It was another slow but steady morning with interesting birds showing up on every net round. We had 16 species of warblers around the site this morning with the highlites being a couple of brilliant male Cape May Warblers and a singing Hooded Warbler (unfortunately just heard and not seen). The Hooded was the first of the year (and there are many years when we didn’t see any) and I also saw the first Red-eyed Vireo of the season.
We caught 3 Swainson’s Thrushes today, all at about the same time. Their weights varied tremendously as did their fat loads. One came in at just over 31 grams; one at 37 grams; and one was 44 grams! It caused me to wonder where these birds might be headed. Could the heaviest bird be headed for northwestern Canada/Alaska?
Banded 56:
1 House Wren
3 Swainson’s Thrushes
1 American Robin
7 Gray Catbirds
1 Warbling Vireo
1 Blue-winged Warbler
2 Nashville Warblers
11 Yellow Warblers
3 Magnolia Warblers
5 Yellow-rumped Warblers
1 Bay-breasted Warbler
4 Common Yellowthroats
2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
1 Indigo Bunting
1 Field Sparrow
1 Song Sparrow
1 Eastern White-crowned Sparrow
7 Baltimore Orioles
3 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 71 spp.
Photo Gallery:
Rick