August 29
It was a mainly clear, sunny and muggy day at Ruthven. We handled 36 birds, including three new first of season warblers – Nashville, Wilson’s and Ovenbird.
There was some bird activity on the grounds, including a nice Olive-sided Flycatcher perched on one of the many snags.
New Birds = 25
Nashville Warbler – 1
Wilson’s Warbler – 1
Common Yellowthroat – 1
Eastern Wood Pewee – 2
Black-capped Chickadee – 2
Chipping Sparrow – 1
Red-eyed Vireo – 1
Ovenbird – 1
White-breasted Nuthatch – 2
Song Sparrow – 2
Gray Catbird – 4
Wood Thrush – 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak – 1
American Robin – 3
Blue Jay – 1
Mourning Dove – 1
Recaptures = 11
Common Yellowthroat – 1
House Finch – 1
Gray Catbird – 1
Northern Cardinal – 1
Wood Thrush – 1
Black-capped Chickadee – 1
Song Sparrow – 4
Eastern Tufted Titmouse – 1
Summer Banding Total = 432
YTD = 2678
-Matt Timpf
Wilson’s Warbler
Ovenbird
Nashville Warbler
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August 28 – A Busy Day!
Even though the weather was hot and humid we had our biggest day with 59 birds banded of 21 species!! There was a light breeze from the NE today, good cloud cover and starting with the first net check it was a steady day of banding. New migrants for the season were on the move and for each net round, you anticipated seeing a new species and we were not disappointed. An interesting retrap was a female Baltimore Oriole that was originally banded at Ruthven on May 24, 2004 as a second year bird and this was the first time she was retrapped. This would age the bird to be at least 11 years old!!
This was the last Wednesday summer banding program and it has been well attended with over 100 visitors. The fall migration banding season starts on September 1st and the banding lab will be open seven days a week until November 7th. The fall banding of Northern Saw-whet Owls will start in October when the nets will be opened in the evening with net checks starting at nine pm. Everyone is welcomed to both the morning passerine banding or the evening owl banding. Also, mark your calendar to attend the ‘4th Annual Ruthven’s for the Birds Festival’ on Saturday, September 28th!!
Banded 59
Eastern Wood Pewee -7
Trail’s Flycatcher – 3
Least Flycatcher – 2
White-breasted Nuthatch – 1
House Wren – 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 1
Veery – 1
Wood Thrush – 1
American Robin – 3
Gray Catbird – 6
Warbling Vireo – 3
Red-eyed Vireo – 8
Tennessee Warbler – 1
Magnolia Warbler – 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler- 1
Northern Waterthrush – 2
Common Yellowthroat – 5
Rose-breasted Grosbeak – 2
Song Sparrow – 3
Baltimore Oriole – 5
House Finch – 1
Retrap 15
Downey Woodpecker – 2
Blue Jay – 1
Black-capped Chickadee – 2
Eastern Tufted Titmouse – 1
White-breasted Nuthatch – 2
Gray Catbird – 2
Red-eyed Vireo – 1
Common Yellowthroat – 1
Song Sparrow – 1
Baltimore Oriole – 1
American Goldfinch – 1
EST’s – 39.
-Nancy Furber