You know, if we had the resources to band consistently from year to year, we would start monitoring the Fall migration at the middle of August. Even by that early date we would be missing the Yellow Warblers that bred in this area – we rarely even see one after the first of August because they’re already winging their way south. But there’s no question that the migration is well up and going by the middle of the month.
Getting ready for the coming season is a lot of work. Thank goodness that Andrea Kline, a Summer student, kept the banding lanes cut (thanks Andrea!!). But all the nets have to be put up. We embarked on that chore this week doing a few each day – and banding while we were doing it. So everything is up now and ready to go (except for Carol’s net – 4C – since she likes things done just so…..). I have been banding all week (and will go tomorrow morning) and then Nancy will take over on September 1st until the 13th. (I will be leaving for a banding station in Kazakhstan on the 29th for 2 weeks.)
We’ve had a retinue of Baggers out helping this week and they’ve been a great help – ah for the energy of youth! And we’ve caught and banded some neat birds….actually, it’s been a wonderful opportunity for them to extract and band a wide variety of species at a pace that’s manageable.
In 5 days we’ve banded 118 birds:
August 22nd; Banded 10:
1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird
2 Downy Woodpeckers
1 Eastern Wood Pewee
2 Gray Catbirds
1 Warbling Vireo
1 Red-eyed Vireo
2 American Goldfinches
August 23rd; Banded 28:
2 Downy Woodpeckers
2 Northern Flickers
1 Traill’s Flycatcher
1 Blue Jay
2 House Wrens
3 American Robins
2 Gray Catbirds
1 Warbling Vireo
3 Red-eyed Vireos
1 Yellow-throated Vireos
1 Blue-winged Warbler
1 Yellow Warbler
1 Black-throated Blue Warbler
1 Song Sparrow
6 American Goldfinches
August 24th; Banded 17:
1 Eastern Wood-pewee
2 Blue Jays
1 Black-capped Chickadee
1 House Wren
2 Gray Catbirds
1 Warbling Vireo
3 Red-eyed Vireos
1 Canada Warbler
1 American Redstart
1 Northern Cardinal
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
1 Field Sparrow
1 Baltimore Oriole
August 25th; Banded 30:
1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
2 Black-capped Chickadees
2 White-breasted Nuthatches
1 House Wren
2 American Robins
1 Gray Catbird
2 Warbling Vireos
8 Red-eyed Vireos
3 Blue-winged Warblers
1 Tennessee Warbler
3 Chestnut-sided Warblers
1 Northern Waterthrush
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Northern Cardinal
1 Baltimore Oriole
August 26th; Banded 33:
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Eastern Wood Pewee
2 Black-capped Chickadees
2 House Wrens
3 Gray Catbirds
4 Warbling Vireos
1 Philadelphia Vireo
7 Red-eyed Vireos
3 Magnolia Warblers
1 Black-throated Blue Warbler
1 Bay-breasted Warbler
1 American Redstart
2 Mourning Warblers
2 Common Yellowthroats
2 American Goldfinches (the first juveniles of the year!)
Photo Gallery (thanks to Ethan Gosnell):
Rick