It is so pretty at the park, and every day you can see the progression of tree foliage; new young tender leaves and fat buds breaking into blossoms. There is a species of hawthorn that has a pale pink flower, quite like an apple blossom, that was particularly pretty today. The Eastern Redbud just outside the banding lab is spectacular.

There is progress as well on the migration front. Dark eyed Junco’s are no longer around, and new species have moved in to fill the gap. New for the year: Common Yellowthroat, Black and White Warbler, and Chestnut sided Warbler.

The wind was quite bothersome, billowing nets early this morning, decreasing yields.

Two retraps were very interesting:
1) Common Yellowthroat, Male, banded as AHY in May 2008, (at least 3 yrs old) and not seen until today.
2) Baltimore Oriole, Female, banded ASY (by Teegan Docherty) in 2004, retrapped this bird once in 2008, and not again until today. That makes this bird at least 8 yrs old!

Banded 16:
1 Tree Swallow
1 House Wren
1 Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
1 Warbling Vireo
1 Nashville Warbler
1 Yellow Warbler
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
3 Chipping Sparrows
1 Song Sparrow
1 Eastern White-crowned Sparrow
1 Red-winged Blackbird
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
2 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 17:
1 Downey Woodpecker
1 Tree Swallow
1 House Wren
1 Blue-winged Warbler
1 Yellow Warbler
1 Common Yellowthroat
4 Chipping Sparrows
1 Song Sparrow
1 Eastern White-crowned Sparrow
1 Red-winged Blackbird
2 Brown-headed Cowbirds
2 Baltimore Orioles

ET’s 53 spp.

Loretta