A low pressure system moved thorugh yesterday and last night with rain and warm temperatures….and wind. The wind was already a factor when I started to open the nets shortly before 7:00 and just kept growing so that by the time we closed the exposed nets were billowing.
But there were lots of birds around – various sparrows (including the first American Tree Sparrows of the season), Golden-crowned Kinglets, Dark-eyed Juncos, and, of course, Goldfinches.
I must say that the banding lab was a pretty happening place this morning – lots of helpers: Loretta Mousseau, Faye Socholotiuk, Mike Alkema, Elaine Serena, Nancy Furber, George DeFossard and Cornelia. And some of these people even brought coffee, tea, and assorted goodies! Let the good times roll!! Beside all the help there was a Federation of Ontario Naturalists meeting as well as the annual Fall Clean-up by Ruthven volunteers. The latter was a good thing because Walter Peace brought his fantastic potato salad for the volunteer lunch that Betsy Smith, Ruthven president, arbitrarily aborted (I mean, being president may give her the power but does it also give her the right!?) Anyway, I went home with a tub of it. Let the good times roll!
Napolean once said about his army that it marched on its stomach. I think that’s perhaps how I band. Maybe it’s the exercise. Maybe the fresh air. Maybe the fact I just roll out of bed and go open the nets without any breakfast. Whatever it is, I sure get hungry during the course of the morning. And then I have to sit there and watch the Goldfinches gorging themselves at the feeders…….
For you number cruncher types: we passed 2 milestones this morning. We have banded over 2,000 birds so far this Fall (2,054) and over 4,000 for the whole year (4,061).

Banded 90:
1 Blue Jay
1 Brown Creeper
18 Golden-crowned Kinglets
3 ruby-crowned Kinglets
1 Hermit thrush
4 Yellow-rumped Warblers
2 Northern Cardinals
4 American Tree Sparrows
3 Chipping Sparrows
7 Fox Sparrows
1 Swamp Sparrow
8 White-throated Sparrows
21 Dark-eyed Juncos
1 Purple Finch
15 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 26:
1 Downy Woodpecker
2 Blue Jays
1 Eastern tufted Titmouse
4 Black-capped Chickadees
2 Brown Creepers
4 Golden-crowned Kinglets
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
2 White-throated Sparrows
1 Eastern White-crowned Sparrow
2 Dark-eyed Juncos
6 American Goldfinches

ET’s: 43 spp.
Rick

Here are a few pictures from the week—Thanks to Peg Serena for sending them!