Fieldnotes15Fall

  Notes from the Field / Fieldnotes15Fall

Notes from the Field (Fall 2015):

Date: November 27, 2015
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Varland, Cathy Downs, Charlie Varland and Ariel Varland.


Raptor Count:
Peregrine Falcon
2 Adults


Marked Individuals Observed:
Species Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon R/6
Peregrine Falcon V/Z


falcon perched on a root wad with the ocean and moon in the background
Minutes into the survey, we saw this falcon perched on a root wad with the ocean and moon in the background.
Ariel Varland photo.


falcon perched on a root wad
Banded bird! Using the scope, we identified the falcon as R/6, a female we had captured and banded not far from this location on September 18, 2014. R/6 showed great site fidelity. She was re-sighted on 32 days after banding, fall to spring. All re-sightings were on the Ocean Shores study area; many were made not far from the location where she was banded. The last re-sighting was made on May 11, 2015. It was great to see that she's alive and well.
Ariel Varland photo.


Woman holding a peregrine falcon
We recaptured her to obtain blood and feather samples and to clean her bands. Cathy Downs (formerly Varland!) with R/6.
Ariel Varland photo.


close up of bands on falcons legs
Her bands were quite dirty.
Ariel Varland photo.



Cleaning the visual identification band.
Ariel Varland video.



Dan Varland looks over the flight feathers before feather sample collection. For research on mercury exposure in coastal peregrines, we collected the outer 1 cm of a fourth primary feather and the same amount from both fourth secondary feathers.
Ariel Varland video.


close up of the front of a peregrine falcon being held
R/6.
Ariel Varland photo.


close up of the back of a peregrine falcon being held
R/6.
Ariel Varland photo.



Release of R/6.
Ariel Varland video.



Date: November 18, 2015
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Tom Rowley, Bill Morgan and Rick Otto.


Raptor Count:
Bald Eagle Peregrine Falcon
2 Adults 2 Adults


Marked Individuals Observed:
Species Color Marker Code
Common Raven LSGRGO
Peregrine Falcon V/Z


We saw this Bald Eagle land on a post in the dunes and begin to feed.
We saw this Bald Eagle land on a post in the dunes and begin to feed.
Tom Rowley photo.


Common Raven
We re-sighted this Common Raven, a male we had captured and banded at this location on May 5, 2015. The raven has removed a green visual identification band, which had been located above the orange band on his right leg. Nevertheless, we still refer to him as: LSGRGO (= left: silver over green; right: green over orange).
Tom Rowley photo.



We re-captured Peregrine Falcon Z/V, a one-year-old female we first captured and banded less than one mile from this location on March 2, 2015.
Tom Rowley photo.


Z/V grabs ahold of Rick Otto's hand just after capture. Yikes!
Z/V grabs ahold of Rick Otto's hand just after capture. Yikes!
Tom Rowley photo.


L to R: Bill Morgan, Dan Varland, Rick Otto and peregrine Z/V before blood sampling.
L to R: Bill Morgan, Dan Varland, Rick Otto and peregrine Z/V before blood sampling.
Tom Rowley photo.



Dan Varland releases Z/V.
Rick Otto video.



Date: November 2, 2015
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dale Larson, John Larson, and Katie Lutz.


Raptor Count:
Bald Eagle Peregrine Falcon
1 adult 1 juvenile


Raptors Banded:
Species Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon P/7


juvenile Peregrine Falcon feeding on a bird
We saw this juvenile Peregrine Falcon feeding on a bird of some type not long after we started the survey. Unable to identify the food source, we drove on after watching for a few minutes.
Dale Larson photo.


man holding falcon showing it's front
An hour later, we captured and banded this first-year female Peregrine Falcon not far from where we had seen the peregrine feeding. Based on plumage characteristics, we were able to determine this was the same individual.
Dale Larson photo.


man holding falcon showing it's back
Dale Larson photo.


Man holding hooded falcon
John Larson with the peregrine. It was John's first survey.
Dale Larson photo.


person holding falcon showing the legs with bands
The bands.
Dale Larson photo.



Katie Lutz releases P/7.
Dan Varland video.


feathers and wing remains on the sand
After the release, hoping to identify the prey remains we checked the location where P/7 had been feeding earlier. Success! Among the scattered feathers was a wing from a Green-winged Teal.
Dale Larson photo.



Date: October 26, 2015
Location: Long Beach
Observers: Dan Varland, Sandra Miller, Larry Warwick and Jim Deane.


Raptor Count:
Bald Eagle Peregrine Falcon
2 adults 1 immature,
1 adult


Raptors Banded:
Species Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon P/5



We captured this first-year female Peregrine Falcon of the tundra subspecies, Falco peregrinus tundrius.
Larry Warwick photo.



We apply black-over-blue visual identification bands to tundra Peregrine Falcons that we capture.
Larry Warwick photo.



P/5 weighed 914 grams, or 2 pounds.
Larry Warwick photo.



Jim Deane with P/5.
Larry Warwick photo.



Measuring tail length.
Larry Warwick photo.



The release.
Larry Warwick video.



Adult Bald Eagle feeding on a Brandt's Cormorant.
Dan Varland video.



View from the north end of the Long Beach Peninsula.
Dan Varland video.



Date: October 25, 2015
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dave Murnen, Virginia Molenaar and Lisa Dick.


Raptor Count:
Bald Eagle Peregrine Falcon Northern Harrier
1 immature,
1 adult 		3 immatures,
1 adult 		1 age uncertain,
1 adult


Marked Individuals Observed:
Species Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon C/8



We re-captured Peregrine Falcon with visual identification C/8. We had captured and banded this first-year female on September 23, just a month earlier. We thought the visual ID band was a bit snug, and decided to replace it with the next size larger.
Virginia Molenaar photo.


Dave Murnen drilled out the pop rivets.
Dave Murnen drilled out the pop rivets.
Virginia Molenaar photo.


The old band next to the new, better fitting B/7.
The old band next to the new, better fitting B/7.
Virginia Molenaar photo.


Lisa Dick with B/7 just before release.
Lisa Dick with B/7 just before release.
Virginia Molenaar photo.



Date: October 17, 2015
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dave Murnen, Dianna Moore, Dan Miller.


Raptor Count:
Bald Eagle Peregrine Falcon Merlin Northern Harrier
1 adult 1 juveniles,
1 adult 		2 1


Marked Individuals Observed:
Species Color Marker Code
Common Raven LSGRGO


Raptors Banded:
Species Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon 8/S


Close up of peregrine falcon head
We applied visual identification band 8/S to this individual.
Dan Miller photo.


Hand holding falcon legs to show metal leg bands
Dan Miller photo.


person holding out wing of falcon
8/S. Plumage characteristics and measurements indicate this individual is the tundra subspecies of peregrine, Falco peregrinus tundrius.
Dan Miller photo.


merlin perched on driftwood on the beach
One of the two merlins seen this day.
Dianna Moore photo.


peregrine falcon perched on driftwood on beach
The visual identification band on this adult peregrine falcon was too caked with sand to read.
Dianna Moore photo.



Date: September 23, 2015
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Glenn Marquardt, Rocio Crespo, Alex Waroff, Beth Racher, Jenny Bunnell, Josalyn Bruce, and Jessica Poindexter.


Raptor Count:
Peregrine Falcon Bald Eagle
2 juveniles,
1 adult 		1 adult


Marked Individuals Observed:
Species Color Marker Code
Common Raven ROYLGS


Raptors Banded:
Species Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon 8/C


close up of Peregrine Falcon face
First-year female Peregrine Falcon we captured. We applied visual identification band 8/C to this individual.
Rocio Crespo photo.


Person holding Peregrine Falcon
8/C.
Rocio Crespo photo.


Josalyn Bruce draws a blood sample from a hooded falcon.
Josalyn Bruce draws a blood sample.
Rocio Crespo photo.


people holding down a falcon for examination
Dr. Rocio Crespo demonstrates the location of the jugular vein, which is another good location for drawing blood.
Glenn Marquadt photo.


transfering blood sample into a test tube
Blood plasma. We brought a centrifuge along that we used to obtain the plasma sample. The plasma was to be tested for evidence of exposure to highly pathogenic avian influenza and contaminants.
Rocio Crespo photo.


While Beth Racher holds the tube, Alex Waroff transfers the plasma.
While Beth Racher holds the tube, Alex Waroff transfers the plasma.
Rocio Crespo photo.


Jessica Poindexter settles C/8 onto the scale for weighing.
Jessica Poindexter settles C/8 onto the scale for weighing.
Rocio Crespo photo.



Dr. Rocio Crespo and students at the time of the peregrine's release.
Dan Varland video.



Alex Waroff demonstrates what it's like for an avian scavenger to be captured by the Coastal Raptors net launcher!
Dan Varland video.



Date: September 14, 2015
Location: Long Beach
Observers: Dan Varland, Tom Rowley, Dan Miller and Nathalie Denis.


Raptor Count:
Turkey Vultures Peregrine Falcon
7 2 juveniles


Marked Individuals Observed:
Species Color Marker Code
Common Raven RSYLGO


Raptors Banded:
Species Color Marker Code
Peregrine Falcon H/8
Peregrine Falcon P/M


Peregrine Falcon H/8
Peregrine Falcon H/8, a first-year male Peregrine Falcon we captured and banded.
Tom Rowley photo.


Man holding peregrine falcon
With Nathalie Denis holding H/8, Dan Miller measures his wing chord.
Tom Rowley photo.


Man releasing peregrine falcon
Nathalie Denis releases H/8.
Tom Rowley photo.


Falcon flying away
H/8 in the wild blue yonder.
Tom Rowley photo.


first-year female Peregrine Falcon
P/M, a first-year female Peregrine Falcon we captured and banded.
Tom Rowley photo.


The bands up close.
The bands up close.
Tom Rowley photo.


Woman holding falcon
Nathalie releases P/M.
Tom Rowley photo.


Woman setting falcon down on the beach
Tom Rowley photo.