[Umpqua Birds] Re: Turkey Vultures & bird survey updates
- From: "Gayner, Elizabeth" <egayner@xxxxxxx>
- To: "umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 10:07:30 -0700
Matt,
When we were running two MAPS stations and determined we could no longer
keep them both going, we asked IBP which station they preferred us to keep
going - the old growth conifer site or the early seral post-burn site...
and they preferred the latter. The conifers are really starting to make
headway and will diversify the habitat and some Madrones will start getting
shaded out to some extent. I think it will be valuable information if we
can keep it going to see how birds respond over time. I hope to keep the
station going until I retire... another 13-15 years or so!
*Liz*
*Elizabeth I. Gayner*
*OR/WA BLM Peregrine Falcon Technical Coordinator*
*Lead Wildlife Biologist - Swiftwater Field Office*
Bureau of Land Management - Roseburg District Office
Phone: (541) 464-3381; egayner@xxxxxxx
On Fri, Jul 25, 2014 at 6:34 PM, Matthew G Hunter <matthewghunter@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> Just to corroborate with your Turkey Vulture observation: Dennis Vroman,
> just north of Grants Pass in Josephine County, noted a group of 21 Turkey
> Vultures near his place 4 days ago. He surmised they were gathering for
> migration.
>
> The change in bird numbers and diversity at that banding site sounds
> pretty dramatic. Closed-canopy madrone forests don't seem to be very
> bird-rich, but the previous habitat you describe for the site--ceanothus
> and willows--wahooo that is good stuff! Makes you yearn for the "good old
> days" I bet. What are your thoughts on the future of that banding site? If
> my memory serves me... MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and
> Survivorship) sites were supposed to go for a long time, but they were also
> designed to be in relatively stable habitat too so that habitat changes
> wouldn't confound results (changes in productivity) too much. Perhaps this
> site has "done its job"? Would it be more beneficial (and fun!) to move to
> a different, more productive site? Just some thoughts.
>
> Matt
>
>
> On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 6:51 PM, Elizabeth Gayner <egayner@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> Just wanted to post a cool observation from this afternoon. On my way
>> home from work I observed 45-50 (my son and I had trouble counting and
>> keeping track) turkey vultures primarily soaring over the Jackson Ranch -
>> east of Old 99, North of I-5 exit 129 and north of UCC. A lot of them were
>> flying low over the pastures and others enjoying the wind gusts. Usually
>> don't see groups of this size until later in Sept and Oct.
>>
>> As far as other bird info on the work side of things... pretty good year
>> for eagles, peregrines and even spotted owls -depending on the area
>> (klamath and western cascades (reproduction has been really low on Roseburg
>> BLM over the last few years). Lots of fledglings out of nests now. Though
>> we are not monitoring osprey this year, general observation is they appear
>> to be having a good year too.
>>
>> It was a mixed year for our marbled murrelet monitoring surveys. Our
>> newest known occupied site was hopping, but detections died out about a
>> month earlier than normal. Surveyors in Northern CA said the murrelets
>> there were about a month early for visiting nest sites and presumably on
>> eggs. May have been a similar case at some of the Roseburg occupied sites.
>>
>> Our mist netting station has been pretty quiet too, a pattern we have
>> been seeing the last few years. Not seeing much reproduction either, except
>> from primarily resident species - but seems low as well. Mornings are not
>> filled with bird song as it used to be. So not sure what is contributing to
>> the lower numbers and quietness. The habitat started as a burn in the late
>> 80's which progressed through normal succession of establishment, early -
>> seral, and now to where we are currently - essentially a Madrone forest
>> with conifers taking off where they can. So we have seen a lot change in
>> the habitat and the species richness and abundance of birds was certainly
>> higher during the early seral stage- when dominated by ceanothus, willows,
>> etc. Insects don't seem to be very abundant at all now either. We are not
>> seeing the gobs of tent caterpillars or even flying insects like we used
>> to. It has been interesting watching the changes over the last 17 years.
>> However a bit concerned about the density of birds and certainly the lack
>> of reproduction. We catch some warblers, flycathers, vireos throughout the
>> breeding season, but they are not singing much nor raising kids it seems.
>>
>> Thought this info might be of interest to some. :0)
>>
>> Good birding,
>>
>> Liz Gayner, Roseburg
>>
>
>
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