The ‘start’ was actually somewhat late as I had to get son #2 to the Toronto Airport so he can continue his education in Thunder Bay. So the nets didn’t get opened until around 10:00. By that time it was pretty quiet. But at Ruthven, when all else fails. there’s American Goldfinches. The older birds are into a heavy “Complete Moult” and are visiting the feeders for some easy and sure nutrition. The young birds are simply following them. Interestingly, 8 of the 14 goldfinches handled today were adult birds. Usually during the Fall migration the percentage of HY (hatch year or young) birds is about 85-90%. The retrapped goldfinch is NOT from Ruthven. I am sending in the number to the banding office to see where it came from.

We had the first Philadelphia Vireo of the season today. There was a Red-breasted Nuthatch in the spruce in front of the Mansion. And an adult Bald Eagle flew over (probably keeping an eye on the 2 Ospreys that were fishing in the shallow water in front of the Mansion). Most exciting to me was our first Gray-cheeked Thrush of the season. An adult bird, it’s on its long journey to South America.

Banded 23:
1 Downy Woodpecker
2 Eastern Wood Peewees
1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
2 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Gray-cheeked Thrush
1 Philadelphia Vireo
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 house Finch
13 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 14:
1 Hairy Woodpecker
1 Eastern Wood Peewee
5 Black-capped Chickadees
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
2 Gray Catbirds
2 Yellow-throated Vireos
1 Ovenbird
1 American Goldfinch

Rick

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The Spring 2007 Migration Monitoring Results can now be viewed at by clicking here, or using the link under ‘other natureblog pages’ in the sidebar.  Rick Ludkin is the author of the material on that page, and compiled all the numbers to create the tables that appear there.