57 OWLS MAKE UP SEASON 2016!

We had another great season with 57 new NSWO and 8 same season recaptures. The  owls arrived steadily and we only dipped one night, so 17 out of 18 nights of effort, we banded owls. There were two peak migration nights on November 1 (8 owls and 1 recapture) and November 16 (8 new owls!).

A trio of owls could indicate family members flying together.

On these peak nights we typically capture multiple owls in one run and there is current DNA research to determine if these may be siblings or family members migrating together. The eight same season recaps is our record for recaptures in one season. They stayed on the property between 6 days and 26 days and may continue to winter on the Reserve. Their overlapping and continued presence and good body weight indicates a healthy prey base (rodents) for so many owls.This year we had several chunky owls with a good amount of fat and weights over 100 grams! Fat, which can be seen as a yellow layer under the skin, is an important fuel for migration and cold winter nights.

This individual has 3-4 generations of feathers, noted by the different colors in the
blocks of feathers; she is over 3 years old

We have also noted that the older birds tend to migrate later (we capture them later in the season), probably because the young of the year disperse early from their natal area. On our last banding night we banded this older female with several generations of feathers. These birds can be challenging to age, but it is great to see that some owls survive seasons of migration and breeding.

Thank you volunteers Julie Woodruff, Ken Sobon, Julie Newman, Wyatt Hersey, Erika Iacona, Maureen Morales and Kim Armstrong, for another great season of owl monitoring, season 12!!!!

UFO EXPLODES THE SKY!!!!!

Another benefit of our owl monitoring project is there we are, under the stars, comets, meters, milky way and all celestial phenomenon and other-wise anthropogenic sky objects like the space station, planes and satellites. If we are not looking at owls, we are looking up and on Saturday, November 7,we had a real surprise as a UFO soared through the sky.  Here's an internet pic of how it all began for us while we were waiting between net runs.

It shot over the east ridge (little Chico Creek) a bright and fast moving light, followed by a huge widening halo-like footprint which narrowed but continued behind the missile (we discovered later-a nuclear capable Trident missile!), then pinwheeled and spiraled, and after many minutes a hazy pinpoint light it faded into the sky- a truly spectacular sight.

Our sky show was contrary to our owling experience that night- there were none captured! Our first 0 owl night and unfortunately we had 7 guests that missed the owls - but would have missed the missile had they not been out in the night. Something is always brewing at the Reserve owl station!

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE AND A RECAPTURE!

BRRRR the night was cold and dark with no moon, a dense milky way and WOW! filled with shooting stars! We saw about 20 bright and small, to brilliant and loooong flaming balls of fire streaming through the sky. The internet says they are the Taurids, coming from tiny bits of dust and ice debris left over from comet Encke that is now orbiting the sun.  Should be active for a couple of weeks, so get out there!

Night sky from the Internet, Taurid meteor showers and a thickly
starred Milky Way. Almost like we saw it!

The night was also very quiet with few NSWO chirps and maybe a distant GHOW hoot.  But in the net we had 2 new owls and a recapture from last year.  Here's our girl looking a bit grumpy but healthy.  This unknown sex second year owl (hatched last year), was originally banded by us on October 20, 2014.

Recapture SY/U NSWO, originally banded on the
Reserve October 20, 2014.

Recaptures provide valuable information to our project; from this individual we know she/he is 2 years old, survived the second summer (survivabilty is lowest in the first year of life), and is using the Reserve again as at least a stopover during fall migration.  Where she/he goes, no-one knows, but we were happy for the encounter.  Good luck little owl!

OTHER OWLS ON THE RESERVE, THE NORTHERN PYGMY OWL

As we continue our fall monitoring or NSWO, one other exciting thing about being on the Reserve are the numbers of different species we might detect aurally or visually. Lately the Northern Pygmy Owls (NOPO), a mostly crepuscular/diurnal species has been calling from the trees above our saw-whet nets.

Last night we heard a pair dueting. They are incredibly petite little predators, mostly hunting songbirds, but opportunistic taking small mammals and insects too. I love this video that I found on youtube (https://youtu.be/yoRB3BlT3U0) that shows many of their behaviors . The toot/trill series the owl calls at the beginning is very common with the Reserve owls too.

TRACKING GIZMO!" - adventures of raffle winner

On our "Owloween" field trip we had our guests select 4 tickets for our raffle fundraiser winners. The prizes were a choice between a nighttime banding adventure or a daytime tracking excursion.  Winner Rachel Libby  (congratulations Rachel!) chose to trek the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve with MS student Julie Shaw. Together they waded across Big Chico Creek (barefoot!) and climbed steep slopes while scrambling through the brush in search of "GIZMO," our first radioed owl of the season. Julie and I installed a transmitter on Gizmo, a two-year old female, on November 1, 2012. By the next day she had flown across the creek and for days was tucked away in places impossible to get a visual on her.

"Gizmo", tracked to her daytime roost, a Toyon. Photo by Julie Shaw

On Nov 5, Gizmo was found across the creek from green gate, looking great, with her radio and harness in place. You can see her radio antennae in this picture. Click here to see her travel map. Nice work tracking the elusive Saw-whet owl Julie and Rachel!

IT'S FOR THE OWLS! 2 INCREDIBLE FUNDRAISING EXCURSIONS

OWL Fans Unite! 
Fundraiser to Support Altacal's  Northern Saw-whet Owl Project!

Northern Saw-whet Owl nestling, photo by Marcel Holyoak

Two Unique Adventures at the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve 

**for 4 Lucky Winners and 4 lucky guests!**

1)     Northern Saw-whet Owl Mist Netting and Banding - a nocturnal excursion!

Saw-whet Owl release, photo by Steve King

Tune in to the forest night life under the Milky Way, listening to owls; hooting Great Horned, trilling Western Screech, and tooting Saw-whets, and the sounds of other nocturnal critters. You will learn about the migratory ecology of the Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) in the Sierra Nevada foothills with avian ecologist Dawn Garcia and her banding crew. Mist-netting and banding will be conducted at the Reserve where Dawn is researching owl migration, now in its 8th season.  Guests will observe owl banding and data collection, and may have the rare opportunity to release one of the petite owls!  It is an easy walk from the banding station to the nets. A specific date between October 30 and November 30, 2012 will be arranged with the raffle winners as the season approaches. 

OR

2) Tracking the Northern Saw-whet Owl - a diurnal excursion!

Enjoy beautiful fall foliage and avian species such as red-tailed hawks, California quail, wild turkey, sparrows, hermit and varied thrushes, American dippers, and possible western screech/northern pygmy owls while tracking radio-marked saw-whet owls. Bobcats, mule deer, and bears are often seen on the Reserve as well.  Tracking may include crossing Big Chico Creek and hiking up steep slopes. The terrain can be strenuous depending on where the owls are.  Be prepared for an adventure! A specific date between November through December 2012 will be arranged with raffle winners as the season approaches.

"Luna" Saw-whet Owl roosting, photo by Julie Shaw

How to Purchase Tickets!

Raffle tickets will sell for $3.00/ticket or 2 for $5.00 at our September 17 and October 15 programs at the Chico Creek Nature Center and events: The Oroville Salmon Festival  on September 22, 2012 and Sacramento Wildlife Refuge’s Birthday Bash on October 13, 2012. You can also email me at conservation@altacal.org.  We will draw names for four winners on October 27, 2012.  ** each winner can invite 1 guest for the excursion of their choice.**