We went through another dull morning without any interesting long-distance migrants evident – except a Baltimore Oriole calling behind net 6 when I was closing. Kind of frustrating when we’re hearing stories of migrants showing up all around – not in big numbers but showing up – and we’re not seeing them. Oh well….that’s migration for you.

On a more positive note: I went back to Ruthven this evening to return the banding notebooks. There were some sparrows hanging around in the lower parking lot so I decided to look them over. I found a lovely Grasshopper Sparrow among the Chipping Sparrows – the first one we’ve ever seen in the banding lab area.

Banded 27:
1 Mourning Dove
2 American Robins
1 Brown Thrasher
1 Northern Cardinal
2 Chipping Sparrows
1 Song Sparrow
6 White-throated Sparrows
3 Red-winged Blackbirds
5 Brown-headed Cowbirds
5 American Goldfinches

ET’s: 47 spp…..48 if you count the Grasshopper Sparrow

Rick