There’s lots of activity going on. Migrants are still on the move in good numbers – and will be for a couple of weeks yet (although in diminishing numbers). At the same time local nesting birds are either busy building nests or already, in some cases, sitting on eggs. [Canada Geese in the York Park are even ushering around goslings!] But there’s a sense of frenzy. The local breeders that we’ve been catching (many of them retraps) aren’t carrying any fat and their muscle mass is diminished – it takes a LOT of energy to defend territories, build nests, lay eggs and….just survive the cold wet conditions we’ve been experiencing this Spring. What a relief it must be to these birds when the young fledge and they can just kick back, moult and “relax”.

The highlight of the day was a Peregrine Falcon that blasted by – up high and headed north.

At least 7 of the Brown-headed Cowbirds taken to Western have returned to Ruthven.

Banded 52:
4 Swainson’s Thrush
1 Wood Thrush
7 Gray Catbirds
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Tennessee Warbler
1 Nashville Warbler
6 Yellow Warblers
1 Chestnut-sided Warbler
6 Magnolia Warblers
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler
4 American Redstarts
1 Northern Waterthrush
7 Common Yellowthroats
3 Indigo Buntings
1 Field Sparrow
1 Red-winged Blackbird
1 Baltimore Oriole
5 American Goldfinches

ET’s: 61 spp.

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