April 11th

Brian arrived early Saturday morning–early enough that he got to see a Great Horned Owl fly over, and hear some Turkeys in the woods. A good number of visitors also showed up on Saturday, including the Campanelli family, Michelle Kenny, Tim MacLeod, and a few other interested onlookers. This made for a fun day, but not a terribly busy one. The wind picked up in the morning, probably making the mist nets more visible to the birds. We did get a first for the year–a lone Barn Swallow foraging with the Tree Swallows on the Carolinian Woodland Trail.

Banded 29:
1 Mourning Dove
9 Golden Crowned Kinglet
2 Song Sparrow
2 Dark-eyed Junco
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 House finch
12 American Goldfinch

Retrapped 32:
1 Blue Jay
3 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Eastern Bluebird
1 American Tree Sparrow
9 Song Sparrow
5 Dark-eyed Junco
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 Purple Finch
7 American Goldfinch
3 Eastern Tufted Titmouse

Estimated Totals: 41 species

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April 10th

Friday morning was pretty nice, as far as early spring goes. It was cool and clear, and the sun hung around most of the day. The wind picked up mid-morning, and I guess that might have hampered the banding effort a bit. Only some of the nets were opened, but it was still a reasonably productive day with 35 birds banded and 21 retraps. A new migrant was present–a calling Field Sparrow heard in a clearing from the Carolinian Woodland Trail. A Pileated Woodpecker also made it’s first appearance of the year at Rtuhven–none in the nets yet, though!

Banded 35:
1 Black-capped Chickadee
2 Golden Crowned Kinglet
4 Song Sparrow
1 White Throated Sparrow
4 Dark-eyed Junco
1 Brown Headed Cowbird
1 Purple Finch
1 House Finch
20 American Goldfinch

Retrapped 21:
2 Black-capped Chickadee
3 Golden Crowned Kinglet
4 Song Sparrow
5 Dark-eyed Junco
4 American Goldfinch
2 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Red-winged Blackbird

Estimated Totals: 38 Species

Jeff MacLeod