The light early morning frost disappeared very quickly in what proved to be a bright, sunny, warm day. The feeders were still the hub of avian activity but the river held a few surprises including the season’s first American Green-Winged Teal and a Lesser Yellowleg. For some reason our dead beaver seems to have moved on too.

Eastern Tufted Titmouse….Titmice?…Titmouses?…grey crested scary things..were heard calling from several places around the property simultaneously and a few more Field Sparrows have joined the chorus.

A special mention goes out to the lone female Red-Winged Blackbird (to them, a floozy, to us, a valuable research aid) that lured 5 males into the net at one time. Apparently it is hard to steer when one’s eyes are awash with testosterone (or the avian equivalent).

A Northern Brown Snake, first of the season, was observed along the banding trail.

Banded: 33
American Goldfinch 14
Slate-Coloured Junco 4
American Tree Sparrow 1
Chipping Sparrow 1
Purple Finch 1
Song Sparrow 1
Brown-Headed Cowbird 4
White-Throated Sparrow 1
Red-Winged Blackbird 5
American Robin 1

Retrapped: 21
American Goldfinch 2
Slate-Coloured Junco 6
Black-Capped Chickadee 3
Song Sparrow 3
White-Throated Sparrow 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Brown-Headed Cowbird 3
Red-Winged Blackbird 1

42 species observed during the day.

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