Wine, homemade bread, stinky cheese, salami…..a good-bye lunch for Jason.
It’s been a VERY slow two days with only 18 birds per 100 net hours banded yesterday and a dismal 8 today. We seem to be stuck in a cold weather system that has stopped migration in our area.
A dynamic duo hard at work – Joanne has just received her banding sub-permit.
Yesterday, the rains during the night stopped in the early morning and allowed a few hours of catching before starting again. And last night the skies cleared but the temperatures plummeted to the zero mark frosting up the making opening this morning both difficult and frustrating. But there were very few new birds around. We have seen very few Hermit Thrushes and White-throated Sparrows. Are they still to come, held up by these turbulent systems? Or have they simply flown over during moments of opportunity. The next few days will tell the story.
Mack and Avery refurbishing the area around Net 8 – replanting Gray Dogwood.
Given the ultra-slow pace today we were able to catch up on some things that needed to get done; for example, co-op students Mack and Avery transplanted some dogwood to the net 8 area. That whole net 8-9-9A “corridor” has changed in the last few years with Black Walnut growing up and forcing out the dogwood. The catches from these nets have dropped accordingly. Hopefully, when we get some birds, this will make a difference.
Nancy, Joanne, Carol and Jason enjoying lunch. Jason goes back to Vancouver tomorrow.after a 5-day Banding Boot Camp.
We finished the day with a very nice lunch provided by Joanne’s brother-in-law, Jason who has been visiting from Vancouver for the past 5 days. I’m beginning to think that a glass of red wine at close-up might be the way to go….
Someone, hurtfully, commented that this sketch of my dog looked curiously like a duck! -J. Currier
Famous still life by van Ludkin: “Empty Food Containers…..Alas!”
April 24th:
Banded 20:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 Hermit Thrush
1 American Robin
4 Chipping Sparrows
3 White-throated Sparrows
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
8 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 36 spp.
April 25th:
Banded 16:
1 Tree Swallow
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 American Robin
1 Chipping Sparrow
1 Song Sparrow
7 White-throated Sparrows
1 Red-winged Blackbird
3 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 47 spp.
Rob Mueller, who has provided the photos for the last two blog headers, sent these great shots from an area near his home in Mississauga:
Great Egret and Red-winged Blackbird. -R. Mueller
Red-breasted Nuthatch leaving its freshly excavated nest hole. -R. Mueller
David and Goliath – Red-winged Blackbird and Great Egret. -R. Mueller
Stinky cheese is the best! 😉
Looking forward to our next visit.