One of the interesting thing about monitoring one place intensely, day after day, is that you become very aware of small changes: yesterday there were tons of Golden-crowned Kinglets – today not so many; yesterday there were NO Field Sparrows about – today there were at least 4; Common Redpoll numbers are steadily declining; Purple Martins are increasing (3 males and a female around today – the colony is growing!). And so on.

It’s 5:00 PM when I’m writing this. The sun is still shining but there’s a cloud bank moving in from the West. If the forecast rain holds off until later in the night (and it’s supposed to), then migrants will take to the air just after dark. When the rain does come then there will be a “fallout” – birds coming to earth short of their destinations to seek shelter. Sometimes this can result in big numbers and interesting variety. I’m already looking forward to what species we might see tomorrow.

Banded 53:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Black-capped Chickadee
21 Golden-crowned Kinglets (ET of 40)’
4 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
2 American Robins
1 Northern Cardinal
2 American Tree Sparrows
1 Field Sparrow
3 Song Sparrows
8 Dark-eyed Juncos
4 Brown-headed Cowbirds
1 Common Redpoll
4 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 38:
2 Downy Woodpeckers
1 Black-capped Chickadee
7 Golden-crowned Kinglets
1 Hermit Thrush
3 American Robins
6 American Tree Sparrows
5 Song Sparrows
7 Dark-eyed Juncos
2 Brown-headed Cowbirds
2 Common Redpolls
2 American Goldfinches

ET’s: 45 spp.

Rick