Hello Everyone,
Two weeks ago, Trudi and I went up to mow the lawn at Hawk Harbor (our land). We finished early, so we drove up to the banding blind to check it out and mow that area as well. When we checked the blind, the roofing looked bad and the floor was a little spongy, so we took some measurements to get new plywood for the floor and roofing paper for the roof. Usually we don't start banding until Labor Day weekend when we have three days to get set up before groups start coming up. Rick said he was available for this weekend and would be able to bring up a bunch of power tools to make the necessary repairs to the blind. Chuck and Nancy had already made plans for that weekend and Todd was going to be fishing. This year due to the Covid virus we will not be having any groups visit the banding station and our team will be taking extreme precautions by wearing masks and social distancing (in separate blinds). So, this is my first report of the 2020 banding season, (one week early) covering the weekend of August 29th, 2020.
Saturday, August 29th
8:00 am on Saturday morning Trudi and I met Rick at Hawk Harbor. We unloaded all the camping gear for the season into the trailers and then we pulled out all the banding gear and loaded it into Rick's truck (already filled with his power tools) for the trip up to the blind. The first thing we did once we reached the blind was to put on masks and replace the flooring. Rick's tools made short work of that job. I cut a new pole for the fake owl and placed it out in the draw. Then Trudi and I set up a pop-up blind for us while Rick put up the nets and got into his place in the main blind. We were ready to start banding at 9:45.
The skies were clear blue and we had a medium Northwest wind, perfect conditions for migration on the North Shore. Lots of birds of all kinds were on the move. At 10:22, a big young female Red-tailed hawk that was trying to ride up on a thermal at the far end of the field noticed the lure and made a long gliding stoop into the net. It was one of the biggest Red-tailed hawks we have ever banded at our place! Wahoo! Our first bird of the season, and what a beauty! While we were banding it, our friend Marc came up to see us, just in time to see another Red-tailed hawk come bombing in from the South and hit square in the middle of the net. We banded that one and took some photos with the two red-tails. Marc got the honor of releasing the first bird of the season and Rick tossed out the other one.
We sat watching a bunch of raptors including eagles, vultures, ospreys, red-tails, harriers, broad-wings and shins riding thermals up and out of sight for about another hour. At 11:50, a female American kestrel started diving at the fake owl, Rick pulled the lure and it came zooming in. It hit high on the front net but didn't get caught, however, its momentum carried it right on into the rear mist net and we got it! We banded it, (getting bit several times in the process); we took some photos and Rick released it.
At 1:00, a shin came in to take a shot at the fake owl. Rick pulled the lure and that one came right off the owl and made a beeline for the nets. However, it hit the top string of the net and bounced out. About 45 minutes later, a Merlin came into the field to harass a kestrel. After chasing it around for a few minutes, it saw our lure and came zipping in. Again, this one hit high on the net and bounced out!
We didn't see anything for another hour, and Marc was getting ready to leave for home, when another Merlin came in to take a shot at the fake owl. It made several passes at the owl, screaming its head off all the while. Then, when it got bored with the owl, it saw the lure, kicked in the afterburners, and blasted into the middle of our net. We banded it (getting bit again), took some photos, and Rick released it (wearing a glove). We had one more bird, a shin, come in at 4:00. It made a long shallow stoop in from way out over the fake owl. As it got closer, it lost its nerve and pulled up and went over the top of the nets.
We closed down the blind at 5:00 and headed into Two Harbors, MN, to get some delicious pizza from the Do North Pizzaria. We found a nice open picnic table at Agate Bay near the lighthouse to sit and eat our supper.
I have a difficult time getting to sleep after a warm day when I have had a good sweat-producing workday up north. I feel all clammy and uncomfortable when it gets cooler out and time for bed. Usually, I warm up a little water and do a quick wash-off with a washcloth. This weekend Rick brought up a portable water heater to show me that he had developed to preheat water for his grandkids swimming pool. He set it up, I put on my bathing suit, and for the first time in years, I had a hot shower (with soap and rinse) at Hawk Harbor. WOW!!! I am definitely going to work on making one of these. I had the best, most comfortable sleep ever! Thank You, Ricko!!!
We got a total of 4 birds and 3 bounce-outs on Saturday.
2 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 American Kestrel and 1 Merlin.
Sunday, August 30th
While we were having our usual cup of hot chocolate and waxy donuts at Hawk Harbor before heading up to the blind, Rick noticed a quick movement over in the woodpile. A little weasel was scooting all around the boards looking for something to eat. He stayed there hunting for about ten minutes. He even ran under our trailer and up onto the doorstep, checking out every nook and cranny. Gutsy little guy! He gave me a chance to get some nice photos.
We loaded up Rick's truck and headed back up to the blind. We had everything set up and ready to go by 8:50. The sky was partly cloudy and the wind was light out of the East. Rick had just parked his truck and was walking back to the blind when a Sharp-shinned hawk that was out hunting in the draw noticed the fake owl and made a few passes at it. Rick saw it and scrambled into the blind, pulling the lure as he went. The shin saw it immediately and came in from the owl. Again this one pulled up at the last minute, just nicked the top of the net, and bounced out! Arrrgh!
We didn't see any birds for the next two hours. Around 11:00, some raptors started thermalling up around us but none of them showed any interest in our lure. They just went up as fast and as high as they could go. So, we decided to put a new roof on the blind and keep an eye out for anything that might come by. Needless to say we got a nice new roof, but no birds that day.
We got a total of 0 birds and one bounce-out on Sunday.
1 Sharp-shinned hawk that bounced out.
Please help hawks by supporting:
Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory (www.hawkridge.org)
The Raptor Center (www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu)
The National Eagle Center (www.nationaleaglecenter.org)
Midwest Peregrine Society (https://midwestperegrine.umn.edu/)
Raptor Resource Project (https://www.raptorresource.org/)
Twin Cities Metro Osprey Watch (http://ospreywatch.blogspot.com/)
Keep your eyes on the skies!
Trudi & Frank Taylor
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Trudi and Rick social distancing with masks and separate blinds. 02.
My favorite blind-mate, Trudi; thank God I don't have to social distance from
her! 03.
Trudi's view from the pop-up blind. 04.
My favorite view in the pop-up blind. Oh, I guess I should be watching for
hawks instead of looking at Trudi. 05.
A young Red-tailed hawk dropping in.
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06. Rick and I holding our first bird of the season, a really big young female Red-tailed hawk. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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07. A young Red-tailed hawk. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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08. Her measurements were bigger than any we have ever caught at our blind. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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09. A second young Red-tailed hawk coming in. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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10. Marc, Trudi and Rick holding the two young Red-tailed hawks. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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11. Marc about to release the Red-tailed hawk. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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12. Marc releasing the first Red-tailed hawk. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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13. Rick releasing the second Red-tailed hawk. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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14. A female Kestrel dropping in. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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15. Trudi, Rick and Marc with the kestrel. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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16. Female American Kestrel back. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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17. Female American Kestrel front. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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18. Female American Kestrel. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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19. Rick releasing the kestrel. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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20. Female Merlin coming in. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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21. Rick taking the Merlin out of the net. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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22. Female Merlin. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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23. Rick about to release the Merlin. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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24. Rick releasing the Merlin. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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25. Having Do North pizza for supper at the Agate Bay Light House. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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26. Sunday morning visitor to the Hawk Harbor woodpile. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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27. This little Weasel thoroughly searched the woodpile, giving me plenty of photo opportunities. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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28. Sunday noon, Frank putting new roofing on top of the blind. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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29. Rick and all his power tools, replacing bad boards. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
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30. Molting Bald Eagle flying over, one of the few birds we saw moving on Sunday morning. First weekend of Banding 2020 |
