September 20th

A brilliant corona surrounded the moon early this morning as I left for Ruthven. An interesting sight although I admit that it looked like a giant “zero” and I hoped it did not foreshadow the results of the day’s banding effort.

I need not have worried. Despite the fact that many of the birds encountered over the past couple of days seem to have moved on during the night, more have come in to take their place. The first round in fact was rather hectic due to the large number of birds caught, but the wind increased and the day warmed up and bird movement tapered off.

With the wind many fallen leaves became trapped in the nets and had to be tediously extracted. Thankfully both Rick and Jeff showed up for a visit but after one look at the leaves in the nets they both remembered that they were actually supposed to be somewhere else.

As they hurried down the drive in their van Rick shouted something at me in French. This was a surprise as up until this point I was completely unaware of his bilingualism. Over the wind and rustling leaves I couldn’t quite make out what he said but I did hear the word “sucre”. I’m unfamiliar with both French and Quebecois folk phrases, but I’m sure it was something along the lines of “Keep up the good work” or “Sorry we couldn’t help”.

Banded: 32
American Goldfinch 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet 1
Blackburnian Warbler 4
Chestnut-Sided Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 5
Black-and-White Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Black-Throated Blue Warbler 2
Bay-Breasted Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 1
House Wren 1
Red-Eyed Vireo 4
Swainson’s Thrush 1
Scarlet Tanager 2
Grey Catbird 4
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak 1

Retrapped: 9
Chestnut-Sided Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 1
Black-Capped Chickadee 4
Common Yellowthroat 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Grey Catbird 1

39 species on ET

B

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September 19th

A bright sunny day at Ruthven. The banding total of 17 may indicate that nothing much was going on but in truth there were many birds around – they all just decided to hang out in the trees at the front of the mansion or down by the river.

A Ruffed Grouse, unusual for the environs of the banding station, was flushed from the vicinity of Net 8 causing a surge of adrenaline. Also amongst the 55 species observed during the day were Pine Warbler, American Green-Winged Teal, American Black Duck and Eastern Tufted Titmouse – all of which seem to be new for the fall assuming our yearly checklist has been filled out.

A lone Chimney Swift was the day’s sole obligate aerial forager.

In the past 2 days 72 species have been observed at Ruthven Park, 18 of them warblers.

Banded: 17
Chestnut-Sided Warbler 1
American Goldfinch 1
Brown Creeper 1
Nashville Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
Western Palm Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 2
Philadelphia Vireo 1
Pine Warbler 1 (winning the award for the day’s most drab plumage)
Black-Capped Chickadee 1
White-Throated Sparrow 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Grey Catbird 2

Retrapped: 8
Black-Capped Chickadee 1
Mourning Warbler 1
Grey-Cheeked Thrush 1
Song Sparrow 1
White-Throated Sparrow 1
Grey Catbird 2
Northern Cardinal 1

B