“Friday Fun Fou”: Nadine, a visitor bemoaning her young son’s complete disinterest in French immersion, suggested this as a good term for the Baggers’ Long March. Translated freely it means (I think) Friday Fun Madness/Folly/Foolishness (you pick). A number of the Baggers decided it would be a good thing to walk from the west end of Hamilton to Ruthven….overnight! Why? You might ask. The physical challenge. The experiencing of night. Bonding. Just for the hell of it (again, you pick). Anyway, they set out from the Victoria Park area around 6:45 Friday night. They followed the old rail trail up the Mountain; then got onto the Chippewa Bike/Walking Rail Trail to Caledonia; then took McClung Road to the Rotary Riverside Trail to York; and lastly, Highway 54 to Ruthven. A total of 41 kilometers!! At 4:50 AM I passed them trudging along the shoulder of the highway with only a kilometer or so to go. (I could easily have mistaken them for a group of bedraggled refugees.) None took the proffered ride; they hobbled into the park around 5:30, exhausted but very pleased with themselves. And so they should be.
Those of you that lived in the Hamilton area and are of a certain….maturity can likely remember the March of Dimes Walkathons that we used to go on. The initial couple were 50 k’s long, complete with water/bathroom stations all along the route. Yeah, we were doing it to raise money for a good cause but really it was the physical challenge and the camaraderie, taking on that challenge with our friends, that drove us. Glad to see that some young folks still have that drive! And kudos to their parents who, in this age of over-protectionism, allowed them to do it.
There was one notable story of teenage doggedness: Bagger Sam’s shoes were a bit small causing him great leg pain. So, he took them off and did most of the hike in his socks.
Of course, they weren’t much good for the rest of the banding day, rotating periods of napping, eating Timbits, and sitting around with the occasional net round. But they were a happy group for sure.
Speaking of net rounds: they weren’t very productive either Friday or today. The heat was a factor but, let’s face it, the migration here is pretty well done, just the last stragglers left to go. Most birds are well into nesting and/or raising young.
Although we have not been much interesting banding, we have been getting some intriguing retraps: a Blue-winged Warbler that is at least 7 years old and an Eastern Wood Pewee that is the same. Think what they have seen on their long flights to and from the tropics!!!
Friday; Banded 12:
1 Traill’s Flycatcher
5 Gray Catbirds
1 Cedar Waxwing
2 Yellow Warblers
1 Magnolia Warbler
2 Song Sparrows
ET’s: 57 spp.
Saturday; Banded 20:
1 Eastern Wood Pewee
1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
1 Eastern Kingbird
1 Swainson’s Thrush
1 American Robin
1 Gray Catbird
6 Cedar Waxwings
1 Yellow Warbler
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
3 Indigo Buntings
1 Field Sparrow
1 American Goldfinch
ET’s: 60 spp.
Fern Hill Burlington; Friday:
It was a hot and muggy banding day, but we had a couple firsts for the season at Fern Hill Burlington. Highlights of the day included an Indigo Bunting, a yellow bellied flycatcher, warbling and Philadelphia vireos.
Banded a total of 17 birds, with an daily ET 21 species throughout the day. A quieter day, but I enjoyed the slow pace and took the opportunity to practice my extracting skills under the watch of Bill Read.
Banded 17:
1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
4 Grey Catbirds
1 Cedar Waxwing
1 Warbling Vireo
1 Philadelphia Vireo
2 Yellow Warblers
1 Indigo Bunting
2 Song Sparrows
3 American Goldfinches
1 House Sparrow
ET’s: 21 spp.
Katherine
Photos of the Long March:
Banding Photo Gallery:
