The weather today could best be described as inclement: rain showers, sometimes quite heavy, through the night and continuing into this morning. I was able to leave my house a little later because of them but I had noticed on the weather radar that they were thinning out so I took a chance, went to Ruthven and opened half the nets when the rain stopped; just half so I could collapse them quickly if I had to if the rain picked up again….which it did (giving me a good excuse to do the census).

It was kind of nice as I was there all by myself – something that happens rarely these days. Sometimes the peace and quiet is restorative. The big surprise came from net 7 – a Yellow-breasted Chat; only the 2nd one banded at Ruthven in our 18 year Fall banding history. And just think: Faye would have banded this bird if she hadn’t kissed the morning off because of the threat of rain.

This was the other surprise. The Ruthven Administration has known for some time that the banding lab exudes almost a sensual warmth and understanding. So during the night they erected this sign to guide all lost souls in need of warmth and understanding to the Love Shack (as they now call it). And again, just think: historically, this building was the ‘Piggery’; now it is the Love Shack. Who knows where all this could go!?


Banded 15:
1 Brown Creeper
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 Gray Catbird
2 Red-eyed Vireos
2 Tennessee Warblers
1 Nashville Warbler
1 Chestnut-sided Warbler
1 Bay-breasted Warbler
1 Yellow-breasted Chat
1 House Finch
3 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 12:
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Eastern Tufted Titmouse
2 Swainson’s Thrushes
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Magnolia Warbler
1 Blackpoll Warbler
1 American Redstart
1 Purple Finch
1 House Finch
2 American Goldfinches

ET’s: 39 spp.
Fall Banding Total: 1,016
Year-to-Date Banding Total: 3,601
Rick