Ruthven

An air of barely-concealed excitement pervaded the banding area this morning. The banders carried on like it was business as usual but even they had an extra bounce in their step. A new Ruthven record was within grasp. The previous high for birds banded in April was 597, achieved in 1999. Going into the morning we sat at 569. Fortunately, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and White-throated Sparrows, hearing of this chance for noteriety, flew in during the night en masse. By the end of the day we had banded a total of 34 and set a new record of 603 for the month of April (with yet another day to go!).

Northern Waterthrush

It’s always nice to have young visitors! (Shown holding a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, here, and a White-throated Sparrow in the next photo.)

Clutch of duck eggs found by Linda Thrower beside the (quickly drying up) vernal pond below Net #8.

Linda Thrower indicating the habitat concealing the nest.

A VISIT BY THE THREE STOOGES!!!

Selkirk

Pretty quiet opening this morning, little song and a lack of bird movement. When I got back to the banding lab the net by the trailer, which is the first net I open, had 10 birds in it! The next net north alone the hedge row had nothing. The first round produced 8 more new birds so it looked like it could be a decent day with about double the birds banded Friday. By 11:30 am a little over 30 birds had been banded and it was shaping up to be a fairly decent day. Started out at 12:30 to do last check. Mean while a mixed group of birds were working alone the west hedge row and would continue to filter into the banding nets. Instead of a fairly decent day ended up with a fairly good day.

Banded: MODO 2, YSFL 1, RCKI 11, HETH 6, MYWA 4, WPWA 1, NOCA 1, CHSP 6, SWSP 2, WTSP 33, SCJU 3, RWBL 1, COGR 2, BHCO 2, AMGO 3 = 78

STD 1194

John