Black-throated Green Warblers
You could feel Fall in the air these past two mornings. Today there were frost patches and it took us awhile to open Net 4. First thing in the morning there’s always a temperature drop when you descend to it.
On both days wind has been an important factor, billowing the nets and catching leaves. But whereas yesterday it was strong from the getgo, this morning it was calm and the wind didn’t pick up until well after the sun got up.
1st Brown Creeper of the season.
Yesterday, it was quiet along the edges when we were opening. There were no sparrows “chipping” as they began to move about but this morning White-throats and Song Sparrows were quite vocal. This always gets my expectations up as, by experience, I know that there has been a good migratory movement during the night and that there are many new birds around. And so it proved to be: yesterday we banded 44 (16 species) whereas today we did 85 (species).
Northern Parula
There is a large roving flock (probably several) of Common Grackles in the area. Yesterday the flock flew over, sounding like a big rushing wind…for minutes at a time. We estimated there were more than 10,000 of them. Mixed in with them were large flocks of European Starlings. After they passed we checked the nets and came up with 8 starlings and 12 grackles…just a tiny fraction of the flock, but exciting to see weighing down a net.
Today we counted only 3 (yes, that’s right, 3) grackles. Instead we were busy with sparrows (see the list below) although the first bird of the day was a Mourning Warbler. I can only hope that this influx of migrants continues…..
Male Black-throated Green Warbler
Wing detail.
October 8th; Banded 44:
1 Eastern Wood Pewee
2 Brown Creepers (1st ones of the migration)
1 House Wren
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet
2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
2 Gray-cheeked Thrushes
2 Swainson’s Thrushes
2 Hermit Thrushes
8 European Starlings
1 Northern Parula
3 Black-throated Green Warblers
1 Wilson’s Warbler
1 White-throated Sparrow
12 Common Grackles
3 House Finches
2 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 40 spp.
October 9th; Banded 85:
1 Hairy Woodpecker
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Blue Jay
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 House Wren
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet
4 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
1 Gray-cheeked thrush
1 Swainson’s Thrush
5 Hermit Thrushes
5 Gray Catbirds
2 Cedar Waxwings
2 Nashville Warblers
1 Magnolia Warbler
7 Myrtle Warblers
1 Western Palm Warbler
2 Blackpoll Warblers
1 Mourning Warbler
1 Common Yellowthroat
9 Song Sparrows
3 Lincoln’s Sparrows
3 Swamp Sparrows
24 White-throated Sparrows
2 Eastern White-crowned Sparrows
2 House Finches
3 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 46 spp.
For Northern Saw-whet Owl afficianadoes: Nancy did not catch any Wednesday night but she will try again tomorrow (Friday) night.
Rick