FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Kiptopeke banding (finally) 10/8:Belted Kingfisher banded

[Jethrorunco@xxxxxxx]

Howdy all,

Finally, after two days of junk weather here, we were finally able to open a 
few nets today. It paid off too. We only ran 8 nets (5 of which are some of 
the lowest capture rate nets we have) but we still managed to catch 148 birds 
today! But the biggest highlight of the day (and possible the season) was the 
capture of a BELTED KINGFISHER! Looking back on the data, this was only the 
third Kingfisher ever banded here! BUT the 2 other Kingfishers were both banded 
on 
the 1 Sept 1991. And of more trivia, 1991 was the only year between 1963-2006 
that banding station was somewhere other than the current location! That 
year, the station was moved to the Eastern Shore of VA NWR (and I am not quite 
sure why). Sooo...that means this was the first Kingfisher ever banded at 
Kiptopeke! 
Quite the story eh?

Anyway, the day was filled with GRAY CATBIRDS, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and 
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS.  We caught our third HOODED WARBLER of the season 
as well.

Here is the list from today's banding 10/8:
American Redstart                      10
Black-throated Blue Warbler        23
Yellow-rumped Warbler               25
Pine Warbler                               1
Common Yellowthroat                 11
Hooded Warbler                           1
Western Palm Warbler                 1
Black-and-white Warbler               1
Ovenbird                                      1
Eastern Wood-pewee                    1
Red-eyed Vireo                             3
Gray-cheeked Thrush                    3
Swainson's Thrush                        2
Wood Thrush                                1
Gray Catbird                                63
Belted Kingfisher                           1        What more can I say?!
TOTAL -----------------------------------  148   

Tomorrow might be another good day. That is, if the birds hang around and the 
wind dies down! We could have had a lot of birds today if the winds would h
ave been much slower (preferable calm!). Lots still around today. So I have my 
hopes for tomorrow!

Cheers,
Jethro Runco