[TN-Bird] uprecedented capture rates for cape-may warblers at whigg meadow

From: "dfvogt@xxxxxxxxxxx" <dfvogt@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2007 01:46:52 GMT
In my earlier post conserning Sept 07 bird banding results at Whigg Meadow, 
Cherokee National Forest, Monroe Co., I failed to mention the extremely high 
rate of captures of Cape-may Warblers this season.  In the previous 9 seasons 
of Sept. banding at this location we have averaged 1.4 captures/year.  During 
the 07 season (29 days of banding) we captured and banded 117 cape-mays!  While 
previous seasons have varied in numbers of days that nets were opened (from 9 - 
18 days) this cannot account for this years exceptional capture rate.  Since 
cape-mays are spruce forest inhabitants and, spruce bud worm obligates, this 
years numbers are likely the result of bud worm outbreaks on the nesting 
grounds.  I wonder if this phenomenon could explain the high numbers of 
Tennessee Warblers and the invasion of Red-breasted Nuthatches (also spruce 
forest inhabitants).  
The numbes of cape-mays encountered during our banding season motivated us to 
do some reading about this northern species.  According to the lituratue, 
cape-mays may increase there clutches to as many as 10 eggs during spruce 
budworm outbreaks!  We also read that cape-mays feed heavily on nectar when on 
their wintering grounds and have "tubular tounges unique to warblers" adapted 
to nectar feeding.  While we did not observe this behavior we did see them 
pecking at blueberries and subsequentls sticking their beaks into the berries 
and, apparently, sucking the juice out.
David Vogt
Chattanooga
 
=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with
first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation.
You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds
you report were seen.  The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
      To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
                    tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________ 
                To unsubscribe, send email to:
                 tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
            with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
  TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society 
       Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
        endorse the views or opinions expressed
        by the members of this discussion group.
 
         Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
                 wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
                ------------------------------
                Assistant Moderator Andy Jones
                         Cleveland, OH
                -------------------------------
               Assistant Moderator Dave Worley
                          Rosedale, VA
__________________________________________________________
         
          Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
              web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                          ARCHIVES
 TN-Bird Net Archives at //www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/

                  EXCELLENT MAP RESOURCES
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif
Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com

_____________________________________________________________
[TN-Bird] uprecedented capture rates for cape-may warblers at whigg meadow

Other related posts:
