September 27th
It was one of those neat banding days – lousy weather: intermittent light rain/drizzle and a light NE wind. There were a lot of birds around and interesting variety. I saw/banded 11 species of warblers: Nashville, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue (sorry Giovanni, I hope you’re not 2 days too late to see one), Yellow-rumped (first of the season), Blackburnian, Western Palm (another season first), Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Connecticut (at last…I get to band one). Another first for the season was an Eastern White-crowned Sparrow. I also banded 5 Gray-cheeked Thrushes, which must be some kind of daily record for Ruthven.
I was too busy to get around to do a census. This is a shame as there were a lot of birds, interesting birds, to be seen.
For all you number crunchers that have been following our surprised expostulations on Goldfinches…..since September 4th, when we started the Fall banding season, we have banded 451. Given that the heaviest concentrations are usually in October and that the single season record is 678 (in 2005), I think we have a good shot at setting a new record.
Banded 64:
1 Blue Jay
3 ruby-crowned Kinglets
5 Gray-cheeked thrushes
3 Swainson’s thrushes
1 Hermit thrush
1 Gray Catbird
2 Philadelphia Vireos
2 Red-eyed Vireos
2 Nashville Warblers
1 Magnolia Warbler
1 Black-throated Blue Warbler
1 Blackburnian Warbler
1 Bay-breasted Warbler
2 Blackpoll Warblers
1 American Redstart (beautiful ASY male)
3 Common Redstarts
1 Connecticut Warbler
1 Chipping Sparrow
1 Song Sparrow
10 White-throated Sparrows
1 Eastern White-crowned Sparrow
1 Dark-eyed Junco
19 American Goldfinches
Retapped 12:
1 Downy Woodpecker (HY – July 2003)
1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
1 Black-capped Chickadee
2 White-breasted Nuthatches
1 Gray Catbird
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Song Sparrow
1 White-throated Sparrow
3 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 41 Spp.
Rick
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September 26th
The storms and showers overnight tapered off at dawn, so, even though it was still spitting, I thought I would open a few nets. I closed at noon when a thunder storm approached the park.
The Goldfinches were active again today, making up over half the birds banded.
Banded 40:
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
2 Black-capped Chickadees
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Swainson’s Thrush
1 Grey Catbird
2 Tennessee Warblers
1 Magnolia Warbler
1 American Redstart
2 Common Yellowthroats
3 Purple Finches
1House Finch
24 American Goldfinches
Retrapped 13
1 Black-capped Chickadee
2 White-breasted Nuthatches
1 Nashville Warbler
2 Common Yellowthroats
1 White-throated Sparrow
6 American Goldfinches
There were quite a few White-throated Sparrows calling in the Grey Dogwoods, but none were banded today- probably because I was afraid to open more nets due to the inclement weather.
Estimated Totals and Census numbers were low due to rain.
Loretta
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September 25th
It was hot today! Even in the early hours before the sun was up it was 20 degrees! And there was a stiff breeze out of the south. Needless to say the birds were about as lethargic as this bander. By noon, the temperature had climbed to about 30. It seems odd somehow to be catching White-throated Sparrows and Juncos in these kind of conditions.
Banded 24:
1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
1 House Wren
1 Wood Thrush
1 Gray Catbird
1 Warbling Vireo
1 Philadelphia Vireo
1 Red-eyed Vireo
3 Song Sparrows
3 White-throated Sparrows
2 Slate-coloured Juncos
1 Purple Finch
8 American Goldfinches
Retrapped 17:
2 Black-capped Chickadees
2 White-breasted Nuthatches
1 House Wren
1 Gray Catbird
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Song Sparrow
1 Purple Finch
8 American Goldfinches.
ET’s: 44 spp.
Rick