Saturday we were busy, busy, busy. Flocks of Cedar Waxwings seemed to be everywhere but we were also getting a nice mix including the first Yellow-rumped Warbler of the season. We were just finishing off the processing of a round when I asked Morgan to go and check Net 10 – I wasn’t expecting much as it hadn’t been catching all day. She returned quickly to report that there were 35 birds in the net. We were gobsmacked and figured she was just putting us on but….no, by the time we got to the net there were 36 birds in it: 35 Cedar Waxwings and a Tufted Titmouse. For some reason, waxwings do this “misery loves company” thing: when one flies into the net its alarm call often causes its companions to throw themselves into it as well. They are a great bird for students to learn on: they don’t bite; they don’t very often get tangled, they’re easy to handle; and they’re easy to age and sex. We ended up banding 55 of them and 76 birds altogether.
In the evening, Nancy, who was providing the “Ruthven presence” (i.e., the muscle) for a wedding event, opened a few nets to see if there were any Northern Saw-whet Owls around. There weren’t but…….she got the first Hermit Thrush of the season and an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk – nice compensation.
Today was completely different: just a few flocks of waxwings buzzing about and very little else. We banded just 13 birds and NO waxwings!?
2 Mourning Doves
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
1 Tufted Titmouse
2 Black-capped Chickadees
2 Golden-crowned Kinglets
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
2 Swainson’s Thrushes
2 American Robins
55 Cedar Waxwings
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 Blackpoll Warbler
1 Common Yellowthroat
2 Song Sparrows
1 White-throated Sparrow
1 Dark-eyed Junco
1 American Goldfinch
ET’s: 31 spp.
October 1st; Banded 13:
1 Carolina Wren
3 Golden-crowned Kinglets
1 Swainson’s Thrush
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Northern Cardinal
2 Song Sparrows
2 White-throated Sparrows
1 Dark-eyed Junco
ET’s: 38 spp.
Photos:
Rick