Here it is, the middle of May, right when the bulk of the long-distance migrants should be pouring through and where are they? Although resident birds at Ruthven were making themselves heard (and often seen), the woods and edges were devoid of migrants. The early net rounds, usually the most productive, produced only a few birds and, later, we had some rounds that produced NO birds. About all I could do was work on my tan, eat muffins and chocolate cookies (thanks Carol!) and work my way through 6 years of data books to figure out how many birds of which species Faye has banded (quite a few as it turns out).

Matt et al. did the census and although the crew found 49 species only 8 of them were warblers, some represented by a single individual. Have they flown over or are there still lots to go? Only time will tell.

Banded 14:
1 Blue Jay
1 House Wren
1 Wood Thrush
1 American Robin
2 Yellow Warblers
1 Magnolia Warbler
1 American Redstart
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
3 Indigo Buntings
1 Song Sparrow
1 Brown-headed Cowbird

Retrapped 20:
1 Black-capped Chickadee
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
2 House Wrens
1 Gray Catbird
1 Warbling Vireo
1 Blue-winged Warbler
1 Western Palm Warbler
1 Common Yellowthroat
4 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
3 Chipping Sparrows
1 Baltimore Oriole
1 American Goldfinch

ET’s: 60 spp.
Rick