Notes from the Field (Fall 2013):
Date: November 26, 2013
Location: Long Beach
Observers: Dan Varland, Julia Bent, Kim Middleton, Wayne Munich, Suzy Whittey, and Jim Deane.
Raptor count:
| Bald Eagle |
Peregrine Falcon |
Merlin |
1 adult,
2 juveniles
|
1 adult |
1 |
Marked Individuals Observed:
| Species |
Color Marker Code |
| Peregrine Falcon |
H/7 |
Merlin.
Wayne Munich photo.
Snowy Plovers.
Wayne Munich photo.
Date: November 18, 2013
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Tom Rowley, Sandra Miller and Dianna Moore.
Raptor count:
| Bald Eagle |
Peregrine Falcon |
Merlin |
6 adults,
1 juvenile
|
1 juvenile |
2 |
Marked Individuals Observed:
| Species |
Color Marker Code |
| Bald Eagle |
M/V |
| Bald Eagle |
M/D |
Two banded Bald Eagles near the water's edge! This day the sky was dark with clouds. For that reason, sharp photos where the band codes would be visible were not possible. Nevertheless, Dianna Moore was able to read the codes from the survey vehicle through her spotting scope.
One was M/V, a male
we banded as an adult on March 24, 2010 one city block from where this photo was taken.
The other was M/D, a male
we banded on March 18, 2012 less than two miles south of where the photo was taken.
Tom Rowley photo.
Merlin.
Tom Rowley photo.
Date: Date: November 11, 2013
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dave Murnen, Dale Larson, Dann Sears, Sandra Miller, and Mary O'Neil.
Raptor count:
| Bald Eagle |
Northern Harrier |
Merlin |
| 2 adults, 2 juveniles |
2 |
1 |
Date: November 3, 2013
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dave Murnen, Lindsy Wright and Dianna Moore.
Raptor count:
| Bald Eagle |
Northern Harrier |
| 3 adults |
1 |
Date: October 28, 2013
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dianna Moore and Sandra Miller.
Raptor count:
| Bald Eagle |
Northern Harrier |
Merlin |
| 1 |
1 |
1 |
This morning's view: wonderful, but no peregrines in it today!
Dan Varland photo.
Date: October 27, 2013
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Sandra Miller, Dan Miller and Virginia Molenaar.
Raptor count:
| Bald Eagle |
Peregrine Falcon |
| 3 |
4 |
Raptors Banded:
| Species |
Color Marker Code |
| Peregrine Falcon |
V/2 |
Marked Individuals Observed:
| Species |
Color Marker Code |
| Peregrine Falcon |
E/5 |
Virginia Molenaar with a first-year male Peregrine Falcon we captured and banded with visual identification band V/2.
Dan Varland photo.
The leg bands.
Dan Varland photo.
V/2's outer primary was bent, and the next one in was broken.
Dan Varland photo.
Virginia Molenaar releases V/2.
I pose with E/5, an adult female Peregrine Falcon that we first captured on October 31, 2010, almost three years to the day of today's survey. E/5 was in adult plumage when we captured her in 2010, indicating she was at least two years old then.
Virginia Molenaar photo.
The leg bands.
Dan Varland photo.
This video shows the release of E/5.
You will hear me say that she is a 3-year old. She's actually at least 5!
Date: October 22, 2013
Location: Grayland
Observers: Dan Varland, Larry Warwick and Ellen Sweetin.
Raptors Banded:
| Species |
Color Marker Code |
| Peregrine Falcon |
A/5 |
A second-year male Peregrine Falcon we captured and banded with visual identification band A/5.
Ellen Sweetin photo.
Back view of A/5. This bird had a few brown feathers on his back from his juvenal plumage, revealing to us that he was a second-year bird.
Ellen Sweetin photo.
Close-up of the back showing one of the brown feathers.
Ellen Sweetin photo.
Snowy Plover. This plover, and another we saw this morning, was color banded. We reported the band combinations to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. WDFW does research and monitoring of Snowy Plover in the area where this photo was taken: Midway Beach south of Grayland.
Ellen Sweetin photo.
Date: October 18, 2013
Location: Long Beach
Observers: Dan Varland, Brandy Stier, Stephen Stier and Chris Willis-Ford.
Raptor count:
| Bald Eagle |
Peregrine Falcon |
Merlin |
Northern Harrier |
| 2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Raptors Banded:
| Species |
Color Marker Code |
| Peregrine Falcon |
C/6 |
Brandy Stier (center), Brandy's dad Stephen (left) and Chris Willis-Ford with C/6, a first-year female Peregrine Falcon (Peale's) we captured and banded. Brandy and Chris had the winning bid for a survey with Coastal Raptors. They bid at an auction held by West Sound Wildlife Shelter, Bainbridge Island. Coastal Raptors offered this auction item to lend financial support West Sound Wildlife.
Dan Varland photo.
Brandy and Stephen draw a blood sample from C/6. Brandy works as a raptor rehabilitator for West Sound Wildlife Shelter and Stephen is a respiratory therapist; he regularly draws blood from infants.
Dan Varland photo.
Weighing the peregrine.
Chris Willis-Ford photo.
C/6.
Dan Varland photo.
C/6.
Dan Varland photo.
During our survey, we found Marine Mammal Stranding Network Coordinator Deb Duffield (right) talking with NOAA law enforcement. They met on the beach to: 1) coordinate activity between the Stranding Network and NOAA when marine mammal mortality from gunshot wounds is suspected and 2) bury a dead California Sea Lion that had been shot.
Dan Varland photo.
NOAA law enforcement officers bury the shot California Sea Lion. It is a federal offense to kill a marine mammal. Law enforcement works hard to locate and arrest those involved in these shootings, which are all to common on the Oregon and Washington coasts. In Coastal Raptors research, we draw blood from Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures, and Common Ravens to determine lead levels; they may ingest this harmful metal as they scavenge carcasses with gunshot wounds.
Dan Varland photo.
Date: October 17, 2013
Location: Long Beach
Observers: Dan Varland, Doug Swanson, Suzy Whittey, and Suzanne Staples.
Raptor count:
Raptors Banded:
| Species |
Color Marker Code |
| Peregrine Falcon |
S/2 |
First-year Peregrine Falcon feeding on an American Crow it had captured at the south end of the Long Beach peninsula.
Doug Swanson photo.
At the north end of the peninsula, we captured and banded this first-year female Peregrine Falcon. Suzanne Staples holds the bird while I take head shot photos with a macro lens.
Dan Varland photo.
Close-up of the banded peregrine.
Dan Varland photo.
We banded this peregrine with a black-over-blue color band coded S/2. According to protocol established by the federal Bird Banding Lab, black-over-blue bands are to be applied to peregrines of
uncertain subspecies, the anatum subspecies and the tundra subspecies. We classified the subspecies of this individual as uncertain given that she had plumage characteristics of the tundra subspecies (blonde feathers on top of the head; blonde edging to back feathers) and measurements typical of the larger coastal subspecies,
Falco peregrinus pealei.
Doug Swanson photo.
S/2.
Doug Swanson photo.
S/2.
Doug Swanson photo.
Date: October 16, 2013
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Jerry Broadus, Ellen Sweetin and Trish Safstrom.
Raptor count:
| Bald Eagle |
Peregrine Falcon |
Merlin |
Northern Harrier |
| 5 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
Raptors Banded:
| Species |
Color Marker Code |
| Peregrine Falcon |
M/A |
Jerry Broadus with M/A, a first-year female Peregrine Falcon we captured and banded.
Dan Varland photo.
The leg bands.
Dan Varland photo.
Fin whale north of Ocean Shores. This whale washed up on June 12 and is still around. Needless to say, it stunk!!
Dan Varland photo.
I thought I'd seen everything, until I saw this!
Date: October 8, 2013
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dianna Moore, Tom Rowley and Larry Warwick.
Raptor count:
| Bald Eagle |
Peregrine Falcon |
Merlin |
Northern Harrier |
| 5 adults |
1 adult,
1 juvenile
|
1 |
1 adult |
Raptors Banded:
| Species |
Color Marker Code |
| Peregrine Falcon |
W/5 |
Adult male Northern Harrier over the dune grass.
Tom Rowley photo.
Mast of a 40-ft sailboat that capsized offshore at Ocean Shores during a recent storm. The boat owner and only crew member was rescued by Coast Guard helicopter.
Tom Rowley photo.
Surf scoters above and in the surf.
Tom Rowley photo.
W/5, an adult male Peregrine Falcon captured and banded on the beach today.
Dan Varland photo.
W/5
Dan Varland photo.
W/5
Dan Varland photo.
Dianna Moore with W/5
Dan Varland photo.