The Fern Hillian’s Owl Crew.
We’ve had unsettled weather for the past three days and a steady, although not overwhelming, flow of birds through the site. We ran both day (Migration Monitoring) and night (owling).
Friday the 17th: Temperatures were relatively mild (mid-teens) but it was windy. Despite billowing nets we managed to band 86 birds. In the evening we were joined by a group of keen birders from Fern Hill School for the start of our joint Breakfast With The Birds Program. The students have dinner with us and then help set up the owl nets and put out the sound box. We were VERY fortunate to catch one owl on the first net round!! The students then went off to sleep in the historic Hill House.
Michael, Haider and Joanne with the lone owl we banded Friday night.
Snack time in the Drill Hall.
Alex with a Northern Saw-whet Owl.
Joanne Fleet with a happy group of Fern Hillians.
Banded 86:
3 Black-capped Chickadees
1 Brown Creeper
13 Golden-crowned Kinglets
9 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
5 Hermit Thrushes
1 American Robin
14 Cedar Waxwings
5 Myrtle Warblers
1 Northern Cardinal
2 Chipping Sparrows
1 Fox Sparrow
3 Song Sparrows
2 Swamp Sparrows
7 White-throated Sparrows
1 Eastern White-crowned Sparrow
4 Purple Finches
1 House Finch
13 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 40 spp.
Ezra with birds on his mind.
Golden-crowned Kinglet.
October 18th:
The Fern Hillians were able to join us shortly after the nets were opened and thus got a full morning of banding – experiencing what it’s really like to be involved in a full-time banding program. They did a great job!! We were also joined by a variety of visitors – some new, some old, some in-between. So we were busy bird-wise and socially.
Justin with his banded bird – a Myrtle Warbler.
Wing detail of a young (HY) blue Jay.
The highlight of the day though was actually at night when the crew caught 4 Northern Saw-whet Owls!
Saturday night’s Saw-whet Owl crew. -B. Fotheringham
Ezra with one of 4 Northern Saw-whet Owls banded Saturday night. -B. Fotheringham
The deadly claws of a Saw-whet Owl. -B. Fotheringham
Wing detail of a Saw-whet. -B. Fotheringham
Banded 62:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Northern Saw-whet Owl (from the night before)
1 Blue Jay
2 Brown Creepers
4 Golden-crowned Kinglets
4 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
3 Eastern Bluebirds
4 Hermit Thrushes
12 Cedar Waxwings
6 Myrtle Warblers
3 Northern Cardinals
3 Song Sparrows
1 Swamp Sparrow
1 White-throated Sparrow
2 Eastern White-crowned Sparrows
5 House Finches
9 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 41 spp.
October 19th:
We had another good flow of birds through the site – due to light NW winds and partially overcast skies. The highlight of the day was found by Rafaelle Camasta when he was sitting by the feeders taking photos: a very unusual (for Ruthven and for this time of year) Evening Grosbeak!
Surprise of the month: an Evening Grosbeak at the feeder. -R. Camasta
Evening Grosbeak. -R. Camasta
Banded 76:
4 Mourning Doves
4 Northern Saw-whet Owls (from the night before)
1 Downy Woodpecker
3 Brown Creepers
2 Golden-crowned Kinglets
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
5 Hermit Thrushes
1 American Robin
22 Cedar Waxwings
3 Myrtle Warblers
1 Wilson’s Warbler
1 Field Sparrow
1 Song Sparrow
1 Swamp Sparrow
2 White-throated Sparrows
4 Eastern White-crowned Sparrows
3 Dark-eyed Juncos
4 Purple Finches
2 House Finches
11 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 38 spp.
A very late Wilson’s Warbler. -R. Camasta
Lisa with a Brown Creeper – one of her favourites. -R. Camasta
Cedar Waxwing with a Barberry fruit. -R. Camasta
American Goldfinches at the nijer feeder. -R. Camasta
And now I’m off to Ruthven for the first couple of owl net rounds to see if we’re lucky 3 nights running……
Rick