Feeders have increased the number of hummingbird sightings at Ruthven. -M. Gibson
Getting up at 4 for the last couple of weeks seems to be sapping my gumption….or is it just old age. Hmmm….not sure. Either way, I wasn’t into writing anything; just got caught up in the “holiday feeling” – dining with friends, a little cycling, some wine and, oh yes, the occasional beer (it is the holiday weekend after all).
Chipping Sparrows are now invariably seen in pairs. -R. Camasta
For a holiday weekend, the weather has been wonderful: hot, dry and wind-free. But for a bander it has been the doldrums with the last of the migrants flying over southern Ontario, speeding to their nesting grounds well to the north. So our catches have been decidedly unspectacular and, for the many visitors we’ve had, disappointing. Oh well, with Mother Nature you take what you get.
Swallow size comparison: Tree Swallow (left); Purple Martin (right). -B. McCreadie
May 20th; Banded 28:
3 Great Crested Flycatchers
3 Eastern Kingbirds
5 Gray Catbirds
1 Cedar Waxwing
2 Yellow Warblers
3 Magnolia Warblers
1 Black-throated Blue Warbler
1 Ovenbird
3 Common Yellowthroats
2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
2 Song Sparrows
2 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 55 spp.
The little-seen red topping of an Eastern Kingbird. -A. Wilcox
May 21st: Banded 38:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Tree Swallow
1 Blue Jay
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 House Wren
1 Veery
1 Wood Thrush
5 Gray Catbirds
1 Cedar Waxwing
1 Warbling Vireo
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Yellow-throated Vireo
1 Blue-winged Warbler
7 Yellow Warblers
3 Common Yellowthroats
2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
1 Chipping Sparrow
1 Red-winged Blackbird
1 Baltimore Oriole
1 House Finch
1 Pine Siskin
3 American Goldfinches
A big surprise….and the first Pine Siskin of the year.
ET’s: 69 spp.
May 22nd:; Banded 19:
2 Blue Jays
2 Gray Catbirds
1 Cedar Waxwing
3 Yellow Warblers
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Northern Cardinal
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
2 Indigo Buntings
2 Song Sparrows
4 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 60 spp.
Great shot of a Yellow Warbler. -R. Camasta
May 23rd: Banded 16:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Eastern Wood Pewee
1 Eastern Kingbird
1 American Robin
1 Gray Catbird
3 Yellow Warblers
1 Magnolia Warbler
2 Indigo Buntings
1 Song Sparrow
1 Common Grackle
3 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 62 spp.
Photo Gallery:
A stunning male Magnolia Warbler. -A. Wilcox
Originally banded on April 29th, 2011 as an ASY bird, this Blue-winged Warbler is at least 7 years old!! -A. Wilcox
Male Yellow Warbler. -S. Merritt
Adult male Red-winged Blackbird. -S. Merritt
Gray Catbird. -S. Merritt
Song Sparrow. -R. Camasta
Cedar Waxwings started to show up in good numbers about a week ago. -R. Camasta
Caspian Terns are regularly sighted now along the Grand River. -R. Camasta
A hard-singing Blue-winged Warbler, a common breeder at Ruthven. -R. Camasta
Blue Jay building a nest. -R. Camasta
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are common breeding birds at Ruthven. -R. Camasta
Eastern Kingbird.
Female (left) Purple Martin with nest-building material; the male looks on. -B. McCreadie
Adult male Purple Martin. -B. McCreadie
Rick