A male Mourning Warbler was the hit of the morning.
The area was rocked by thunderstorms during the night accompanied by bouts of heavy rain. I love thunderstorms to start with…and even more so when they tell me I can roll over and sleep for a little longer. The nets were opened an hour later than usual but were more successful than they have been for the past several days. The first catch of the morning was a male Mourning Warbler that flew into a just-opened Net 5 as I was opening #6. A very nice way to start off the banding day. We added a few more migrants as well as a few locally-breeding birds making for an interesting day.
A “washed-out” female Tennessee Warbler.
I had a chance to accompany Elaine Serena’s birdathon group and help them add to their total. It was a delightful excuse to take a leisurely walk along the trails – the census produced 47 species.
A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher – always a late arrival at Ruthven.
Banded 29:
3 Yellow-bellied Flycatchers
1 Traill’s Flycatcher
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
3 Gray Catbirds
1 Blue-winged Warbler
2 Tennessee Warblers
2 Yellow Warblers
3 Magnolia Warblers
1 American Redstart
1 Mourning Warbler
2 Common Yellowthroats
2 Wilson’s Warblers
3 Indigo Buntings
1 Lincoln’s Sparrow
1 Red-winged Blackbird
2 American Goldfinches
Retrapped 12:
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 American Robin
3 Blue-winged Warblers
2 Yellow Warblers
This Yellow Warbler might be confused as a male because it is so bright but it’s an old female – at least 6 years old according to the band we put on it long ago…and according to a very obvious brood patch.
The “brood patch” on the old female Yellow Warbler.
3 Common Yellowthroats
1 Song Sparrow
1 Red-winged Blackbird
ET’s: 63 spp.
Rick
Was the head on the female Yellow Warbler bright as well? Are you saying that plumage is not a reliable indicator of sex in Yellow Warblers?