A beautiful summer day at Ruthven Park with warm temperatures and sunny skies…..no, wait, its October. At least that explains some of the birds around, ‘cuz today at least it sure doesn’t feel like October.

Pre dawn there was a bright partial moon reflecting enough light to cast long shadows and to even read by (presuming large text). The first net round was hectic with most of the bags in the station being filled with squirming occupants but the wind picked up dramatically and the action tapered off -except, of course, for leaves.

A Pileated Woodpecker was active near the Thompson Cemetery, and a Northern Brown Snake was found along the net trail towards Net 5.

I was joined for most of the morning by an enthusiastic group of youngsters, but sadly the curse of Giovanni still lay heavily upon the land and no Black-Throated Blue Warblers were observed. No one brought me baked goods either. Perhaps if I invested in a yacht – or just burned money, same thing really.

Banded: 79
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet 3
Golden-Crowned Kinglet 2
Tennessee Warbler 1
American Goldfinch 20
Magnolia Warbler 1
Nashville Warbler 1
Brown Creeper 1
Yellow-Rumped Warbler 13
Common Yellowthroat 1
Blackpoll Warbler 3
Eastern Phoebe 2
Slate-Coloured Junco 1
Ovenbird 1
Cedar Waxwing 4
Song Sparrow 10
Swainson’s Thrush 2
White-Throated Sparrow 2 (despite there being scads around)
Grey-Cheeked Thrush 1
Scarlet Tanager 1
Hermit Thrush 2
Grey Catbird 2
Brown-Headed Cowbird 1
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker 2
American Robin 1
Blue Jay 1

Retrapped: 10
Black-Capped Chickadee 2
Winter Wren 1
Swainson’s Thrush 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Song Sparrow 1
White-Breasted Nuthatch 1
White-Throated Sparrow 2

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