Banding Hawks With HawkWatch International

Early this winter I had the opportunity to observe a couple of Red-tailed Hawks from a whole new perspective. My friend Eric Peterson and I assisted Conservation Biologist Neil Paprocki with a HawkWatch International banding project while we were also working on establishing a new winter raptor survey route for HawkWatch. I considered it a real treat to turn the bed of my truck into a hawk banding station.

Rather than lure in migrating hawks from a mountain ridge we drove to Cedar Valley in Utah County to trap hawks from perches using a Bal Chatri trap. All of this was done under the direction and supervision of Neil because it is against the law to trap birds without proper government permits.

We were able to catch and band two Red-tailed hawks that morning and I considered it a real privilege to learn about hawks, raptor biology, and a host of little details about raptors as Eric and I assisted Neil in his work.

Knowing that it might be a while before getting the opportunity again I decided to document the process for sharing and for my own future reference.

After retrieving our first hawk from the trap Neil walked us through a process for checking the health of the bird.

We placed the bird head first into a metal can to keep it calm as it was weighed and measured. Eric recorded the details on a data sheet that would be used to register the hawk and its band data with the Bird Banding Lab which is run by the U.S. Geological Survey.

After weighing the bird Neil measured the hawk's leg to choose the proper band size. A uniquely-numbered federal aluminum band was then selected and secured on the leg of the hawk. Eric recorded the band number on the data sheet.

The tail feather length was measured.

The wing cord was measured.

Neil inspected the bird for parasites as he processed the bird. The crop was checked for recently eaten food and the keel was checked to understand breast muscle condition. Before removing the bird from the can a wing pit was checked for fat storage. Neil exposed the wing pit by blowing into the feathers to separate them.

Once the wing pit was checked it was time to remove the hawk from the can to capture documentation photos. This hawk showed typical plumage and eye color for a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, but a dark fleck near the iris of the left eye was unique to this individual.

Neil was deliberate in how he handled the hawk for the documentation photos in order to prevent injury to the bird. Upperside, underside, and tail images were captured.

All the data from banding the hawk was recorded on the data sheet shown below.

After being instructed by Neil on how to safely handle and release the hawk I posed for a picture and then released the hawk as Eric captured a video clip of the release.

Here's the video of the release as recorded on Eric's phone.

Our second hawk of the day was another juvenile Red-tailed Hawk which Eric was able to release after we completed the banding process.

One of my favorite hawk species is the Ferruginous Hawk. The juvenile Ferruginous Hawk pictured below was perched on a pole nearby as we trapped and processed the second Red-tailed Hawk of the day. I can't imagine what was registering in this Hawk's brain as it watched us handle and process the Red-tailed Hawk. It would have been fun to band the curious hawk. Perhaps I'll make it out to the Goshutes banding site in Nevada during fall migration so I can get up close and personal with some more amazing raptors under the supervision of HawkWatch International biologists.

Owling the Outskirts of a Tiny Town on Friday the 13th

Great Horned Owl Giving a Hoot

I love looking for owls, especially Northern Saw-whet Owls, near the summit of the Alpine Loop where stretches of road from Utah and Wasatch Counties rise to meet at nearly 8000 feet. The roads that allow access to the summit are closed during the winter months and generally reopen each sprint around Memorial Day weekend. Consequently, I've been left only to dream of what the Saw-whet Owls are doing up there in the early spring months as their breeding season goes into full swing. Recently I was told there was a way to drive my truck up into that area from the Wasatch County side. The Utah winter has been extremely mild with very little snow so I decided to give it a shot last night with my friend Eric Peterson. Eric and I most recently had owling success during our Presidents' Day weekend excursion to Southeast Arizona. You can read about and see images from that fun-filled weekend trip in my most recent blog posts.

Last night we enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Provo Canyon and Deer Creek Reservoir back-dropped by the majestic snow-capped peaks of Mount Timpanogos as we made a 40-minute drive from our homes in Utah County to Heber Valley in Wasatch County. I asked Eric if he'd be interested in checking for Great Horned Owls along the way. He was certainly interested so we made a stop on the outskirts of the small town of Midway, Utah where I'd located a Great Horned Owl roost a few years before.

We employed some simple owling techniques to locate not one but two Great Horned Owls. We suspect they are a breeding pair. We searched below some dense conifers for evidence of an active roost. We discovered pellets, remains of prey, and feathers. The ground below one particular tree was littered with pellets. I wondered what DNA might be found in those pellets. No doubt bits of mammals we in them.

Although we had loads of evidence pointing to one particular tree it was the call of a male we heard from another tree that let us know for sure we were on the trail to a Great Horned Owl. Eric located a pair of rabbit ears that certainly wouldn't help any TV get better reception.

These owls are meat eaters and rabbits provide lots of meat, especially for a nest of hungry little owlets. Apparently even these dominant owls experience threats from nature. The feathers below appear to be Great Horned Owl feathers that were aggressively removed since several are stuck together at the base. It's possible they belong to another species of bird that became prey to the owls, but they appear to match Great Horned Owl feathers as far as I can tell. The natural process of molting would result in individual rather than batches of feathers being lost.

Once we heard the male calling just before the sun was going down we moved in its direction. It was coming from an evergreen that was very tall and heavily covered. I've put the owl dead center in the cropped image below to make it easier to see while also providing a since of how deeply hidden the owl was in the tree.

Here's another image from a slightly different angle that is more heavily cropped for a closer view.

The owl flew from the tree and over our heads. The sun had dropped behind the mountains so the lighting was very poor, but I managed to lighten up the image below to show some of the detail of the owl. The owl was merely a dark silhouette straight out of the camera so I'm pleased with how digital technology allowed me to reveal the hidden details of the original image.

We heard the female engage in the calling at one point so we think we know where she is on a well-hidden nest, but it was the male that put on a show for us as he flew from one perch to another.

I did my best to hold the lens still as I attempted to capture two short video and audio clips of the owl hooting. I had my tripod/monopod in the truck and it would have improved the steadiness of the video, but I opted to go handheld since we were quickly losing light. Be sure to watch the video in HD for the best image quality.

Our last look at the owl before we resumed our drive into the mountains for the Saw-whets was a silhouette high atop a distant tree. What looks like a tiny owl from this perspective is a bird that is on its way to imposing death and destruction on unsuspecting mammals.

We finally reached the road that was to take us into Saw-whet territory from Soldier Hollow, but it was closed to vehicles. Determined to find our owls, we decided to check another road that would lead to great Saw-whet habitat and made our way there. That road was closed as well. We decided to drive up a third canyon road get into higher elevations. Fortune was on our side with our third option so we pressed onward and upward. The pavement transitioned to mud and rocks and the mud and rocks gave way to snow pack. I engaged the 4WD and pressed forward to where we would find perfect Saw-whet habitat, a mix of conifers and aspens.

We made our first stop and attempted to whistle and call for Saw-whets. We could hear that someone was on the dark and treacherous road ahead of us. There was no way to park on the side of the road due to the narrowness of the road and the deep snow covering the sloping edges so we simply stayed in the middle of the road hoping no one would need to pass us on their way down. Within a few minutes a Saw-whet responded to us and a tiny dark figure flew right by our heads. It landed in a short aspen on the side of the road and began interacting with us. Moments later it moved to a conifer where it posed for some photos. I never get tired of seeing these 8-inches-tall carnivores.

As we were photographing the owl a man with a shovel came walking up the road. He'd parked his truck below where the snow pack began and was on his way up to help dig his son's truck from the snow. Apparently the people we heard above us were stuck. We offered help and then decided we'd back the truck down from our location rather than attempt to go forward. We found a place to do about an 8-point turn. Eric guided me from outside the truck to make sure I didn't get too close to the edge of a drop off and deeper snow. Once we completed that careful maneuver we began a slow decent to another spot that appeared ideal for Saw-whets. We hit another jackpot at our second stop with our second Saw-whet of the evening. We were now three for three on owling targets for the evening.  The second Saw-whet allowed us to watch and listen to it call for several minutes before we decided to continue our way down from the mountain.

About sixty minutes and a late-night, semi-decent, fast food combo meal later we were back to our homes from a memorable evening with owls on the outskirts of a tiny town called Midway.

Hey, Turkey! What's That Thing on Your Face?

Some days it seems that birds are hiding when you go looking for them. That was the case the other day while I was out with a friend looking for Northern Pygmy Owls near Sundance Ski Resort in Utah County, Utah. The owls were not cooperating and it seemed that every other bird had left for better places. When a small group of Wild Turkeys crossed the road I figured it was time to do something other than stare endlessly at bare tree branches and the tops of evergreens and wires and sticks and...everything else a small owl might choose to use for a perch. The turkeys were foraging and occasionally "struttin' their stuff".

I don't want to sound rude or insensitive or offend those who love turkey faces, but at close range a turkey's face is...well...kinda ugly. The color is interesting, but that doesn't hide all the other odd features very well, especially that shape-changing, fleshy protuberance originating from the forehead of the Toms. I won't elaborate on the changing shape of the appendage, but it has to do with blood flow. The beard hanging from the chest is odd by human standards. My wife wouldn't put up with that kind of man-scaping, but then again I'm not a turkey. Well...maybe some people think I am. The fleshy bumps on the neck and head are called caruncles and are similar to the aforementioned protuberance. They also fill with blood and turn bright read when Tom gets worked up for whatever reason.

Here's a series of images I think will show what I'm talking about. They are in sequence to show the metamorphosis of the appendage folks call a "snood". It's purpose is still debated, but its bizarre appearance is not up for debate from my perspective. When I googled "snood" I found snood hair coverings for women. This here Tom might look better wearing that kind of snood instead.

I think I like their looks better when taken in as a whole, from a bit more of a distance.

I can't image how turkeys would describe humans if they could. I guess we are all odd in our own ways. I captured some video as three males were gobbling, foraging, and struttin' their stuff. The snood is in different stages for each Tom. Notice the two strutting have dangling snoods while the third one just seems to have food on its mind so the snood is in the retracted position.

This video is best viewed in 1080p HD

Spring Weekends in Utah County

I love spring in Utah. The cold releases its grip and the cycle of life liberally expresses itself as both plants and animals, especially the birds, reappear in beautiful colors. The desert blooms and suburban areas burst with all sorts of colors as the trees blossom with white, pink, yellow and purple flowers. Flocks of starlings disappear and are replaced by flocks of gulls, pelicans, and ibises as they migrate to their annual breeding grounds.

As I was walking home from church this afternoon I saw something that others passed without notice. It was a very common bird, but it was in its spring plumage and surrounded by beautiful white pear blossoms as it perched at eye level in my next-door neighbors yard.

American Robin in Pleasant Grove, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

As I was driving home from work on Friday is decided to pass through an agricultural field outside the small town of Lehi to see what migrant birds might be taking advantage of the watered fields. I pulled over at one point and spent some time watching and photographing the birds that were temporarily stopping over. I saw some Franklin's Gulls and White-faced Ibises flying over and foraging in a farmer's field.

I decided to spend some time photographing the gulls in flight. White and black birds are always tough when it comes to getting the proper exposure. All my images are captured in jpeg files rather than raw so if I mess up in the field there is very little fixing that can be done afterward. Less exposure is needed for the whites so details don't get washed while more exposure is needed for the darks in order to draw out the details. The Franklin's Gulls flew by and over me often enough that I was able to practice getting the right distance, exposure, and timing.

Franklin's Gull in Lehi, UT

Franklin's Gull in Lehi, UT

Franklin's Gull in Lehi, UT

Franklin's Gull in Lehi, UT

Franklin's Gull in Lehi, UT

Franklin's Gull in Lehi, UT

Franklin's Gull in Lehi, UT

Franklin's Gull in Lehi, UT

Franklin's Gull in Lehi, UT

This Solitary Sandpiper was found in an over-watered corner of a farmer's field where I stopped to photograph the gulls.

My wife and I took a short drive up American Fork Canyon on a previous weekend and stopped at Tibble Fork Reservoir to enjoy the awesomeness of our local mountains surrounding a small reservoir. A lone White-faced Ibis was wading along the edge of the reservoir. It's an unlikely location for this bird, but it was probably resting from a migratory flight across the mountain range.

White-faced Ibis on Tibble Fork Reservoir Utah County, UT

Yesterday, on my way to join the Utah County Birders for a local field trip, I happened to see Snowy Egrets and a very unexpected female Hooded Merganser hunting for fish in a tiny pond. I parked my truck on the side of the road and managed to move from the driver seat to the passenger seat without exiting the truck and spooking them. I lowered the window and placed a bean bag across the door so I could stabilize my camera lens to avoid camera shake.

I first focused on the Hooded Merganser as a matter of documenting a duck that is uncommon in Utah during the winter months and really rare for the month of May. Fortunately for me, there was a female Common Merganser on the pond as well and it provided an excellent frame of reference for determining size. I was able to see the size difference between the two. The Hooded Merganser's length is about 18 inches and the Common is about 25 inches.

The first image (to the right) was captured to show

the head profile and wing pattern. The female Hooded Merganser's hairdo is more rounded when compared to a Red-breasted's hairdo which is more  wispy or somewhat jagged and uneven. The bill of both Hooded and Red-breasted is thinner that what you see with Common Merganser's. However, the bill of a Red-breasted is reddish orange while the Hooded's is mostly dark with some yellow, especially on the lower mandible.

You can see the smooth, rounded hairdo in the first two images. This last image shows how the hairdo can be altered when wet. The merganser had just come up from a dive before I captured this image. She is showing a look here that is more like a Red-breasted or Common Merganser. Sometimes identifying similar birds requires multiple views from various angles. That's why a single photo of a bird can sometimes make identification difficult for even experienced birders.

Another wonderful experience came from watching a more common spring bird that can also present a challenge for photographers because it is almost all white. This series of photos shows a Snowy Egret hunting, locating, chasing, and swallowing a fish. The faint brown lines you see in some images are severely out of focus phragmite stems that were between me and the bird.

Success Below!

Adjusting the fish so it will be swallowed head first so it goes down easily and with the pokes of the sharp fins.

A single gulp and down it goes!

Fluffing after a good meal then chilling after a good meal.

To keep this post from getting too long I'll skip the rare Semi-palmated Sandpiper, uncommon Soras, and unique Burrowing Owls observed during the Saturday morning field trip and jump to several first-of-year birds I discovered after I parted with the field trip group.

The first was a Lark Sparrow, one of my favorite sparrow because of its unique facial patterns. I came across this one as I was making my way down a dirt road at the base of Lake Mountain in Saratoga Springs. The bird was preening when I first pulled my truck next to it. I know, it is an odd moment, but this is how nature works sometimes. This is required to keep its lovely appearance.

A very unexpected bird sighting Saturday was a matter of timing. I saw a large crow-like bird out of the corner of my eye as it was gliding down a hill. A Raven would have been more likely where I was so I decided to put the binoculars on the bird since it was definitely not a Raven. I got the binoculars on it just in time to see the beautiful iridescent green on the upper side as it tilted and then landed on the side of a power pole. I knew immediately it was a Lewis's Woodpecker despite it being way out of place in terms of habitat and time of year. I jumped into my truck to try to get close enough for a photo to document the sighting. It flew quickly to a lone tree even farther away and on the other side of a barbed wire fence posted with "No Trespassing". It was back-lit and essentially a black spot with a large sunny backdrop. I turned up the exposure compensation and released the shutter a few times before it flew out of sight for good. It's low quality, but by cropping and lightening the image it becomes an identifiable bird posed near a Western Meadowlark.

This Grasshopper Sparrow flushed from a ditch and up onto some rabbit brush as I was slowly making my way down a dirt road.

 I can't wait for spring migration to deliver more uniquely colored birds to Utah County and other locales I will visit during the month of May.