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[Robert99]

Turkey Vulture  (Portland)

Meet Ruby

Hatched: Spring 2007

Arrived at Audubon Portland: Sept. 28, 2007

Sex: Female

Expected lifespan: 15-20 years in wild; 20-25 in captivity

History: In 2007, a woman called the Wildlife Care Center to report that an apparently tame Turkey Vulture was hanging around her property near McMinnville, Ore. It had flown down to the ground and thrown an acorn at someone’s feet, slept on the woman's porch, followed her around and into her barn, and jumped onto her arm.

Care center staff made numerous calls to find out where Ruby had come from, but could not find a history. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife permit department and care center staff determined that Ruby had probably been illegally taken from the wild as a baby and imprinted onto humans. As a result, Ruby cannot be returned to the wild, where she would most likely fall prey to predators, be hurt by humans, or  be taken in as a pet.

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That doesn't look like anything that I have seen in Washington or Oregon.

Your part of WA must have had no birds!       Parts of Kentucky have no horses.

The Audubon link indicates that Turkey vultures prefer road kill type meals that has "ripened".  How long does it take for the human body to "ripen" in 40 degree weather in the Portland/Vancouver area?

Assuming Cooper died in the jump, apparently the vultures would not be interested for several more days or perhaps a few weeks.

[georger]

Turkey Vulture  (Portland)

Meet Ruby

Hatched: Spring 2007

Arrived at Audubon Portland: Sept. 28, 2007

Sex: Female

Expected lifespan: 15-20 years in wild; 20-25 in captivity

History: In 2007, a woman called the Wildlife Care Center to report that an apparently tame Turkey Vulture was hanging around her property near McMinnville, Ore. It had flown down to the ground and thrown an acorn at someone’s feet, slept on the woman's porch, followed her around and into her barn, and jumped onto her arm.

Care center staff made numerous calls to find out where Ruby had come from, but could not find a history. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife permit department and care center staff determined that Ruby had probably been illegally taken from the wild as a baby and imprinted onto humans. As a result, Ruby cannot be returned to the wild, where she would most likely fall prey to predators, be hurt by humans, or  be taken in as a pet.

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That doesn't look like anything that I have seen in Washington or Oregon.

Your part of WA must have had no birds!       Parts of Kentucky have no horses.

The Audubon link indicates that Turkey vultures prefer road kill type meals that has "ripened".  How long does it take for the human body to "ripen" in 40 degree weather in the Portland/Vancouver area?

Assuming Cooper died in the jump, apparently the vultures would not be interested for several more days or perhaps a few weeks.

Body gases and blood/scent would be one cue which is temperature dependent to some extent, but birds also take cues from ground animal behavior eg feeding/hunting/grouping which could be much faster to almost immediately after or even before a kill. Sounds are a cue especially at night, which can carry for miles. Birds of prey are very territorial! Their lives literally depend on knowing what is going on in the whole region around their immediate territory. As many birds die or are maimed from attack by other predatory birds as from any other cause often because a bird has entered another bird's immediate territory looking for food.

We watched an owl swoop in and kill an Eagle chick several years ago, and he escaped with the chick. The whole thing took less than a couple of seconds. The owl showed up the second night and the adult Eagle was ready - the owl didn't last ten seconds! Raccoons get the same treatment. It all happens so fast its a literal blur and its over.   

Species take their cues from each other either by scent or sound or direct observation, day and night. If Cooper landed in a rural area he would have been noticed immediately and something would have gone to investigate very quickly. Cooper may have chosen the area he jumped into because there was easy access to I5 and civilisation, with a rural area close at hand to hold up in if necessary. He basically was very close (as the crow flies) to where he had started at Portland with the broad expanse of the Columbia in between. That is a tactical advantage for Cooper!     

[MEYDC]

Turkey Vulture  (Portland)

Meet Ruby

Hatched: Spring 2007

Arrived at Audubon Portland: Sept. 28, 2007

Sex: Female

Expected lifespan: 15-20 years in wild; 20-25 in captivity

History: In 2007, a woman called the Wildlife Care Center to report that an apparently tame Turkey Vulture was hanging around her property near McMinnville, Ore. It had flown down to the ground and thrown an acorn at someone’s feet, slept on the woman's porch, followed her around and into her barn, and jumped onto her arm.

Care center staff made numerous calls to find out where Ruby had come from, but could not find a history. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife permit department and care center staff determined that Ruby had probably been illegally taken from the wild as a baby and imprinted onto humans. As a result, Ruby cannot be returned to the wild, where she would most likely fall prey to predators, be hurt by humans, or  be taken in as a pet.

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That doesn't look like anything that I have seen in Washington or Oregon.

Your part of WA must have had no birds!       Parts of Kentucky have no horses.

The Audubon link indicates that Turkey vultures prefer road kill type meals that has "ripened".  How long does it take for the human body to "ripen" in 40 degree weather in the Portland/Vancouver area?

Assuming Cooper died in the jump, apparently the vultures would not be interested for several more days or perhaps a few weeks.

Body gases and blood/scent would be one cue which is temperature dependent to some extent, but birds also take cues from ground animal behavior eg feeding/hunting/grouping which could be much faster to almost immediately after or even before a kill. Sounds are a cue especially at night, which can carry for miles. Birds of prey are very territorial! Their lives literally depend on knowing what is going on in the whole region around their immediate territory. As many birds die or are maimed from attack by other predatory birds as from any other cause often because a bird has entered another bird's immediate territory looking for food.

We watched an owl swoop in and kill an Eagle chick several years ago, and he escaped with the chick. The whole thing took less than a couple of seconds. The owl showed up the second night and the adult Eagle was ready - the owl didn't last ten seconds! Raccoons get the same treatment. It all happens so fast its a literal blur and its over.   

Species take their cues from each other either by scent or sound or direct observation, day and night. If Cooper landed in a rural area he would have been noticed immediately and something would have gone to investigate very quickly. Cooper may have chosen the area he jumped into because there was easy access to I5 and civilisation, with a rural area close at hand to hold up in if necessary. He basically was very close (as the crow flies) to where he had started at Portland with the broad expanse of the Columbia in between. That is a tactical advantage for Cooper!   

With all the talk that you have been doing about birds of prey, you are assuming that Cooper died in the jump. My question for you would be where are the chutes and the rest of the money? I can understand the body being eaten, but I have a hard time understandng about the chutes and money.

[georger]

Turkey Vulture  (Portland)

Meet Ruby

Hatched: Spring 2007

Arrived at Audubon Portland: Sept. 28, 2007

Sex: Female

Expected lifespan: 15-20 years in wild; 20-25 in captivity

History: In 2007, a woman called the Wildlife Care Center to report that an apparently tame Turkey Vulture was hanging around her property near McMinnville, Ore. It had flown down to the ground and thrown an acorn at someone’s feet, slept on the woman's porch, followed her around and into her barn, and jumped onto her arm.

Care center staff made numerous calls to find out where Ruby had come from, but could not find a history. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife permit department and care center staff determined that Ruby had probably been illegally taken from the wild as a baby and imprinted onto humans. As a result, Ruby cannot be returned to the wild, where she would most likely fall prey to predators, be hurt by humans, or  be taken in as a pet.

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

That doesn't look like anything that I have seen in Washington or Oregon.

Your part of WA must have had no birds!       Parts of Kentucky have no horses.

The Audubon link indicates that Turkey vultures prefer road kill type meals that has "ripened".  How long does it take for the human body to "ripen" in 40 degree weather in the Portland/Vancouver area?

Assuming Cooper died in the jump, apparently the vultures would not be interested for several more days or perhaps a few weeks.

Body gases and blood/scent would be one cue which is temperature dependent to some extent, but birds also take cues from ground animal behavior eg feeding/hunting/grouping which could be much faster to almost immediately after or even before a kill. Sounds are a cue especially at night, which can carry for miles. Birds of prey are very territorial! Their lives literally depend on knowing what is going on in the whole region around their immediate territory. As many birds die or are maimed from attack by other predatory birds as from any other cause often because a bird has entered another bird's immediate territory looking for food.

We watched an owl swoop in and kill an Eagle chick several years ago, and he escaped with the chick. The whole thing took less than a couple of seconds. The owl showed up the second night and the adult Eagle was ready - the owl didn't last ten seconds! Raccoons get the same treatment. It all happens so fast its a literal blur and its over.   

Species take their cues from each other either by scent or sound or direct observation, day and night. If Cooper landed in a rural area he would have been noticed immediately and something would have gone to investigate very quickly. Cooper may have chosen the area he jumped into because there was easy access to I5 and civilisation, with a rural area close at hand to hold up in if necessary. He basically was very close (as the crow flies) to where he had started at Portland with the broad expanse of the Columbia in between. That is a tactical advantage for Cooper!   

With all the talk that you have been doing about birds of prey, you are assuming that Cooper died in the jump. My question for you would be where are the chutes and the rest of the money? I can understand the body being eaten, but I have a hard time understandng about the chutes and money.

Who said anything about Cooper dying or chutes or money. I was talking about animal behavior. I dont have any idea if eagles would sniff out chutes or money, which leads to the questions below. If you find out let us know!   

[georger]

Turkey Vulture  (Portland)

Meet Ruby

Hatched: Spring 2007

Arrived at Audubon Portland: Sept. 28, 2007

Sex: Female

Expected lifespan: 15-20 years in wild; 20-25 in captivity

History: In 2007, a woman called the Wildlife Care Center to report that an apparently tame Turkey Vulture was hanging around her property near McMinnville, Ore. It had flown down to the ground and thrown an acorn at someone’s feet, slept on the woman's porch, followed her around and into her barn, and jumped onto her arm.

Care center staff made numerous calls to find out where Ruby had come from, but could not find a history. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife permit department and care center staff determined that Ruby had probably been illegally taken from the wild as a baby and imprinted onto humans. As a result, Ruby cannot be returned to the wild, where she would most likely fall prey to predators, be hurt by humans, or  be taken in as a pet.

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

That doesn't look like anything that I have seen in Washington or Oregon.

Your part of WA must have had no birds!       Parts of Kentucky have no horses.

The Audubon link indicates that Turkey vultures prefer road kill type meals that has "ripened".  How long does it take for the human body to "ripen" in 40 degree weather in the Portland/Vancouver area?

Assuming Cooper died in the jump, apparently the vultures would not be interested for several more days or perhaps a few weeks.

Continuing where we left off: a couple of things about the 'search' have always bugged me.

Why weren't dogs used, or even teams of dogs, to search for Cooper asap after they thought they had the drop zone? Dogs can be asked to search not only for people but for chutes or money. Anything with a scent.

Secondly, why wasn't a pinger or something else  easy to find (like another open chute!) simply tossed out the back of the plane immediately after they thought Cooper had jumped? That alone would have identified the area needing to be searched. That would have solved a lot of problems.

[Bruce A. Smith]

... why wasn't a pinger or something else  easy to find (like another open chute!) simply tossed out the back of the plane immediately after they thought Cooper had jumped? That alone would have identified the area needing to be searched. That would have solved a lot of problems.

Good question, Georger. I asked Larry Carr about tracking devices and he said "the technology hadn't been developed then." I was aghast. But journalists often tolerate Obvious Bullshit in the hope of maintaining a relationship with the principal for more information down the road.

As for tossing something out of the airplane, that would be done by the crew, of course. But their mindset seems to be "just fly the plane." Logical and reasonable, but not very pro-active as they say these days.

BTW, G, if you keep asking questions like this people might think you are beginning to sound like me! Be careful!!!!

[Robert99]

Turkey Vulture  (Portland)

Meet Ruby

Hatched: Spring 2007

Arrived at Audubon Portland: Sept. 28, 2007

Sex: Female

Expected lifespan: 15-20 years in wild; 20-25 in captivity

History: In 2007, a woman called the Wildlife Care Center to report that an apparently tame Turkey Vulture was hanging around her property near McMinnville, Ore. It had flown down to the ground and thrown an acorn at someone’s feet, slept on the woman's porch, followed her around and into her barn, and jumped onto her arm.

Care center staff made numerous calls to find out where Ruby had come from, but could not find a history. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife permit department and care center staff determined that Ruby had probably been illegally taken from the wild as a baby and imprinted onto humans. As a result, Ruby cannot be returned to the wild, where she would most likely fall prey to predators, be hurt by humans, or  be taken in as a pet.

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

That doesn't look like anything that I have seen in Washington or Oregon.

Your part of WA must have had no birds!       Parts of Kentucky have no horses.

The Audubon link indicates that Turkey vultures prefer road kill type meals that has "ripened".  How long does it take for the human body to "ripen" in 40 degree weather in the Portland/Vancouver area?

Assuming Cooper died in the jump, apparently the vultures would not be interested for several more days or perhaps a few weeks.

Continuing where we left off: a couple of things about the 'search' have always bugged me.

Why weren't dogs used, or even teams of dogs, to search for Cooper asap after they thought they had the drop zone? Dogs can be asked to search not only for people but for chutes or money. Anything with a scent.

Secondly, why wasn't a pinger or something else  easy to find (like another open chute!) simply tossed out the back of the plane immediately after they thought Cooper had jumped? That alone would have identified the area needing to be searched. That would have solved a lot of problems.

Pingers were definitely available in 1971 and the general consensus on this site and DZ is that Cooper refused the military parachutes because he thought, absolutely correctly, that there would be pingers in them.  I believe that it was the hijacker in Utah (?) that did have pingers placed in his parachutes.

As far as not using dogs in the ground search, its to late to ask now.  Sorry.

[georger]

... why wasn't a pinger or something else  easy to find (like another open chute!) simply tossed out the back of the plane immediately after they thought Cooper had jumped? That alone would have identified the area needing to be searched. That would have solved a lot of problems.

Good question, Georger. I asked Larry Carr about tracking devices and he said "the technology hadn't been developed then." I was aghast. But journalists often tolerate Obvious Bullshit in the hope of maintaining a relationship with the principal for more information down the road.

As for tossing something out of the airplane, that would be done by the crew, of course. But their mindset seems to be "just fly the plane." Logical and reasonable, but not very pro-active as they say these days.

BTW, G, if you keep asking questions like this people might think you are beginning to sound like me! Be careful!!!!

I would be honored to be confused with you! 

Carr's response is b.s.  377 will be all over that! There were all kinds of tracking/tracer devices. They could have thrown an old radiosonde out the back if they had been given one and it might have survived the fall! An old life raft, parachute canopy, their underwear - anything! But I agree their excuse is a mindset. They knew he was very likely gone. Tina had told them he's getting ready to jump when she came in. Ten minutes later and the pressure event ... they knew he was 99.99999% likely gone.

And then as many dogs on the ground as they could get. 

   

[Shutter]

Hayden supplied the back chutes, right..Cossey never seen them but knew the D rings were missing?

[Shutter]

I know he packed them but when did he tell them about the missing D rings?

[DovidFraiman]

Shutter
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Use control f to search in page for the words brings

[FLYJACK]

I know he packed them but when did he tell them about the missing D rings?

FROM: SAC, SEATTLE (164-81)

UNSUB; NORTHWEST AIRLINES FLIGHT THREE ZERO FIVE,
NOVEMBER TWENTYFOUR, SEVENTYONE, CAA - HIJACKING;

EXTORTION, 00; SEATTLE.

EARL J. COSSEY, MASTER PARACHUTE RIGGER, AND JUMP
INSTRUCTOR, INTERVIEWED THIS DATE. STATES HE PACKED THREE
PARACHUTES GIVEN TO SUBJECT, AND FROM AVAILABLE INFORMA-
TION, HAS DETERMINED MISSING BACK PACK IS A MODEL N B SIX
(NAVY BACK PACK SIX) . CONTAINER IS SAGE-GREEN . NYLON — .

AND PARACHUTE IS TWENTYEIGHT FT. NYLON WHITE FLIGHT CIRCULAR
(NON STEERABLE) . BACK PACK EQUIPPED WITH SPECIAL FOAM
CUSHION AND HAS SAGE-GREEN NYLON HARNESS WITH NO. "D" RINGS
TO MOUNT CHEST PACK.

COSSEY STATES CHEST PACK USED BY SUBJECT IS DUMMY
TRAINING RIG, WHICH IS INOPERABLE. COSSEY SPECULATES SUB-
JECT USED CHEST PACK FOR MONEY.


CJH:kn .
(1) l -X

[Shutter]

Yes, I recall reading that and other statements but what is the date on the document? I'm wondering the time between packing the chute and making the statement..how many chutes did he sell that didn't have D-rings etc. must be a pattern for him to remember it not having important parts of the chute..it was in Hayden's custody at the time...how did he know they were missing?

[DovidFraiman]

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Here shutter search in page for the word cossey

[FLYJACK]

Yes, I recall reading that and other statements but what is the date on the document? I'm wondering the time between packing the chute and making the statement..how many chutes did he sell that didn't have D-rings etc. must be a pattern for him to remember it not having important parts of the chute..it was in Hayden's custody at the time...how did he know they were missing?

good point, I believe he packed the Hayden chutes 6 months before NORJAK..

IMO, Cossey's statements, like many witnesses is a mix of opinion and knowledge..

.