Entiat SSHA Reported in CA

A HY male SSHA that we banded on 9/27/07 was captured at the Palomarin field station in Bolinas, CA. on 11/03/2007.

Pat Little did some Google Earth research and found out that it is 682 miles from our Entiat site to the Palomarin field station, which is located at the southern end of the Point Reyes National Seashore.

Here is a link to their website. http://www.prbo.org/cms/27

2007 Wrap Up

Here is the final total count of banded hawks for the years 2001-2007. We ended this season with 280, which puts 2007 as the fourth highest season overall and the third highest as of October 6, which was our last day this year.


This graph shows the average number of hawks banded per day for the years 2001-2007. This season was the third highest at 6.8 per day.


This graph shows the total number of each species we banded and compares that to the average number banded over the 2001-2006 seasons. This year we were higher than average with Cooper's Hawks and American Kestrels, and lower than average on almost everything else. We banded 10 different species this year. Over the years we have banded 11 different species, but we have yet to band all 11 in one season.

And that gives us a goal for next year!

Saturday, October 6, 2007

This photo is not from yesterday, but it is symbolic of the last half of our season. What started out as a promising record breaking year, has been shut down early by cold, windy weather.

Mark Gleason ran solo today. Not only were additional helpers absent, he also lacked any hawks to band.

Mark and Martin will be up there Sunday. They will be starting to close up the operation, but depending on weather, they may see if they can bring in a few last hawks.

Our total stands at 279, which is third behind 2005 and 2006, as of today's date.

5 More and Some Excitement - October 5, 2007

AHY Red Tail Hawk

Mike, Vicky, and Becky may not have banded a lot today, but this adult Red Tail Hawk must have more than made up for it. Vicky said it was BIG and the photo certainly shows that. There is enough overlap in size of female and male RTHA's that the only definitive way to sex them is through blood work. So we always leave them as U (unidentified) for their sex.

As if this hawk wasn't enough to make their day, a HY Golden Eagle came over and put on a great show for them. Becky sent some photos of the action.

The weather was mostly clear and the wind picked up in the afternoon. It was a typical late migration pattern, where streams of hawks were beelining North to South over the west valley, with little to no interest in helping us out with our project.

Raptors banded:

1 HY female SSHA
1 AHY female SSHA
1 SY male SSHA
1 HY female COHA
1 AHY U RTHA

"Not rain, nor snow....." - Thursday, October 4, 2007

Comparison of female and male SSHA - both AHY

Not rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor fog can keep the Entiat banders from their appointed goal.

Another day of varied, more like early Winter than Fall, weather. Mike, Vicky, Dalene, and Becky perservered through another day of freezing toes and fingers and ended up with 5 hawks banded.

Raptors banded:

1 AHY male SSHA
3 AHY female SSHA
1 ASY male COHA

We are now at a total of 274 for the year. We have jumped back ahead of 2002 and with 10 days left for our season, it will be a race to the end, to see if we can stay ahead of that year.

How cold was it? Wednesday, October 3, 2007

As cold as...... Nonetheless, the hardy all women crew banded 5 raptors for the day. They got off to a late start, after discovering on arrival that everything was coated with thick ice. The sun came out for a bit early on and helped with the process of clearing off the minimum gear needed to start.

As the day progressed every weather event possible proceeded to unfold. There was brief sun, hail, freezing rain, fog, snow blowing up hill, and of course, wind.

Sue, Dalene, Becky, and Michelle were rewarded with 5 hawks, including a Red Tail Hawk. There was also the delightful sighting of a bear on the power line road on the way up in the morning.

Raptors banded:

1 HY male SSHA
1 HY female SSHA
1 AHY female SSHA
1 ASY female COHA
1 HY U RTHA


ASY female COHA


HY RTHA


Yesterdays quiz of the day winner is Bud, who identified the chipmunk as a duck.

4 Banded - Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Today was better as far as numbers go, but only marginally so as far as weather. Pat , Mike, Becky, and Michelle banded a total of 4 today even though they were shut down early by steady rain.

Raptors banded:

1 AHY female SSHA
1 SY female SSHA
2 ASY female COHA

Releasing a COHA:


Quiz for the day - species?