The last day of a long Fall banding season that started in mid-August and ran on for 57 days through to…today. Usually at the end I don’t expect much birdwise. Maybe a few late migrants or winter residents moving around looking for the best spot to spend the next 4-5 months. So today was a pleasant, no, VERY pleasant surprise. Unlike yesterday when we had only one bird on the first net round, we were on the go from the start and throughout the morning. In all, we handled 69 birds: 54 new and 15 retraps. This pushed our Fall banding total to 2,058 birds. A good number of people put in a lot of time to make this happen. We rarely have straight “visitors” as we like to put people to work in order to get the real experience of birds and banding. This season, 79 people contributed their time, interest, knowledge, enthusiasm, and….baked goods to the cause. THANKS TO YOU ALL!
-DOL
The charge was led by American Goldfinches. These are late-nesting birds to start with and, therefore, don’t start their migration or re-positioning until later so it’s not unusual to get them at this time. But we’ve been seeing a lot of them. Some of this is certainly due to Sarah’s resituating of the feeders to a spot behind the field station and close to the pond. That location has attracted many birds and their activity attracts other birds moving though, concentrating them in the area. It’s a good spot to see Purple Finches (an irruptive species from the north) as well as goldfinches, woodpeckers, nuthatches, sparrows, etc. After a good feed the goldfinches were moving on west along the pond edge and found their way into our nets.
As well as the birds being banded, we saw an interesting variety of species – we had 40 for the day. Of great interest to me was a movement of Horned Larks high overhead. They’re moving back into this area to spend the Winter. My bait site at the York Airport is ready! Attract Horned Larks and Snow Buntings will follow. And speaking of Snow Buntings…one was encountered flying high over the meadow! [And note: Canadian Snow Bunting Network members in Labrador are reporting a heavy movement now through that province. And also note: as I’m writing this the first snow of the Fall/Winter is coming down.]
Banded 54:
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Hairy Woodpecker
2 Eastern Bluebirds
1 American Robin
1 House Finch
29 American Goldfinches
6 American Tree Sparrows
3 Dark-eyed Juncos
1 White-throated Sparrow
6 Song Sparrows
2 Swamp Sparrows
1 Northern Cardinal
[15 retraps]
TOP TEN FOR THE SEASON:
1. Song Sparrow – 480
2. Swamp Sparrow – 391
3. White-throated Sparrow – 198
4. Bobolink – 186
5. Common Yellowthroat – 94
6. American Goldfinch – 64
7. Gray Catbird – 47
8. Indigo Bunting – 45
9. Lincoln’s Sparrow – 38
9 American Tree Sparrow – 38
10. Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 37
10. Purple Finch – 37
And it was not quiet on the owl front. Sarah was out on 8 nights with a variety of helpers. They managed to band 25 Saw-whets, recover another, and band 1 Eastern Screech Owl.
And now it’s time to take flight to other ventures. But remember: Bunting season is almost upon us and Spring migration is no more than 4 months away.
Rick