We used marine radar to study nocturnal bird migration at the Vansycle Ridge and Stateline wind-energy projects in northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington during fall 2000, spring 2001, and fall 2001. Our study was designed to monitor waterfowl, shore-bird, and passerine movements during spring migration and passerine movements during fall migration. Flight directions (mean ± 1 angular deviation) of surveillance radar targets were in seasonally appropriate directions at Stateline and Vansycle Ridge during fall 2000 (169 ± 33°, 165 ± 39°), spring 2001 (10 ± 35°, 7 ± 32°) and fall 2001(160 ± 53°, 166 ± 53°), respectively. Passage rates (mean targets/km/h ± 1 s_x̄) of targets were similar between Stateline and Van-sycle Ridge and were higher during spring 2001 (45.1 ± 6.6, 48.3 ± 6.2) than during fall 2000 (20.8 ± 2.3, 19.0 ± 2.0) and fall 2001 (21.6 ± 2.5, 26.3 ± 2.5), respectively. Flight altitudes (mean altitudes ± 1 s_x̄; collected from 0 to 1500 m above ground level) were similar between Stateline and Vansycle Ridge during spring 2001 (506 ± 4.7, 579 ± 4.8) and fall 2001 (647 ± 7.0, 606 ± 7.5), respectively, but fall altitudes were significantly higher than spring altitudes at both sites. A minimum of 85% (spring 2001) to 94% (fall 2001) of targets were observed at altitudes above proposed turbine heights at both sites. Understanding the basic components of nocturnal bird migration in specific locations can help site future development projects in a manner that will help conserve nocturnal migrants.

By measuring the falling angle of 888 trees of a variety of sizes cut near 8 different dams in southwestern Saskatchewan, we tested the hypothesis that beavers (Castor canadensis) fell trees in a non-random direction. We predicted that trees would be preferentially felled towards the dam to minimize the costs of transporting materials to the dam and to minimize the amount of time beavers spend on land. We established a 150 m wide × 250 m long transect at each dam and determined the felling angle of at least 100 aspen trees cut in each transect. We found that trees were felled by beavers with a mean felling angle of 357.9°, a direction not significantly different from that of the dam. In all, 62% of trees were felled within 45° of the direction of the dam. While our data are consistent with the hypothesis, an experimental test is required to establish the reason(s) for the pattern we found.

Little is known of the population ecology of black-tailed deer in urban environments. We investigated blacktail survival, productivity, and population rate-of-increase in urban Vancouver, Washington, from 1999 to 2001. We captured and radio-tagged 19 deer and located radio-tagged deer 1 to 4 times per week. Average annual survival pooled over 2 y was 0.70 (s_x̄ = 0.09) for does and 0.86 (s_x̄ = 0.12) for bucks. The majority of deer mortality (5 of 6) was due to trauma from collisions with either cars (n = 3) or trains (n = 2); the remaining death was likely an illegal kill. Adult does produced a minimum of 1.83 and 1.36 fawns in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Minimum fawn survival was calculated as 0.69 (s_x̄ = 0.09) by assuming that all fawns died whose mother was killed after weaning. Maximum potential fawn survival was calculated as 0.84 (s_x̄ = 0.08) by censoring fawns whose mothers were killed after weaning. Demographic analysis indicated that the deer population was producing a surplus of young and was increasing at an annual rate of ≥16%/y.