These are the days that birders think about all year in anticipation – when the long distance migrants, especially those warblers in “alternate” or breeding plumage, pass through. Well, they’re upon us and, at Ruthven, today was the day. We’ve been banding good numbers in the last couple of days; yesterday’s 57 was the highest total so far but included only 5 species of warblers. On the day we encountered 68 species of birds. But during the night there was a massive influx at Ruthven. We ended up banding 98 birds including 13 warbler species (we encountered 18 warbler species altogether). And our species count for the morning was a very respectable 84!!
But yesterday would have to be “oriole day” – we banded 19; however, today was close, as we hit 18. The jam/jelly feeder is drawing them like a moth to a flame. Our Baltimore Oriole banding total this Spring is 61, 2nd only to last year’s record 117.But we also got 12 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks today – my fingers will attest to it. We were on the go right out of the blocks and when the nets were finally closed we had that wonderful feeling of a job well done (and just a little bit of: “Damn! just 2 more birds and we would have hit 100!).
Banded 98:
2 Least Flycatchers
4 House Wrens
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet (a VERY late one)
1 Veery (1st of the year)
7 Swainson’s Thrushes (1st of the year)
7 Gray Catbirds
3 Blue-winged Warblers
1 Tennessee Warbler
10 Nashville Warblers
1 Northern Parula
6 Yellow Warblers
2 Chestnut-sided Warblers
2 Magnolia Warblers
2 Myrtle Warblers
2 Black-throated Green Warblers
1 Black & White Warbler
1 American Redstart
1 Northern Waterthrush
6 Common Yellowthroats
12 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
1 Chipping Sparrow
2 Song Sparrow
1 Swamp Sparrow
18 Baltimore Orioles
1 Orchard Oriole
3 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 84 spp.
Photos (All taken within the HSA – Hamilton Study Area):
Rick