November 30, 2018
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Tom Rowley, Albert Watters, and Maranda Beerbower.
Photos by Dan Varland.
Raptor Count
Bald Eagle |
Northern Harrier |
3 adults, 2 immatures |
1 adult, age uncertain |
Marked Individuals Observed
Species |
Color Marker Code |
Bald Eagle |
B/O |

Bald Eagle with visual identification band B/O. Coastal Raptors banded this
eagle on June 12, 2015.


...with a pause for a photo.
November 2, 2018
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dan Miller, Mary Kay Kenney, David Kenney,
Susan Burchardt, and Stephanie Estrella.
Photos by Dan Varland.
Raptor Count
Bald Eagle |
Merlin |
Peregrine Falcon |
Northern Harrier |
2 adults |
1 age uncertain |
1 immature, 1 age uncertain |
2 age uncertain |
Marked Individuals Observed
Species |
Color Marker Code |
Peregrine Falcon |
35/B |

Semipalmated Plover in nonbreeding plumage.

Dunlin flock.

Stephanie Estrella holds a Cassin's Auklet we found flightless. Stephanie is a
licensed rehabilitator. She transferred to bird to her rehabilitation facility outside
Olympia, Raindancer Wild Bird Rescue. From there it went to another facility
for care. Unfortunately, the auklet was starving and did not survive (likely due to
organ failure).

Cassin's Auklet.

We came upon a rescue operation.

This vehicle had turned over multiple times.

The driver had been doing doughnuts on the beach. While, he was not injured
his passengers, a woman and young girl, suffer injuries and were taken to a
hospital.

The vehicle was a total loss.
November 1, 2018
Location: Long Beach
Observers: Dan Varland, Sandra Miller, Will Dixon, Betsy Dixon, Mary Kay
Kenney, David Kenney, and Glenn Marquardt. Photos by Dan Varland.
Individuals Marked
Species |
Color Marker Code |
Peregrine Falcon |
E/8 |
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Will and Betsy Dixon with a first-year male Peregrine Falcon we captured,
banded and blood sampled.

Mary Kay Kenney gets a beak measurement.
October 31, 2018
Location: Long Beach
Observers: Dan Varland, Mary Kay Kenney, David Kenney, Glenn Marquardt,
Dan Miller, Sandra Miller, Betsy Dixon, Will Dixon, Charlotte Killien, Steve
Schneider, and Cathy Floit.
Photos by Steve Schneider.
Raptor Count
Bald Eagle |
Northern Harrier |
9 adults, 1 immature |
1 age unknown |
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Sandra Miller measures wind speed and direction.
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Bald Eagle pair. The eagle on the right was banded.
We were unable to read the visual ID band due to moisture
creating poor visibility.
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We ran across this flightless Common Murre.
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I grabbed the bird, and he grabbed me!
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We transferred the bird to Herb in Ocean Park.
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Herb transferred the bird to another individual, who
transported it to the Wildlife Center of the North Coast,
a rehabilitation center south of Astoria, Oregon.
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Our survey group, which road in three vehicles.
October 30, 2018
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Mary Kay Kenney, David Kenney, Tom Rowley and Denny Hieronymus.
Photos by Dan Varland.
Individuals Marked
Species |
Color Marker Code |
Peregrine Falcon |
35/B |

First-year female Peregrine Falcon we captured, banded and blood sampled.

This peregrine was lacking pigment in two talons.



Denny Hieronymus with 35/B just before the release.
October 21, 2018
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dave Murnen, Virginia Molenaar and Denny Hieronymus.
Photos by Dan, Virginia and Dave Murnen.
Raptor Count
Bald Eagle |
Merlin |
Peregrine Falcon |
Northern Harrier |
1 immature |
1 age uncertain |
1 immature |
2 age uncertain |
Individuals Marked
Species |
Color Marker Code |
Peregrine Falcon |
U/6 |

Common Raven. He (or she!) was wearing bands, but we couldn't get a read
on them.

This close-up of the picture above clearly shows he's carrying food, but does
not reveal the bands.

Merlin.

Denny with our first capture of the fall, a first-year female
Peregrine Falcon.



Blood sampling.



Denny with U/6 just before her release.
Date: October 13, 2018
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dave Murnen, Pam McCauley, and Virginia Molenaar.
Comment: All photos by Dan Varland.
Raptor Count*
Bald Eagle |
Merlin |
Peregrine Falcon |
Northern Harrier |
2 adults |
2 age uncertain
|
1 immature |
2 age uncertain |
*we also saw an immature Cooper's Hawk, just not as part of the protocol
survey.
Marked Individuals Observed
Species |
Color Marker Code |
Common Raven |
ROYLGS |

Driving on the beach can be tricky, especially when you don't have 4-wheel drive!

We do and we use it often!

Common Raven ROYLGS. Coastal Raptors banded this female on April 23,
2014 a mile south of where this photo was taken. She's been observed on the
Ocean Shores beach year-round, every year since.

Northern Harrier.

Cooper's Hawk.

Fishing for surf perch.

Fishing for salmon along the Copalis River a few hundred yards east of the ocean.
Date: September 21, 2018
Location: Ocean Shores
Observers: Dan Varland, Dave Murnen, Albert Watters, and Maranda Beerbower.
Comment: All photos by Dan Varland.
Raptor Count
Bald Eagle |
Peregrine Falcon |
Merlin |
7 adults, 5 immature |
1 immature |
1 age uncertain |
Marked Individuals Observed
Species |
Color Marker Code |
Peregrine Falcon |
D/8 |

Wonderful sunrise as we started our survey.

Great Blue Heron.

Crows feeding in the wrack line.



...and surfing the internet with cell phone!

Geese headed south.
Date: September 15, 2018
Location: Long Beach
Observers: Dan Varland, Denny Hieronymous, Heather Gorden, Sophie Chiang;
Pat and Rama Hayes.
Raptor Count
Note: We saw a second, immature peregrine, but not during the "official"
survey period.

Peregrine Falcon perched atop a pickup! The Red-shouldered Hawk we saw on
survey at Ocean Shores earlier in the week was a first. Here was another! While
the guys from this pickup were off fishing for Surf Perch, this peregrine took
to perching on their vehicle. We spent more than an hour trying to capture and
band this peregrine, but to no avail. All photos by Dan Varland unless otherwise
noted.

Dalin D'Alessandro (furthest left) of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network
talks with people from our group and others gathered over an Elephant Seal
carcass. Dalin and two other people from the Stranding Network had come
from Portland to do a necropsy on the animal in an effort to determine cause
of death.

Digging under the carcass in preparation for a tow. Dalin had enthusiastically
accepted our offer to take the carcass to higher ground.
We hoped the 4Runner to be up to the task. Pat Hayes photo.
And it was! Dalin thought the carcass weighed about 2,500 pounds. Pat Hayes
photo.

The 4Runner moved the hulk with ease. Pat Hayes photo.

The animal opened up for the necropsy. The head and other organs were to be
taken to Portland for further examination.

Golden Plover. Pat Hayes photo.
Relaxing on the beach, Pacific Northwest style!

Enjoying a bike ride between rain squalls.
Date: September 12, 2018
Location: Ocean Shores.
Observers: Dan Varland, Glenn Marquardt, Dan Miller, Denny Hieronymus, Rocio
Crespo, Allison Reeder, Bethany Richards, Yan Lee and Jessica Felix.
Raptor Count
Bald Eagle |
Red-shouldered Hawk |
2 adults |
1 immature |
Note: We also saw a Northern Harrier, but not during the "official" survey period.
Marked Individuals Observed
Species |
Color Marker Code |
Bald Eagle |
B/O |
Today's survey included veterinary students from Washington State University
and Dr. Rocio Crespo. Left to right are students Jessica Felix, Yan Lee, Allison
Reeder and Bethany Richards. This is the fourth year Coastal Raptors has
hosted Dr. Crespo and veterinary students from WSU in a program offering field
experience to students. Photo by Glenn Marquardt. All others by Dan Varland.
Crows feeding on apples dumped on the beach.


Turkey Vultures scavenging a gull.

Our for a stroll.

Red-shouldered Hawk! Cool! In 23 years of surveys, this is the first time we've
encountered this species!

It's no surprise that we haven't seen a Red-shouldered Hawk. The map
above shows the species' range in North America which, in the West,
typically extends north only as far as southern Oregon. (Map from the
Birds of North America species account for the Red-shouldered Hawk; co-
authors Cheryl Dykstra, Jeff Hays and Scott Crocoll).

The Red-shouldered Hawk in flight over the dunes.

Once aloft, a Common Raven and Northern Harrier entered the picture and
chased the Red-shouldered. We soon lost sight of the bird.

The Northern Harrier.
Relaxing on the beach at 59 degrees F.

We came across this beach-cast Humpback Whale.
Barnacles on a pectoral fin.


Having accepted a professorship in the College of Veterinary Medicine at
North Carolina State University, Dr. Crespo will no longer be bringing students
to the coast twice each year for field experience with Coastal Raptors. I wish
her well! She and I will continue to stay in touch. Together with avian veterinarian
Dr. Scott Ford and wildlife biologist Tom Hamer, we have completed research which
I refer to as "the scoop on the poop". The actual title paper we plan to submit
for publication is "Bacterial Diversity in Feces of Wild Bald Eagles, Turkey
Vultures and Common Ravens from the Pacific Northwest Coast, U.S.A.".
We hope to publish in 2019.