity W of the airport by any of the territories. I did get a band read on a bird sitting on the airport fence, B/8.
I picked up a deer carcass by Flat Ck, and decided to glassed the cliffs above the museum. I found one stick nest in the big cliffs, but I'm not too sure if it is new or old. The Sign pair was fitting their new nest with lining. One was not banded, but I didn't get to check the other.
A pair was hanging out by the ditch crossing the GV rd, and neither looked banded from far away, but one had a gimpy foot. Gimpette?
I covered the bait so the coyotes wouldn't get into it before the morning, so I could try for some pics and maybe a capture.
It was hard to tell how many ravens were at the bait, but it was a few. Horned Larks were out today on the Kelly Rd.
A pair was on territory at the sage nest, but one of the birds took a stick from it and flew south. I was not able to follow it. The first RTHA nest of the year was confirmed today as a pair was building by Rye. I saw no raven activity W of the airport by any of the territories. I did get a band read on a bird sitting on the airport fence, B/8.
I picked up a deer carcass by Flat Ck, and decided to glassed the cliffs above the museum. I found one stick nest in the big cliffs, but I'm not too sure if it is new or old. The Sign pair was fitting their new nest with lining. One was not banded, but I didn't get to check the other.
A pair was hanging out by the ditch crossing the GV rd, and neither looked banded from far away, but one had a gimpy foot. Gimpette?
I covered the bait so the coyotes wouldn't get into it before the morning, so I could try for some pics and maybe a capture.
20 March 2006
Mon, Mar. 20
Partly cloudy. 15F at 7am.
I got a report last night that a raven was getting nest lining material from an old carcass on the GV road, but direction of flight was not noted.
I checked on the MC bait, and there were only about 10 ravens there picking at the bones and hides. Seems that the coyotes ate all the bait.
There wasn't too much happening around town today. However, a pair began to build a nest at the NER sign. The nest wasn't there yesterday, and it seemed to be almost all the way built today. I did get confirmation that a pair of ravens was building a nest down at the CRC. I also got a swan collar read down there; green 6Y3.
I saw my first pair of house finches and a flock of bluebirds today!
After dark, I put an additional 3 elk and one deer out at the MC bait to try and lure the birds in again.
I got a report last night that a raven was getting nest lining material from an old carcass on the GV road, but direction of flight was not noted.
I checked on the MC bait, and there were only about 10 ravens there picking at the bones and hides. Seems that the coyotes ate all the bait.
There wasn't too much happening around town today. However, a pair began to build a nest at the NER sign. The nest wasn't there yesterday, and it seemed to be almost all the way built today. I did get confirmation that a pair of ravens was building a nest down at the CRC. I also got a swan collar read down there; green 6Y3.
I saw my first pair of house finches and a flock of bluebirds today!
After dark, I put an additional 3 elk and one deer out at the MC bait to try and lure the birds in again.
Sun, Mar. 19
Jill and I spent the day in town looking for nests and attempting to trap breeders. After two attempts with the whoosh net and the raven, we decided to give the bird a break. The first nest (Green Mtn) had no response from the breeders. Both flew over and didn't even bother calling. They appeared to be carrying sticks to an alternate nest location that has yet to be discovered, Have they moved their nest?
The second attempt at Mad River had a better response from the breeders, but they didn't come down. After about 10 min, they lost interest and resumed their building. However, they too were building alternate nests. The Mad River nest looks all but complete and they had built on each of the 4 corners of the Smith's Condos and in the eve of the new log building next to the condos. Not too sure what's going on there either...
We glassed the pair by the high school for a while, but didn't come up with much. Maybe they recognized my truck.
We found a good viewing point for the east side of town up on the hill next to the refuge. After about an hour up there, we saw the Deloney pair bringing in elk hair from the refuge, the Mead pair bringing in hair from the refuge, the Bickner pair defending their territory, and a bunch of crows on territory and building. No new ravens.
I checked on the McCal bait at about 4pm, and there were about 30 ravens there feeding and one imm. bald eagle was perched above it. One coyote was about 150 yards off to the west.
The second attempt at Mad River had a better response from the breeders, but they didn't come down. After about 10 min, they lost interest and resumed their building. However, they too were building alternate nests. The Mad River nest looks all but complete and they had built on each of the 4 corners of the Smith's Condos and in the eve of the new log building next to the condos. Not too sure what's going on there either...
We glassed the pair by the high school for a while, but didn't come up with much. Maybe they recognized my truck.
We found a good viewing point for the east side of town up on the hill next to the refuge. After about an hour up there, we saw the Deloney pair bringing in elk hair from the refuge, the Mead pair bringing in hair from the refuge, the Bickner pair defending their territory, and a bunch of crows on territory and building. No new ravens.
I checked on the McCal bait at about 4pm, and there were about 30 ravens there feeding and one imm. bald eagle was perched above it. One coyote was about 150 yards off to the west.
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