Notes from the Field (Fall 2014):

Date: November 25, 2014
Location:Long Beach
Observers: Varland, Sandra Miller and Scott Horton.

Raptor Count:

Bald Eagle	Northern Harrier	Peregrine Falcon
9 adults, 1 juvenile	1	1

Marked Raptors Observed:

Species	Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon	D/3
Bald Eagle	M/R
Common Raven	RSYLGO

Foggy beach with tire tracks leading away in the sand

We had a bit of fog and intermittent rain during today's survey. Temperatures were mild, in the 50s, and wind speeds were moderate at 10-15 mph. The conditions were pretty good for a survey in late November.
Dan Varland photo.

Downed tree being splashed by incoming surf

Downed tree being splashed by incoming surf

This tree may soon become waterlogged!
Dan Varland photo.

Man fishing in surf

Dan Varland photo.

Man fishing in surf with a german shepherd also standing in the water

Dan Varland photo.

Couple walking their dog on a foggy beach

Dan Varland photo.

We saw W/R, an adult male Bald Eagle perched on a clump of Bull Kelp.
We banded him on April 12, 2012, less than one-half mile north of where we saw him today.

Date: November 21, 2014
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dave Murnen, Dale Larson and Dianna Moore.

Raptor Count:

Bald Eagle	Peregrine Falcon
4 adults	1 juvenile

Marked Raptors Observed:

Species	Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon	R/6

Adult Bald Eagle

Date: November 17, 2014
Location: Grayland
Observers: Dan Varland, Tom Rowley, Sandra Miller and Pam McCauley.

Raptor Count:

Peregrine Falcon
2 adults, 1 juvenile

Marked Raptors Observed:

Species	Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon	P/6

Raptors Banded:

Species	Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon	Z/E

Gray Whale skeleton sticking out of sand

Gray Whale skeleton.
Dan Varland photo.

Whale skull with the wind turbines in background

Whale skull with the wind turbines south of Grayland in the background.
Tom Rowley photo.

Turkey Vulture feeding on whale carcass

The same Gray Whale two months earlier, on September 3. Note the Turkey Vulture feeding.
Tom Rowley photo.

Gull with razor clam in it's beak

Gull with razor clam.
Tom Rowley photo.

Man holding an adult female Peregrine Falcon - wings spread.

Dan Varland, with Z/E, an adult female Peregrine Falcon.
Tom Rowley photo.

Man holding Peregrine falcon with wings spread to show back plumage

Z/E.
Tom Rowley photo.

Close up of talons with colored metal bands

Z/E.
Tom Rowley photo.

hooded falcon having Blood drawn

Blood draw, Z/E. L to R: Pam McCauley, Dan Varland and Sandra Miller.
Tom Rowley photo.

hooded falcon having Blood drawn

Tom Rowley photo.

Close up of blood draw needle inserted in falcon

Tom Rowley photo.

Drawing of falcon skelton

We take blood from the cutaneous ulnar vein where it passes across the ulna.
This location is one of several options available.

Woman holding falcon showing back plumage

Woman holding falcon showing back plumage

Sandra Miller with P/6, a 1-year-old Peregrine Falcon we re-captured today for blood and feather samples.
We banded P/6 on December 10, 2012 when she was less than one year of age.
Tom Rowley photo.

Close of of falcon's back plumage

P/6 retained a few brown feathers from her first-year, juvenile-age plumage.
Tom Rowley photo.

Close up of falcon head showing huge eye

P/6.
Tom Rowley photo.

Woman holding Peregrine Falcon spreading its wings

P/6.
Tom Rowley photo.

Hands using scissors to clip a feather

Getting a feather sample from P/6.
Tom Rowley photo.

Smiling man holding camera with huge lens

Our fantastic photographer, Tom Rowley. Thanks Tom!
Dan Varland photo.

Date: November 14, 2014
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Josh Benton, Pam McCauley and Larry Warwick.

Raptor Count:

Bald Eagle	Peregrine Falcon	Northern Harrier
3 adults	2 juveniles	1

Marked Raptors Observed:

Species	Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon	R/6

Raptors Banded:

Species	Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon	Z/R

Pam McCauley with Z/R, a first-year Peregrine Falcon captured and banded north of Ocean Shores.
Dan Varland photo.

Close up of banded talons

Dan Varland photo.

Man holding falcon on beach with hills in background

Z/R.
Larry Warwick photo.

Close up of falcon head

Dan Varland photo.

The release.
Josh Benton Video.

Person walking on beach with waves crashing

Beach walker.
Dan Varland photo.

three coyotes on beach in front of dunes

Coyote romp on the beach.
Dan Varland photo.

Three coyotes chasing each other on beach

Dan Varland photo.

Lone coyote running on beach

Dan Varland photo.

Date: November 8, 2014
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dave Murnen, Virginia Molenaar, Ashley Sacco, Lynn Schultz, Michelle and Nils Landis.

Raptor Count:

Bald Eagle	Peregrine Falcon
1 adult	1 juvenile

Marked Individuals Observed:

Species	Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon	R/6

Shiloutte of men standing at rocky crest of beach

Dave Murnen and Lynn Schultz on the Ocean Shores jetty at daybreak.
Dan Varland photo.

Disconnected set of stairs that washed up on beach

Viewing platform? Stairway to heaven?
Dan Varland photo.

Man fishing while standing in surf

Fishing for surf perch.
Dan Varland photo.

6 people posing for photo on beach

L to R: Dave Murnen, Virginia Molenaar, Dan Varland, Lynn Schultz with daughter Ashley Sacco, and Michelle Landis.
Behind the camera: Nils Landis.

Date: October 31, 2014
Location: Long Beach
Observers: Dan Varland, Will Dixon, Steve and Jay Gamboa, Suzy Whittey, Glenn Marquardt, and Suzanne Staples.

Raptor Count:

Bald Eagle	Peregrine Falcon	Merlin
1 juvenile	2 adults, 1 juvenile	2

Raptors Banded:

Species	Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon	W/6
Peregrine Falcon	D/3
Peregrine Falcon	Z/Z

Boy sitting on vehicle tailgate whild holding hooded falcon

Jay Gamboa with a first-year female Peregrine Falcon about to be fitted with visual identification band Z/Z.
Suzy Whittey photo.

Close up of hooded falcon displaying banded legs

Close up of hooded falcon displaying banded legs

Suzy Whittey photo.

Close up of falcon head

Z/Z.
Suzy Whittey photo.

Man holding falcon and stretching out it's wings

Z/Z.
Will Dixon photo.

Man holding falcon showing back of raptor

Z/Z.
Will Dixon photo.

Hand holding a vial of blood

Blood sample collected from Z/Z.
Dan Varland photo.

6 People posing for photo on the beach - one holding a falcon

L to R: Will Dixon, Glenn Marquardt, Dan Varland, Steve Gamboa, Jay Gamboa and Suzanne Staples with Z/Z.
Suzy Whittey photo.

Plastic crate on beach with Japanese writing

Plastic crate on beach with Japanese writing

Japan tsunami debris.
Suzy Whittey photo.

Two men each holding a hooded falcon

Will and Steve with adult Peregrine Falcons, a male and a female. In most raptor species, females are larger than males. Peregrines are no exception to this rule. Here, with the birds side by side, it's easy to see which one is which.
Dan Varland photo.

Man holding falcon while a boy fits a metal band on the falcon's leg

Man holding falcon while a boy fits a metal band on the falcon's leg

Will's grandson Jay applies visual identification band W/6 to the female.
Dan Varland photo.

Close up of talon with green metal band being fastened

Dan Varland photo.

Boy holding a hooded falcon

Jay with the female.
Will Dixon photo.

Boy fitting leg band on hooded falcon held by another man

With his dad holding the bird, Jay applies visual identification band D/3 to the male.
Dan Varland photo.

Man holding peregrine falcon in each hand

Will Dixon photo.

Man holding peregrine falcon in each hand while a boy takes his picture

Jay points an iPhone in my direction as I am about to release the birds.
Will Dixon photo.

Away! Jay Gamboa video.

Date: October 27, 2014
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Noel Ferguson, Tom Rowley and Sandra Miller.

Raptor Count:

Bald Eagle	Peregrine Falcon	Merlin
3 adults, 1 juvenile	1 juvenile	2

Merlin perched on driftwood buried in sand

Merlin.
Tom Rowley photo.

Rainbow over waves crashing on ocean

Rainbow.
Tom Rowley photo.

Bald eagle perched on the sand at surf's edge

4-year-old Bald Eagle.
Tom Rowley photo.

Bald eagle stretching wings and just lifting off from beach

Date: October 19, 2014
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Varland; Josh, Tabby and Cassy Benton.

Marked Individuals Observed:

Species	Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon	R/6

three people on the beach alongside whale vertebrae

The Benton family, 7-year-old Cassy, Tabby and Josh on the beach alongside whale vertebrae.
They were among the remains of a Finn Whale that washed ashore in June of 2013.
Dan Varland photo.

People inspecting a whale vertebrae

Finn Whale skull.
Dan Varland photo.

People lLooking through a field guide

Looking through a field guide given to Cassy as a gift from Coastal Raptors.
Dan Varland photo.

Common Raven feeding on Western Grebe carcass.
Dan Varland photo.

Western Grebes foraging at Connor Creek.
Dan Varland photo.

Date: October 11, 2014
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dave Murnen; Michelle and Nils Landis.

Marked Individuals Observed:

Species	Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon	R/6
Common Raven	ROYLGS

Date: October 6, 2014
Location: Long Beach
Observers: Dan Varland, Dave Chuljian, Greg Knowels, Ellen Falconer, Rich Van Buskirk, Suzy Whittey and Sharon Hildebrandt.

Marked Individuals Observed:

Species	Color Marker Code
Common Raven	RSYLGO

David Chuljian, Greg Knowels, and Ellen Falconer arrive at the Ilwaco airport south of the Long Beach Peninsula. They flew in from Port Townsend for today's survey.
Dan Varland photo.

Plane landing on runway

Dan Varland photo.

Pilot David Chuljian. David won a Peregrine Falcon banding survey with Coastal Raptors. The survey was offered by Coastal Raptors as an auction item for West Sound Wildlife Shelter's annual fundraising auction. West Sound is a wildlife rehabilitation and education center on Washington's Bainbridge Island. In 2012 and 2013, Coastal Raptors also provided surveys for West Sound's auction. Auction proceeds go to support West Sound Wildlife and Coastal Raptors: a win-win situation!
Dan Varland photo.

Left to right: Greg Knowels, David Chuljian, and Ellen Falconer.
Dan Varland photo.

The weather was beautiful until mid-afternoon. Surprisingly, we hadn't seen a raptor. Then fog rolled in off the ocean. At that point, we gave up and went home.
Dan Varland photo.

Voila! We later joked that maybe the airplane chased all the peregrines away! Using his skills with the program Photoshop, Tom Rowley turned our joke into "reality".
Dan Varland photo.

The peregrines on the runway are two images of the same bird, W/Z, taken on May 20, 2008. W/Z, a male, was one-year-old back then.
Featured with a two-page spread in the 2013 Coastal Raptors newsletter, W/Z is one of our most storied peregrines.
Dan Varland photo.

Mark Wilhyde photo.

Date: September 18, 2014
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Noel Ferguson, Dianna Moore and Pam McCauley.

Raptors Banded:

Species	Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon	R/6

Dianna Moore with R/6, a first-year female Peregrine Falcon we captured and banded.
Dan Varland photo.

Close up of falcon's legs with bright green and blue metal bands

Close up of falcon's legs with bright green and blue metal bands

Dan Varland photo.

Man holding falcon while another man measures it's tail feathers

Dan Varland measures tail length with help from Noel Ferguson.
Dianna Moore photo.

Hands holding falcon so that it's back and spread wings are visible.

Hands holding falcon so that it's back and spread wings are visible.

Dan Varland photo.

Hooded falcon on it's back with tubing and syringe drawing blood from a wing vein.

Getting a blood sample for contaminants testing.
Dianna Moore photo.

Fieldnotes14Fall

Notes from the Field (Fall 2014):