Prairie eyrie photos 4/25/09

[Tanner]

My son and I went eyrie searching this weekend. We found a prairie eyrie about 30 min. from our house. We were walking along the base of the cliff and bumped the female. Took this quick video and a few pictures, then got out of there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_Sk9Tsvb6s

the cliff
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/schaub_2006/DSCF0388.jpg

female at cliff

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/schaub_2006/DSCF0400B.jpg

Views from the top of the cliff
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/schaub_2006/DSCF0401.jpg

Rock climbers frequent this area, lots of gear in the rocks--we'll have to see if they disrupt the nest. I am considering putting up a sign asking climbers not to climb the area immediately around the eyrie until August 1. Any suggestions?
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/schaub_2006/DSCF0409.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/schaub_2006/DSCF0412.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/schaub_2006/DSCF0413.jpg

scenery
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/schaub_2006/DSCF0386.jpg

I was real proud of my son this weekend. On Sunday we made a pretty tough climb in some rugged mountains to check out another set of cliffs. I kicked myself for not bringing the camera yesterday.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/schaub_2006/DSCF0415-1.jpg

[Lee Slikkers]

Tanner, excellent thread...loved the pics (very different country than my tree filled "flat land")

[Chris L.]

Tanner

Man great pictures and video!!

Did you see any eggs?

I really enjoy the New Mexico scenery.

thanks and keep us posted

On a side note about the climbers. Sometimes it is best to just not draw attention. If you post a sign, most will go look. Most are so oblivious to what is going on around them...

its a hard call

[Lee Slikkers]

Just place a few of these around the perimeter...

http://homepage.mac.com/misterbisson/Vegas/NTSRadiationSign_s.jpg

[Ken S.]

That might work! :)

[Tanner]

I like that Lee. From here, it's not too far a drive to the "Trinity" site (first A-bomb test)--I could probably requisition one of those signs over there!

Chris, couldn't see into the nest cavity. That ledge with all the mutes on it is not actually the scrape, it's a few yards away in a small hole in the rock, maybe a foot square.

I didn't find the cavity on our first visit. I went back yesterday evening and set up a few hundred yards down the talus slope from the cliff and watched for a while. Strange thing was that the female came out for no apparent reason and stayed out for about 5-10 minutes. She flew off about a mile and went way up. She made a full-on stoop to get back to the cliff and just a few tens of yards before crashing full steam into the cliff, spread her wings and tucked up gently into a fissure that holds the nest cavity. The word to describe that was breathtaking.

[Saluqi]

Very nice!! Do you think she's sitting eggs? Eyrie hunting is a blast! I emailed you some pics a little while ago.

[Tanner]

I'd guess eggs, because of the timing and I have yet to see the male. But it was strange that she left the nest for no apparent reason. Maybe she just needed a stretch?

[raptrlvr]

Here is another picture of Tanner's son. This was at the NM longwing meet. That is Lars Sego's female gyr. Tanner did you get a copy of the Cd's that I gave to your dad?
There are a couple of pictures of your family on them.
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z74/raptrlvr/DSC_0021A-7.jpg

[Lee Slikkers]

Wow, I think your son is already ruined Tanner...handling gyrs like the one in the pic and spending time scouting for eyries with his dad...yup, ruined for sure clapp

[Saluqi]

Neat picture, the bird is almost as big as the boy. I believe Tanner's son has three hands!

[Tanner]

Yes, I have an original or two of that one. Just prior to that photo being taken, Lars flew that bird and she came down and landed on my son's head. Nobody had a camera handy when it happened but it was pretty funny, with Patrick all bent over and this giant falcon sitting on the back of his neck!

[Tanner]

Wow, I think your son is already ruined Tanner...handling gyrs like the one in the pic and spending time scouting for eyries with his dad...yup, ruined for sure clapp

He's still at the "dad is awesome" stage....we'll check again when he's a teenager, huh?

[raptrlvr]

Yea, Paul. I cloned Lars out of the picture as well as Tim Riordan. I didn't want those ugly guys in the picture. I forgot to clone out Lars hand.

[wyodjm]

Beautiful....Very cool. Your prairies seem to be a bit ahead of ours here. It snowed here yesterday!

[murraym]

On a side note about the climbers. Sometimes it is best to just not draw attention. If you post a sign, most will go look. Most are so oblivious to what is going on around them...

its a hard call

Chris, I was thinking the same thing. I have often wondered how the birds are affected by the climbers. I have to think the birds see them at cliffs so frequently it don't bother them I guess.

Great pictures Tanner!!!

[Tanner]

Thanks Matt.

Yes, most people are pretty oblivious, but in this case there are bolt/anchor routes on both sides of the nest cavity that are literally a few feet from from the birds--I don't think a climber that takes one of those routes will remain oblivious!

There are definitely people climbing there--I noticed new tracks on Sunday afternoon that covered my first set of tracks, made on Saturday. We'll just have to wait and see how the birds do, I guess. I'll check back there in a few weeks.

[wesleyc6]

Thanks Matt.

Yes, most people are pretty oblivious, but in this case there are bolt/anchor routes on both sides of the nest cavity that are literally a few feet from from the birds--I don't think a climber that takes one of those routes will remain oblivious!

There are definitely people climbing there--I noticed new tracks on Sunday afternoon that covered my first set of tracks, made on Saturday. We'll just have to wait and see how the birds do, I guess. I'll check back there in a few weeks.


Geez, if I lived there I would be a good guy and take one home to raise lovingly;)

[tesshu]

Hey how close is it to Las Cruces? Let me know when you are going again, I would love to go. Sundays are bad though.

[Tanner]

Hey how close is it to Las Cruces? Let me know when you are going again, I would love to go. Sundays are bad though. Will do.