BCCER Owl Banding

Owls captured: 2
Birds detected:NSWO, Tundra Swans

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Nov 14 , 2007	Owl 2	??	??	Garcia/Nelson,

Owling has slowed since the 14-nighter on 11-4. The subsequent banding attempts/capture results were:

11/5- 4 owls

11/6- 6 owls

11/7-11/11 out of town, no banding

11/12- 2 owls

11/13 - 1 owl

11/14- 1 owl

We are up to 47 NSWO for the season (61 in 2006, 23 in 2005). The five nights I did not band 11/7-11, could have continued to produce good numbers as they followed 3 high number nights of captures (14, 4, 6). I hope to remedy big gaps next season by having additional permitted banders

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Nov 4 , 2007	Owl 3	25	60-51*F, winds calm to 2B, clear	Garcia/Richardson

Tthe owl captures have been inconsistent in numbers, but last night was a real treat with a total of 14 owls (my biggest capture to date)! Two were recaptures from this season. One owl escaped as I approached the net and due to the rarity of same night recaps, this may have been owl #15. They continued to call as I closed nets at 23:10. I would have remained open but my husband, who had just returned from AK and was usurped at the airport and shuttled to the owl site, was exhausted.

Owls captured: 15 total captures: 12 new owls, 2 recaptures (1 originally banded 10/27/2007, recapped 10/31, #2 originally banded 10/31/2007), 1 escapee

Birds detected: NSWO, 2 flocks of snowgeese, 1 group flying very low

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Nov 3 , 2007	Owl 2	18	69-59*F, winds calm to 2B, clear	Garcia/Nelson, Fisher, Patten- party of 6 raffle winners (thanks all!)

The previous night we had a party 10 (including banders) for a snow goose festival "owl night out" raffle winner and captured and detected only one NSWO. The difference may be the distraction of 10 people vs 2, the temperature had drooped 10*F, and/or the owls just flew en mass last night. Also, I moved the nets to OWL3 which is only about a 100-200' drop downslope and proximate to a meadow, but may have better broadcast function. And I'm thinking the temperature may be cooler in the canyon at night- so perhaps the birds descend and roost there. More speculation.... We are at 33 new owls since our first captures on October 17. See attached pic by Nancy Nelson of NSWO post-release.

Comet Holmes has been great to look at!

Owls captured: 1NSWO (we broadcast pygmy owl and captured 3 hermit thrush and 1 spotted towhee).

Birds detected: NOPO, NSWO

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Nov 1 , 2007	Owl 2	25	61-58*F, winds calm to 3B gusts, clear	Garcia/Nelsons (Nancy and Julie), Steve and Raina King

Owls captured: 2 NSWO
Birds detected: NSWO, few chirps and wails

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Oct 31 , 2007	Owl 2	12	55-51*F, winds calm, clear	Garcia/Fisher, Nancy Nelson, Tim Ruckle

Owls captured: 5 total captures: 4 new, 1 recapture (from 10/27/2007)
Birds detected: NSWO (called throughout night- wails, chirps and toots). Flock of snowgeese.

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Oct 30, 2007	Owl 2	24	clear, calm, 51*F	Garcia, Nelson/Prairie, Meghan, Duyrea, Heather, Stuart, Tristan

We had a successful owling evening last night and I got to celebrate my bday with several fellow grad students and a visit from Stuart (BCCER caretaker) and son Tristan. We captured 6 owls and one was vocalizing when we closed the nets at 24:00. A nice surprise awaited us on the last run when we had 2 owls; one banded. She was originally banded on 10/24/2006 at this same site and is at least 3 years old. This suggests some site fidelity to her migratory route. We also had our first over-head flock of white-fronted geese (a late detection for overhead flocks compared to the last 2 years)

Owls captured: 5 new NSWO, 1 recap from 10/24/2007

Detections: W. screech owl, NSWO, white-fronted goose flock (first of season over-head)

attached- bday pic with Recap, NSWO recap wing with multi-generation feathers.

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Oct 28, 2007	Owl 2	24	63-61*F, wind calm, moon 3/4, cloud cover- clear to 50%	Garcia, Fisher, Skram, Patten

Weird night with NSWO all around us from opening at 8:00 pm, with a minimum of 3 heard at one time, and calling throughout the banding session. Moon didn't rise until 9:20, yet, we did not catch our first bird until 11:10, after the moon was up but slightly obscured by clouds. Then we had a screech, saw-whet (see attached photo for size comparison), and a silver-haired bat. Last net run produced another NSWO.

Captures: 2 NSWO, 1 WESO, 1 silver-haired bat

Owls detected: NSWO, WESO

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Oct 27, 2007	Owl 2	18	clear, winds calm, 67-64F*, moon 3/4 and rising @ 20:30	Garcia, Richardson (photographer)

Last night we processed one NSWO and detected one while she was in hand. The temps are still quite warm and the birds may be higher. We had a really cool bat - tentatively identified as a silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans- hairy bat night wanderer). It was very vocal, clicking furiously the entire time I handled it for pictures. Anyone can chime in on this ID. See pics. Following are the results.

Owls captured: 1 NSWO

mammals: 1 silver-haired bat

Owls detected: NSWO, wails and chirps.

Including the forest ranch site, we have 6 owls for the season

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Oct 26, 2007	Owl 2	18	50% cloud cover, full moon, wind calm, temp ~54*F	Garcia, Nelson, Fisher

All, we had an excellent Altacal Audubon Society "Owlprowl" with 16 people including banders. Mike Fisher lead the trip to the BCCER and was able to detect Northern Pygmy Owl and Western Screech Owl. Then he brought the group up to the Northern Saw-whet Owl (NSWO) banding station where Julie and I had set up nets. We were a bit concerned because our previous 7 attempts at the site resulted in no detections of NSWO at this site. But, the time had come and the little birds graced us with their presence. While I talked about the project Julie checked the nets with Site Director Jeff Mott, and family Patty, and Grace and they brought back our first of the season NSWO- and a Pallid Bat! What a perfect start to the owlprowl, under a full moon too! We captured another NSWO before the group departed. Julie and I stayed around another hour and captured 1 additional NSWO and a Western Screech Owl (WESO).

Owls captured: 3 NSWO (1male, 2 female, all hatch year), 1 WESO

Owls detected: NOPO, NSWO, WESO

pics- NSWO (note some remaining juvenal plumage - still darkish facial plumage), WESO

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Oct 21, 2007	Owl 2	24	55*, calm winds, clear	Garcia, Fisher, Selena (Mike's niece

Hi all, we detected ZERO saw-whet owls (NSWO) tonight at BCCER ~1800'. Just 2 nights ago at 3000' we had captured 2 NSWO and were hearing them. I also had an email of a NSWO detection in Forest Ranch about 2 weeks age Tonite was pretty perfect (calm winds, clear skies, high pressure) for owling but the moon was ~3/4 which makes nets more visible. Still, no NSWO were heard in the area. We don't have enough data to really ID what is happening but I can speculate on weather, prey base, poor reproductive year, a combo of those (and may still be wrong), etc., and is so interesting!

Site :BCCER- OWL2

Date: Oct 21, 2007

Net hours: 24

Weather - 55*, calm winds, clear

Banders: Garcia, Fisher, Selena (Mike's niece), thanks!

Owls captured- 0

Owls detected, N. Pygmy Owl, W. screech Owl

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Oct 17, 2007	FORA	17.5	49-45*, 40-0% cc, winds calm to light, moon 1st 1/4	Garcia, Stovall

The owls have descended! After 6 attempts of no detections or captures (the last one on the 15th) we finally captured 2 new birds. We set up at the Forest Ranch site (Brad Stovall's backyard) at 3000'. It was cool, mostly clear, with calm winds. We detected NSWO around us, mostly wail vocalizations. Here are the results for the beginning of the season. The picture of our first of season NSWO darling owl was taken by Mary Michael. Thanks!

Date: Oct 17, 2007

Site: FORA

Banders: Garcia, Stovall

Weather: 49-45*, 40-0% cc, winds calm to light, moon 1st 1/4

Net hours: 17.5

Owls captured: 2 females, SY

Owls detected: NSWO

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Sept 29, 2006	Owl 2	12	clear, warm (70*F!), winds calm	Garcia/J. Nelson, M. Fisher, J. Patten

Several of us have gone out a few times this season to see if we can determine the migration route (or presence) of migrating flammulated (means little flame-colored thing) owls. This species used to be sent to the local wildlife rehabber as they were hit by cars up near Forest Ranch. They were heard in the summer through 1999 (indicating breeding) near our banding station in Forest Ranch. I have still not heard or seen a one in the area for spring-summer-fall.

With the change in weather, I thought we might see some movement. We attempted last night (and Friday), but no Flams. We did however, catch our first of the season N. Saw-whet owl (NSWO), and heard at least one other in the area. Owling nights will be sporadic until mid-October when I expect more activity. Then I will post the outings and anyone is welcome. Following are the results from the last two outings.

Birds detected: 3 NOPO (at least), 1 GHOW, Dueting (not dieting!) WESO pair

Captures:

1 WESO- recap AHY originally banded in April '06 so likey a one of the resident pair

1 Pallid bat (see attachment of this handsome bat)

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Sept 17, 2006	Owl 2	10	75-72 *F, wind calm-no CC.	Garcia y Peterson- Randal

Owl season is commencing and I am required to get out there and collect data. This outing was early (I think) but I wanted to see if we could capture baseline for migrants- particularly FLA MS and N. SAW-Whets. No go on either of these species but we did have a dueting pair of WE SO, 2 NO PO and one male HOW. The evening was short and temps still warm. We did catch a very cool bat, I believe a long-eared myotis-however I am a bit confused about the lack of black ears as described in the Mammals Peterson guide (Burt and Grossenheider, 1976). (Bat pic 1, bat pic 2, bat pic 3) I did use a flash. Mammal folks please give input. Although the critter looks unhappy- he flew off without incident. [Note: Bat is probably Pallid Bat.]

DATE	SITE	NET HOURS	WEATHER	BANDERS
Mar 19, 2006	Owl 3	11	cold!~34*, clear, winds calm	Garcia, M. Fisher, T. Ruckle, S.Hubert

For our monthly NSWO monitoring on the morning (3:00am) of our "big day, CSU Chico bird club outing. Although we did not capture any owls, we heard distant tooting and "chirps" from one or two NSWO. A pair of Great-horned owls was calling, particularly vocal was a female nearby giving her "hrank" call. A nothern pygmy owl called just before dawn. Western Screech owls were a no show. We had 5 total owl species by the end of the day after picking up a burrowing owl and barn owl.

HI all, we have occasionally been trying to call in NOrthern Pygmy Owls, during our NSWO project. We have had three respond to broadcast calls. This one was at the Sumner's Reach (SURE) site at the BCCER, down by Big Chico Creek. We were fortunate to capture and band this petite owl on our first attempt. It is of unknown sex and age. Notice the "eyespots" on the back of the head (they are a bit ruffled), and how tiny these bird's are. I have included a photo of the bird in the tree- tiny size and brown cryptic plumage can make these birds difficult to see. Thank you Mike Fisher and Jennifer Patten for your help-lucky volunteers today!

We set up just at dark to attempt to capture the NOPO (NOrthern Pygmy Owl) as it has successfully avoided us in the past-flying all around the nets but not in them. I even put a NOPO like stuffed owl near the broadcaster. A little tooter (likely female due to high pitch) came around form about 20 minutes, but never hit a net. Clever little birds! The NSWO was one that we captured nearly a month before at the same location and is likely a resident (winter and/or year-round). Stayed open till 22:00 but heard no more birds. The NSWO have either passed through or are still at higher elevations since we have had no big storms to bring them down.

I set up to take advantage of the lull before the storm and played NOPO calls early in the evening and the 3 netted passerines (towhee and thrushes), must have come in to mob it. No NOPO responses. I switched to NSWO and on the first net run had 2!-and only 2 bands left. I put on WESO tape while processing NSWO. No response to WESO. Closed down at 18:30 - a short but sweet evening! Jay-no hipoboscid flies on these two.

We started early with NOPO (NOrthern Pygmy Owl) and had a fun 20 minutes of a NOPO responding to the tape, back and forth through the net array but never captured. One NSWO was heard just after dark. I stayed open till 22:00, as it appeared to be a perfect night for owls to fly, but it was very quiet-and I was very surprised!

BCCER Owl Banding Log

* Standard abbreviations for bird names