Baitin' for buzzards

Well the launch of a month long project is now underway ! Back in January I was contacted by U.S. Fish and Wildlife/Sonoran Joint Venture ( http://sonoranjv.org/)if I could help with a turkey vulture study . It seems that some researchers from University of Pennsylvania had a grant to trap and attach radio tylemetery bands to vultures in order to track migration patterns . My site was selected because of remoteness and I acquired a guaranteed source of buzzard bait (be careful before you ask what buzzard bait is, not for the squeamish ) . In any case , late yesterday afternoon I got 150 pounds plus of buzzard bait and at dawn this morning I set up the/a feeding station for buzzards across the street from my place . The researchers from University of Pennsylvania come in on the 19th , start work/trapping on the 20th. So in the next few weeks I get to train/play with the birds.

Sound like fun ?

More later , first guests are expressing interest in my "offerings" .

You live a life that others envy; matter of fact you may just topple the Dos Equis guy for the title of "Most Interesting Man in the World".

Frogymon, you are well overdue for coming down and checking out what goes on around here.

Hmmmmmm, does'nt seem like much enthusiasm about vultures here . Maybe a lesson is in order . An overview by wikipedia ;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulture

All right it that did not generate any interest , lets see what would happen if we were not to have vultures ;

http://antranik.org/the-great-indian-vulture-crisis/

Meanwhile down on the home front , did not have much luck at attracting my buddies today . Will need to make a few modifications to the feeding station tonight.

Frogymon , want to come down and help ?

Personally I consider them one of the most graceful fliers in the sky , some 4 to 5 of them come close, very close to the feeding area today . In the past I had some 50 plus of them when I had sufficent buzzard treats (no , these are not sold at Petco, Petsmart) .

A few days and I should get it right and see them in numbers again .

I'll let you know if I can make it one day next week; this week is pretty booked up.

No visitors after the 19th once the researchers arrive , it's playtime down here in my sandbox until then .

Too bad! I'm up to my neck in end of the year reports, senior close outs and won't be able to breathe deeply until after the 23rd...

Poor Jackie, here's the solution to your report problems ;

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Zippo-Slim-1968-Lit.jpg/220px-Zippo-Slim-1968-Lit.jpg

End of the year reports ? ! ? ! ?

What calender do you all work on ? Mayan calender ? Chinese ? I thought end of the year was back in December , however I do live in my own world down here. Often times don't remember what day of the week it is , occassionally scratch my head as to what month it is . Oh, well.

How are the moringa seedlings coming ?

The Moringa seedlings are about 3" tall right now. I need to get them to you as soon as school is over so you can get them in the ground

Phhheeeewwieeeee ! ! !

Buzzard bait does stink at times , especially after it ages and tenderizes some 36 - 40 hours . Well, done the buzzard chores for the mornin' . Waitin' for the guests of honor to arrive .

Well took a little bit but the buzzard buffet is now crowded with customers. Some two to three dozen I would guess , as long as I continue with buzzard treats/bait numbers should increase. Quite a sight , Frogymon bring your binocs and camera . This is an opportunity you will not want to miss.

Monday's my birthday, so maybe i'll give myself a present and come by. Please DM me your address and I can use the GPS to get there.

D-mail sent .

For the first time in this baiting cycle I have gotten the vultures to come two days in a row . Adjustments in scheduling ,set up have been necessary . I had to provide a "buzzard bird bath" over at the feed station . Last saturday , the owls and other birds were panicked and horrified when some 15 to 20 vultures descended on thier primary watering station . Which meant I had to shut that water station down for a day until I came up with/built the "buzzard bird bath" . They do enjoy it , kind of funny to see the buzzards splashing around in thier bath .

Still have a few dogs in the area , they started raiding/stealing the buzzard bird treats I prepared . So now I get up 4 - 4:30 A.M. in order to get the buzzard bird treats out before 6:00 A.M. which is the earliest I have seen the buzzards arrive . More typically closer to 7:00 A.M. is when they usually arrive . Once one comes down and actually lands and starts feeding , then they start coming in multiples VERY quickly . I would guess that there was 70 plus here today at thier peak .

Quite a sight .

Got some video today of some of the birds antics that the wife is preparing to post on youtube.

When it is done do any here want to see the link posted here ?

Of course we do. I started a new job, so may not be able to make it out your way before June.

For 6 successive days we have drawn 50 plus buzzards, so they are getting trained as desired . Here is a video clip taken of one of three feeding stations . The video was originally 20 minutes edited down to three because a lot of the action was somewhat repetitive . Next we will try to get some video of them at the buzzard bird bath (BBB does not necessarily stand for the better buisness bureau) .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOVRoOQqKx4&feature=youtube_gdata

Great video!!

Well Susie, you going to bring some people from liberty wildlife down to witness this marvel. Two more weeks or so and I will be shuttin' this little operation down. Gettin' tired of pukin' my guts up some days. Those buzzard treats at times do get somewhat fragrant, especially in our mounting heat . It's been two years since you have been down , it's just possible that there has been a change or two since your last visit. My days here at Daves are likely numbered, membership is up June 9th and I am debating on whether or not I want to renew. Does not seem to be much response to my threads and Julie has been bugging me to write/contribute more at our site.

In any case , encourage the folks at desert rivers or liberty to come see this, as this show here will not go on forever.

I will try!

Nine days in a row vultures have come to the feeding station, it is likely only going to be maintained for another 9 to 10 days then this little show will be over . Have been attracting some 50 to 80 vultures per day that can be seen at one time .

I believe that I suceeded (exceeded ?) goals !

Quite a site watching these guys squable over food . Talk about a pack of vultures ! Oh and one or two brazen ravens mixed in the bunch now . Can't forget those . They are attempting to get in on this food fest buffet .

I have been lurking and I find this really interesting. What is the purpose of the experiment.

On monday the 20th 2 researchers from Pennsylvania, one from Idaho and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife representative who works also for/at http://sonoranjv.org/ arrive at my place . On monday I understand they will simply observe the layout of the feeding station that I have set up. Monday afternnon/evening make any modifacations they would desire.

Tuesday morning early (4 to 5 A.M. early) have the station replenished with food and traps . Goal over the next few days is trap some 6 birds and attaching radio tracking bands in order to trace/find migration patterns .

I have been baiting the station since May 1st to get the birds trained to come dependably to a fixed location. Nine to ten days from now the feeding station will be shut down.

It is possible I might miss them a bit . I have always given them ocassional treats but not at this level . It has required a lot of work .

P.S.

A bit about the primary researcher, sounds like a fascinating guy ;

http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/ResearcherResults.asp?lresID=279

This message was edited May 16, 2013 10:26 AM

Thanks so much for the info.

This is all very cool, Doug!

First turkey vulture to arrive this morning was at 5:55 A.M. . Second one at 5:58 in the next 5 minutes until 6:03 four more arrived. As of 10 minutes ago it was still just those 6 but between now and 9:00 A.M. I am likely to have some 40 to 50 more visitors (not the human kind) . Any bets ?

Yesterday I had some arrive close to 5:30 A.M. , they were perturbed that I was still in the feeding area so Julie (the wife) went to town yesterday afternoon to get me one of those flashlights that can be worn on the forehead with an elastic strap. I was out at 4:20 A.M. (yes, before dawn ) prepping the feeding station) . Here I thought I was training the birds ! Are the birds training me ? I was out of the feeding area by 5:10 A.M. .

Such fun !

What do you all do for fun in the early morning ?

Well in the last hour and twenty minutes probably some 35 more vultures have arrived. Some of you could have been here to see it in that time . Thier numbers have not peaked out for the day yet . The food will likely be largely gone by 2:00 p.m. and thier numbers will begin to diminish.

Tommorrow it starts over again .

Now that is dedication. They are lucky they found you.

I was actually thinking about getting one of those headbands. It is much cooler when the sun goes down. I could garden in the dark.

Why don't you come down and join the fun of feeding the buzzards Sharon ? I will guarantee it is a once in a lifetime experience .

Don't forget the clothespin to clamp your nostrils shut... ;-)

Well feed station is prepped and ready for it's first customers of the day . What cha you al' doin' still sleepin' , dawn is breakin' .


Jackie , trick is DO NOT breathe through your nostrils, breath shallow through the mouth .

Hmmmm. Guess everybodys lost interest .

No comments/feedback from the audience , = no more updates on the buzzard/vulture project .

Don't do that. We have had cool weather so I have been gardening like crazy. So when I finally stop, I am exhausted. Even my puppies did not get a walk for three days. But I got a lot of things done that needed to be done. Sharon

Well I was up at 4:00 A.M. this morning getting the bait station ready , to add to complications I had to fight with/drive off a coyote who decided he wanted some of what I was providing the vultures . First vultures arrived about 5:25 A.M.

Don't talk to me about being exhausted Sharon!

You try feeding a BIG pack of vultures (literally) .

A few dozen vultures here as of now and thier numbers should peak at about 70 to 80 birds here by 11:00 A.M.

Here by 9;00 A.M. the researchers are supposed to arrive .

Tommorrow the real work begins .

No comments , no more updates .

What do your neighbors think about all this?

Neighbors ?

You mean the burrowing owls, horned toad lizards, coyotes, roadrunner ?

So there isn't anybody living downwind?

Oh, you mean the dairy ?

No, I don't think that they mind . They are 1/4 to 1/2 mile away anyway .

I thought that I told you people that I live in the boonies .

Well young man, I am 70 years old. I have earned the right to be tired. So have you. The stench has to be overwhelming. Good luck on your adventure. And yes, when you were getting up I was rolling over to another position to continue sleeping.

OK people an update and a minor review .

This whole little dog and pony show is reaching a climax , all that has preceded is merely the prelude.

The principal peoples/parties involved ;

My and my wifes web site

http://desert-rat-studio.com/

A recent description of our place by Tucson Audubon;

http://aziba.org/?page_id=1096

U.S. Fish and Wildlife involved in the current vulture study

http://sonoranjv.org/

The researchers currently here doing the banding;

http://www.hawkmountain.org/

Head of the research team

http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/ResearcherResults.asp?lresID=279

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Traps are set , waiting for the birds. personnel in the blind observing/waiting ,

Ready, set , act?????

One vulture trapped banded and released this morning . One of the researchers from Sonoran Joint Venture (Jennifer Duberstien) posted a pic of the banded bird at twitter if you do twitter . Her handle there is @sonoranjv.

Temporary lull in the mid afternoon, when the first bird was trapped it was/is necessary to go out and get it promptly . Which in turn spooked the other birds away . The researchers arriving are getting used to a new setting, some different arrangements in my feeding station are going to likely be needed . It also did not help that half the traps were left at the hotel . So day one was a bit of SNAFU .

Researchers have gone back to thier hotel and will be back 4:30 - 5:00 P.M. as the days heat disapates. We will likely work until dark rearanging a few things plus prepping new food for tommorrow .

We try again another day tommorrow starting again at 4:00 A.M.

Great life if you do not weaken .

Now your peoples turn , no feedback/comments = no updates .

P.S. Arizona Republic is coming out tommorrow for pics and a story .