May 24th
Another very warm day, so banding dropped right off by mid morning as the temperatures climbed. The Trilliums are fading to pink; The Horse Chestnut, Pink Chestnut, and Red Chestnuts are all in their full glory. The tree canopy is closing in, which makes spotting those elusive warblers tricky. Sweet scents fill the air with the blooming honey suckle, wild grape and hawthorn.
There were noticeably fewer birds, but I still had an interesting mix. Most of the migrating warblers I saw today were females. The males have already moved through, heading further north to steak out nesting territories.
Banded 23
1 Yellow-throated Vireo
1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo
1 Traill’s Flycatcher
1 Great-crested Flycatcher
1 Veery
2 Grey Catbirds
1 Tennessee Warbler
1 Nashville Warbler
3 Yellow Warblers
1 Magnolia Warbler
3 American Redstarts
2 Common Yellowthroats
1 Wilson’s Warbler
1 Indigo Bunting
1 Song Sparrow
1 Baltimore Oriole
1 American Goldfinch
Retrapped 9
1 Blue-winged Warbler
5 Yellow Warblers
1 Song Sparrow
2 Baltimore Orioles
Loretta
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May 23rd
A warm windless day. A good first round and then things tailed off. I think the number of birds is inversely proportional to the temperature!
There were a few new birds to band, but no new species today.
The Retraps had all been seen at least twice before. (no new cards needed)
I found an Oriole making her hanging basket nest in a Black Walnut tree on the slope towards the river, right in front of the mansion.
Banded 34 (19 species)
1 Yellow-bellied flycatcher
2 Traill’s Flycatchers
1 House Wren
1 Grey-cheeked Thrush
1 Swainson’s Thrush
3 Gray Catbirds
3 Cedar Waxwings
2 Yellow Warblers
2 Black-throated Blue Warblers
1 Blackpoll Warbler
2 American Redstarts
2 Northern Water thrushes
3 Common Yellowthroats
1 Chipping Sparrow
2 Field Sparrows
2 Song Sparrows
1 Red-winged Blackbird
1 Baltimore Oriole
3 American Goldfinches
Retrapped 9
1 Orchard Oriole
2 Grey Catbirds
3 Yellow Warblers
1 Song Sparrow
1 Baltimore Oriole
1 American Goldfinch
Loretta
Loretta mentioned that most of the migrants were females. Well…the males are along the south shore of Manitoulin Island (where I was just recently kayaking). At every camping spot or lunch area there were lots of warblers – all males and all singing like crazy. American Redstarts were very common and everyone I saw was an ASY male. There were also quite a few Northern Parulas, as well as all the others: Black-throated Green, Yellow-rumped, Black & White, Magnolia. Probably the most interesting sightings though were over the water: several large flocks of Whimbrels (totalling well over 300 birds) and an Iceland Gull.