Common Raven Nest

May.15th 2010

This was the earliest I could post this Raven nest Michelle and I banded a week ago because I've been working back in Northern Alberta. We found this nest by chance as we were driving to get a coffee in Saskatoon. I saw a Raven fly over my car with a stick in it's bill. It landed on a billboard and hopped in between both signs so we turned around to investigate. This was the 3rd Raven nest I found within the town of Saskatoon this spring. It was an interesting climb but I was able to grab all four chicks and haul them down to get them banded. These are the first colour banded Ravens in Saskatchewan and hopefully if all goes as planned there will be plenty more in future years. Big thanks to my right hand help Michelle!




Billboard with Raven nest











Banded Nestlings

Pair O' Swainson

April.21st 2010



ASY Female Swainson's Hawk




ASY Male Swainson's Hawk


Had a couple of buddies from Ontario visit me for two days and we went out to my study area by Asquith Sask. We caught and banded this pair of Swainson Hawks. The female was caught first, she was a little on the light side for weight, but her mate the male as in great condition, he was really fat actually. I hadn't caught a SWHA since 2007 because of moving to Ontario for my Forestry course. It has been a fantastic spring with alot of raptors banded. I had an amazing spring for Long-eared Owl banding with a total of 10 banded in 2 nights, best ever for me.



Long-eared Owls




Mike Blom
Saskatoon, SK, Canada

Cooper's Hawks

April.17th 2010



ASY Male Cooper's Hawk

For the last 2 weeks I have been counting migrating raptors at my banding station. It has been slow on the banding front but there have been alot of Red-Tailed hawks. Today brought the first Swaison and Broadwings of the spring. I did see a Coops doing its mating display earlier this morning. I caught and banded 2 Cooper's hawks, A nice ASY(After Second Year) Male and a fiesty SY female.




SY Female Cooper's Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

April.3 2010



Well the first few RTHA's have finally arrived. I was out at the Migration station and counted 32 RTHA's, 2 Merlins, 1 Rough-legged Hawk, 4 Northern Harriers, 8 Bald Eagles, and the first Sharp-shinned of the spring season. I only had 2 Red-tails come in to have a look at the bait but no takers. On my way home I found a pair of Red-tails hanging around the north Industrial part of Saskatoon. Dropped the trap and the female came in, hit the trap and was caught instantly. She was in great shape weighing in at 1255 grms.

American Kestrel

March.31st 2010



The weather has been great the last few days and watching the raptor count sites in Michigan and Manitoba I went to Petrofka to setup the Raptor Station. I found this male American Kestrel hover hunting along the highway. I caught him on the wing which is a first for me. The wind was blasting at 40 km\hr so he didn't have much trouble hovering. This is the earliest I have ever caught or seen a Kestrel in Saskatchewan, usually they arrive around April 7th.Hundreds of Red-tailed and Sharp-shinned hawks are coming through southern Manitoba so we should see them here sometime next week. I'll be sitting patiently with my eyes on the skies...

Mike Blom
Petrofka Raptor Station

Petrofka Raptor Station

March.26th 2010

After work I headed to my sister's acreage and tried to setup my hawk blind complete with nets. Well with the colder temps the ground refroze and the poles wouldn't go into the ground. I went to feed the pigeons in the hawk trap and noticed the trap was closed. I couldn't see a bird bouncing around but once I got closer this SY NOGO was in the trap.



This is the 3rd bird this year. All have been young from last summer. I have been watching the raptor reports at Whitefish Point in Michigan and there are alot of goshawks going through so it would make sense that these guys are on their way back north.



I finally convinced my oldest neice Magdalena to hold it so I could get some photos of her before she released it. She has been up close and personal with more birds of prey than most avid bird watchers.

Prairie Falcon

March 4th 2010




After work I headed south to try my luck for a Snowy Owl or Gyrfalcon. I've only come across a few Prairie Falcons and this was only the 2nd to react to my pigeon. It was sitting out nicely on a power line and the fog had finally lifted. It weighed in at 555 grms which from what the birds of North America says is light for a male PRFA. I could feel it's keel but it didn't feel under nourished. I'm still on the quest to band a Gyr and there have been a few recently sighted around Saskatoon, probably on their way back north. The temperature has been rising and the snow has been melting, before you know it the Kestrels and RTHA's will be back.