Strix occidentalis
2002 Season


This season ran rather smoothly, as Kurt and I knew where we were going and what the birds were up to. We had more nests than the previous year, I was attacked by a male while banding his young, and we had quite a few new females.
After 5 intensive visits to one area, I stumbled upon the Lbear female who led me to her two chicks. Kurt and I were able to band both of them, and last we saw they were nearly fledged out and almost took a mouse for us (so they've a good chance of surviving).


Here is a Lbear juvenile getting his new bands on.

One of the greater parts of my adventure was living at the Snider work center on my own. I loved this little house, and snow was a rarity (this is the first week of march). Here I had privacy, a frog filled pond, garter snake filled grass, river access, and my neighbors were a red-tailed hawk, osprey, and bald eagle.


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