Today we found only one bird that you could confidently classify as a “migrant” with distance left to travel – a lone Tennessee Warbler. The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario shows the southern boundary of their breeding range as still being a couple of hundred kilometers north of us. For everything else you could safely argue that they could breed in the area or in nearby regions – and might be classified as Summer residents. This includes Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, and American Redstart. All of these latter species were carrying low fat loads suggesting that they didn’t have too much further to go. So, have the migrants gone through? Where are all the warblers, thrushes (we haven’t even seen a Grey-cheeked Thrush), Yellow-bellied Flycatchers?

I’m pretty sure that the birds we were getting today (and for the past couple of days) are “local” birds, Summer residents – I’m flummoxed as to the whereabouts of the others.

Banded 29:
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
2 Gray Catbirds
2 Cedar Waxwings
5 Yellow Warblers
1 Chestnut-sided Warbler
1 American Redstart
3 Common Yellowthroats
1 Northern Cardinal
2 Song Sparrows
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
2 Orchard Orioles
1 Baltimore Oriole
6 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 19:
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 American Robin
2 Gray Catbirds
4 Yellow Warblers
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
1 Indigo Bunting
1 Chipping Sparrow
1 Field Sparrow
3 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 Orchard Oriole
1 Baltimore Oriole
2 American Goldfinches

ET’s: 63 spp.
Rick