This young male Baltimore Oriole is #51 – a record breaker. The highest Spring banding total for this species was 50, set last year. -KMP
It seems that we’ve jumped from Winter into Summer without much Spring in-between. On my drive over to Ruthven the moon hung ominously over the western horizon, a red ball (probably due to water vapour in the air). It was 18 degrees while opening and quickly climbed into the mid-20’s early in the morning, with no wind or clouds. Conditions like these can be dangerous for birds caught in the nets. So, for the second day in a row, we closed an hour early before temperatures reached their peak. And also for the second day in a row, we weren’t seeing any migrants that looked like they were still moving on (i.e., none were carrying any fat).
Sign of the season: female Rose-breasted Grosbeak carrying nesting material. She will soon be on eggs. -RF
Although banding totals for many species are below average, We continue to catch Baltimore Orioles and Cedar Waxwings at a record rate. We got our 50th and 51st oriole today breaking the old record of 50 set just last year and we went ahead with Cedar Waxwings as well; today we banded 7 bringing our total to 47, 2 ahead of the old record set in 2011.
(Banded) male Common Yellowthroat; heard, and sometimes seen, all around the site. -RF
Banded 22:
1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird
2 Eastern Wood Pewees
2 Gray Catbirds
7 Cedar Waxwings
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Yellow Warbler
1 Indigo Bunting
1 Chipping Sparrow
2 Baltimore Orioles
4 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 53 spp.