April 6th, 7th, & 8th – On Track Again

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After a couple of days of very wet weather (that included snow!), the Grand River is quite high. This Red-winged Blackbird picks through the flotsam at the high water line. -ECG
After a couple of days of very wet weather (that included snow!), the Grand River is quite high. This Red-winged Blackbird picks through the flotsam at the high water line. -ECG

After 2 days of very nasty weather that included heavy rains, strong winds, cold temperatures, and even a drop of 5 cm. of snow, we seem to be back on track again.

On the 6th of 7th Mike Furber (7th) and I (6th) did a census and then resorted to ground traps in order to get some idea of what the birds were doing through the storm. For the most part they just hunkered down, ate as much “bait” as they could in and around the traps, and kept out of the wind.

Golden-crowned Kinglets are on the move. -AAW
Golden-crowned Kinglets are on the move. -AAW

But today, after a night of clear skies, the birds were back at it, almost as if nothing had happened. And although the day started out cold (-1 with light frost), the sun soon heated things up and by mid-morning there were clouds of midges along the edges and the swallows and kinglets were taking full advantage of them.

April 6th; Banded 7:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet
1 Red-winged Blackbird
3 Brown-headed Cowbirds
1 American Goldfinch

ET’s: 32 spp (including the 1st Purple Finch of the year)

April 7th; Banded 16:
1 Mourning Dove
6 Dark-eyed Juncos
1 Red-winged Blackbird
2 Purple Finches
6 American Goldfinches

ET’s: 35 spp. (including the 1st Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Rusty Blackbirds of the year)

April 8th: Banded 54:
1 Eastern Phoebe
2 White-breasted Nuthatches

Male White-breasted Nuthatch. -AAW
Male White-breasted Nuthatch. -AAW

9 Golden-crowned Kinglets
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
2 American Robins
1 Northern Cardinal
4 American Tree Sparrows
American Tree Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos are moving through in good numbers.....heading for northern Ontario. -AAW
American Tree Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos are moving through in good numbers…..heading for northern Ontario. -AAW

1 Field Sparrow
2 Song Sparrows
13 Dark-eyed Juncos
4 Brown-headed Cowbirds
14 American Goldfinches

ET’s: 42 spp. (including the 1st Pileated Woodpecker and Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the year).

Photo Gallery:

Beth and Alessandra treated us to more musical scenes from "Hamilton". Here, Alessandra croons away to Samuel who, in cool male fashion, looks over his phone. -ECG
Beth and Alessandra treated us to more musical scenes from “Hamilton”. Here, Alessandra croons away to Samuel who, in cool male fashion, looks over his phone. -ECG

Local Tree Swallows appear to have weathered the storm in good shape. They were cruising around this morning, chasing each other, checking out nest boxes, and gorging on the swarms of midges that the sun brought out. -ECG
Local Tree Swallows appear to have weathered the storm in good shape. They were cruising around this morning, chasing each other, checking out nest boxes, and gorging on the swarms of midges that the sun brought out. -ECG

A pert ASY male Res-winged Blackbird.
A pert ASY male Res-winged Blackbird.

Some robins have started to nest. -ECG
Some robins have started to nest. -ECG

Just across the river at a local farm, robins are already laying eggs. -ECG
Just across the river at a local farm, robins are already laying eggs. -ECG

This chimney is becoming a favourite Turkey Vulture perch. -ECG
This chimney is becoming a favourite Turkey Vulture perch. -ECG

Female Northern Cardinal - they too are actively nesting. -AAW
Female Northern Cardinal – they too are actively nesting. -AAW
Female Brown0headed Cowbird....on her way to Western. -AAW
Female Brown0headed Cowbird….on her way to Western. -AAW

Rick

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