Wild Turkeys out for a leisurely stroll along the trail down to the cemetery. They didn’t seem too concerned about us. -AG
It was a nice day: pleasant weather, a good mix of birds, and a congenial mix of bird enthusiasts…of all ages. Not only were our banding numbers up but the number of species around the site was also up.
Wild Turkey strutting her stuff. -KMP
Almost as though they had read yesterday’s blog, a group of Wild Turkeys strolled by a group of us on their way down toward the Fox Den Trail. They must have sensed that we weren’t hunters…..I’m not sure what I’d do if one made it into a net. It would likely be the end of the net for sure and I think they would be more than a handful to hold/extract.
Faye has just tagged this Monarch Butterfly – much to Liam’s joy. They caught and tagged 3 today. -FAS
For the second year in a row now we are going to tag Monarch Butterflies (thanks to Faye and Karen for procuring the tags). We are getting a much earlier start than last year and with good success. Faye and Liam caught and banded 3 today (1 more than last year’s total).
Hummingbird paparazzi. -KMP
The star of the show. -KMP
Banded 47:
We set out ground traps for the first time today and caught 4 Mourning Doves. -ELO
2 Mourning Doves
1 Downy Woodpecker
For comparison: 2 Eastern Wood Pewees. The one on the left was hatched this year; the one on the right is older. The young one has wider buff wing bars while the older has a thinner grayish white set of wing bars. The older bird won’t moult until it reaches its winter home in the Amazon rainforest. -KMP
6 Eastern Wood-pewees
Least Flycatcher -ELO
1 Least Flycatcher
2 Blue Jays
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 House Wren
1 Gray Catbird
2 Warbling Vireos
9 Red-eyed Vireos
2 Blue-winged Warblers
3 Tennessee Warblers
1 Nashville Warbler
1 Chestnut-sided Warbler
1 Blackburnian Warbler
2 Bay-breasted Warblers
Blackpoll Warbler (the wet head is due to “skulling” – a technique for telling the age of the bird). -ELO
1 Blackpoll Warbler
1 Canada Warbler
1 American Redstart
1 Ovenbird
5 Song Sparrows
1 Baltimore Oriole
1 American Goldfinch
ET’s: 56 spp.
Below is the start of a new feature: the “other”, non-bird wildlife that you can find at Ruthven. This is inspired by Karen’s keen eye and camera (and identification app). It’s amazing what you can find if you just look.
Karen’s Kreeping Korner:
7-Spotted Lady Beetle. -KMP
Giant Leopard Moth caterpillar. -KMP
Green Frog. -KMP
Great Spangled Fritillary. -KMP
Ilanthus Webworm Moth. -KMP
Large Milkweed Bug. -KMP
Sycamore Tussock Moth. -KMP
Squirrels and chipmunks (like this one) seem to be few and far between at the moment – I don’t know what’s happened since the Summer when they were over-running the place. -ELO
Rick