Early morning dew sets off the thousands of beautiful (but deadly to insects) spider webs. -B. McCreadie
Yesterday it was Orion hunting over the dark clear skies from his perch high in the east. This morning, it was the moon peeking through occasional rents in the dark clouds. But both mornings I could hear migrants passing high overhead. Then, when the sun was about to clear the horizon, I watched as birds dropped from the sky, looking for a place to feed and rest. American Robins are a species that we commonly see at this time in loose flocks of 2 up to 20 birds. The individual birds are well spaced, 10 to 20 metres apart, and one can appreciate how call notes in the dark sky would be useful in allowing birds to stay in reasonable proximity.
First Cape May Warbler of the season.
A real long-distance migrant: Gray-cheeked Thrush.
The beautiful weather yesterday kept captures down – we banded only 19 – but the cloudy weather this morning obscured the nets more effectively and we caught 30 – not an astounding number but enough to keep you interested and excited about each round.
A Western Palm Warbler with a wet head – from “skulling”, a technique for ascertaining age. -B. McCreadie
Downy Woodpecker. -B. McCreadie
House Finches, that were relatively uncommon for a couple of years, seem to be returning. -B. McCreadie
September 8th; Banded 19:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Eastern Wood Pewee
2 Black-capped Chickadees
1 Gray-cheeked Thrush (1st of the season)
2 Swainson’s Thrushes
3 Gray Catbirds
2 Red-eyed Vireos
1 Nashville Warbler
2 Magnolia Warblers
1 Western Palm Warbler
2 Common Yellowthroats
1 Wilson’s Warbler
ET’s: 47 spp.
September 9th; Banded 30:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Downy Woodpecker
6 Eastern Wood Pewees
1 House Wren
1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
2 Swainson’s Thrushes
5 Red-eyed Vireos
1 Blue-winged Warbler
1 Nashville Warbler
1 Cape May Warbler (1st of the season)
2 Bay-breasted Warblers
2 Ovenbirds
1 Common Yellowthroat
2 Scarlet Tanagers
2 Song Sparrows
1 House Finch
ET’s: 49 spp.
Rick