Hello folks! This post was delayed for a while, as I managed to lock myself out of the blog. As may be expected, it seems that the Snow Buntings are on the move. Julie Bauer in Yukon is reporting that they have moved into her area, and many from more southern areas are reporting that they are pretty much done for the year.
First some info about retraps:
Rimouski, QC – March 21, 2016
Hi guys,
This is just to report that Audrey Lepogam had a foreign recapture last Friday March 18th in Bic near Rimouski.
She caught band number 2421-89223, a double-banded SNBU. After a look in the database, this bird was originally banded as an ASY male on January 28th 2012 under Oliver’s permit, near Fergus.
Audrey and I also have some recaptures in between our respective sites in Bic and Sainte-Luce (40km apart).
Good job Audrey!!
Marie-Pier Laplante
(This bird has an address band on its left leg)
Also, an update from King Township, ON with some retrap info:
King Township, ON – Theresa McKenzie – March 20, 2016
Glenn banded on a total of 32 days between Jan 6 and March 4, though many had very low capture numbers. In the end he banded 751 SNBU, along with 62 HOLA and 2 LALO. The snow buntings were 68% young birds, and 54% male ( the previous two years we had a much higher proportion of males). Three foreign recoveries include one from Quebec, banded last spring and two as yet unclaimed:
2561-25622, an ASY M captured Feb 16
2641-15353, an SY M captured Mar 3
Theresa & Glenn, King township, ON
_______________________________________________ WEST
Haines Junction, Yukon – Julie Bauer – March 20, 2016
Hello Jeff, this is my first report from Haines Junction,Yukon. Yesterday we had our best day ever of 104 birds, this being only our 3rd year. We do not get the winter flocks and these birds are on their migration.People are seeing flocks of 20-40 travelling the Alaska Highway this past 2 weeks. Mostly catching ASY Males and small numbers ASY females. Started trapping March 17.Excited and enjoying the mild temperatures and long daylight. Smiles Julie Bauer
Camp Morton, MB – Bill Maciejko – March 16, 2016
I’m afraid I have nothing to report from my place north of Gimil, MB. I haven’t seen a Snow Bunting here since March 9th, by which time the paltry flock of 100 had dwindled to a mere seven. It might be of some interest to note that in the days before they departed the flock of almost exclusively ASY males were joined by at least one female and four SY males.
Their behaviour has changed this year in that they spend almost no time here except for a few brief feeds during the day. They always arrived and left in the same northerly direction but after discussions with neighbours and a search of all possible alternate food sources I could think of, I could not locate them. Because they cover so much ground at just the times the Buntings are most active, I asked school bus drivers for any sightings, but no one has seen any birds fitting the description.
I don’t know what this means for next year, but am confident if anyone is going to figure these birds out and crack the banding problem it will be Emily MacKinnon.
I’ve only seen two recent reports of Snow Buntings in the region: a flock of 300 seen near Oak Hammock Marsh about March 10th, and a flock of 50 seen near an exposed field of oat stubble on the 14th, about fifteen miles NW of the Marsh.
Bill Maciejko
near Camp Morton, MB
Belgium, Wisconsin – Vicki Piaskowski – March 11, 2016
The last time we saw SNBUs at our Belgium, WI site was March 4, when there were 30-40 birds. They were gone the next day. This year we had birds at three separate times and all three times the weather warmed within a few days of the birds arrival, the snow melted and the SNBUs left. So unfortunately we were not able to capture and band any birds this year.
Vicki Piaskowski
Hartland, WI
_______________________________________________ ONTARIO
Fergus, ON – David Lamble – March 11, 2016
It has been a very poor year for the Snow Buntings in my area. I suspect with the weather we have had, that most of us experienced lower than normal numbers. It would be interesting to know where the birds were this year……… perhaps they stayed in Greenland.
At any rate, my totals this year are 2726 Snow Buntings, 79 Lapland Longspurs and 83 Horned Larks ( plus a Northern Shrike that was not a very successful hunter ).
David Lamble
Holiday Beach Migration Observatory, ON – Bob Hall-Brooks – March 11, 2016
No good news from Essex County….no snow !
Bob
Lanark, ON – Lise Balthazar – March 9, 2016
As of yesterday, March 9th, I still had about 150 Snow Buntings flying around my property.
Today, I haven’t seen the Buntings yet. It’s very mild, the snow and ice are melting, it’s pretty foggy and the Red Winged Blackbirds are coming back.
March 11, 2016
As of yesterday, March 10th, there were still about 100 Buntings flying around. However, today I haven’t seen any. They might have already left; the weather is turning pretty warm here now and the snow is quickly melting. The Red Winged Blackbirds and Grackles are coming back and the resident Crows are also very active; a sure sign of Spring. We’ve also spotted 2 Trumpeter Swans flying around the area this week (picture below).
I will report back if I see Buntings again.
Lise
(A subsequent update indicated that the SNBUs left Lise’s property on March 12).
_____________________________________ QUEBEC
McGill Bird Observatory, QC – Simon Duval et.al. – March 16, 2016
It was a very short season this year in southern Quebec and it was reflected in the banding totals.
Mirabel
From Feb 24 to Mar 7, just 53 SNBU were banded in 9 mornings. The snow melted quickly and the banding in March was not productive compared to other years.
Mirabel Season total: 378 SNBU, 1 LALO, 1 HOLA
St-Roch
Only 1 morning of banding on March 9th produced 8 SNBU, and that was it. The flock was very small in the last few weeks, which is the reason we did not band often.
St-Roch Season total: 331 SNBU, 5 LALO, 5 HOLA.
Coteau-du-lac
Coteau was again very productive compared to the other sites. From Feb 24 to Mar 7, 189 SNBU and 2 LALO were banded in just 8 mornings. Just like last spring, the area seem to host a good flock of migrating birds.
Coteau-du-lac Season total: 885 SNBU, 38 LALO, 39 HOLA.
Thanks to all the banders from southern Quebec who helped us reach 1594 SNBU banded, about half of last year’s total but still very good considering the weather!
Simon Duval
The Migration Research Foundation
Barnston-Ouest, QC (near the Vermont border in the Eastern Townships of Quebec) – Carl Bromwich – March 11, 2016
After a winter without much snow and with very few SNBU, a small flock (45) showed up for my Feederwatch count on the first weekend of March. Since then, we’ve lost all our snow (again) and, not surprisingly, the SNBU have disappeared (again).
_______________________________________________ MARITIMES
Stanley, NB – Dorothy Diamond – March 11, 2016
Nothing at all from here, Jeff. I have not caught any SNBU this winter. It has been mild, and the place I usually catch SNBU at is crowded with Bluejays and Starlings. There is plenty of food, and the weather reduces my ability to get birds in the trap.
Dorothy
Stewiacke, NS – Barb McLaughlin – March 11, 2016
No snow on the fields for a couple weeks, so they have not been to our place to feed. Snowing today, and it is suppose to stick around for a couple days. It will be interesting to see if they show up looking for a free meal.
Barb