April 26th – Still Waiting

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Mourning Cloak- a sure sign that things are warming up. -P. Wylie

It was a beautiful day to be outside. Warm sunshine and blue skies. But where are the migrants!? We should be banding scores of White-throated Sparrows now but have managed only a couple. And we still have a few Golden-crowned Kinglets, American Tree Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos around (although one we recaptured today had gained 6 grams in the past 5 days and will likely head north tonight….if he can get off the ground).
This recaptured adult male Dark-eyed Junco weighed 18.8 g. on April 21st; today it weighed 24.6 g. This bird will likely head north tonight. -KMP

The highlight of the day (for me) was an American Crow giving chase to a Common Raven right over the top of the banding lab. The difference in size made the identification of the latter quite simple – the raven was a third larger than the crow.

Banded 31:
2 Mourning Doves
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 House Wren

House Wrens have returned and are checking out the nesting boxes. -P. Wylie

3 Golden-crowned Kinglets
1 American Robin
1 American Tree Sparrow
1 Field Sparrow
4 Song Sparrows
1 White-throated Sparrow
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
14 American Goldfinches
1 House Sparrow

ET’s: 48 spp.
Photo Gallery:

With the recent rain, low-lying fields are flooded and Bonaparte’s Gulls have been moving inland to feed in them. -P. Wylie

Bonaparte’s Gull in flight. -KMP

Daily we are seeing flights of Double-crested Cormorants heading north up the river. -KMP

Green Frog – another sign of warming temperatures. -P. Wylie

Female Eastern Bluebird. With her mate she is looking to use one of the nest boxes. -KMP

Female Eastern Bluebird in the hand. -KMP

Great Blue Heron. These don’t seem as common as they were a number of years ago when there was an active rookery back in the slough forest. -KMP

Greater Yellowlegs are also taking advantage of the flooded fields. -P. Wylie

Red-tailed Hawk – local breeder or migrant? Hard to tell at this time of year. -P. Wylie

Red-tailed Hawk. -P. Wylie

Snowy Owl seen nearby just two days ago by Paul Wylie.

That Snowy Owl in flight. -P. Wylie

Rick

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