Five of the 16 Northern Saw-whet Owls banded last night. -N. Furber
I wish I had 10 bucks for every time someone has said to me: “I really want to see an owl!” Well, last night was your chance…and prime conditions (cold, clear, light N wind) to boot. But only 2 people (besides Nancy) took advantage of it. They were treated to our largest one-night capture total ever: 17 owls; 16 Northern Saw-whets, and 1 Eastern Screech Owl! We’re going to try for them again tonight but I doubt we’ll see those kind of numbers again this season.
One of 17 owls banded last night – a gray phase Eastern Screech Owl. -N. Furber
“Lock-on band” used on the Screech Owl. -N. Furber
Over the past two days we’ve watched as the migration has been quite noticeably winding down. Numbers of robins and blackbirds have dwindled as have sparrows. The one bird that has been showing up in large numbers is the American Goldfinch. These little guys have been hitting the feeders hard. While many of these birds will spend the Winter in the area, some will undertake long flights south. Some goldfinches that we’ve banded have turned up as far away as Long Island, West Virginia, and New Orleans. Long distance flyers like these will be looking to put on fat to fuel their flight.
This male Downy Woodpecker is over 10 years old (probably 10 years, 5 months). -M. Gibson
We’ve also been getting a LOT of recaptures – birds that we’ve banded and then caught again. Most we’ve banded fairly recently, within the last 2 weeks (especially juncos) but some have been with us a long time. We recaptured a male Downy Woodpecker that is at least 10 years old – most likely 10 years, 5 months (assuming it was hatched in May). That’s old for a bird like that!
Two male House Finches – note the difference in colour. -C. SCholtens
We’ve alson been getting a nice mix of Purple and House Finches. Usually they are pretty easy to tell apart but every now and again you get one that isn’t so easy.
Male Purple Finch. -A. Wilcox
Male House Finch. -A. Wilcox
Bagger Sam……..now renamed: “Milano”. -C. Scholtens
October 30th; Banded 48:
1 Black-capped Chickadee
Stunning male Golden-crowned Kinglet. -A. Wilcox
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet
3 Northern Cardinals
1 American Tree Sparrow
1 Chipping Sparrow
2 White-throated Sparrows
7 Dark-eyed Juncos
2 Purple Finches
2 House Finches
28 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 34 spp.)
October 31st; Banded 46:
1 Eastern Screech Owl (banded last night)
16 Northern Saw-whet Owl (banded last night)
1 Downy Woodpecker
2 Golden-crowned Kinglets
American Tree Sparrow; note the two-toned bill. -C. Scholtens
1 American Tree Sparrow
7 Dark-eyed Juncos
1 House Finch
17 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 33 spp.
Autumn colours paint the woodland adjacent to the banding area. -J. Chard
Fern Hill – Burlington; October 31st; Banded ??:
Katherine, Janice and the YO’s (Young Ornithologists) were hopping again today at Fern Hill’s Burlington campus.
Banded 29:
1 Chipping Sparrow
1 Field Sparrow
1 Song Sparrow
4 Dark-eyed Juncos
1 House Finch
13 American Goldfinches
8 house Sparrows
ET’s: 25 spp.
Note the differences in the shape and amount of white running up the inside in the outer rectrix (tail feather) of these 2 chickadees. The bird on the left is a young bird (hatched this summer) and the one on the right is an adult bird. -J. Chard
Rick