Arriving at first light to open nets is challenging when the sunrise time is earlier and earlier, but so rewarding. It can be a peaceful time surrounded by bird song, possibly seeing the beauty of a sunrise and anticipating a new day of banding.

Today was a good day, with new migrants for the year that included House Wren and a Black-and-White Warbler. New for the spring season was a small flock of Cedar Waxwings. It was busy with a school group visiting the banding lab that needed two rotations to accommodate the number and age span of the group. A few sprinkles of rain but not enough to worry about. The net lanes are so wet/muddy and hopefully will dry up soon! We handled a total of 43 birds.

Banded 36
1 Eastern Phoebe
3 Tree Swallow
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 House Wren
2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler

1 Black-and-white Warbler
1 Chipping Sparrow
5 Field Sparrow
1 White-throated Sparrow
4 Red-winged Blackbird
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
14 American Goldfinch

ET’s: 40 spp.
Nancy
Some photos from yesterday:

Fern Hill Oakville:
We never reached the forecast high this morning – the SE wind was blowing off Lake Ontario and keeping the temperature down. There were a few really light and short-lived showers in the morning but when the heavier rain came around noon we closed up shop. On the whole, there wasn’t a lot going on although we did see the first Common Loons of the year and an American Woodcock jumped up at my feet when I was opening one of the nets in the woods. Still waiting for that first good surge of migrants….

Banded 10:
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Blue Jay
3 Black-capped Chickadees
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 Song Sparrow
2 Red-winged Blackbirds
1 American Goldfinch

ET’s: 35 spp.
Rick