I arrived at Ruthven well before sunup. A waning moon still had enough light to cast my shadow and obscure all but the brightest stars. Despite the hour, the birds were loudly proclaiming their presence: a distant Great Horned Owl; 2 American Woodcocks peenting and then displaying close to net 5; 3 sets of Wild Turkeys were already into the fray; the “pingpong ball” call of the Field Sparrow; and then the usual – robins, song sparrows, chipping sparrows, cardinals, titmice, chickadees, and Canada geese. What was missing though was the unusual. Reports of migrants are beginning to crop up all over the place and are being reported en masse but….they weren’t at Ruthven…yet.

The “best” birds here today would have been: a Sandhill Crane (I know, I know…they’re almost common now but I can remember when you just did NOT see them down here); we banded a female Eastern Towhee; and we banded our first Cedar Waxwing. For the day we encountered 52 species.

Banded 39:
4 Mourning Doves
2 Tree Swallows
1 House Wren
4 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
1 Cedar Waxwing
1 Northern Cardinal
1 Eastern Towhee
4 Chipping Sparrows
2 Field Sparrows
1 Song Sparrow
2 Swamp Sparrows
6 White-throated Sparrows
10 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 28:
1 Downy Woodpecker
2 Tree Swallows
1 American Tree Sparrow
8 Chipping Sparrows
1 Field Sparrow
6 Song Sparrows
1 Swamp Sparrow
1 White-throated Sparrow
1 Dark-eyed Junco
2 Brown-headed Cowbirds
4 American Goldfinches

ET’s: 52 spp.

Photo Gallery:

Rick