Ruthven Park Banding Station:
With the spring showers today, all of the nets were closed but we did well catching the birds using a variety of ground traps and one hanging trap. Even with the rain, we still had a school group in the banding lab and the energetic students enjoyed seeing the different birds. So, a good day even with the wet weather. Overall, we handled a total of 34 birds.
Banded 15
2 Mourning Dove
1 Blue Jay
1 Chipping Sparrow
11 Brown-headed Cowbird
ET’s: 33
Nancy
Fern Hill Oakville:
We had light rain/drizzle throughout the day. We opened the 2 nets that were close and easily monitored so caught birds were removed immediately. We also set out 4 traps. As you would expect, bird activity was diminished as most were hunkered down. We did however see the first (ever) Wilson’s Snipe and Purple Finch of the year. The Snipe was around a wet patch in the middle of the “Bobolink Field” next to the sports field.
Banded 16:
2 Blue Jays
1 Chipping Sparrow (1st of the year)
6 Red-winged Blackbirds
1 Common Grackle
3 American Goldfinches
3 House Sparrows
ET’s: 27 spp.
Rick