None of the last 3 days has been the same: Saturday was cool and rainy; Sunday started off cool and clear but warmed up to 21 degrees; and today was cool and clear early but clouded over by noon. And although we never got a lot of birds on any of these days, each had its highlights.
Saturday I opened only some of the nets so that I could close them quickly when the forecast rain started…and it did, around 10:00. Still we banded 17 birds including a Yellow-billed Cuckoo and, on census, I saw the first White-throated Sparrows of the season – harbingers of the hordes to come.
Sunday, Nancy and the crew banded 24 birds but the highlights were two kettles of Broad-winged Hawks and a steady flow of migrating Monarch Butterflies through the area. Although Broad-wings are a common Ontario breeding bird, we don’t often see them so seeing 36 of them was a treat. And the 33+ Monarchs was certainly a delight considering the very low numbers of them reported last year.
Today we had a nice mix of species (21) making up the total of 36 birds we banded. But the highlight was the homemade peach pie that Carol made for our consumption. It pushed the start of my diet back by at least a day. Today also marked the beginning of school groups coming to Ruthven. These are a mixed blessing as you all know…..The best strategy is to arrive early. The groups usually don’t arrive until 10:00; the best banding is usually between 7:00 and 10:00 – a 3-hour window for your birding pleasure.
September 13th; Banded 17:
1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo
1 Eastern Wood Pewee
1 Swainson’s Thrush
2 Gray Catbirds
2 Red-eyed Vireos
3 Nashville Warblers
4 Magnolia Warblers
2 American Redstarts
1 Common Yellowthroat
ET’s: 33 spp.
September 14th; Banded 24:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Eastern Wood Pewee
3 House Wrens
3 Gray Catbirds
4 Magnolia Warblers
1 Blackburnian Warbler
2 Bay-breasted Warblers
2 Blackpoll Warblers
2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
2 Chipping Sparrows
1 Song Sparrow
2 Lincoln’s Sparrows
ET’s: 51 spp.
September 15th; Banded 36:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Eastern Wood Pewee
1 Blue Jay
4 House Wrens
3 Swainson’s Thrushes
2 Gray Catbirds
1 Philadelphia Vireo
4 Red-eyed Vireos
2 Tennessee Warblers
1 Magnolia Warbler
1 Black-throated Blue Warbler
1 Black-throated Green Warbler
1 Bay-breasted Warbler
1 Blackpoll Warbler
3 Common Yellowthroats
1 Scarlet Tanager
1 Indigo Bunting
1 Song Sparrow
1 White-throated Sparrow
3 House Finches
2 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 49 spp.
Photo Gallery:
And here’s two birds that you don’t usually associate with hummingbird feeders:
Rick