So, I know the title says catching hawks, but first, it's bluebird time! Why you ask? Why because bluebirds are my study species! Also because I said so.
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| Bluebirds and some house finches chilling in a hay field |
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| This is a yellow rumped warbler |
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| Okay, so it's not just bluebird time. This is a western kingbird |
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| See! Bluebirds! |
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| More bluebirds! This guy is chilling on top of the same box he nested in during the spring |
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| Chubby little chipping sparrow |
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| One chipping sparrow and two house finches |
Okay, bluebird time is now over. Now it's time for hawks! This pictures are from a field trip that my raptor research techniques class (aka four grad students) took last week. We were looking for red-tailed hawks or kestrels as those were the birds we had traps ready for. Traps consist of a small wire-mesh cage with a bait animal (in this case cotton rats) inside. The outside of the trap is covered in monofilament nooses which trap the raptors feet when they try to catch the bait.
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| We got lucky and caught a red-tailed hawk on our first try. He was not happy about it. |
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| Manages to look someone dignified considering he's stuck to the trap. |
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| Okay, not so dignified anymore. |
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| It's okay Mr.Hawk, hugs will make it better |
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| Pulling nooses off his feet |
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| Yeah, he was not the happiest of hawks, I guess the hugs weren't helping |
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| This is why they're called red-tails (Though of course there are several color morphs that have a much less pronounced red-tail) |
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| Measuring his tarsus (Length from the ankle to the foot) |
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| Measuring his wing length |
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| Looking at molt limits to determine age. This guy was at least two years old based on the differences in color between some of his primary and secondary feathers. |
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| And this is how you remove any remaining dignity from a hawk (also weigh them). |
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| Have you hugged a hawk today? (I did!) |
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| Kind of looks like he's trying to dance with me |
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| He just wants a hug, I'm sure. |
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| In case you can't tell, I was super excited about the whole holding a hawk thing. |
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| Okay, time to let him go now |
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| Bye! |
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| Red-tails weren't the only hawk out. This is a Northern Harrier Hawk, you can tell by the white rump patch. |
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| Geese! There were hundreds of geese just chillin on the rice fields. |
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| We decided to go check out the view from the levee. So. Many. Birds. (mostly ducks) |
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| But also some White Pelicans! |
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| Flying Pelicans! |
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| Saw a different hawk perched on a telephone pole on the drive back to school. |
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| This band on his leg was placed eight years ago when he was a hatch-year by another researcher. |
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| That's all for now! Bye! |
