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Catalina Update; Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Topic Started: Aug 26 2009, 07:47 PM (2,588 Views)
eaglegal
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Hello Everybody,

I have been all over the island several times this week looking for the exploratory youngsters. K99 (PR), K87 (TH) and K91 (TH) have been spending most of their time on the southern and eastern part of the island. K97 is still hanging out near her nest area; in fact, she has paid a few visits to her nest this week, which is really nice because it means I don’t have to drive all they way out there and try to get a visual to check on her given that her radio doesn’t rowk. K87 also paid a visit to his nest over the weekend.

I have looked everywhere for K90 and K94 but have not been successful. I sure hope they left the island and are doing fine somewhere on the mainland; I really wouldn’t like to hear they washed out at a beach on the mainland.
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This morning I was asked to give an eagle presentation to a group of donors who had been invited by the Catalina Island Conservancy to watch the Catalina Bison Round Up.
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Half of the group
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Explaining her disabilities and how she became part of the IWS team
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In front of the cages
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It was pretty hot today so she was a bit uncomfortable (we both were) so she bated a few times but overall she did great; everybody was so impressed. They mentioned she is a big bird but that on my arm she actually looks even bigger because it looks like she could just take off flying and carry me with her by my arm. I’m a small gal, what can I say…
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Back to the enclosures
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After I was done with the presentation I watched how many of the Catalina Island Conservancy employees from the Facilities department rounded up about 160 bison to separate males from females and young for them to be shipped out off the island in a couple of months. There are still plenty of bison left on the island but when their numbers get to large, they round them up and ship them off to a ranch in North Dakota.
The last round up was 5 years ago and they probably wont have one for several years so I was very lucky to be around to witness one.
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This week I also saw something that is quite rare on the island: antelope! There are only about six individuals left on the island and very few people get to spot them.
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I’d like to say good-bye with yet another species that is thriving on this island: red-tailed haws! I have never seen so many around and I was able to get a little close to this particular one that like to perch along the road up to the Seal Rocks area.
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Until next week,

Steffani
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helen b.
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Thanks Steff - another great update!!!
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silveregal
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Thanks Steff great post and pictures.
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SoCal Lady
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:}^ STEFFANI--Great news about the eaglets who are still on the Island and we all join you in hoping all is well with SR K90 & TR K94 and they are off exploring their world and finding food.

You and NII'ICH are the stars of the Island and will become the renowned attraction the way you are going. :)^

Thank you for the photos of the roundup and the interesting info on the Bison. Do you know where they are sent?

Antelope! WHO KNEW! and you got their Photo!!! :><:
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Eagle Duo
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Wonderful update & photos, Steff. Thanks!
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Patti
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Thanks for the great photos and news. Sure hope K90 and K94 are here on the mainland.

Nice to see the bison, antelope and Red-tailed hawk! Great photos. Thanks again.

Hope all is well with all the eaglets.
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ojailala
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Steffani, I am thrilled for the bison, going to North Dakota...those poor things did not have the proper diet there or enough to even eat... Peter mentioned that they resorted to eating cactus in the summer when most of the food was gone...did you mean that 160 Bison are leaving?? or that they just rounded up that many to pick some to leave?? Getting the islands back to their original habitat should also include exporting all the Bison... but they have become a tourist attraction.. and the Catalina Tourist Bureau wants to keep them there, even though they eat so much of the native vegetation.. not part of the Big Picture of getting things back to how the Island used to thrive...before 'we' interfered... Great report Steffani... loved all your pictures, especially the Bison..... Yes, I can see you being carried off by Hyde.... :soar: :soar:
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ojailala
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Maybe some of those 'Big Donors' would kick in for some hay for the Bison that are left behind???? :><: Seems like no one wants to take it to that next step of feeding them... :8O:
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Lauri
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Dear Steffani,

Sounds like you've had a busy week. I'm glad they are getting some of those starving bison to a place where they'll have enough to graze and eat. And as someone else said, as long as they bring in tourists, they'll probably stay. But maybe we'll hit a more enlightened time when it will be possible to remove them and bring the island ever closer to something like it once was.

I told a friend who is a birder about how Pii'ich lets you stroke her crop after she's eaten. My friend was impressed. "If I tried to do that with my parrot, she'd bite my fingers off!!"

Thanks for the good report... hope the smoke from the fires here on the mainland don't reach as far as Catalina. Today, even though I'm 60 miles away, it smelled sooooo smoky outside.

Thanks for another great update.

/auri
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Naturegal
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Steffani - Another great update and photos. You and "Heidi" are doing beautifully together. :)^ Keeping :X: that the eaglets are safe and are just out exploring. Thanks!
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Cricket
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Thanks for this wonderful Update. I enjoy seeing you give a Demonstration with the Eagles. You are almost as big as they are! Thoroughly enjoyed about hearing of the Bison herd being thinned out and moving them to the Mainland. How wonderful is that! Keep up the great work.
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beautifuleagles
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What a great update! So glad you had good news!

Peech is so beautiful. <3 I just looked back on some of the videos of her when you were feeding her. I love how she makes that sorta "cooing" sound. Reminds me of lil Gulliver last year on the SR nest. Thank you for all you do, stay safe and take care!! :><:
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harpo516
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Steff wonderful update - wonderful that you got to do another presentation - you guys are do great and yeah - sometimes I worry that she could fly off with you :P she's just beautiful (and her handler ain't so bad)! great job!

Love the update - so happy you had the opportunity to see the bison round up - that's pretty interesting! so I'm guessing they are kept in an enclosure until arrangements can be made to transport them. Do they ship the little ones too? Are any kept on the island or just mature bison? Inquiring minds want to know.

Nice shot of the redtail! Glad to hear that juvies aren't driving you too crazy - we all hope that any that don't seem to be around, have made it safely to the mainland and are exploring and having special adventures!

Thanks for taking us along! Again- great that you get to do these presenations! Now if only Pimu would cooperate a bit more :<::
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summer818
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Steffani, thank you so much for all you do. I'm so happy you had a great report with nothing but good news. I could tell how hot it was for you two in the pictures! Whew! That's fabulous you witnessed the bison roundup! I remember on our tour with you in May, you mentioned about how they don't have the nourishment they need on the island. North Dakota is where they're gonna meet new buffalo friends and thrive! Again, thank you!
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iggle
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Sounds like an exciting week on the Island, Steffani, and I am grateful to you for sharing your adventures. I just wish you had been able to spot all of our new crop of eaglets and I am :X: that they are soaring free somewhere.

I too am glad to hear that at least some of the Bison are going to greener pastures. Unfortunately, the current reigning Wrigley seems intent on taking the island further from its roots so I don't see the herd being totally removed any time soon.

Pii'ich is such a marvelous ambassador and I'm happy to hear that the two of you are doing so many educational programs. Thank you and the rest of the crew for all your good work! Try and stay cool....

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