Male Blue-winged Warbler. -MMG
We had two days of absolutely beautiful late Summer weather. Nice for everyone…..except, of course, bird banders. Sure we got some nice birds, just not a lot of birds. Many migrants, in the absence of challenging conditions, just flew over. But it’s always nice to get thrushes; these made up almost 30% of the catch.
Comparison (from left to right): Gray-cheeked Thrush, Wood Thrush, Swainson’s Thrush. -MMG
Today we got the first two juvenile American Goldfinches of the Golden Horde that is about to come. Yesterday we got two retrap adults in the “hanging trap” that I had just put up about an hour before. Interestingly, these two birds had originally been caught in this trap in the Spring (it is very popular with our goldfinches). These birds recognized this important food source right away and immediately went to it.
September 9th; Banded 27:
1 Eastern Wood Pewee
3 House Wrens
Gray-cheeked Thrush. -I. Turjansky
1 Gray-cheeked Thrush
9 Swainson’s Thrushes
2 Gray Catbirds
2 Red-eyed Vireos
1 Bay-breasted Warbler
1 Blackpoll Warbler
1 Ovenbird
1 Northern Waterthrush
A late Scarlet Tanager (looking anything but scarlet!). -MMG
1 Scarlet Tanager
3 Indigo Buntings
1 Song Sparrow
September 10th; Banded 35:
3 House Wrens
1 Veery
1 Gray-cheeked Thrush
6 Swainson’s Thrushes
2 Gray Catbirds
4 Red-eyed Vireos
1 Nashville Warbler
2 Magnolia Warblers
1 Western Palm Warbler
5 Blackpoll Warblers
Ovenbird -MMG
2 Ovenbirds
4 Common Yellowthroats
1 Song Sparrow
2 American Goldfinches
Photos (including a few from Friday): Feeding flocks of Canada Geese are a common early morning sight at Ruthven. -I. Turjansky White-breasted Nuthatch. -I. Turjansky Tessa showing a visitor how to hold a bird in the “bander’s grip”. -I. Turjansky This Blue-gray-Gnatcatcher (banded in the Spring) has just finished a complete moult. -MMG Male Black & White Warbler in basic plumage. -MMG Black-throated Green Warbler. -MMG This stunning male Baltimore Oriole had just finished a complete moult. Soon it will be heading south. -MMG Philadelphia Vireo. -MMG Black-throated Green Warbler. -MMG Eastern Comma. -P. Scholtens Tessa checking out a House Wren. -I. Turjansky
Rick