It’s been a bit of a roller coaster of a week with banding numbers going up and down – usually in response to the weather. On the 2nd there were light northerly winds through the previous night and subsequent numbers banded were low (18). Then the wind shifted to a southerly direction the night of the 2nd and number banded on the 3rd more than doubled that of the day before (38). Migrants would have taken advantage of northerly winds to make some distance whereas southerly winds, although light, would have been in their face. Since they’re not in a big hurry in the Fall, maybe they figured “why fight it” and dropped down to feed.
On the 4th I opened a couple of nets in a lull in the rain if, for no other reason, to try to get Bobolinks. The nets were open for only an hour and a half before the rain (which had been heavy through the night) started again. I didn’t really expect to catch a Bobolink so I was quite surprised when I did. This was the only one around that I saw. It was a young male but it was carrying a fat load of ‘4’ and weighed over 38 g. So it had the energy to undertake a long flight if it so chose. It made me wonder what its story was. How come it was here on its own but ready to go? Where were its buddies? Do you think a bird like this, that travels in flocks gets anxious when it’s lost the flock?
The 5th was another shortened day as the strong wind warnings issued by Environment Canada materialize around 8:30 in the morning. We closed after just less than 3 hours having caught 12 birds. The wind was already picking up when we opened and many of the nets were billowing. So I think we did well to catch the 12 we did.
The winds shifted around to the South and were light and birds were making up for lost time. So the morning of the 6th was quite productive and we banded 40 birds.
Last night we had a mix of stars and cloud but when I headed out to the Farm most of the cloud had disappeared and a lovely full moon was going down in the West bathing the countryside in a soft light. Southerly winds were light. Initially it was quiet but as the sun rose so did the avian activity level. We ended up banding 65 birds – the best day so far this season!
September 2nd; Banded 18:
1 Eastern Phoebe
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Veery
1 Song Sparrow
11 Bobolinks
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Northern Cardinal
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
September 3rd; Banded 38:
2 Least Flycatchers
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Northern House Wren
4 Gray Catbirds
5 Song Sparrows
2 Swamp Sparrows
15 Bobolinks
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Bay-breasted Warbler
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
4 Indigo Bunting
September 4th; Banded 6:
1 Least Flycatcher
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
2 Song Sparrows
1 Bobolink
1 Indigo Bunting
September 5th; Banded 12:
2 Northern House Wrens
3 Swamp Sparrows
5 Bobolinks
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Black & White Warbler
September 6th; Banded 40:
1 Least Flycatcher
1 Northern house Wren
4 Gray Catbirds
1 American Goldfinch
3 Song Sparrows
3 Swamp Sparrows
14 Bobolinks
1 Nashville Warbler
6 Common Yellowthroats
3 American Redstarts
1 Magnolia Warbler
2 Indigo Buntings
September 7th; Banded 65:
1 Traill’s Flycatcher
1 Least Flycatcher
1 Red-eyed Vireo
2 Carolina Wrens
1 Gray Catbird
11 Song Sparrows
13 Swamp Sparrows
20 Bobolinks
1 Nashville Warbler
7 Common Yellowthroats
3 American Redstarts
1 Magnolia Warbler
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
2 Indigo Buntings
Rick