Just a few of the 49 Cedar Waxwings that we banded outside (so we could keep an eye on the sky for migrating raptors). -NRF
Banding is so much more pleasant when there are actually birds to band. Migrants took advantage of last night’s northerly winds to move down and it was evident around Ruthven this morning. The early going was steady but not overwhelming and produced a couple of new birds for the season: Marsh Wren (a very uncommon visitor to Ruthven) and a White-throated Sparrow – the first of the expected hordes to come.
Marsh Wren – a VERY uncommon visitor to Ruthven. -DOL
First White-throated Sparrow of the season – the beginning of the hordes to come? -DOL
But the thing that was most noticeable was the number of Cedar Waxwings buzzing around the site – especially in the berry-laden junipers behind the Mansion. We hoped it would just be a matter of time before one found its way into a net. When it does its alarm call seems to act as an invitation to all the others to throw themselves in too. Misery loves company so it seems. We had two nice hits later in the morning – in Net 10 and half an hour later in Net 4.
Banded 88:
1 Northern Flicker
Young/juvenile (buffy wing bars) Eastern Woo-pewee. -JNJ
1 Eastern Wood-pewee
1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
1 Traill’s Flycatcher
1 Least Flycatcher
1 House Wren
Another look at the Marsh Wren – caught in the Meadow nets. -DOL
1 Marsh Wren
2 Swainson’s Thrushes
6 Gray Catbirds
49 Cedar Waxwings
4 Red-eyed Vireos
Adult male Nashville Warbler. -DOL
4 Nashville Warblers
4 Magnolia Warblers
1 Black-throated Green Warbler
1 Bay-breasted Warbler
1 Blackpoll Warbler
A fairly late Ovenbird. -JNJ
1 Ovenbird
2 Common Yellowthroats
1 Indigo Bunting
2 Song Sparrows
1 White-throated Sparrow
2 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 56 spp. (including a pair of Common Ravens)
“…….; our strength is people”:
Hannah and Jaimie sharing a birding moment -they had a lot of them this morning. -DOL
Karen’s Kreeping Korner:
Female Arrow Clubtail (thanks Bill Lamond). -KMP
Rick