The Raptor Center

The Raptor Center at Roseville Public Library

2012-02-16T13:21:00.001-08:00

We are appearing at the Roseville Public Library on Saturday, February 25, at 11:15 - 12 noon. A story will be read in the Children's section, and then there will be a chance to meet our winged ambassadors!

Summer Camp Registration Now Open!

2012-02-13T05:08:00.000-08:00

Registration is now open for The Raptor Center's Summer Camps! We offer fun ways to learn in a variety of topics: Raptor Vet, Enraptured with Raptors, Grossology, Wizarding World of Wildlife, and Crazy about Owls. For ages 6-15. Click here for more information on the classes, dates and to register.

Lights and Chimneys and What You Can Do for Owls

2012-02-09T05:13:00.000-08:00

What do strings of holiday lights and chimneys have in common? Think about this for a bit and we will get to the answer in a moment.

Did you know that during the late winter and early spring, several owl species in MN become more active as they establish pair bonds and breeding territories for the upcoming season? In fact, right now great horned owls are laying their eggs and in a few weeks, barred owls and eastern screech owls will begin the search for a nest cavity. With this increased activity comes the increased potential for injury and thus many of the birds the clinic treats during the first 3 months of the year are owls.

Injuries are sometimes traumatic, and frequently they are caused by entrapment. This is the answer to the question about connection between outdoor holiday lights and chimneys. Owls can easily get entangled in the lights decorating trees and cavity nesting species can get caught in what they perceive to be a welcoming cavity – a chimney. In both cases, the birds can’t free themselves, often get injured while trying to escape, may become malnourished if trapped for more than a few days, and end up in need of help. There are things we can do to help prevent these situations from happening:

1. Don’t wait to take down those festive strings of lights. Taking them down right after the holidays may continue to spread the holiday cheer by potentially saving an owl’s life.
2. Make sure that if you have a chimney it is properly fitted with a cap. Local chimney companies can provide that service.

Please spread the word with your family and friends. A little preventative action on your part can help our owl neighbors stay healthy especially during their reproductive season.

(The pictures included in this post are of our staff cleaning a very sooty barred owl, a barred owl with soot still visible around the eyes, and a great horned owl that was photographed near some holiday lights in a Metro area location.)

2011 Year End Numbers for TRC Clinic

2012-02-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

Species ----------------- No. admitted
Bald eagle ...........................121
American kestrel ...............22
Barred owl ..........................57
Broad-winged hawk ..........23
Cooper’s hawk ...................101
Eastern screech owl ..........15
Great gray owl ..................1
Great horned owl ..............95
Long eared owl ..................8
Merlin .................................11
Northern goshawk ............3
Northern harrier ..............2
Northern saw-whet owl ..22
Osprey ..............................14
Peregrine falcon ..............23
Red-shouldered hawk ....7
Red-tailed hawk .............116
Rough-legged hawk .......4
Sharp-shinned hawk .....24
Short-eared owl ............4
Snowy owl .....................10
Swainson’s hawk ..........1
Turkey vulture ............16
Total 23 species

699 Birds admitted to clinic in 2011

In terms of the number of patients treated, 2011 was a fairly average year for TRC’s clinic. The top 5 species seen were bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks, great horned owls and barred owls. However, the year did bring something new and something old. The “new” was the irruption of snowy owls seen in the U.S.; the clinic saw 10 as patients, compared to the 0-3 usually treated. The something “old” was the number of bald eagles treated for lead poisoning during the early to mid winter. Of the 21 bald eagles admitted from Oct 24-Dec 31, 14 (66.7%) suffered from the toxic effects of lead.

Dr Ponder Speaking at Two Meetings

2012-02-02T06:26:00.000-08:00

Dr. Julia Ponder, Executive Director of The Raptor Center, will speak at two upcoming meetings about the the work she did with the Galapagos Hawks. She will be at the February meeting of the St Paul Audubon Society chapter meeting. It is Thursday, February 9 at 7 pm, at the Fairview Community Center, 1910 W. County Road B, Roseville, MN.
Dr. Ponder is also speaking on this topic at the Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter (MRVAC) meeting on Thursday, March 22nd, at 7:30pm. It is at the Minnesota River Valley Wildlife Refuge visitor's center in Bloomington. Please note seating is limited.

TRC Clinic Census Jan 30

2012-01-30T09:58:00.000-08:00

We have received 31 patients so far in 2012. We have 39 currently.

Eagles
Bald Eagle - 9

Hawks - Buteos
Red-tailed Hawk - 10
Rough-legged Hawk - 1

Falcons
Peregrine Falcon - 3
Merlin - 1

Owls
Great horned Owl - 8
Snowy Owl - 3
Long-eared Owl - 2
Eastern screech-owl - 1
Barred Owl - 1

The Raptor Center Annual Report

2012-01-27T05:07:00.000-08:00

The Raptor Center published our 2011 Annual Report, which covers our activities, financial report and list of donors for our last fiscal year. We are so grateful for the 350 volunteers who help us in so many ways, as well as our many supporters.

Long-eared Owl rescue and TRC

2012-01-24T08:21:00.000-08:00

Recent article in the Rochester Post-Bulletin, from the author's viewpoint of what it is like being a part of a rescue and transport to TRC's clinic. (Text also copied here)

I lifted the box and sensed something wrong — I felt no weight, where was the long-eared owl?I was given the box with what I was told was an injured owl inside to take it from Winona to Quarry Hill Nature Center in Rochester. There, another volunteer would take it, and an injured great horned owl, to the Raptor Center in St. Paul. The Raptor Center is internationally known for its treatment of injured eagles, hawks and owls.

The staff of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Winona had shown me the bird, which a woman brought in after finding it injured near downtown Winona. The long-eared owl is a smaller version on a great horned owl. It has striking, yellow-gold eyes and beautiful brown plumage. It's a medium-sized owl, but still it should have had some weight when I picked up the box.Then I remembered once holding a goshawk while it was being banded. It too felt weightless, like it was made of the air it masters. The owl, with hollow bones and featherlight feathers, is the same way: It looks big but weights little.In that near weightlessness and beauty, however, is what seems a contradiction. The owl has the grace, power and agility that we find so alluring, but it also has talons that kill and a beak that can rip apart a mouse. That is the nature of a predator. What we might see as beauty could be efficiency, and predators, above all, must be efficient to survive.

So I loaded the owl in my car and headed toward Rochester, just one of a large number of volunteers who transport injured raptors to the center. Raptors tend to live, and get injured, in remote places, so the volunteers help by giving the birds a lift. That's what I was asked to do, though it was not in my plans for last Friday.

I stopped at the Houston Nature Center in Houston to interview director Karla Bloem. Are you heading back to Rochester but might also be going to Winona? she asked. They're looking for a volunteer.In fact, I did have some work to do in Winona and would be happy to pick up the owl. It sounded like fun and a way to help nature just a little bit.Once on the road with the owl, I faced the question of which route to take: much-used U.S. 14 or the back roads through the Whitewater Valley.I decided to give the bird a trip on the wild side, though it couldn't see it, and went through the blufflands of Whitewater. I have to admit, I took curves just a bit slower and tried to not make the abrupt stops at stop signs that my family hates. I had that owl in my backseat and didn't want to jolt it.

At Quarry Hill, everyone wanted to see the long-eared owl. For some reason, as Bloem often says, people are attracted to owls. The bird sat quietly in the box, not trying to fly because of an injury. The owl — a terror to small animals — was a docile, harmless bird in a box.From there, Alice Kerr of Rochester took both owls to the raptor center.On Wednesday, I got an email from Lori Forstie at Quarry Hill: "The great horned owl has a fractured radius and the long-eared owl has a fractured ulna; both have been treated and are eating well."

Staff writer John Weiss travels the region's back roads looking for people, places and things of interest for this column.

Snowy Owls

2012-01-20T05:23:00.001-08:00

"Season of the snowies" best describes the winter of 2011/2012. Sightings of snowy owls across the country have occurred in record numbers since the end of November. Snowy owls live in the arctic but wander south outside their normal range ("irrupt") in large numbers somewhat cyclically, usually in search of prey. From the clinic's point of view, however, the 2011 movement of snowy owls was a little different than those experienced in the past. A significant number of snowy owls were admitted to the clinic in 1993, 2000, 2001, 2008 and now again in 2011. This year, they first appeared a month later and a few more adults were seen. The majority of juveniles were admitted in a state of starvation (as has been the case in the past) and the adults sustained traumatic injuries.

In 1993 there were 28 owls, and date of first admission was 10/17; in 2000 there were 17 and first date was 10/26; in 2001 there were 20 and first date 10/19; in 2008 there were 11 and first date 10/29 and in 2011 there were 11, with first date 11/24.

Three juvenile owls remain in the clinic and will spend the next few months with us before it is time to make their journey back north.

Why are record numbers of snowies moving south? Biologists speculate that as with most owl irruptions, prey availability is the root cause. However this time it was not due to a low number of lemmings, small rodents that are snowy owls' staple food source, but instead from a high number present in the spring that resulted in a larger number of owlets surviving to independence. This increase in juvenile owls then put pressure on lemming populations and the birds were "forced" south in search of other food sources. Although predator/prey relationships can be quite complex, the end result in this case was a chance for many people to see a life bird - the magnificent white ghost of the great north. They will most likely begin moving north to their breeding grounds in the spring.

One of our clinic cases is a hatch-year (2011) male. After suffering internal trauma from an unknown cause and a lack of hunting success, some people found it grounded near railroad tracks in Minneapolis without the strength to fly. Upon admission, the bird was malnourished, dehydrated and covered with feather lice. It responded well to treatment for its low condition, and has done well in test flights. It will go through TRC’s pre-release preparation program – intensive exercise therapy to rebuild weekend flight muscles and a refresher in catching live prey – before given the opportunity to return to its arctic home in the spring.

Bald eagles and lead article in Star Tribune

2012-01-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

The Raptor Center was featured in a Star Tribune article on bald eagles and spent lead ammunition. This photo was taken by the Star Tribune.

TRC and Snowy Owls KSTP 5 article

2012-01-16T06:01:00.000-08:00

TRC was featured in a small KSTP-5 piece on Snowy Owls recently.

New Environmental Initiative for TRC

2012-01-10T12:27:00.000-08:00

The Raptor Center is always looking for new ways to contribute to our mission of a healthy, sustainable environment. Our volunteer-run Recycling for Raptors program has been a wonderful initiative to keep used ink cartridges out of landfills (100,000 as of 2010!)

We are now working towards reducing unwanted mail in our offices for 2012. We are part of a pilot program through a University of Minnesota Conservation Corps volunteer who is implementing a “junk mail” reduction project. Each day we weigh how much mail we receive and then staff sorts out any mail that is unwanted and places it into a box to be weighed at the end of the week. After a month our volunteer will begin to contact some of the organizations that the “junk mail” has come from and work towards removing our name from the lists. Two days into the program, we have already noticed we have duplicate catalogs from companies as well as numerous mailings for employees that are no longer working at The Raptor Center.

Want to make a difference in your own home or office?
Try contacting these organizations to remove your address.
Catalogchoice.org
dmachoice.org

Farewell to Harley

2012-01-06T05:02:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, we sent a note that we did not have final word on Harley the bald eagle’s satellite transmitter, but did want to give an update to his many “followers.”

We recently received notification that Harley's body was found in a farm field near where he was last known to have been in the Evelyth area. In September, Dr. Ponder traveled to the area to hike the farm and scour the area where his last transmissions were from. She talked with the local land owners, but did not see Harley. It was possible he was already down in the hay field. The local Department of Natural Resources conservation officer returned his transmitter and what is left of the body to us.

While we are still hoping we might get a bit more information from testing, the cause of Harley's death is not clear at this time. One very interesting finding raised a few questions - Harley had recently molted almost all of his primary flight feathers on one wing. This is a very abnormal molt for a raptor as that many missing flight feathers would make flight challenging or impossible.

After following Harley's story for two years, it is hard to believe he is gone; we had hoped that only his transmitter had died. We enjoyed watching Harley's travels, we got a lot of information from him, and we set the stage for piloting some new education initiatives and began to see some new possibilities. We have many reasons to remember Harley fondly.

Click here for Harley's back story. We also have a journal with monthly maps of his journey there.

WCCO-TV story on Bald Eagles and TRC

2012-01-04T04:57:00.001-08:00

TRC's Dr. Pat Redig was featured on a story WCCO-TV ran Tuesday evening about bald eagles and lead poisoning. (Text also featured below).

ST. PAUL (WCCO) — On a frozen Washington County field partially covered in snow, bald eagle number 11-694 was found motionless and barely breathing.

The landowner placed it in a box and brought it to Carlos Avery Wildlife Area where the mature eagle was quickly taken to the Gabbert Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota.

“This was an acute lead poisoning. This bird didn’t live more than a few days after it ingested this poison,” said Dr. Pat Redig, co-founder of the Raptor Center.

For the 29th time in 2011, Redig and veterinary staff at the Raptor Center would try in vain to save the sickened symbol of our nation’s freedom. In the more than 40 years that the specialty veterinary clinic has been tending to sick and injured raptors, roughly 25 percent of the bald eagles that enter are suffering from lead poisoning.

Showing up as little white dots in the X-ray images of the bird’s body, the tiny lead fragments ingested by 11-694 were simply too toxic for the eagle to recover. In fact, of the 29 bald eagles admitted last year, only one survived the lead poisoning to be released back into the wild.

It is a sobering and sad outcome for the birds that are unintentionally ingesting the lead contaminating the carcasses of waterfowl, varmints and wild game shot by hunters.

Since October 24, 2011, 13 bald eagles were taken to the Raptor Center, each one suffering the effects of lead poisoning. With little or no snow cover to conceal the gut piles of field dressed deer, eagles can feed freely on the remains. It’s within those remains where the tiny lead fragments contaminate the soon to be ingested food. Certainly unintended and without thought, a hunter’s spend bullet can cause a second death.

Carrol Henderson is the Department of Natural Resources’ non-game wildlife expert.

“This year, because of our ironically mild winter and late fall, the eagles are continuing to feed on a deer’s gut pile and getting poisoned by shards of lead,” said Henderson.

Henderson hopes that the DNR and Raptor Center can help educate hunters about a better choice of ammunition. He points out that just as lead was banned from paint and gasoline to protect human health, the same protection is due our nation’s symbol.

Bullet manufacturers including Federal Cartridge, Remington, Winchester and Hornady, already offer non-toxic alternatives to lead shells. The tradeoff is cost. Expect to pay half to twice as much for the non-toxic shells.

“It’s not a matter of anti-hunting, it’s a matter of smart hunting,” added Henderson.

TRC 2012 Calendar

2011-12-30T07:37:00.000-08:00

If you haven't purchased your 2012 Raptor Center calendar, we still have some available at our front desk, or through the University's Bookstores online! They are $20, and the proceeds go to support our winged ambassadors who help us reach 200,000 people each year, of every age and from every walk of life.

The calendar has photos of our education staff birds, as well as our clinic and flight activities.

TRC Clinic census Dec 28

2011-12-28T11:25:00.001-08:00

We have received 710 patients so far this year. We currently have 47.

Bald Eagle - 11

Hawks - Buteos
Red-tail - 10
Rough-legged - 1

Hawks - Accipiters
Sharp-shinned - 1

Falcons
Peregrine - 3
Merlin - 1

Owls
Great horned - 10
Barred - 4
Snowy - 2
Short-eared - 1
Eastern screech - 1
Northern Saw-whet - 1
Long-eared - 1

Thank you and Happy Holidays from TRC

2011-12-23T04:55:00.000-08:00

The Raptor Center would like to thank each and every one of our friends for their support this year. We couldn’t continue our work without you. Whether you have already made a gift this year or plan to, please know that each one has the power to make a difference in the lives of raptors and humans alike.

Please accept our wishes for a happy and safe holiday season, and we hope to see you soon in 2012.

Click here for an e-card from TRC!

Raptor Center Research Grant

2011-12-19T09:06:00.000-08:00

The University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment (IonE) selected a Raptor Center project for funding in the second round of awards for its Mini Grant program. In the project, "Spent Lead Ammunition and Bald Eagles: A Model for Dealing With Conflicts in Ecosystem Health," principal investigator (and Raptor Center co-founder) Dr. Patrick Redig and colleagues will develop a proposal for a mock congressional hearing on a mock policy considering use of non-lead ammunition for deer hunting in Minnesota. The IonE Mini Grant program encourages collaboration on environmental themes among faculty, staff, and students across University of Minnesota disciplines, units, and campuses.

TRC clinic patient census December 12

2011-12-12T07:21:00.000-08:00

We have received 682 patients so far this year. We currently have 48.

Eagles
Bald eagle - 11

Hawks - Buteos
Red-tailed hawks - 12
Rough-legged hawk - 1

Hawks - Accipiters
Cooper's hawk - 1

Falcons
Peregrines - 3
Merlin - 1

Owls
Great horned - 9
Snowy - 2
Northern Saw-whet - 2
Long eared - 2
Barred - 2
Short eared - 1
Eastern Screech-owl - 1

Update on Harley the Bald Eagle

2011-12-08T06:14:00.001-08:00

Early this fall, we lost signal from Harley’s transmitter. The last few transmissions were from northern Minnesota. We searched the area fairly thoroughly and finally concluded we had lost contact.

We have a few ideas on what may have happened to the transmitter: Harley’s transmitter is faulty and just stopped working, has fallen off and broke, or he has gotten into some other trouble.

While his transmitter was set and designed with a “mortality signal” which starts to transmit when the unit has not moved for 24 hours, the signal has never gone off. Many of you may remember that we had transmission problems around last Christmas 2010, while Harley was in Arkansas. After a brief period of time, the transmitter came back on-line with no outside assistance. We were hopeful that this was the case again this time, but it doesn’t appear to be so.

While we will miss continuing to follow Harley’s travels, it is amazing to reflect on how much we learned from watching one eagle’s movements. The scientists among us will be quick to acknowledge that one set of data points don’t tell us about a whole species, but Harley did have some very interesting travels, including his winter in Arkansas, several summer jaunts to the Northern Minnesota and the Canadian border and quite a bit of time in Wisconsin, near where he was originally recovered. We look forward to incorporating this data into some new lesson plans for school age children. We wish Harley the best, wherever he is.

(For background on Harley's story, click here)

Snowy Owls in the News

2011-12-06T06:04:00.001-08:00

TRC's Dr. Julia Ponder was quoted in a recent WCCO (CBS) story about Snowy Owls.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — It’s one of those rare treats of Mother Nature. A bird seldom seen south of the Canadian border is becoming a common sight among many this winter, as Minnesotans come face to face with the snowy owl.
“They typically stay up in the tundra,” said Mark Martell, the director of bird conservation for Audubon Minnesota.
According to Martell, the eruption of snowy owls all across the state is the result of bare cupboards in Canada.
“They feed on Lemmings, which are cyclical, die off and when that happens, the young birds have to come south to find food,” explained Martell. “That’s what they’re doing.”
What’s so unusual is that the snowy owls are coming down in such large numbers. Hundreds have been sighted all across the northern tier states, even as far south as Kansas. On Tuesday, a snowy owl was photographed near the entrance to New York City harbor.
Here in Minnesota, they are being spotted largely in open areas and farm country, even Fort Snelling National Cemetery and MSP International Airport. The owls prefer open terrain because it is similar to the openness of the tundra, said Martell.
“We’ve had four come in so far this year,” said Dr. Julie Ponder of the University of Minnesota’a Raptor Center.
Ponder says it’s a bit unusual that the clinic is seeing more adults than juveniles, as has been the experience in past years. Ponder explains that the smaller owls are typically more prone to starvation than the adult birds.
“Usually, we’ll have seen the ‘snowys’ come in by now. The first ones are down and if they don’t figure out another food source, they starve,” said Ponder.
Getting enough food to eat is just one of the challenges. Because their normal habitat is complete wilderness, the owls are unfamiliar with vehicle traffic and power lines. Most of the owls that get admitted to the Raptor Center suffer a combination of starvation or broken bones.
Ponder added they will be bracing for more owls in the coming weeks, as word spreads and wildlife enthusiasts keep careful watch for these rare birds from the north.
“It’s pretty dramatic to see a huge white owl,” said Ponder.

American Kestrel Next Boxes at TRC

2011-12-01T12:40:00.001-08:00

Members of our Youth Raptor Corp (YRC) have constructed American Kestrel nestboxes for sale at The Raptor Center.

These boxes are used by American Kestrels, which are small, cavity-nesting falcons. The first two photos are of the boxes for sale ($25, and includes nest box placement instructions). The last photo is an example of a female chick who has nested in a similar box.

YRC is a service learning club for students in grades 5-8. The members gain an understanding of raptors and the world they share with humans with hands on activities, instructional sessions with staff and volunteers, and reading about raptor topics.

TRC Clinic Census November 29

2011-11-29T09:58:00.000-08:00

Eagles

Bald Eagle 15

Hawks - Buteos

Red-tailed Hawk 12

Red-shouldered Hawk 1

Rough-legged Hawk 1

Hawks - Accipiters

Sharp-shinned Hawk 0

Northern Goshawk 0

Cooper's Hawk 1

Falcons

American Kestrel 0

Peregrine Falcon 4

Merlin 1

Gyrfalcon 0

Owls

Great Horned Owl 10

Short-eared Owl 2

Northern Saw-whet Owl 2

Barred Owl 2

Eastern screech-owl 1

Snowy Owl 1

Long-eared Owl 1

Barred Owl Patient at TRC

2011-11-23T07:04:00.001-08:00

One of The Raptor Center's current 55 patients is a barred owl. It was found in the chimney of a house – by people who were in the process of moving into the house! Owls are cavity nesters, and also choose cavities to roost in. Human-made structures such as chimneys have been choices for several owl species, especially when the owls find heat coming through these openings in our approaching colder weather. The owl had some broken feathers and was dehydrated, but the prognosis is good to release the bird back into the wild. (As you look at the photos with this message, note the soot around the bird's eyes. This is from being in the chimney. These photos were taken very early in the bird's treatment. The area around the eyes is very delicate, and soot is a substance that often takes multiple cleanings to completely remove from feathers.)

Great article on TRC Volunteers!

2011-11-21T07:07:00.000-08:00

The University of Minnesota's University Relations department visited TRC recently. They met with Dr. Robert Kriel and Sue McCarthy, two Tuesday Education Crew members. There is a great article here, and it is on the slideshow for the main U of M page for the next few days! Thank you to Bob and Sue, and all our wonderful volunteers!

Thank you from TRC

2011-11-17T12:55:00.001-08:00

To our friends, volunteers and loyal donors - please accept a warm thank you for your support on Give to the Max Day. In additional to your wonderful contributions we were thrilled to receive the super-sized Golden Ticket. This $10,000 bonus was added to the gift of one of our loyal Wednesday afternoon crew volunteers. In total more than $73,000 was raised.

You give us such inspiration and we are thankful for each and every gift. Thank you from all of us at The Raptor Center.

Give MN is Nov 16!

2011-11-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Join us as Minnesotans come together in a cornucopia of giving. This year, you will DOUBLE your impact when you give to The Raptor Center through GiveMN.org on November 16. Thanks to two loyal TRC donor families, Rachel and Denny Hollstadt and the Sarah J Andersen Fund of the Hugh J Andersen Foundation, the first $27,000 in gifts will be matched! Help us spread the word about this wonderful opportunity. Help us to Max the Match!

Your gifts help provide resources needed to rehabilitate sick and injured birds, help educate conservation-minded veterinarians and veterinary students, and allow us to reach out to the community with our unique educational programs.

If the opportunity to double your impact isn’t enough, there are more ways to help. Each hour, one donor will be selected at random to receive an elusive golden ticket. This golden ticket will add $1,000 to the donor’s charity of choice! For you night owls, please consider making your gift anytime after 12:01a.m. on Wednesday, November 16. This will increase The Raptor Center’s chances of getting a least one golden ticket. Multiple gifts given by individuals also increase the likelihood of winning a golden ticket!

MN Conservation Volunteer Story on TRC Patient Wins Award

2011-11-10T15:50:00.000-08:00

The Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine, published by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, covered a TRC patient in their March April 2011 issue. Kathleen Weflen, Editor in Chief of the magazine, and the article's writer, informed TRC that this article won a gold aware from Minnesota Magazine and Publishing Association for Best Profile article. The two photos in this post are of Kathleen with the bird, before she released it, and the second one of the bird, as it is perched after release.

Give to the Max Day November 16

2011-11-07T12:27:00.000-08:00

Launched in November 2009, "Give to the Max Day" is an annual day for Minnesotans to come together to raise as much money as possible for nonprofits in 24 hours. Last year, nearly $10,000 for raised for TRC. Rachel & Denny Hollstadt and the Sarah J. Andersen Fund of the Hugh J. Andersen Foundation have agreed TO MATCH all gifts up to $27,000! The Raptor Center's page is here; please take the opportunity to view our video, too!

Care and Management conference at TRC

2011-11-03T11:20:00.001-07:00

Seventeen people from across the United States and Canada came to The Raptor Center for four intense days of study with clinic and education staff. They came to learn skills to manage and care for raptors that are used for educational programs. Topics include emergency medical care, training raptors for programs and what you need to set up enclosures. The Care and Management of Captive Raptors Workshop is held once a year in October.

Northern Saw-whet owl visits TRC clinic twice in 10 months

2011-10-31T08:54:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the aluminum band encircling her lower leg, NWSO 10-669 (Northern Saw-whet Owl) helped tell us a bit about her story. After spending only 2 days with us last December to recover from mild head trauma, the owl was fitted with a USFWS band and returned to its recovery location in Shorewood, MN.

Now, after colliding with a window and breaking her right wing in Coon Rapids, the small owl once again was brought to TRC. Where did she spend her spring and summer? Did she migrate to northern latitudes or hang out in the metro area?

We only see about 5 banded birds each year and often they leave us with many intriguing questions. However, they also provide us with invaluable information on the perils they face, the effectiveness of rehabilitation techniques, and how their traditional movements and behaviors change in a dynamic world.

The two photos in this post are not of the individual mentioned, but rather pictures of the species for illustration. The first photo is very dark, but does show a band on the leg. The next photo is also of a Northern Saw-whet Owl.

Duke Lecture a Success!

2011-10-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone for making the 2011 Duke Lecture a success! TRC's Executive Director, Dr. Julia Ponder, and Lori Arent, TRC's Clinic Manager, shared their experiences with the Galapagos Hawks as part of an important project in several of the Galapagos Islands. Keep checking back to our website for information on how to view the lecture online!

Duke Lecture tonight!

2011-10-21T04:47:00.000-07:00

Tonight is our annual Duke Lecture. The topic is Galapagos: Fragile Past, Brigher Future. Dr. Julia Ponder and Lori Arent will share their experiences as part of the Galapagos project they were a part of. Event seating is full, but there is a Wait List available. Thank you to all, and we look forward to seeing you tonight!

Halloween Enrichment at TRC

2011-10-18T05:26:00.001-07:00

The Raptor Center feels it is very important to make sure our education birds are healthy, mentally as well as physically. Since they see over 200,000 people each year as representatives of their wild cousins, it is a big responsibility to make sure that they get the best care possible. In the wild, raptors like the Turkey Vulture spend a great deal of their time searching for food and then tearing and extracting it. The education staff/intern and volunteers at The Raptor Center created some Halloween-themed ways to hide Nero’s food so he had to spend time figuring out how to get to it. This exercise is called enrichment.

Recent Clinic Case for TRC

2011-10-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

Fall is a time of change - temperatures cool, leaves transition from green to beautiful hues of yellow, orange, and red; and many species of birds take to the sky as they begin their annual migration south. During this time, TRC sees several raptor species not seen during other seasons of the year. One such species is the short-eared owl. This widely distributed medium-sized owl is a bird of open grasslands, marshes and the tundra. It has an extensive range from Alaska, throughout North and South America, and even can be found on some islands in Galapagos (600 miles west of Equador). Birds in the extreme northern part of this range migrate south, the distance not well known. However what is known is that increased movements predisposes them to injuries and that is why TRC’s clinic treats a few each fall.

TRC case number 11-535 is an adult female short-eared owl injured in Floodwood, MN on 10/2/11. She suffered an open fracture of the right humerus from an unknown cause and underwent surgery to align and stabilize the fracture under the skilled hands of Dr. Irene Bueno, TRC’s veterinary resident from Spain. The bird is in the early stages of recovery and is doing well. It will take a good month for the fracture to heal, after which the owl will move into the reconditioning component of her recovery program.

TRC Patient Census Oct 10

2011-10-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

We currently have 53 patients, and have admitted 560 so far this year.

Eagles
Bald eagles 15

Hawks
Red-tailed hawk 13
Broad-winged hawk 3
Cooper's hawk 4
Sharp-shinned hawk 1
Northern Goshawk 1

Falcons
Peregrine falcon 3
Merlin 3

Owls
Great-horned owl 7
Short-eared owl 1
Northern Saw-whet owl 1

Turkey Vulture 1

Digital Bridge Workshop November 19

2011-10-04T04:46:00.000-07:00

The Raptor Center is offering a free workshop to teachers on November 19, at Carpenter Nature Center in Hastings, MN. It is part of the Digital Photography Bridge to Nature. This is a Minnesota DNR initiative, funded through the LCCMR (Legislative Citizens’ Commission for Minnesota Resources). The Raptor Center is partnering with the Minnesota DNR to help facilitate a portion of the workshops.

Each four-hour workshop is designed to train approximately 12-24 teachers in any subject area on how to use the digital camera kits. Completion of the workshop will allow you to check out a camera kit and you will earn 4 Continuing Education units. The workshop will focus on helping you enhance your current curriculum, not add to it! The workshop will cover how to use the digital cameras; basics of photography; hands-on activities with group discussion; brainstorming of curriculum ideas; downloading and editing techniques; and student project ideas.

• FREE access to digital cameras kits with 12 cameras
• LEARN new ways to tie digital photography experiences to fulfill state
education standards
• LEARN how to use student digital photos with WEB 2.0 applications
• Targeted for Grades 3-9

To register call Carpenter Nature Center at 651-437-4359
or email Mayme@CarpenterNatureCenter.org.

Thank you from The Raptor Center

2011-09-30T02:30:00.001-07:00

Thank you to all who made the auction a success! If you are a winning bidder, you can contact Ellen Orndorf at eorndorf@umn.edu for details Friday, September 30, or we will begin contacting everyone next week to arrange details of pick up of your items.

Final Hours of TRC's Fundraising Online Auction!

2011-09-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

There are just a few more hours to bid on some fantastic items and experiences in our fundraising online auction! The Raptor Center offers several fun opportunities alone; we offer the opportunity to release a rehabilitated raptor back into the wild; spend a day behind the scenes with our TRC staff; or have some of our winged ambassadors come to your home! (Please read disclaimers on all items.) Due to the amount of activity on our auction, we will extend the time of closing from 6:30pm to 8:00pm tonight. Good luck, and thank you for helping The Raptor Center!

Minneapolis Experiences, and Randall McDaniel Memorabilia in Our Online Auction

2011-09-28T06:05:00.001-07:00

The Raptor Center is excited to highlight these very special packages to lucky winning bidders of our fundraising online auction! NFL Hall of Famer, multiple Pro Bowler and your #64 Minnesota Viking Randall McDaniel has generously donated several items, including a signed jersey, signed Hall of Fame yearbook from his 2009 induction, and autographed mini-football and mini-helmet with 2009 inscription!

We also put together a true "Minneapolis Classic" with a $30 Punch Pizza giftcard, two vouchers for Mill City Museum, a $25 giftcard to Joe's Garage,
a $30 giftcard to Punch Pizza, and finally four sets of two-ticket passes to any Patrick's Cabaret event. Click here for these and many other items and experiences!

Onlt Two Days Left for Online Auction!

2011-09-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

Only two more days left to bid on items in our fundraiser online auction! Click here to see the packages of items and experiences! One fabulous package lets you experience/remember all that the University of Minneosta has to offer; Package includes: 1-year University of Minnesota Alumni Association membership and gift basket (comprised of an Alumni Association t-shirt, 22oz Alumni Association water bottle, a black leather Alumni Association keychain, an AlumniAassociation pen and an Alumni Association notepad with calculator), Dinner for 2 at the Campus Club located in Coffman Memorial Union ($50 value), 2 Tickets for Jin Xing Dance Theater Performance (Feb 18, 2012) at Northrop Auditorium, and One-Year Dual-Level Museum Membership to the Weisman Art Muesum.

Fall Release and TRC Happenings

2011-09-22T09:39:00.000-07:00

Please plan to come out to our fall public raptor release on Saturday, September 24! It is at Carpenter St Croix Valley Nature Center, in Hastings, MN. The event is from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Karen Kaler, wife of new University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler, is one of several folks who will release several rehabilitated raptors back into the wild. This is a great FREE family event!

On Tuesday, September 27, please join us for the first in our Raptor Tails series: "Feathers and Flight - Fabulous Feathers and Migration. The Raptor Tails series are activity-oriented learning experiences for ages 3-5 about raptors and their environment. Children will hear stories, take part in activities, and get to meet a live raptor each session. The goal of this program is for pre-schoolers to develop a positive relationship with raptors and the environment.

Bald Eagle Band Return

2011-09-20T07:54:00.000-07:00

The Raptor Center applies a federal band to most of the rehabilitated raptors released back to the wild. Although only an average of 5 band returns a year are received, the information these provide is invaluable in critiquing our rehabilitation techniques and in learning more about raptor movements and behavior.

Last week, we received band return information on a bald eagle we admitted on 11/13/2005. At that time, this female eagle, weighing in at 4430g, was 3-4 years old. She had been shot in Wanamingo, MN and suffered a fractured left ulna (one of the bones in the middle of the wing) along with bruising and swelling of tissues where the projectile entered. Dr. Hugo Lopez, a veterinarian from Portugal, performed the surgery to repair the wing and the bird recovered well. She was reconditioned over the winter months and released at Carpenter Nature Center in Hastings on 3/18/2006. She survived 6 and ½ years after that traumatic event and was recovered northeast of the Hwy 56 bridge along the Cannon River last week. We do not know how or why she died, but are grateful that our skill and compassion gave her several more years to soar in blue skies, and that the silver band she wore from that time forward was able to provide us with feedback on our efforts.

TRC Clinic Patients 9.12.11

2011-09-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

The Raptor Center has received 489 patients so far this year. We currently have 65 patients. Some are in individual patient cages while their injuries heal. Others are in large flight rooms or outside in the rehabilitation courtyard for exercise before their release. The following table shows the patient census by species:

Eagles
Bald Eagle 16

Hawks - Buteos
Red-tailed Hawk 14
Broad-winged Hawk 4

Hawks - Accipiters
Cooper's Hawk 4

Falcons
Peregrine Falcon 3
Merlin 3

Owls
Great Horned Owl 6
Eastern Screech-owl 1

Others (Osprey and Turkey Vulture) 3

The Raptor Center Online Auction Goes Live!

2011-09-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

Our Raptor Center fund raiser, the online auction, is now live! Click here to see the many items and experiences to bid on! All proceeds benefit The Raptor Center.

TRC Online Auction Goes Live Tomorrow!

2011-09-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

Now is your chance to spend a day “behind the scenes” at The Raptor Center with Dr. Julia Ponder and other TRC staff members. From experiencing wildlife rehabilitation to training education birds, get a peek at the fascinating work done every day at The Raptor Center. This
incredible opportunity is only one of many
unique experiences that you can bid on when you access TRC’s online auction. (Please note: the photos shown are of students, staff and volunteers, who have been trained in working with raptors.)

The auction will go live September 13 at 8:00 a.m. and close at 6:30 p.m. September 29. Once you access the auction, you will have the opportunity to bid on many fabulous experiences and items, including gift cards for some of the Twin Cities’ most popular venues: hotels, restaurants, theaters, sporting events, and weekend getaways. Go to http://www.winningcause.org/ Sept. 13 to begin your bidding. All proceeds benefit TRC.

Bid on a Delta Vacation for TRC Online Auction

2011-09-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't you love to go somewhere warm? Or exciting and different? How about bidding on an $800 Delta Vacations gift card, courtesy of MLT Vacations? This is just one more item that you can win with our online auction - it starts September 13!

TRC Online Auction to Start Sept 13!

2011-09-08T06:04:00.001-07:00

The Raptor Center is holding an online auction that starts September 13! One of the items to bid on is this Apple iPad 2! This is only one of many unique items and experiences that you can bid on when you access TRC’s online auction.

The auction will go live September 13 at 8:00 a.m. and close at 6:30 p.m. September 29. Once you access the auction, you will have the opportunity to bid on many fabulous experiences and
items, including gift cards for some of the Twin Cities’ most popular venues: hotels, restaurants, theaters, sporting events, and weekend getaways. Go to www.WinningCause.org Sept. 13 to begin your bidding. All proceeds benefit TRC.

TRC at the Renaissance Festival!

2011-09-07T08:11:00.001-07:00

TRC is one of the main acts at the Renaissance festival, every weekend from August 20 - October 2. Times of presentations are 10:00am, 11:00am, 12:30pm, and 4:00pm. Here, Adam Barnett of TRC introduces some of our winged ambassadors and the roles their species played in society and culture several hundred years ago.

Welcome Back Students!

2011-09-06T05:45:00.000-07:00

The University's fall semester starts today! As part of Welcome Week for freshman, The College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) coordinated an Amazing Race exercise to get them acquainted with the St Paul campus. This group - the Rad Raptors - met Education Program Manager Gail Buhl and one of our winged ambassadors at The Raptor Center.

A Salute to International Vulture Awareness Day

2011-09-02T04:36:00.000-07:00

In recognition of International Vulture Awareness Day on September 3, The Raptor Center would like to share exciting news about a former patient! Remember the nestling turkey vulture TRC admitted back in June? Well 2 & ½ months later, he took his first flight over the crystal clear blue skies of Antigo, WI. He was released at a traditional turkey vulture roost site (or overnight rest spot) that is frequented by up to 40 vultures every night. His transition from his foster parents to this wild flock was smooth and he now graces the skies as he spreads his wings to soar over the area he calls home. A special thank you is extended to the Raptor Education Group in Antigo for their assistance raising this special patient.

Clinic Stats August 26

2011-09-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

The Raptor Center has received 470 patients so far this year. We currently have 65 patients.

Eagles
Bald Eagle 15

Hawks - Buteos

Red-tailed Hawk 14
Broad-winged Hawk 5

Hawks - Accipiters

Cooper's Hawk 8

Falcons

Peregrine Falcon 3
Merlin 2

Owls

Great Horned Owl 9
Eastern Screech-owl 1

Others (Osprey) 2

Checking in with Harley the Bald Eagle

2011-08-29T05:04:00.000-07:00

We haven't check in with Harley for a bit. Harley remains in northern Minnesota on the Iron Range east of Hibbing and south of Virginia. In the past few weeks he has moved slowly north following the St. Louis River moving about 12 miles and is currently 6 miles west of Evelyth, MN (fig 1).

Harley completed his spring migration from Arkansas on March 16 and remained in the SW part of Douglas County, Wis until May 6. On May 7 he started moving north and covered 283 miles by May 15 when he was in southern Ontario. He remained in southern Ontario/northern Minnesota through June 10. On June 11 he moved 72 miles south on to the Iron Range of MN about 12 mi. NW of Hibbing, MN. He ranged over an area to the west of Hibbing which was about 21 miles long and 8 miles wide from June 11 to July 2 and then decided the area east of Hibbing was more his liking and has made his living along a swath of the north woods between Hibbing and Evelyth, about 21 miles long (fig 2). (You can click on each map picture to make it larger.)

August 22 Clinic Stats

2011-08-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

The Raptor Center has received 451 patients so far this year. We currently have 65 patients.

Eagles
Bald Eagle 17

Hawks - Buteos
Red-tailed Hawk 14
Broad-winged Hawk 6
Rough-legged Hawk 0

Hawks - Accipiters
Sharp-shinned Hawk 0
Swainson's Hawk 0
Cooper's Hawk 9

Falcons
American Kestrel 0
Peregrine Falcon 3
Merlin 2
Gyrfalcon 0

Owls
Great Horned Owl 9
Barred Owl 1
Northern Saw-whet Owl 0
Eastern Screech-owl 1

Others (Osprey) 3

2011 Duke Lecture Announced!

2011-08-22T12:37:00.001-07:00

The Raptor Center is pleased to announce our 2011 Duke Lecture! Dr. Julia Ponder, Executive Director, and Lori Arent, TRC Clinic Manager, will share their stories and photos about their work with the Galapagos hawks. This important project is a wonderful example of how TRC’s expertise has global effects for the health of raptors and the environment we share with them.

The time is 4:00pm, Friday, October 21. It will be on the St Paul campus of the University of Minnesota, in the Ben Pomeroy Alumni Center. Please stay afterwards for refreshments and a chance to meet some of TRC’s winged ambassadors. For those who cannot attend in person, there is an opportunity to view the presentation online. RSVP’s are requested.

Click here to RSVP! We look forward to seeing you!

The Raptor Center at Renaissance Festival

2011-08-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

The Raptor Center will present at the Renaissance Festival every weekend from August 20th through October 3rd. The times are 10am, 11am, 12:30pm and 4pm. Come out and learn about raptors and falconry in medieval times!

Raptor Center Patient Census Aug 15

2011-08-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

We have received 434 patients so far this year. We currently have 64.

Eagles
Bald eagles - 15

Hawks
Red-tailed hawks - 13
Broad-winged hawks - 8
Coopers' hawks - 7

Falcons
Peregrine falcons - 3
Merlins - 3

Owls
Great horned owls - 7
Eastern screech-owls - 2
Barred owls - 2

Others
Osprey - 4

Turkey Vulture Patient Update

2011-08-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

Remember the turkey vulture chick featured a few weeks ago? To recap, the 4-5 day old youngster was recovered from Marine on the St. Croix and could not be reunited with its parents. So, TRC helped it to get the next best thing: adoptive vulture parents housed with a rehabilitator in Wisconsin. The foster adults are permanently disabled birds that have helped raise orphan vultures in the past. They immediately took their new charge under their wings and raised it to be a hissy, feisty, ground stomping juvenile – all traits that are desirable if you are a young vulture! The bird is now about 60 days of age and will be “fledging” in the next few days. It will be put through a “hack” (slow release process), until its flying and scavenging skills allow it to be self sufficient.

Photo 1: Look closely! You can see that the TUVU chick is “hiding” in the hollow log.

Photo 2: It is physical exam day. The juvenile was removed from its enclosure (and temporarily from its foster parents) and placed on a scale to record its weight. Checking in at a little over 3 pounds at an estimated 6 weeks of age, this youngster appears quite healthy.

TRC and ACES

2011-08-08T06:13:00.000-07:00

The Raptor Center has been partnering with ACES (Athletes Committed to Educating Students ) since 2007. Their goal is after-school tutoring and mentoring programs. The website for more information is www.aces4kids.org.

Every year their students do a service learning project and TRC met with each of their schools they work with, to talk about owls! This year they made us “raptor lunchboxes”. We use the lunchboxes to teach very young kids about what raptors eat and don’t eat in the wild.

Eagles, Owls and Hawks Camp!

2011-08-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

Please join us for a week-long camp at Richardson Nature Center and The Raptor Center - Eagles, Owls and Hawks, Oh My! It is from Monday, August 22 - Friday, August 26. This unique camp brings together The Raptor Center educators and the Richardson Nature Center naturalists to offer you this expansive birds-of-prey discovery. Three days will be spent at Richardson Nature Center meeting live raptors, spending time in their habitats to observe their behaviors, mimicking their hunting behaviors with a predator/prey game, and learning some of the responsibilities of care and maintenance of injured birds. For two days, campuers will be bussed to TRC to gain exposure to some veterinary techniques to help injured birds, and get hands-on training in operant conditioning, a practice used to train animals.

Register here, or call The Raptor Center at 612-624-2756 for more information.

Clinic Patient Census Aug 1

2011-08-02T06:50:00.001-07:00

Here is a clinic patient census for The Raptor Center:

Eagles
Bald Eagle 15

Hawks - Buteos
Red-tailed Hawk 15
Broad-winged Hawk 3
Rough-legged Hawk 0

Hawks - Accipiters
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Swainson's Hawk 0
Cooper's Hawk 6

Falcons
American Kestrel 2
Peregrine Falcon 3
Merlin 2

Owls
Great Horned Owl 6
Barred Owl 3
Northern Saw-whet Owl 1
Eastern Screech-owl 1

Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 1

Osprey Visitors

2011-07-26T06:42:00.001-07:00

In mid July, as an annual collaborative effort between the Natural Resource Departments in Wisconsin and Iowa, seven osprey nestlings (6-7 weeks old) were removed from nests in northern WI to be reintroduced into Iowa. Since 1997, this reintroduction effort has worked to repopulate osprey whose population decline began in the 1950’s due to egg shell thinning caused by the use of the pesticide, DDT.

En route to their new home, the chicks made a “pit stop” at TRC for a quick exam and refueling (a fish dinner). Once at their final destination, they were placed in a slow release enclosure and will be fed a fish meal daily for approximately 2 weeks. Then the enclosure door will be opened and the youngsters will be free to come and go for a meal as needed. Over several weeks, they will depend less and less on the free fish handouts and more on their strength and hunting savvy to satiate their appetites. The ultimate goal is that some of the youngsters, who bind to their home territory, will return after migration and choose suitable habitat for breeding in Iowa. (The second photo is from the SOAR website, and an example of a slow release enclosure).

TRC clinicians examined the chicks to make sure they were healthy; no fractures, bruising, soft tissue injuries, eye injuries, or external parasites. The majority of the birds did harbor maggots in their ears, a typical condition of nestling hawks. So, the maggots were manually removed with forceps, the ears cleaned, and an anti-parasitic drug given just to make sure no other parasites were missed. The birds were then given an injection of fluids under the skin in their upper leg so they wouldn’t get dehydrated and were fed a fish meal to tide them over as their journey south continued.

Crazy for Kestrels

2011-07-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

The nesting season has been challenging for many raptor species in Minnesota. A cool wet spring followed by storms blasting winds of fury left many raptor babies without nests and separated from their parents. Five little “fluff balls” also had a challenging start to life but not because of storms; their parents chose to nest inside of a barn in Wabasha and soon after the young hatched both parents were found dead, suspected of ingesting an unidentified toxin. Due to their food begging cries, the youngsters were quickly discovered and transported to TRC. At ages estimated to be only 3-6 days, the downy chicks were identified as American kestrels. They were different ages because in several species of raptors, the eggs are incubated after the second one is laid even though more will be laid in the next few days; thus, they hatch a few days apart. For the next week and a half, these falcons were housed in an incubator which provided them with the warmth their mom would usually provide, and they were eating on their own within a few days. Great care was taken so they would not imprint on people, but on each other instead. They started eating a mash of skinned mice, chick, and quail run through a food processer and seasoned with extra calcium. After that they quickly moved to cut up meat and eventually to a whole prey diet. Last week, when they reached fledging age (about 3.5-4 weeks) they were transferred to a hack enclosure north of the Twin Cities metro area.

A “hack” is the process of a slow release. The birds were fed in the enclosure for 6 days and the door was opened on July 10. They are now free to come and go and will do so for several weeks as they refine their flying and hunting skills. Food will be left for them daily until they are self sufficient and no longer need our support. During this time another group of 3 youngsters grabbed by a dog will be following in their “talon” steps and joining them at the hack site. (In the second photo, the arrow indicates the hack enclosure that the kestrels utilized in their transition back into the wild.)

The Raptor Center couldn’t do this important work without the help of our volunteers, and the support of friends like you. While you are checking out our Kestrel Watch site, you can also make an online gift (click here) to ensure a future for these youngsters.

TRC at Radio Disney

2011-07-07T07:50:00.001-07:00

This week Gail Buhl, TRC's Education Program Manager, and Baron the American kestrel, went to Radio Disney! They met with DJ Kari Jo Johnson, and talked about Kestrel Watch (TRC's citizen science initiative), American kestrel natural history, and how important it is to help these small falcons out with housing choices by keeping dead trees available for a nest cavity. Gail also mentioned TRC's upcoming events---appearances at the Minnesota State Fair, Renaissance Festival, and our Fall Raptor Release. Check out website for dates and details!

Harley Back in the USA

2011-07-01T04:38:00.001-07:00

After taking a bit of a vacation in Canada in late May and early June, Harley decided to return to the U.S. via the Boundary Waters. We last had him in Ontario on June 8. On the 9th of June he moved about 105 miles south, spent a couple of days near the U.S. – Canada border then moved another 77 miles south to the Iron Range of Minnesota on the 11th. Since then he has spent his time north of Hibbing and Chisholm, moving around but not outside of an area about 8 miles in length.

Turkey Vulture Chick

2011-06-29T08:55:00.001-07:00

Turkey vultures, the only vulture species to nest in MN, usually choose remote sheltered areas such as rock crevices, caves, hollowed logs or abandoned structures to raise young. This year, one pair decided to take advantage of a woodshed canopy in Marine on the St. Croix. With a pristine river view and quiet landscape, it seemed like the perfect spot, at least until the property was put up for sale and the serenity disturbed by visits from potential buyers. The female vulture, brooding its single chick, spooked off the nest and left the vulnerable 4-5 day old youngster exposed. Found by some children, the chick was taken to TRC and immediately placed in a 90° F incubator to provide it with the warmth it needed. Due to the high level of activity at the recovery site, it was decided that the youngster could not be reunited with its parents. TRC staff quickly networked with a licensed WI rehabilitator who already had two permanently disabled vultures that have raised babies in the past. So, a few days after arriving, the vulture chick, now warmed and eating well, was transported 4 ½ hours east on the wings of compassion by two dedicated TRC volunteers to its new parents in WI. The adult vultures immediately bonded with the chick.

Peregines in Minneapolis

2011-06-20T05:11:00.001-07:00

On June 10, four healthy peregrine chicks were banded at the downtown Minneapolis 33 South 6th Street site. It has also been known as City Center and Multifoods Tower. This site has special significance in the story of the Midwest peregrine reintroduction efforts.

2007 was the 20th Anniversary of the fledging of the first peregrine in the wild in the Midwest since DDT wiped out the original population (see below for background). It was the first urban site to host a “hack box” of peregrine chicks, and the first Minnesota site since the 1960s to produce a wild-hatched peregrine that would fledge successfully. In 1985, Dr. Harrison “Bud” Tordoff and Dr. Patrick T. Redig, co-founder of The Raptor Center, approached the building management team at 33 South 6th Street to inquire about putting a “hack box" (also known as a "release box") on the roof. This release box would house young captive-bred peregrine chicks that would be the start of a reintroduction of the species.

DDT, bio-accumulated in the system of peregrines by consuming birds who had eaten grains/plants sprayed with DDT, interfered with egg-shell formation, so no new chicks were hatched for the species population to replenish itself. It took the combined efforts of banning DDT in the United States and re-introduction of the species by groups such as the Midwest Peregrine Society - housed at The Raptor Center - for peregrines to soar the skies once more.

Harley's May Travels

2011-06-13T05:01:00.000-07:00

The last update had Harley in southwest Douglas County, Wis. on May 5. On May 7 he took off and flew 130 miles north to the top of St. Louis County, Minnesota. He spent a couple of days north of Lake Vermilion then on the 10th continued north covering 119 miles over the next few days ending up in Ontario. By May 15 he had covered a total of 283 miles and has remained in central Ontario through the last data download on June 8.

Peregrine Chick Banding

2011-06-09T06:44:00.001-07:00

As part of an on-going project to monitor the Midwest peregrine falcon population, new peregrine chicks are banded each year at their nest-sites. On Friday, May 27, four chicks were banded at the Colonnade building. The nest box has been at this location since 1991, and as of this year, 70 young have been produced. Staff of both The Raptor Center and the Midwest Peregrine Society banded the chicks with small metal bands that will identify the birds, and took blood samples. There are two bands used – one is a federal band (purple) and the other is a bi-colored band that is more easily seen with a spotting scope or binoculars.

Peregrine falcons were removed from the federal Endangered Species list in 1999 after being successfully reintroduced to areas east of the Rocky Mountains.

This last photo, taken June 7, is of the chick that was banded with b/r 04/U on May 27. Can you see the feathers starting to show through the down?

TRC Closed Afternoon May 27

2011-05-27T06:11:00.000-07:00

We will be closed Friday afternoon May 27 starting at 11:00 am. Please call the clinic on-call cell phone at 612-702-9924 with injured raptor calls.

Farewell, Friend

2011-05-26T04:52:00.000-07:00

It is with a very heavy heart that we write to tell you that longtime volunteer coordinator Vivian Neiger passed away Monday night. For those of you not monitoring her Caring Bridge site, this may come as a surprise – just last Wednesday, she was planning her next birding trip. Vivian fought cancer valiantly and always seemed to find a new reservoir of optimism. She brought us all along on the journey, finding energy and strength in her dear family and her amazing multitude of friends; joy and promise in the birds outside her window; and peace and solace in the healing comfort of the natural world.

She will be so deeply missed by all of us.

Harley the Bald Eagle May Update

2011-05-16T07:38:00.001-07:00

As of early May, Harley remains in the southwestern corner of Douglas County, Wis. He has moved the center of his operations slightly to the west but has not made any serious forays outside that area.

Spring Raptor Release

2011-05-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

Wonderful weather and a fantastic turn out helped make the spring public Raptor Release a success this past Saturday! It was held at the Three Rivers Park District's Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington.

Here, TRC education volunteer Margaret Overland demonstrates how owls hear, with winged ambassador Samantha the great horned owl looking on.

Three rehabilitated hawks were released - two red-tailed hawks and one broad-winged hawk. Clinic Manager Lori Arent looks on, along with clinic/flight volunteers Michelle Cook, Terry Headley and Jo Martinson.

Three Rivers came up with a wonderful activity so the public could build nests for stuffed raptors!

TRC education staff Adam Barnett and Laura Freeman enjoyed the cutouts that Xcel Energy brought along!

The Raptor Center had a display that showed the steps in the process to admit and rehabilitate raptors.

The Raptor Center in the News

2011-05-06T07:05:00.001-07:00

Dr. Ponder will be live on-air today at 1:30pm, on KFAI! She will promote our Raptor Release on Saturday (Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington, from 11am - 2pm).

We also had a nice story in the Star Tribune about an injured Northern Saw-whet owl.

Harley Update End of April

2011-04-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

In the past week Harley has expanded his movements a bit and is spending more time about 5 miles west of Dairyland, WI in Douglas County, which is very near the MN border. He even ventured about 15 miles north into the eastern edge of Carlton Co., MN.

Duke Lectureship - Save the Date!

2011-04-22T05:05:00.000-07:00

Save the Date for the Duke Lectureship Series
21 of October, 2011 at 4:00 p.m.
The Galapagos— Fragile Past, Brighter Future
Join Dr. Julia Ponder and Lori Arent as they share stories about their work with the Galapagos hawks. If you are unable to attend the event, there will be an opportunity to view the lecture remotely. Details to follow.

Don't Forget - Spring Raptor Release May 7

2011-04-20T10:03:00.001-07:00

Our Spring Raptor Release is May 7, at Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington. The address is 10145 Bush Lake RoadBloomington, MN 55438. The event is 11:00am to 2:00pm, with release of rehabilitated raptors at 1:00pm.

During this annual celebration, participants can watch raptors return to the wild and photograph eagles, falcons, hawks, and owls. There will be children’s activities, a climbing wall, and educational displays throughout the day. Please bring empty printer inkjet cartridges to the event to support the Recycling for Raptors Programs. This is a zero– waste event.

“It is always a thrill to see the excitement when people – especially kids – get up close to these magnificent birds who have so much to teach us, ”says Julia Ponder, D.V.M., executive director of the Raptor Center.

Cosponsored by The Raptor Center and Three Rivers Park District, the event is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact the Raptor Center at 612-624-4745. Please no pets at this event.

Harley Still Spending Time in Douglas County

2011-04-14T12:25:00.000-07:00

As of April 11, Harley remains in Douglas County Wisconsin.

Northern Saw-whet Owl

2011-04-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

The March/April issue of Minnesota Conservation Volunteer Magazine, published by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, featured a Northern saw-whet owl who was a patient at The Raptor Center. The bird was successfully released this past weekend at a local nature center. The site was chosen because the habitat is suitable for the bird to find prey in the short time it is here before migrating to its more northern breeding grounds If you look closely, you can see the metal band on the bird’s leg – this will not harm the bird or impede its movements. It instead will allow us to learn more about the bird if it is ever found or seen again, since we know something about its history already! Banding birds can tell us about dispersal and migration, life span, survival and productivity, population studies and many other things. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Birds of North America online says, “Although the Northern Saw-whet Owl is one of the most common owls in forested habitats across southern Canada and the northern United States, much remains to be learned about its populations, distribution and movements, behavior, and breeding biology.”

Harley's Still in Douglas County

2011-03-31T05:57:00.000-07:00

Harley remains in southwestern Douglas County, Wisconsin where he ended up after his spring migration north from Arkansas. This is the part of the county he spent time in last spring and fall. The Duluth News Tribune recently ran an update article on Harley.

The Raptor Center's Positive Impact on Young People

2011-03-28T07:01:00.001-07:00

The Raptor Center is very proud to have had a positive impact in the life of a young person featured in this story on the Lifetrack Resources website. This organization is a nonprofit human services organization with a mission to work together to develop the strengths within children, families and adults facing the greatest life challenges so that all families and individuals are strong, healthy and productive members of the community. Near the end of this video, the young man’s family talks about the impact of a visit to The Raptor Center.

Harley's Travels for March

2011-03-24T06:33:00.000-07:00

Harley is back in Douglas County, Wisconsin. He left Arkansas for good on March 1 and was back in Douglas County on March 16, covering about 790 miles. You may remember that this is the area in which he was found injured. He is now in the same part of the county he spent time in last spring (see map with 2010-2011 comparison) and also spent time here last fall.

WCCO/CBS Names TRC's Spring Raptor Release - Spring Event for Families

2011-03-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

WCCO, our Twin Cities CBS affiliate, has named the Spring Raptor Release in its list of Best Spring Events For Families In Minnesota. This event is Saturday, May 7th, at Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington. We have crafts for children, live presentations, and you can say hello to our winged education ambassadors. More information here.

Harley Is On The Move!

2011-03-09T08:58:00.000-08:00

Spring is coming and so is Harley. After spending a couple of restful months in Arkansas, Harley decided to start moving north on March 27. He flew about 40 miles north to the Missouri border that day, but he turned around and went back the next day. On March 1 he tried again and as of March 6 he was just west of Columbia, MO having covered a total of 280 miles.

Successful Galapagos Hawk Releases

2011-03-03T09:45:00.001-08:00

The Raptor Center is very proud to share the news that the release of the Galapagos hawks was successful. Please read the press release.
You can click on the pages to make them larger and easier to read. (Hint: under "View" in your toolbar, you can change text size. ) You can find out more about the background on the project on our website at www.TheRaptorCenter.org!

Harley's Travels and Great Galapagos Article!

2011-02-22T09:36:00.000-08:00

Harley remains in Arkansas spending his time along the valley between Parthenon and Jasper. All of his evening roosts seem to be in a wood lot located about 2 mi. NW of Parthenon along the river. His daytime locations are within the valley. The exception was on February 11 when about 5:00pm he flew eastward about 9.5 miles and spent the evening in a very hilly an wooded area along a small river near Hwy 123 just north of Mt. Judea in Newton County. He returned to the Parthenon/Jasper area about mid-day on Feb 12.

Check out the great article on the Galapagos project from the Academic Health Center University of Minnesota! We are a featured story on the U of M's homepage for a week!

Galapagos Journal Entry #16

2011-02-15T11:17:00.000-08:00

The following is an excerpt from Dr. Ponder’s journal, related to the Galapagos hawks individuals on the island where her camp was located.

Camp Hawks

Some of our favorite camp visitors are the local raptors. During the day, we are frequently visited by young Galapagos hawks. There is a large contingent of juveniles that live in the highlands of Santiago, the island where our camp is. The islands undergoing rodent eradication are all satellites of Santiago, which made this island a logical choice for camp.

These tremendously curious birds come in the morning and often hang around camp during the day. Rarely do we see them hunting; they appear to just want to watch what we are doing. The hawks were very curious about objects they had not been exposed to before. An onion, which obviously peels easily, was a very intriguing new puzzle for one hawk, though he did not eat it. We try to be extremely respectful of the endemic Galapagos wildlife, not approaching too closely or interfering in any way with their activities. No one is allowed on the island without escort from the Galapagos National Park and we had a park guard with us at all times. Keeping our distance, however, from these birds is impossible. They perch right in the middle of our camp, moving only to get a better view of what is happening. The aviaries are several hundred yards away – occasionally, they will also appear there, but mostly they just hang in camp. Any future interactions between the hawks and humans will be extremely limited.

The Galapagos hawk is one of the most studied animals in the islands, although there is much we still do not know. What we do know, however, is that they have an amazing social structure. On breeding territories, they exhibit cooperative polyandry; the breeding groups consist of one female and between one and eight males. Sometime after fledging, the juveniles leave the breeding territory and are often found in large groups of non-breeding birds. Life can be tough in such an isolated area as the Galapagos archipelago. There is a finite number of breeding territories to occupy. No one really knows the survival rate of these hawks through the sub-adult period. For more than 12 years, Dr. Patricia Parker (University of Missouri at St. Louis) and her graduate students have studied these birds through genetics and observation, but we still have a lot to learn!

In addition to the diurnal hawks, we have had our share of nocturnal raptor visits, too. Both short-eared owls and barn owls are seen routinely, hunting in the area around camp as well as passing through camp. Watching them hunt is a constant reminder to keep a clean camp!

Galapagos Journal Entry #15

2011-02-11T09:35:00.000-08:00

Life in camp, Part II

As many of you know, I am back in Minnesota. As incredible as this project is, the other demands of my job limited my ability to stay in Galapagos for the duration. Never fear, though – the hawks are in great hands and The Raptor Center is still actively involved in their care. Lori Arent, TRC’s clinic manager and “captive management expert extraordinaire” replaced me in camp. There is a satellite phone in camp, allowing us to confer on occasion and discuss progress.

My last week in camp was spent doing minor tweaks to the aviaries, which Lori has continued – adjusting perches, providing shade, noting areas of potential trouble based on the birds’ behaviors. This management phase of the project is primarily about preventative health care. Because raptors are vulnerable to bumblefoot and other health issues when kept in captivity, we have put extensive effort into preventing trouble from developing. Bumblefoot often occurs when birds are jumping from perch to perch rather than flying and landing softly. Think heavy bruising leading to open lesions like bedsores – can be a huge challenge to treat. Prevention is a balance of providing the right perch options (a variety helps), managing the birds in such as way as to keep them very calm and maintaining a healthy weight through diet modifications. While efforts such as these have kept both Lori and I busy during our time there, there have been no horrible surprises. The years of experience that we have in working with wild raptors in captivity have definitely paid off. An ounce of prevention is worth many pounds of cure!

It is always amazing how much longer it takes to do basic things in camp. The luxury of hoses and other tools for cleaning are missed. The good news is that there is an endless supply of water available for cleaning – just grab a bucket and haul it from the ocean! Timing does matter, though. If the tide is extremely low, it is a bit harder to reach the water from the lava rock shore. If it is extremely high, we have to wade to the aviaries.

While the weather was hot and sunny the first couple of weeks in camp, the rainy season has begun. Still plenty warm (especially compared to the past few weeks in Minnesota!), but quite wet. The rain came at a perfect time – the rodenticide bait was on the ground long enough to do its job, but now will dissipate more quickly with the rain. Less fun for Lori and the hawks – perching that was working well when it was fair left the hawks vulnerable to the rain. More aviary adjustments!

While we continue to provide care for the hawks, our colleagues are monitoring the treated islands. The bait is dissipated, the rats appear to be gone and the scientists are collecting population data on the local plants and animals to compare to earlier surveys. Obviously, our hope would be to see no non-target impacts (that is the purpose of mitigation strategies) and to document a dramatic increase in endemic species populations over the next few breeding cycles. Stay tuned!

Harley Journey Check-in

2011-02-08T06:43:00.000-08:00

Harley’s GPS continues to function as normal. He remains in Arkansas between Jasper and Parthenon moving his evening roosts nightly although a grove of trees on the west side of the creek about halfway along the valley gets a disproportionate amount of use (see first map - Jan 29-Feb 3). His daytime movements, that we have data for, are for the most part limited to the valley with few points occurring in the surrounding hills (see Map 2 - Feb 3-7, the orange lines indicate connections between data points but may not be actual route of travel).

A Look Back at TRC's History

2011-02-03T05:59:00.000-08:00

The Star Tribune did a wonderful article that highlighted Dr. Patrick Redig, The Raptor Center's Co-Founder and Director Emeritus, and Dr. Julia Ponder, our current Executive Director.

Harley End of January

2011-01-31T06:10:00.001-08:00

After a 1 month hiatus, Harley’s GPS started functioning again on Jan 25. The GPS data confirmed the readings taken by the satellite that Harley has not moved from his winter quarters between Parthenon and Jasper, Arkansas. He has been in this area since late October, roosting in trees along the creek in the evening and venturing not too far from this valley during the day. Hopefully the last 2 days of GPS data is the start of a period of normal functioning by the radio. The attached map shows the bird’s locations this month, the red hexagons are GPS locations and the blue teardrops are satellite calculated locations.

* For those not familiar with the way this transmitter works, Mark Martell kindly wrote a quick explanation: We are using a satellite linked radio with a GPS unit. The GPS unit is supposed to turn itself on hourly between 7am – 6pm (varies a bit with season) and calculates its position (within 150 m). That information is stored in the radio and then transmitted to an earth-orbiting satellite every 3 – 7 days (again depending on season). While the satellite is in communication with the radio, the satellite estimates the location of the radio. Both the GPS data and the satellite estimates are sent to me. Since the GPS data is more accurate, and we get more locations, I typically do not use the satellite estimate and rely exclusively on the GPS data.

Galapagos Journal Entry #14

2011-01-28T06:46:00.000-08:00

Life in camp

Things are settling into a bit more of a routine these days. The hawks are eating well and the aviary adjustments have helped them quiet down. Each morning, we check the birds in their pens and do any necessary treatments, such as medications for parasite control. Whenever possible, we give medications in their food; we are trying to handle the hawks as little as possible to minimize stress. Cleaning is also done in the mornings – if we move very slowly, the hawks will sit quietly while we clean the pens. Quite amazing! It means we work at a very slow pace, but totally worthwhile as it is not possible to turn off the lights and work under the cover of darkness as we would back home. Before I came, I wondered if we would have to clean at night. It is very rewarding to be able to do it without panicking the birds during the day. Like so many other endemic animals in Galapagos, they exhibit more curiosity than fear.

Thought I might share some images of other visitors who have arrived in camp. We never know who is showing up on any given day. Have had sea lions, pelicans, short-eared owls and local Galapagos hawks show up frequently (field camp is not on an island undergoing rodent eradication). Note the picture where a large female hawk is perched in the middle of our “kitchen” area – hard to keep 10 meters away from the wildlife when it shows up in the kitchen! Ironically, one of our visitors was a rare endemic rice rat – a species thought to be extinct for over 100 years in Galapagos and found in the late 1990’s on Santiago. Very cute and not destructive like the black rats and ship rats driving the eradication program. As a critically endangered endemic species, the rice rat gets excellent protection.

The bait drops for the rodent eradication went extremely well – two drops a week apart. The helicopter pilot was almost surgical in his precision. With that part done, we watch and wait. Watch/monitor what is happening on the islands (for 2 years!) and wait to release the hawks (just a few more weeks!).

Galapagos Journal Entry #13

2011-01-21T06:40:00.000-08:00

What an incredible few days! After our first day trapping, I headed to the field camp and the aviaries. Over the next few days, I had birds arriving on boats and even on a helicopter. The modifications allowing the transport boxes to be carried on our backs were quite helpful for hiking in many of the areas. Trapping was very successful – we managed to get all the birds we went for in 4 days. Twenty birds in total are now housed in the aviaries – the total population of birds holding breeding territories on the islands undergoing rodent eradication.

It took a few days to finish construction on the aviaries, so I had my hands full trying to keep the birds calm and settled. Knowing how important reducing visualization is in keeping the hawks quiet, I spent quite a bit of time modifying the aviaries to cut visual lines to the outside. The birds slowly settled down over several days and all of them began to eat well. A few hawks lost weight in the first few days, but with patience and a bit of training, we were able to give them some supplemental food without stressing everyone.

One of the first birds to start eating extremely well was our old friend, V2, from Rabida Island. Of the 20 hawks we have, this was the only bird previously banded. I first “met” him on Rabida last November – he was one of the birds that briefly tricked us into thinking we had more territories on Rabida than we thought. While our teams spent a couple of hours hiking to the north and south parts of the island to establish feeding areas for the hawks (pre-trapping), V2 and friend were quickly flying back and forth between the north and south coastal sites, resulting in two teams counting them. V2 was a good eater then and continues to be a good eater in captivity!

As I worked to get the hawks settled, the bait drop began on the islands. While not my area of expertise, I can tell you that the reports are that the bait drops went exceptionally well. No complications or unexpected problems. In the meantime, I also began running all my lab work to get baseline health data on the birds – blood counts, parasite checks, etc. The construction crew created a very nice lab/work area for me – a lovely shaded corner of the aviary with mesh walls complete with table and stool. Just don’t tell the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine how much I love my outdoor lab. He might solve one of the college’s space problems by moving me outdoors in Minnesota!

Galapagos Journal Entry #12

2011-01-17T04:57:00.001-08:00

Day 1 trapping success!

After a few more delays and several last minute plan changes, we finally left for Rabida Island to begin trapping hawks. With implementation of the rodent eradication project due to start in 3 days, I must admit, my normal optimism was a bit weak – while we are only doing a few small islands in this pilot project, the thought of capturing all the hawks (15-20 estimated) on 3-4 islands in a few days was daunting. Our original seven days of trapping before the scheduled bait drop was down to three and, thanks to boat troubles, our first day started late. We decided it was too hot to attempt the three birds holding territory at the top of the hill as they would have to be carried down in transport boxes on our backs. I was very worried about the bird overheating and determined to do this group either very early in the morning or on a cooler, cloudy day.

Our team split up into 2 groups and headed for the other two planned trapping sites on Rabida Island. Franny, David, Javier and I headed up the hill behind camp and put out a 3 pound piece of beef ribcage, marking it with the red flag that we used in November. The sun was already high in the sky; the heat of the day was beginning and the only things moving in the skies were a few pelicans and frigate birds. Recognizing that field work is about patience, we settled into wait, although I had low expectations. An hour and a half later, David said, “hawk”. An adult Galapagos hawk flew into a tree near the meat that we had set out, as a way to target a safe place to trap the hawk, and then hopped down to eat. It continued to eat while we snuck closer. Using a tool designed by Graeme, one of our colleagues on November’s trip, Franny slipped a clasp with a one-way gate onto the bird’s leg. The bird calmly continued to eat as I snuck closer. As it tried to fly off, I held the string connected to the clasp and quickly grabbed its legs. Success! As we banded and took photographs of the hawk, the juvenile male V2 (previously banded) showed up. We quickly put the first hawk into a transport box and got back into position. Within a couple of minutes, we had V2 just as smoothly.

Meanwhile, down on the beach, the rest of our group was also having success. As we watched from our perch on the hill, they trapped the two birds known to be in the beach territory. This was especially thrilling to me as I expected these birds to be our hardest group on Rabida.

WhiIe I wish Graeme and his wife, Sue, were able to join us for this trip (they had to return to New Zealand after the November delay), I am very grateful to him for sharing his ingenuity. His design of the “Graeme hook”, the newest hawk trapping tool in our arsenal, was clever and very effective. In addition, he and Franny adapted several of the transport boxes so that they can be carried on our backs – quite helpful for getting hawks off high hills.

Having seen four birds and caught four birds on our first day, it was time for the boat to make the trip to Santiago Island and the aviaries. As our trapping team was smaller than expected and our time short, I headed to Santiago to settle in the newly captured birds while the others stayed on Rabida to get the final group early the next morning. The Guardeparques (National Park Guards) were still working on the aviaries, so camp was already set up there. The boat dropped me at the field camp around 4pm and I immediately headed to inspect the aviaries. The construction quality was amazing – better than many permanent aviaries! The only drawback – they weren’t finished. Four pens were ready except for minor modifications, so I had someplace to put the hawks. With the help of Roberto, a guardeparque, I did a quick exam and gave some subcutaneous fluids to each hawk, then settled them into their new homes. Undoubtedly, the day was a bit stressful for them, but hoping they will settle in quickly.

Harley January 2011 Update

2011-01-13T05:33:00.000-08:00

Harley remains in his winter valley home in Arkansas between Parthenon and Jasper. The GPS is still not functioning due to low battery power but the radio is still turning on and transmitting to the satellites which mean we get locations every few day based on the satellite estimate of where the transmitter is. While these estimates are not as accurate, nor as frequent as the GPS data it does indicate the bird is doing OK. (No map is included with this post, as the satellite readings are not as accurate as the GPS.) We will keep posting his travels!

Galapagos Journal Entry #11

2011-01-08T11:04:00.001-08:00

Back in Galapagos! Happy to be here and anxious to get started with the next phase of the project. One slight problem has been the failure of my duffel to arrive. It did not make the connection in Miami, so did not arrive in Guayaquil with me. The challenge is that one spends the night in Guayaquil, and then takes a domestic Ecuadorian airline to the islands the next day. I headed to Galapagos, trusting the two airlines to be able to figure out a way to get my bag to me. Hoping my bag will arrive before I have to leave for camp. I must admit that my current problem of wearing the same outfit everyday pales in comparison to the thought of heading out to camp for 2 weeks without anything in my duffel – hiking boots are not easily replaced here!

My first day here, I met with my colleagues, Karl, Mark and Franny, to go over the final plans. It was good to see them again – we sat overlooking Academy Bay, a beautiful site and caught up with each other. Karl, a New Zealander who works for Island Conservation in California, is project leader for the rodent eradication. Mark, who hails from Australia, works for the Charles Darwin Foundation – while his area of expertise is invasive plants, he is overseeing the pre- and post- eradication scientific surveys. His teams have been (and will be) collecting data on the animal populations (especially birds) on the islands undergoing rodent eradication. Franny, another New Zealander who works here at the research station, is my primary colleague on the hawk mitigation. She is an excellent field biologist and very creative at problem-solving. Her primary job is a translocation project for the highly endangered Mangrove Finch, one of the 13 species of Darwin’s finches found in the Galapagos Islands.

Plans for the project are progressing well. Although they still have some to finish next week, the bulk of the aviary construction was done last week. The construction was quite impressive in the images I saw – on our first day out to camp, we will stop by and inspect them prior to heading to the other islands to start trapping. You might remember that we are trapping the hawks on Rabida, Bainbridge 3 and Bartolome islands and bringing them to Santiago, where the temporary aviaries are. These hawks on these three islands are considered to be part of the Santiago subpopulation, although we will be taking samples for DNA analysis and confirmation after we capture the birds.

TRC on WCCO

2011-01-06T05:09:00.001-08:00

Laura Freeman and Gail Buhl (along with Max the Bald Eagle, Lois the Great Horned Owl and Taiga the Merlin) appeared on WCCO TV this week. Lois showed us how tasty a mouse can really be!

Galapagos Journal Entry #10

2011-01-03T06:20:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Heading back to Galapagos!
After a busy holiday season, I am preparing to return to the islands. It will be good to see my colleagues again. Trying to do last minute planning amongst all the holiday festivities has been challenging, but I think things are on track. I hear the weather has changed – they have headed into their hot, wet season. The prediction this year, however, is for an extreme drought – so hot, but not expected to be wet.

While I was gone, Franny (one of my colleagues - pictured here) was able to make a trip to Bainbridge 3, one of the islands where we will be trapping hawks. There, she accustomed the birds to trap sites as we did on Rabida in November. We expected three birds on Bainbridge from earlier observations, but she reported four.

No matter how much planning we do, I know there will be surprises in the coming weeks. Looking forward to seeing what comes!

Harley Dec 17-21

2010-12-29T05:38:00.000-08:00

Harley gave us a scare - the Monday data download showed that histransmitter was not moving since Friday afternoon and was losing power overthe weekend, indicating that it was either off of Harley or that Harley was in a position that his backpack was not receiving any light (solar powered battery) and not moving. Our fears - Backpack could be off (loss of project data, but Harley okay)- Harley injured or ill (or even dead) - lead poisoning known to be a problem in that part of Arkansas. Since Harley arrived in Arkansas, we have established a good relationshipwith colleagues down there - they were very quick to offer assistance as soon as there was an indication of trouble. Wednesday's data download showed the battery recharged, operational and moving around in the area that Harley has been in - all appears good! Wethink that the battery just got weak (not receiving enough light) and unable to send data, but was still data-logging. Of course, we will continue to keep a close eye on things and are very grateful to our Arkansas colleagues for their willingness to help.

Galapagos Journal Entry #9

2010-12-22T05:25:00.001-08:00

During my November trip to Galapagos, I was able to spend four days on the island of Rabida with six of my colleagues. Of the islands being targeted for rodent eradication this year, Rabida is the largest (500 hectares). It has gorgeous red sand beaches, gregarious sea lions and hawks. After an early morning and long day of hiking the island and working with the hawks, it was wonderful to be able to get in a quick swim. While the water was quite cold (felt good on my tired muscles!), the snorkeling was amazing. The diversity of marine life in this area was much greater than other areas where I snorkeled (likely a result of more regulated fishing in area??)

Our work on Rabida was focused on developing a plan for the eventual capture of the hawks. We first identified the hawks, noting age and sex, number of birds in each territory and expanse of territory. There are eight hawks on Rabida, occupying three territories. Through careful observation and lots of photographs, we were able to identify each bird individually. And then the fun began. We chose ideal sites for trapping in each territory and began accustoming the hawks to those sites by providing access to food. The lack of fear that is so characteristic of animals in Galapagos was on full view with the hawks. They would come right up to us, hopping on the sticks we were using and watching everything we did. At one point, we were working with a hawk on the beach, trying to explain our work to a tour group while avoiding a sea lion intent on chasing us. Only in Galapagos.

Will soon know how effective our work on Rabida was. I was amazed at how much we accomplished, but the truth will be in the results in January. Stay tuned!