A number of years ago, a very spry (for her age) woman, Irene Schmidt, drove to Ruthven all the way from her home around Cambridge “to celebrate my birthday with the birds”. She has kept up that tradition every year. This year, at the age of 90 (and still driving), Irene arrived to once again celebrate the passing of years with the birds – what a wonderful thing!!!
I wish there had been more variety and more birds to show her, but she seemed quite happy with the ones we did catch and with her chance to release a Gray Catbird.

Here is an picture of Irene and Rick taken a few years ago.

The morning started off clear but clouded over fairly quickly with a light drizzle starting to fall ~0930. When it turned to a sustained rain we closed up.
It was like Grand Central Station at Ruthven today – 9 banders/students 43 school kids and teachers from Dunnvile Central and Irene. I was a little worried early on when our first net round produced only a few birds but things picked up when it warmed up and the school kids had lots of chances to see banding at its best. It was pretty hectic though…..

Banded 27:
4 Mourning Doves
1 House Wren
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 Gray Catbird
2 Yellow Warblers
1 Myrtle Warbler
2 Common Yellowthroats
3 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
4 Chipping Sparrows
1 Eastern White-crowned Sparrow
2 Red-winged Blackbirds
3 Baltimore Orioles
2 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 15:
1 Gray Catbird
2 Blue-winged Warblers
1 Nashville Warbler
5 Yellow Warblers
1 Common Yellowthroat
2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
8 Chipping Sparrows
1 Song Sparrow
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 Baltimore Oriole
1 American Goldfinch

ET’s: 60 spp.