October 3rd

A cold 5 degrees C this morning, with clear skies and wind from the west made for a quiet day bird wise. But the station was alive with children as 3 families of “Home Schooled” children visited. We managed enough birds of varied species to keep things interesting, but would have been happy to have a few more numbers for the day.

Banded 19:
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Blue Jay
1 American Robin
1 Grey Catbird
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Nashville Warbler
1 Black-throated Blue Warbler
1 Western Palm Warbler
11 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 8:
3 Black-capped Chickadees
2 White-throated Sparrows
1 Blue Jay
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 American Goldfinch

The Retrapped Goldfinch is a foreign retrap. (I think)

Loretta

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October 2nd

The unsettled weather kept us guessing for the first hour or so as a few light showers moved through, nothing heavy enough to close the nets. It was a slow day given that we should be ramping up for the peak of fall migration.

The Park seemed eerily quiet. Something was missing. The background hum of mosquitoes has ceased…. The cooler weather comes with mixed blessings!

Banded 39:
1 Northern Parula (the 8th for the fall season; we are lucky to band a couple some falls)
1 Yellow Billed Cuckoo (this was a nice surprise!)
2 Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers
1 Golden Crowned Kinglets
4 Ruby Crowned Kinglets
1 Grey cheeked Thrush
2 Swainson’s Thrushes
4 Grey Catbirds
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Nashville Warbler
1 Myrtle Warbler
1 Black-throated Green Warbler
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Song Sparrow
9 White-throated Sparrows
8 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 5:
1 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Grey Catbird
1 Blackpoll Warbler
1 Song Sparrow
1 Golden-Crowned Kinglet

Loretta

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Last week Brian made an attempt to attract and band Northern Saw-whet Owls. He didn’t catch any Saw-whets, but did band a hatch year Eastern Screech Owl. Here are a few pictures.