Rainy and Cold.
Office work in the AM.
DC and walked Cottonwood Ck. from the -bc rd. top the eagle nest. Saw a COHA scolding a GHOW, but no nests were found. Nothing in or near the '05 RT nest, and the eagle was in the nest further west. Nothing else.
Walked around Beaver Ck to look for the birds, but nothing. DC saw one raven cough up a pellet right by the truck when he came back and it flew towards beaver ck.
04 May 2006
03 May 2006
Wed, May 3
Clear. 22F @ 7am
DC and I walked the refuge off the higlands loop. We first went up towards the tank nest and found the cora nesting in the '04 nest. One of the pair was banded and I thought it was the female. She flew off the nest when DC went below the nest. On the way up we found the nest in a low aspen was occupied by a RTHA. We saw a copulation and greens on the nest, but no INC.
Checked on the NER nest up on the NE corner. Found a new unknown nest in a doug fir. The '05 cora nest was not acvtive and after a bit of searching found a new one in a subapline fir down at the western base of the patch. On the way back I flushed a RT off the '05 nest on the western side of the draw. D walked over to the other CORA nest he found last year, but no birds were on it. I confirmed the nest I thought up by Ds house in a engleman. I checked the highlands nest and a RTHA is now using it. It was built up, new sprigs were on it, and the bird screamed at me.
I went to Indian Springs and found an old RT nest in an aspen and an unk nest in a spruce.
DC and I walked the refuge off the higlands loop. We first went up towards the tank nest and found the cora nesting in the '04 nest. One of the pair was banded and I thought it was the female. She flew off the nest when DC went below the nest. On the way up we found the nest in a low aspen was occupied by a RTHA. We saw a copulation and greens on the nest, but no INC.
Checked on the NER nest up on the NE corner. Found a new unknown nest in a doug fir. The '05 cora nest was not acvtive and after a bit of searching found a new one in a subapline fir down at the western base of the patch. On the way back I flushed a RT off the '05 nest on the western side of the draw. D walked over to the other CORA nest he found last year, but no birds were on it. I confirmed the nest I thought up by Ds house in a engleman. I checked the highlands nest and a RTHA is now using it. It was built up, new sprigs were on it, and the bird screamed at me.
I went to Indian Springs and found an old RT nest in an aspen and an unk nest in a spruce.
02 May 2006
Tues, May 2
Windy and sunny. 38F @ 7am.
Set up the net launcher in the am and found a new grouse lek.
Checked on the new McCal nest. Nothing there.
Went up on Kelly Butte. Found the CORA nest up there INC. Didn't see the male and the female didn't come off the nest. Went up to the south end and checked on the RT nest. New sprigs. I went up on top and watched over the river bottom by the old CORA nest. Nothing there. The wind was pretty bad so I couldn't hear anything. On the way back I found a new SWHA nest in a spruce.
Checked on the RT Ditch Cr Upper nest. Looked good, but nothing in it. Walked up to the unk nest just east and it was blown out.
Went up to check on the Heskett nest - nothing.
Drove the Shadow Mtn road up to the upper nest. I walked around the upper area and found nothing. Neither nest looked built up. Walked up to the lower nest and the nest didn't look that great. As I was walking around, I heard the tell-tale call of a female INC below me. Went down and found the nest in a subalpine fir. That will be a fun climb...
Walked out to the island nest and around the N end. Didn't see a nest, but did see and hear a bird on multiple occasions on that end. Probably a nest. I watched the area for ~15min, but didn't see anything.
Tried to go to Schwabackers, but the road is still full of snow.
Went and dropped off a deer at the dump. About 30 bison were at the bait, so I picked up the launcher and replaced it with the dummy. I'm heading out now to switch it.
Checked Mead nest in town babies are about ready to be banded. Got 4 band reads at Bubba's last night around 7 pm. There were about 15 birds. K lazy yellow; 8 right sideup orange; M/5 green; and X/4 green. There was also another yellow band but cold not get a read.
Set up the net launcher in the am and found a new grouse lek.
Checked on the new McCal nest. Nothing there.
Went up on Kelly Butte. Found the CORA nest up there INC. Didn't see the male and the female didn't come off the nest. Went up to the south end and checked on the RT nest. New sprigs. I went up on top and watched over the river bottom by the old CORA nest. Nothing there. The wind was pretty bad so I couldn't hear anything. On the way back I found a new SWHA nest in a spruce.
Checked on the RT Ditch Cr Upper nest. Looked good, but nothing in it. Walked up to the unk nest just east and it was blown out.
Went up to check on the Heskett nest - nothing.
Drove the Shadow Mtn road up to the upper nest. I walked around the upper area and found nothing. Neither nest looked built up. Walked up to the lower nest and the nest didn't look that great. As I was walking around, I heard the tell-tale call of a female INC below me. Went down and found the nest in a subalpine fir. That will be a fun climb...
Walked out to the island nest and around the N end. Didn't see a nest, but did see and hear a bird on multiple occasions on that end. Probably a nest. I watched the area for ~15min, but didn't see anything.
Tried to go to Schwabackers, but the road is still full of snow.
Went and dropped off a deer at the dump. About 30 bison were at the bait, so I picked up the launcher and replaced it with the dummy. I'm heading out now to switch it.
Checked Mead nest in town babies are about ready to be banded. Got 4 band reads at Bubba's last night around 7 pm. There were about 15 birds. K lazy yellow; 8 right sideup orange; M/5 green; and X/4 green. There was also another yellow band but cold not get a read.
01 May 2006
Call for Help - Band Sightings
TO REPORT BAND SIGHTINGS, call BRYAN @ 307.734.0581 or email bryan@bswy.us
Here is a description of the raven bands we have been using:
We have been banding ravens intensively since 2002, and all ravens banded should have bands on both legs. On the bird's left leg should be an aluminum USGS number band that can usually only be read when the bird is in hand. The color band should be on the bird's right leg. We have used two different types of color bands in a variety of different colors. Here are the details:
Green Anodized Aluminum Bands
Used from 2002-2005 (a few birds prior to 2002)
These bands always have one symbol over another. The top and bottom symbol can be either a number or a letter. Here's an example:
Here is a description of the raven bands we have been using:
We have been banding ravens intensively since 2002, and all ravens banded should have bands on both legs. On the bird's left leg should be an aluminum USGS number band that can usually only be read when the bird is in hand. The color band should be on the bird's right leg. We have used two different types of color bands in a variety of different colors. Here are the details:
Green Anodized Aluminum Bands
Used from 2002-2005 (a few birds prior to 2002)
These bands always have one symbol over another. The top and bottom symbol can be either a number or a letter. Here's an example:
NOTE: We stopped using these because some bands tended to fade. It is possible to see one of these bands without the green. If that is the case, it is next to impossible to read the letters/numbers.
Plastic Bands
Used from 2005-Present. Colors used so far have been yellow, silver, and orange (all with black lettering). The symbols can be confusing at first. We have limited the bands to one symbol/band, and either a letter or number. However, each symbol can be in one of four directions: right-side-up, up-side-down, and turned left or right. Below is a silver plastic band that has an "a" that was turned to the left. If you happen to see a band, just write down what you see in the direction you see it.
Mon, May 1
Clear and clam. 23F @ 7am.
I set up the net launcher at about 5am on the airport bait. I waited in the guillie suit til about 6:30 and left because no birds came in. Left the launcher out.
DC and I wen to check on the launcher and there weren't any birds. We walked the river bottom from Moose south. I walked the east side and D walked the west. I didn't find the headgate pair and nothing was in the nest. One RT screamed at me when I got near Circle EW and again when I got back near the headgate nest. I saw a single CORA fly towards circle EW from the west and out to the south. Nothing else.
When I got back to the car, I saw a SWHA carry a stick to a new nest aross from Dornans drive.
We checked the Barker Place and found nothing.
We confirmed the BTP nest was INC.
Met with NPS about RTHA and rechecked the gun range - nothing.
I set up the net launcher at about 5am on the airport bait. I waited in the guillie suit til about 6:30 and left because no birds came in. Left the launcher out.
DC and I wen to check on the launcher and there weren't any birds. We walked the river bottom from Moose south. I walked the east side and D walked the west. I didn't find the headgate pair and nothing was in the nest. One RT screamed at me when I got near Circle EW and again when I got back near the headgate nest. I saw a single CORA fly towards circle EW from the west and out to the south. Nothing else.
When I got back to the car, I saw a SWHA carry a stick to a new nest aross from Dornans drive.
We checked the Barker Place and found nothing.
We confirmed the BTP nest was INC.
Met with NPS about RTHA and rechecked the gun range - nothing.
Sat & Sun, Apr. 29 & 30
Nothing Sat.
Sun - Set up the dummy net launcher at an elk carcass at the Airport Dump. I flushed about 12 birds from the bait when I drove up.
Sun - Set up the dummy net launcher at an elk carcass at the Airport Dump. I flushed about 12 birds from the bait when I drove up.
Fri, Apr. 28
Walked the Groy from mile 2 down to golf course w/ Jill and DC. The old GHOW nest further east had blown out. The '05 GHOW nest looked built up, but I couldn't tell by what. A GHOW was in the '05 Jxn RT nest. Nothing from Highway to the golf course. A pair of CORA was hanging out by the GHOW.
The barn birds may be in the '03 barn.
CORA INC at McReynolds.
Jill and I walked the McCal area to Carpenter Draw and to the Schwering nest. We found about 4 AMKE nest. The Carpenter Draw RTHA nest blew out. The Schwering RT are in a new nest that Jill found. I flushed and GHOW from the area where the '05 Shwering nest was.
I walked from the Fire Cabin to the Hunter Barn. No new nests. RT INC on the boundary nest. CORA still INC on the Hunter nest.
The barn birds may be in the '03 barn.
CORA INC at McReynolds.
Jill and I walked the McCal area to Carpenter Draw and to the Schwering nest. We found about 4 AMKE nest. The Carpenter Draw RTHA nest blew out. The Schwering RT are in a new nest that Jill found. I flushed and GHOW from the area where the '05 Shwering nest was.
I walked from the Fire Cabin to the Hunter Barn. No new nests. RT INC on the boundary nest. CORA still INC on the Hunter nest.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)