[va-richmond-general] Dutch Gap Prothonotary Project Update
- From: "Bob Reilly" <rjreilly@xxxxxxx>
- To: <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 28 May 2005 23:14:35 -0400
Thus far we have banded 127 new prothonotaries this season at Dutch Gap: 111
nestlings and 16 adults. The new adults were 8 male, 8 female. In addition
we have recaptured 61 birds this season that are returns from previous
years! Of these, 42 are female and 19 male. Of the 42 returned females, 14
originally were banded at Dutch Gap as nestlings. Of the 19 returned males,
11 originally were banded at Dutch Gap as nestlings. We also captured 4
foreign recoveries of prothonotaries banded at Deep Bottom in previous years
by Charlie Blem's crew. The returned adults are way up from last year, but
the number of banded chicks is down. We still have a number of 1st round
nests with eggs, however. The lateness of the season has taken a bit of a
toll. Also, there is a virtual explosion of tree swallows at Dutch Gap, and
many instances of them taking prime prothonotary nest boxes. In one case a
female tree swallow swooped in after a female prothonotary had completed her
5 egg clutch and proceeded to add 5 tree swallow eggs to it. The tree
swallow is now sitting on all 10 eggs!! Will be curious to see what comes
of that. If the tree swallow numbers swell any more, I am going to start
thinking of them as small cormorants! The 2nd round of nesting will commence
in the next week or so.
Bob Reilly
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