2015 Raptor Research Foundation ANNUAL CONFERENCE NOV 4–8, SACRAMENTO, CA CONFERENCE SPONSORS The Raptor Research Foundation Conference organizers and participating organizations are extremely grateful to our generous sponsors: The Greg Hind Endowment CALIFORNIA CONDOR We would like to thank the Greg Hind Endowment for their sponsorship of the color printing for this year’s conference program. The Greg Hind Endowment YOSEMITE GREAT GRAY OWL SWAINSON’S HAWK H. T. HARVEY & ASSOCIATES Ecological Consultants © George Eade SESSION SPONSORS IN-KIND SPONSORS bantleydesign.com Videography by Nancy Brink present-tense.com © Christopher Vennum © Joe DiDonato © Joe DiDonato © Allen Fish © Lynn Bantley © Lynn Bantley TABLE OF CONTENTS CO-HOSTS Hosts ....................................................................... 1 Golden Gate Raptor Raptor Research Foundation .................................... 2 Observatory Conference Quick Schedule ..................................... 3 www.parksconservancy.org/ggro Acknowledgments .................................................... 4 For over 30 years, the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO) has been Individual Donors List ................................................ 5 a program of the Golden Gate National Supporters & Vendors .............................................. 6 Parks Conservancy in cooperation with the National Park Service. Welcome Letter ........................................................ 7 Pre-Conference & Evening Lecture ........................... 8 The GGRO’s mission is to conduct long- Field Trips ........................................................... 9–10 term studies of the seasonal movements of birds of prey along the Pacific Coast, ECRR Workshops ............................................ 11–12 particularly over the Marin Headlands, to Plenary Speaker — Peter H. Bloom ........................ 13 further the understanding and preservation of raptor populations. The GGRO was Madison Peregrine Conference ......................... 14–16 formed in the early 1980s to track the General Session Abstracts ................................ 17–70 Golden Gate migration, an annual flight of tens of thousands of hawks, eagles, falcons, Poster Session Abstracts ................................. 71–89 and vultures. Learn more about GGRO on Speaker Index .................................................. 90–91 their website. Conference Schedule ....................................... 92–97 Conference Map ..................................................... 98 Raptor Research Foundation www.raptorresearchfoundation.org Founded in 1966, RRF is a non-profit scientific society formed to accumulate and disseminate scientific information about raptors in order to inform the scientific and lay public about the role of raptors in nature and to promote their conservation. The RRF membership, which includes nearly 1,000 individuals from over 50 countries, consists of academic researchers, government employees, and others interested in birds of prey. The Journal of Raptor Research is issued quarterly to members and contains the latest research results from raptor studies around the world. © Joe DiDonato Raptor Research Foundation | 2015 Annual Conference 1 RAPTOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION Board of Directors Clint W. Boal Ara Monadjem Brian Washburn President Director at Large #4 North American Director #3 Libby Mojica Torgeir Nygård Cheryl Dykstra Editor-in-Chief of Vice President Director at Large #5 The Journal of Raptor Research Greg A. George Jennifer Coulson Brian E. Washburn Director at Large #6 Secretary Editor of Wingspan Jessi Brown Jemima Parry-Jones Director Outside North America Libby Mojica Treasurer Website Coordinator Fabrizio Sergio Ruth Tingay Eurasian Director Past President Munir Z. Virani Miguel D. Saggese Southern Hemisphere Director Director at Large #1, President Elect Lloyd Kiff Jim Bednarz North American Director #1 Director at Large #2 Gerald ‘Jerry’ Niemi North American Director #2 Rob Bierregaard © Gavin Emmons Director at Large #3 Committee Chairs Gary M. Santolo Jeremy Scheivert Awards Committee Chair Education Committee Chair Kate Davis Michael N. Kochert Conference Committee Chair Finance Committee Chair Rick Watson Open Conservation Committee Co-Chair Membership Committee Chair Joan L. Morrison James Dwyer Conservation Committee Co-Chair Scientific Program Committee Chair Travis L. Booms Jim Bednarz Early Career Raptor Researchers Nominations Committee Chair Committee Chair © Lynn Bantley 2 Raptor Research Foundation | 2015 Annual Conference CONFERENCE QUICK SCHEDULE Wednesday, November 4 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Raptor Research Foundation Board Meeting El Camino 8:00 am - 5:00 pm California Golden Eagle Working Group Garden/Terrace 8:00 am -10:00 am ECRR Workshop—Raptor Trapping & Handling for Feather Research 10:30 am - 5:00 pm ECRR Workshop—Raptor Marking & Field Techniques Feather 8:30 am - 4:00 pm ECRR Workshop—Harnessing Raptors with Transmitters Rubicon 8:30 am - 12:00 pm ECRR Workshop—Safely Accessing Raptor Nests Sacramento State University Session One (vanpool meets in hotel lobby) 1:00 pm- 4:30 pm ECRR Workshop—Safely Accessing Raptor Nests Sacramento State University Session Two (vanpool meets in hotel lobby) 9:00 am - 5:00 pm ECRR Workshop—Raptor Necropsy Workshop CDFW Lab, Rancho Cordova (shuttle leaves hotel lobby at 8:00 am) 1:00 pm- 5:00 pm ECRR Workshop - Raptor Identification & Molt Maxi’s 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Icebreaker Reception Garden/Terrace Thursday, November 5 8:00 am - 9:30 am Plenary Speaker, Pete Bloom, “50 Years of California California 2/3/4 Raptor Conservation” 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Golden Eagle Symposium California 2/3 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm Vendors California 1 1:40 pm - 5:00 pm Island Ecology Symposium Redwood 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Poster Reception California 2/3 Friday, November 6 8:00 am - 8:00 pm Poster Session California Foyer 8:00 am - 7:00 pm Vendors California 1 8:20 am - 12:00 pm Wind Turbine Symposium California 2/3 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Climate Change Symposium Redwood 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm ECRR Reception California 2 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm California Raptor Center Alumni Reception California 3 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm Special Evening Lecture—Bill Clark & John Schmitt Maxi’s introduce two new raptor field guides Saturday, November 7 8:00 am - 9:40 am Plenary Panel - 50th Anniversary Madison Conference California 2/3/4 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Poster Session California Foyer 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Vendors California 1 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm RRF Members Business Meeting California 2/3/4 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Banquet and Photography showcase Capitol Ballroom Sunday, November 8 8:00 am - 3:00 pm Altamont Wind Pass Region field trip See page 9 for details 8:30 am - 2:30 pm Solano Grasslands & Jepson Prairie field trip See page 9 for details 9:00 am - 1:30 pm Cosumnes River Reserve & Eastern Delta field trip See page 10 for details 10:00 am - 2:00 pm California Raptor Center field trip See page 10 for details For conference sessions details, please see pages 17-89. Raptor Research Foundation | 2015 Annual Conference 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many people came together over a two-year period to create the 2015 RRF Conference in Sacramento. The Conference Booklet was a collaboration between designer Lynn Bantley and editors Allen Fish and Laura Young, with editing and proofing help from, Kris Vanesky, and Allison Pennell. Numerous people from our Golden Gate National Parks community came together to support the conference, including Svetlana Tkachenko, Jan Nunes, J Mark Jenkins, Mike Moser, Simon Chow, Zachary Rattay, Sharon Farrell, Bill Merkle, Daphne Hatch, Garrett Lee, Robert Leiber, Elizabeth Siahaan, Hayden Murray, Melissa Bennett, and Cathie Barner. We are also grateful to key DoubleTree staff Megan Chappell, Gloria Aguilar, and Jackie Quiambao. Conference Committee Kate Davis Libby Mojica Joel “Jeep” Pagel Nancy Brink Chair Web Editor/Design Madison Panel Coordinator Video Dan Varland Travis Booms Candace Renger Kris Vanesky Past Chair ECRR Coordinator Registration Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Webber Laura Young Lynn Bantley Diane Rooney Conference Consultant Local Operations/CFO Program & Logo Design Media Coordinator Allen Fish Chris Briggs Bill Prochnow Gary Santolo Local Chair Poster Coordinator Logo Design Awards JD Dwyer Christine Cariño Matthew Stuber Scientific Chair Field Trips Coordinator ECRR Reception Scientific Committee James “JD” Dwyer Elizabeth Wommack Miguel Saggese Chair Vice-Chair Isabel Caballero Trish Miller Peter Sharpe Symposium Organizers Sandy Boyce Todd Katzner Miguel Saggese Michael Collopy Jeff Lincer Kirsty Swinnerton Julio Gallardo Zac Ormsby Rick Watson Michelle Hawkins Neil Paprocki Brian Woodbridge Session Moderators Jim Bednarz Matthew Hane Neil Paprocki Clint Boal Michelle Hawkins Miguel Saggese Travis Booms Adam Hutchins Steve Slater Sandy Boyce Bronwyn Isaac John Smallwood Jessi Brown Todd Katzner Robert Spaul William S. Clark Jeff Lincer Kirsty Swinnerton Michael Collopy Tricia Miller Rick Watson Ross Crandall Libby Mojica Elizabeth Wommack Adam Duerr Joan Morrison Brian Woodbridge Alastair Franke Janet Ng © Mary Malec Julio Gallardo Zac Ormsby Local Committee Carie Battistone Joe DiDonato Joshua Hull Shawn Lockwood Heather Beeler Amy Fesnock Eric Jepsen Joel “Jeep” Pagel Doug Bell Jill Harley John Keane Gary Santolo Chris Briggs Michelle Hawkins Patti Krueger Jeff Smith Jessi Brown Judd Howell Colleen Lenihan Step Wilson Mike Collopy Buzz Hull Jeff Lincer Don Yasuda 4 Raptor Research Foundation | 2015 Annual Conference INDIVIDUAL