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 |
Minutes into the survey, we saw this falcon perched on a root wad with the ocean and moon in the background.
Ariel Varland photo.
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.
We recaptured her to obtain blood and feather samples and to clean her bands. Cathy Downs (formerly Varland!) with R/6.
Ariel Varland photo.
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.
R/6.
Ariel Varland photo.
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.
Tom Rowley photo.
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!
Tom Rowley photo.
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 |
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.
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.
Dale Larson photo.
John Larson with the peregrine. It was John's first survey.
Dale Larson photo.
The bands.
Dale Larson photo.
Katie Lutz releases P/7.
Dan Varland video.
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.
Virginia Molenaar photo.
The old band next to the new, better fitting B/7.
Virginia Molenaar photo.
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 |
We applied visual identification band 8/S to this individual.
Dan Miller photo.
Dan Miller photo.
8/S. Plumage characteristics and measurements indicate this individual is the tundra subspecies of peregrine,
Falco peregrinus tundrius.
Dan Miller photo.
One of the two merlins seen this day.
Dianna Moore photo.
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 |
First-year female Peregrine Falcon we captured. We applied visual identification band 8/C to this individual.
Rocio Crespo photo.
8/C.
Rocio Crespo photo.
Josalyn Bruce draws a blood sample.
Rocio Crespo photo.
Dr. Rocio Crespo demonstrates the location of the jugular vein, which is another good location for drawing blood.
Glenn Marquadt photo.
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.
Rocio Crespo photo.
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, a first-year male Peregrine Falcon we captured and banded.
Tom Rowley photo.
With Nathalie Denis holding H/8, Dan Miller measures his wing chord.
Tom Rowley photo.
Nathalie Denis releases H/8.
Tom Rowley photo.
H/8 in the wild blue yonder.
Tom Rowley photo.
P/M, a first-year female Peregrine Falcon we captured and banded.
Tom Rowley photo.
The bands up close.
Tom Rowley photo.
Nathalie releases P/M.
Tom Rowley photo.
Tom Rowley photo.