Subject: Re: migrant nonwave
Date: Aug 24 09:36:36 1995
From: Don Baccus - donb at Rational.COM


>There weren't
>even very many of the breeding birds; most had apparently flown the coop.

Speaking of Coops, I just got off the phone with my banding project's
home office in Salt Lake City.

Things are *DEAD* - they're seeing 5-6 migrant hawks a day. Usually
by now we'd expect at least one 50 bird day, and even maybe a 100
bird day, but these milestones seem out of sight at the moment. (I'm
speaking of the Goshutes site on the Nevada/Utah border, where I
expect to comfortably park my butt a week from tomorrow or Saturday
depending on how fast I drive).

For once in my life, I'm glad to be here, not there. Nothing's
worse than sitting in a cramped blind with a couple of folks who've not
showered for at least a week when there are no birds flying! Well,
one thing's worse - those late summer lightning storms which make
the metal mist net poles go BZZZZZZ in the afternoon are downright
freaky (yes, I leave, I'm not as dumb as I look).

So, either raptor migration is a bit late or they had a shitty
reproductive year or both. One never knows, though, the late
spring may just mean things fledged a bit late and haven't gotten
underway south yet.

Maybe they're just awaiting my arrival, now there's a thought!

- Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb at rational.com>