Howdy all,
The past two days have been very interesting days at the banding station.
Yesterday we managed to catch 18 birds which was about 15 more birds than I
expected to catch. And the birds were quite good as well. The highlight of the
31st was the capture of a hatching year Seaside Sparrow! It was only the 6th or
7th ever banded here! Also on the 31st, we caught another Blue-winged Warbler.
Today was also very very good. The park was clearing trees in and near the
banding station today so yesterday I took down most of the nets in the station.
This morning we were able to run only six nets. But as fate would have it, it
was a good day for birds. It was the biggest push of migrants yet this year. I
wish we could have had more nets open but the six open today kept us busy, at
least for a little while. We ended up catching a total of 56 birds today
including our first of the season Acadian Flycatcher and Magnolia Warbler.
Other highlights include the capture of two Chestnut-sided Warblers and an
adult 'blue' Blue Grosbeak.
8/31 birds:
Redstart 1
Traill's Flycatcher 4
C. Yellowthroat 4
Blue-winged Warbler 1
Grasshopper Sparrow 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Grosbeak 2
Carolina Wren 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 2
Seaside Sparrow 1
9/1 birds:
Magnolia Warbler 4
A. Redstart 25
Prairie Warbler 2
Chipping Sparrow 1
C. Yellowthroat 7
Black-and-white Warbler 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2
Traill's Flycatcher 4
Acadian Flycatcher 1
White-eyed Vireo 1
Indigo Bunting 2
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Blue Grosbeak 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2 (released unbanded)
I am in high hopes that the tree clearing will be done by tonight and that I
can set the nets back up yet today. Today we banded from a side road with the
trunk of my car as the makeshift banding station. I hope tomorrow we can use
the real banding station, and that the birds are still here. I am not even
going to guess what tomorrow might hold. Guess we'll see about 6am!
As for visitors to the park, or banding station, it looks like the park will be
done clearing trees by tonight, however, there is still a lot of clean-up to
do. The area looks very different but it was a MUCH needed thinning of the
pines there. Glad to see it happen. Now if we can just get trees and shrubs
other than pine to fill in the area, the birds will love us!
Hope to see you all at the banding station!
Cheers,
Jethro Runco
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