There was a lot happening at Ruthven this morning – both birdwise and peoplewise. First the birds: we didn’t band a whole bunch (23) but we did encounter the most variety of species so far this year (57 spp.) including 10 ‘new’ species – Greater Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper, Chimney Swift (observed by Cindy Cartwright in the evening), Gray Catbird, Warbling Vireo, Blue-winged Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler (seen by Faye on the Fox Den Trail), Western Palm Warbler, Indigo Bunting, and Rose-breasted Bunting.
And, as I mentioned, it was busy with people: Cindy Cartwright, head of the Ontario Hummingbird Project, is visiting for 2 days; Faye Socholotiuk arrived for her Saturday ‘fix’; Peter Thoem came out to do the census and take some photos (that’s how we discovered the Solitary Sandpiper – he was showing us the picture he had just taken of a Greater Yellowlegs and a Spotted Sandpiper….which turned out to be the Solitary); Liz Vanderwoude came out to learn more about how to band and brought son Ethan who will be an excellent birder in a few years (he’s well on his way now!); and Nancy Furber dropped in to close nets in her sandals. So it was a fun morning in a lot of ways – good birds and good camaraderie.

Banded 23:
2 Mourning Doves
3 House Wrens
2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers
1 Gray Catbird
2 Brown Thrashers
1 Blue-winged Warbler
2 Yellow Warblers
2 Song Sparrows
1 White-throated Sparrow
1 Brown Headed Cowbird
4 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 17:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Black-capped Chickadee
2 House Wrens
6 Chipping Sparrows
1 Field Sparrow
2 Song Sparrows
1 Dark-eyed Junco
1 Red-winged Blackbird
2 Brown-headed Cowbird

ET’s 57 spp.

Rick