Forestry Friday … The Critical Period

Posted on February 28, 2014 by foresterartist

Critical Period means the time of year when the special timber operations practices set forth in these regulations are required to minimize nesting disturbance to a species of special concern.

-California Forest Practice Rules

Forestry, Northern Goshawk, goshawk, protection

This Northern Goshawk fledgling was ready to take me on.

Species of Special Concern include Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Northern Goshawk, Osprey, and Peregrine Falcon. Species of Special Concern are not the same as Threatened and Endangered Species. T and E species rise to a much higher standard of protection. They are protected under rules originating from the Endangered Species Act.

When a nest site of a Species of Special Concern is identified in a timber harvest plan area, a buffer zone is established around it. The buffer zone sizes differ according to the species. The critical period is based on the nesting season for that particular species of bird. No timber harvesting is allowed within the buffer zone during the critical period. After the critical period, harvesting can take place, but the nest trees are always retained. There are limitations as to the type of harvesting that can take place in the buffer zone, such as no clearcutting is allowed. The harvesting practices allowed in the buffer zones are tailored to each species. depending on their needs.

The Northern Goshawk fledgling in the picture was discovered after my crew and I stumbled onto a nest tree. We were marking trees when one of the guys came and informed me he saw a “great big bird in a nest.” When we went to investigate, I could see right away it was a Northern Goshawk fledgling, and there wasn’t one, there were two.

The young birds were branching. This is when they hop from branch to branch strengthening their wings before they have mastered flight. We stopped marking and began moving away from the nest. One of the Goshawk parents was nearby but moved away from us. This was a relief because Goshawk parents are well known for attacking people that are too close to their nest. This usually happens when the chicks are very young. Apparently, they are less protective when the chicks are older. We watched the young birds from what we thought was a safe distance, so as not to spook them. Then, one of the youngsters glided out of the nest to a branch in a nearby tree. Its sibling, not wanting to be left alone, followed. Only this bird wasn’t as advanced in its flight training as the first. It glided downhill and smacked straight into the trunk of a white fir tree and tumbled to the ground. I told the crew, “Oh my God, I think we just killed it.” Fortunately, it popped up on its feet, screeching all the while.

I sent the crew to mark timber in a different area. Then, with my camera in hand, I headed down the hill to check the condition of the young Goshawk. It was mad as hell and ready to give me what for. Otherwise it was okay. I took a few pictures and backed off to let it calm down. I knew, at this age, it would be able to hop its way back up the trees to safety. The parents weren’t far away and would tend to it.

For the Northern Goshawk the buffer zone is twenty acres and the critical period is from March 15 through August 15. The forester who prepared the timber harvest plan knew the Goshawks were living in the plan area. He protected their nest tree, by making it a no harvest area. However, the uncooperative goshawks had decided to move out of a perfectly good nest and build a new one in the logging unit. We were the first to discover the new nest. As a result, a new twenty acre buffer zone was established around this nest and none of the trees we marked in the area were harvested.

This Osprey was behind the sawmill last week. It might be our boy from the nest tower.

The buffer zone for the Osprey is 5 acres and the critical period is from March 15 through August 15.

Bald Eagle

Golden Eagle

If harvesting is done with a helicopter, they can operate no closer than one quarter mile of the nest tree. This is true for Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle, Northern Goshawk and Osprey. Peregrine Falcon get a one half mile buffer.

Great Blue Heron

The herons and egrets have a 300′ buffer around nest trees. Their critical period goes from February 15 through July 1.

Blitz says, her critical period is pheasant season.

The Empty Nest….Not Quite

Posted on July 19, 2013 by foresterartist

Osprey

Osprey portrait in pen and ink.

The osprey family has been quite busy lately. The young birds have been practicing for their first flight.

Osprey, fledgling, nature, wildlife, photography

The young osprey in training.

The parents had been flying around the tower trying to entice the fledglings to take wing.

This is how it’s done kids.

Then the heat came. We had seven straight days over 108 and it peaked at 116. It was way too hot in the nest tower!

Trying to assume a cool position in the tower.

This was the incentive to motivate the young osprey to fly. After the first day of extreme heat, they fled the tower.

Osprey, fledgling, nature, wildlife, photography, nest

The osprey nest was finally empty.

Down along the river in the shady oak trees is where they took refuge.

This is much better than roasting in that steel tower.

When the heat settled down, back to the tower they went. After, being in the tree I thought they might not return to the tower. As it turns out they weren’t entirely ready to give up the nest.

The nest tower is still home.

They still want to roost there at night, and they know this is where they get fed. They are like teenagers that still depend on mom and dad.

When it’s time to eat, they tell their parents in no uncertain terms.

The parents seem to debate each other whose turn it is to take care of the noisy offspring. They rarely go into the nest anymore unless they are dropping off a fresh fish meal.

I fed them last time!

Our Growing Osprey Family

Posted on June 27, 2013 by foresterartist

pen and ink, osprey, fledgling, art, artist

The Fledgling.

The osprey chicks don’t look much like chicks anymore. They are nearly fledglings.

Feeding the babies.

Parent brings a fish. They have grown fast and eat the fish on their own.

Careful where you stand while taking pictures.

Projectile poop keeps the nest clean.

Sorry, didn’t see you there, hehehe.

Wing exercise is important preparation for that first flight.

The osprey parents are constantly flying in and out with fish.

We hit a hot spell a little while back, 109 F one day and 111 F the next. Osprey will fluff up their feathers and pant like a dog in the heat. When it gets that hot one of the osprey parents will stay in the nest and shade the chicks.

It’s been hot here!

It’s really hot on the tower.

This hot neighboring osprey shades it’s babies.

Osprey Baby Picture!

Posted on May 30, 2013 by foresterartist

I’ve been watching, taking pictures and watching some more to get a shot of the osprey chicks. Mostly, what I got was this.

Osprey, photography, nature, wildlife, osprey chick

The Look! Are you lookin’ at me!

Sitting on the poles eating fish. It’s all good fun but where are the chicks?

What’s for lunch? Fish of course.

Then yesterday a chick got high enough on the nest to get a shot. I have seen them through the nest since last week, but I couldn’t get a clear picture.

Finally, a baby picture!

Not the sharpest picture, but a start. It looked like she was feeding two, but I never got a look at another.

Blue skies from now on.

I was planning a sketch of the view through the nest from last week, since I couldn’t get a shot. This was the rendition I was planning. A quick and dirty sketch of the scene with a few less sticks.

Osprey, pen and ink, ink, nature, wildlife, osprey chick

Feeding Time

This is also my Thursday drawing for Z’s challenge for art at Zeebra Design.

Maybe Baby Osprey

Posted on May 15, 2013 by foresterartist

Osprey

I haven’t posted an update on the osprey for a while so here is a pen and ink for fun. I think we have chicks in the nest, however we can’t see anything yet.

I think this parent is taking caring of a little bundle of joy.

The other parent waits patiently by the nest.

For about the last month a least one osprey has been hunkered down on the nest incubating the eggs. Late last week this pattern changed and now there is a lot of fussing about going on. I think they are feeding chicks or at least one chick. The chicks will hatch about a week apart.

Fussing around in the nest.

Time for some personal grooming.

Osprey parenting.

A view of the nest from the lumber yard.

The weather has been clear warm and windy here. In fact it hit 100 degrees last weekend. That is on the warm side this early in the year. I think it is going to get really hot up on that tower.

Another sunny day and a view out over the back forty.

Osprey Practice?

Posted on April 15, 2013 by foresterartist

I saw an osprey do the strangest thing the other day. I was driving from the log yard to the pole yard and I saw one of the osprey go into an aggressive dive. Located between the two yards is a canal. I naturally assumed that the osprey was going after a fish in the canal. I drove closer and pulled over to get some shots of the action.

Osprey wheeling around

It was an excellent chance to shoot the osprey. Lately they have been sitting on the eggs and hanging out at the tower. Not a lot of opportunity to get any interesting pictures.

The osprey on approach.

As I started taking pictures, the osprey wheeled around to come in for another swoop. With his sights set on target he banked for the dive.

Gettin’ his dive on!

Then, the osprey did something unexpected! Instead of diving into the canal the osprey dove into an open area. It was fast and low, beautiful to watch. Osprey are fish eaters and to my knowledge they don’t catch rodents. So what was he doing?

Coming in low and fast, but for what!

Up close and personal!

Then, he did the osprey snatch. The osprey grabbed a stringy piece of cedar bark. Bark, why bark? He flew about ten feet and dropped the bark. It all seemed quite purposeful.

The snatch and fly! The osprey with the bark in his talons.

Then the osprey circle back around and headed out.

Coming around again.

He did manage to give me a dirty look as he did his fly by.

Gettin’ the stink eye. I suppose that’s better than the other end.

I’m left with the question, what was the osprey doing? Was he looking for material for the nest? I don’t think so, because they haven’t worked on the nest for weeks and the eggs have been laid. Did he think the bark was an animal? I doubt it and I think they only eat fish. Was he practicing or playing? Maybe, why wouldn’t a well fed osprey engage in a little fun.

Do any of you good folks have any ideas as to what the osprey was doing? I would love to hear your theory.

Trashy Osprey Neighbors

Posted on March 29, 2013 by foresterartist

The neighbors down the road don’t live in the classy part of town next to the river. The nest they live in is a bit unkempt. Okay, let’s be honest, this place is a trash bin, a pig sty, a garbage dump. I’ve never seen an osprey nest that looks a bad as this one.

osprey, trashy, nest, photography, nature, wildlife

The osprey neighbors down the road

What a mess! I’m thinking hoarders.

Home sweet utility pole in the middle of a vacant lot.

I showed the above pictures to “our” resident osprey in the high-rise tower with the river view. I was curious to get their reaction to the neighbors abode.

The shock of it!

The inter-species humiliation was just too much for him to take, and then……..

Oh my!

……his head EXPLODED!

No osprey were injured in the making of this post.

Red Tail On The Hunt

Posted on March 22, 2013 by foresterartist

redtail hawk, redtail, buteo, rapture, photography, nature, wildlife

This young red-tailed hawk is feeding on a bird it caught.

His prey is more visible in this picture. It was a bird of some type, but I couldn’t identify it.

This young red-tailed hawk has made the mill site his home. He is a hard-working bird as I see him every day at his favorite hunting grounds.

This is his favorite spot. Every day he spends some time on the powerline watching the field in front of our office.

At first he would get annoyed when I stopped to take his picture.

Now he become a great model.

In case you were worried you weren’t going to get your osprey fix today, here is one for you.

Osprey Complaint Department

Posted on March 15, 2013 by foresterartist

All complaints and criticisms will get doo consideration. Oh, and bring a fish.

If you don’t like the osprey posts, please take it up with our complaint department coordinator.

Osprey Remodel

Posted on March 8, 2013 by foresterartist

osprey, nest, wildlife, birds, nature, photography, birding

The osprey returns to the nest with a stick.

They began rebuilding their nest the day she arrived and the two osprey were back together. This is what they typically do after the winter storms take there toll on the nest. This particular nest is only one year old and must have weathered the winter fairly well. They spiffed it up the first day and that was that. They moved in.

The building materials arrive.

Doing some touch up to the nest.

Off for more sticks.

Just a bit of work and this nest is good to go.

The picture below is how the nest looking in 2011. Usually, they add a new layer to the nest every year. Not so much this year. In 2011 the nest had been built up much more and was on the opposite side of the tower. Normally, the nest gets taller and taller until a severe Winter storm blows the top of it off. I’ve seen the nest over 6 feet tall. Last year the nest survived some very bad storms. Late in the season the nest was gone after a moderate storm. I checked under the nest for debris, but found very little. I found out later that the local power company employees climbed the tower and removed the nest.

This was the nest in 2011.

When they osprey returned and found no nest they immediately started rebuilding. Although, as often happens with men and women they had a bit of a disagreement. They each began building nest on opposite sides of the tower. As typically happens when there is a disagreement, she got her way and the nest ended up in it’s current location.