What a beautiful morning! Clear skies and light winds. It was quite cool at opening time with frost in the low-lying areas (which prevented me from opening Nets 4 & 8X).

We had some laudable achievements and firsts this morning:
• We broke the 3,000 mark for the Fall season (we’ve banded 3,024 birds since September 1st).
• We encountered our first American Tree Sparrows of the Season (they’re just returning to spend the Winter in this area – this is Florida for them…).
• We banded our first Sharp-shinned Hawk of the season.
• We banded our first Eastern Screech Owl…..ever!!

Mike Furber retrieved (and returned) the owl from the nest box below Net 2. The hawk was caught in the lowest panel of Net 7 at just about the same time. One young couple that was visiting took numerous photos of the 2 birds and vowed to return soon (They probably think this is an everyday occurrence at Ruthven……)

Banded 70:
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 Eastern Screech Owl (Red phase)
2 Black-capped Chickadees
2 Golden-crowned Kinglets
3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
6 Hermit Thrushes
3 American Robins
3 Cedar Waxwings
5 Myrtle Warblers
2 Northern Cardinals
2 American Tree Sparrows
2 Fox Sparrows
5 Song Sparrows
1 Swamp Sparrow
17 White-throated Sparrows
13 Dark-eyed Juncos
1 Purple Finch
1 House Finch

Retrapped 30:
1 Downy Woodpecker
6 Black-capped Chickadees
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
3 Hermit Thrushes
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Chipping Sparrow
1 Song Sparrow
4 White-throated Sparrows
10 Dark-eyed Juncos

ET’s: 41 spp.

Rick