When Loretta and I had finished opening the nets and were walking back to the banding lab, taking in the wonderful dawn colours, we both commented on how quiet it was along the edges. NO ‘chipping’ or call notes whatsoever. None. And, given the strength of the wind, which was already billowing the nets, we predicted a day with low numbers banded. How wrong we were. American Goldfinches just came out of the woodwork as soon as it warmed up a little and didn’t seem to care if the nets were billowing or not. Further, Yellow-rumped Warblers had more of a presence. We ended up banding a VERY surprising 109 birds – our highest total so far for the Fall. Of these 45 were goldfinches and 15 were Myrtle Warblers (yellow-rumped Warblers).

Banded 109:
4 Mourning Doves
2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
4 Eastern Wood Pewees
1 Blue Jay
1 Black-capped Chickadee
3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
6 Cedar Waxwings
1 Blue-headed Vireo
1 Philadelphia Vireo
3 Red-eyed Vireos
1 Tennessee Warbler
2 Nashville Warblers
4 Magnolia Warblers
1 Black-throated Blue Warblers
15 Yellow-rumped Warblers
4 Blackpoll Warblers
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Wilson’s Warbler
1 Scarlet Tanager
3 Chipping Sparrows
1 Song Sparrow
1 Lincoln’s Sparrow
1 White-throated Sparrow
2 Purple Finches
45 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 23:
1 Mourning Dove
3 Black-capped Chickadees
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
1 Gray-cheeked Thrush
1 Gray Catbird
1 Nashville Warbler
1 Magnolia Warbler
2 Yellow-rumped Warblers
1 Blackpoll Warbler
1 American Redstart
1 Song Sparrow
8 American Goldfinches

ET’s: 54 spp.
Fall Banding Total: 1,257
Year-to-date Banding Total: 3,842

Rick