Metro Beach banding station report - April 17 & 19, 2014

Spring is springing, but winter is not letting go either. On Thursday, April 17, it was 31 degrees in the morning so a very thin layer of ice had formed overnight all over the swampy banding area, and it did not go away until the second net run! On Saturday, April 19, it was 36 degrees in the morning but did not feel much warmer because of the light north winds. Both days did improve significantly however with temperatures getting into the 50s.

Highlights of the 45 birds banded on Thursday, April 17 included a Northern Flicker, which is always a nice species to have in hand as only a couple are typically captured in a season.

Second-year female Northern Flicker

A resident species that doesn't find its way into our nets very often is the White-breasted Nuthatch; maybe one per year has been banded at this station, so another nice species to have in hand.

After hatch-year male White-breasted Nuthatch

The Golden-crowned Kinglets seem to have mostly gone north but the Ruby-crowneds are just arriving, and today the first two of the season were captured, both males as expected.

After hatch-year male Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Although we did not see any in the banding area, surprising given the lack of anything green yet, the first four Hermit Thrushes of the season were banded today.

Second-year Hermit Thrush

And a Swamp Sparrow, the first of many more to come, was captured today. We see many more birds with rufous in the crown in spring than in fall, but there is no known correlation with age or sex as this character is quite variable.

After hatch-year Swamp Sparrow

Interesting birds observed but not banded included flyover Common Loon, Turkey Vulture, Wood Duck, and American Kestrel. Both Sora and Virginia Rails were calling in the marsh, and Wilson's Snipe continued to winnow overhead through most of the morning. A Red-headed Woodpecker flew through the banding area but did not stop, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler was singing briefly in the morning, as was an Eastern Towhee.

Highlights of the 40 birds banded on Saturday, April 19 included one of the first birds that started singing at first light. At first, it sounded like an American Tree Sparrow, but it got louder and clearer, and became obvious it was a Louisiana Waterthrush, only the second I've ever had in the park! It had been found the day before by a birder, and by the time the first birders turned up looking for it this morning a bit after sunrise, the bird had stopped its vigorous and almost continuous singing, giving just an occasional "chink" note. It took a couple of net runs, but the bird finally found its way into the nets, for only the second of its species ever banded at this station!

After hatch-year (SY?) male Louisiana Waterthrush

After hatch-year (SY?) male Louisiana Waterthrush

There were no plumage characters that allowed it to be sexed, but as it was almost certainly the only member of its species in the area, and it was clearly singing, there is no doubt it was a male. The age is a bit uncertain to me. The secondaries and tail feathers were very worn, suggesting that it might have been a second-year bird. Species ID points included the very large bill compared with Northern Waterthrush, as well as the lack of yellow anywhere on the underparts, and a mostly unspotted throat.

After hatch-year (SY?) male Louisiana Waterthrush

After hatch-year (SY?) male Louisiana Waterthrush

Thinking this would probably be the highlight of the spring season, it was very surprising to come across yet another great bird later in the day, this one a first ever for the station, a beautiful male American Kestrel! This is the 124th species banded here since 1989, and the 120th since 2004.

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

Interesting birds observed but not banded included two flyover Common Loons, flyover Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, two Sandhill Cranes (one flying south, one calling from the South Marsh), a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and possibly the last American Tree Sparrow and Fox Sparrow of the season.

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Banding Data
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THURSDAY, April 17, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:48
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:15
Hours Open: 7.25
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 93.25
Temperature (F): 31-54
Cloud Cover: 50-70-30%
Wind: ENE-SE @ 5-7-12 mph
Barometer: 29.72 - 29.67
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 45 (plus 7 recaptured, 3 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 12
Capture Rate: 57.7 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 10.00 hours, 5:00-15:00): Jacob Charlebois (4.5 hrs), John Bieganowski (5.5 hrs), Tom Schlack (4.5 hrs), Steve Mangas (10.0 hrs)

Downy Woodpecker -1
Northern Flicker - 1
Black-capped Chickadee - 1
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
Brown Creeper - 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 2
Hermit Thrush - 4
American Robin -3 (plus 1 released unbanded)
Song Sparrow - 1 (plus 3 recaptured)
Swamp Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird -26 (plus 2 recaptured, 2 released unbanded)
[American Goldfinch - 1 recaptured]

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SATURDAY, April 19, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:45
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:00
Hours Open: 7.00
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 91.50
Temperature (F): 36-55
Cloud Cover: 20-0%
Wind: N-NE @ 5-7-10 mph
Barometer: 29.77 - 29.78
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 40 (plus 9 recaptured)
No. of Species: 12
Capture Rate: 53.6 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 9.5 hours, 5:00-14:30): Jacob Charlebois (6.0 hrs), Sarah Toner, Blanche Wicke

AMERICAN KESTREL - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 3 (plus 1 recaptured)
Northern Flicker - 1

Black-capped Chickadee - 1 (plus 3 recaptured)
Brown Creeper - 1 (plus 3 recaptured)
Hermit Thrush - 5
American Robin - 4
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH - 1
Song Sparrow - 2
Swamp Sparrow - 6 (plus 1 recaptured)
Red-winged Blackbird - 14 (plus 1 recaptured)
American Goldfinch - 1

Spring Banding kickoff

After a long, hard winter in southeastern Michigan it was nice to get out once again and slog around in water instead of ice, and slippery mud instead of hard dirt! Of course, the scene below greeted us at the meeting spot on opening day on Sunday, April 6, lots of ice piled up on the shoreline of Lake St. Clair.

Icy shore of Lake St. Clair with rafts of ducks in distance

Once we got back into the banding area in the swamp woods and edge of Point Rosa marsh, there was little to clear in the net lanes, and the water and mud was as it has been the past several years, with no increase despite near-record snowfall over the winter. Perhaps the marsh is draining better now with the improvements implemented over the past couple of years? It didn't take too long to get the station up and running, allowing us to band for 4 hours and catch a good number of birds. The weather cooperated nicely, with temperatures ranging from 30-50, and on Wednesday, April 9, there were similar temperatures though the light north wind made it feel cooler. It was great hearing the first frogs of the season, though almost a month later than in may recent years!

Highlights of the 35 birds banded on Sunday, April 6 included several Golden-crowned Kinglets, with the first bird banded this season being the adult male below.

After hatch-year male Golden-crowned Kinglet

Starting the banding season this early is intended to document the very earliest spring migrants, including Golden-crowned Kinglets which in many years have already mostly departed by early April. It is also intended to catch some of the last lingering winter species, including American Tree Sparrow. Like the Golden-crowned Kinglets, many of these are often out of our area by early April with typically low numbers banded most springs. The ten American Tree Sparrows banded today represented a good, but not record number, and an additional bird already wearing a band had been banded on November 3 last fall, providing the first proof (though it was assumed) of late fall tree sparrows overwintering at this locale.

After hatch-year American Tree Sparrow

An early migrant, that overwinters in small numbers (perhaps none this winter?) is Fox Sparrow, and the 6 banded today was a very good total for a single day.

After hatch-year male Fox Sparrow

An interesting Black-capped Chickadee, banded last year as an after hatch-year female (showing a brood patch in late spring), was captured. She had three feathers on her crown that appeared brown. Might this be a sign of hybridization with Boreal Chickadee? Since Boreals don't breed within 200 miles of this site, more likely they are just some worn feathers.

Brown feathers on Black-capped Chickadee crown

Interesting birds observed but not banded included a single flyover Double-crested Cormorant, a Northern Harrier flying in off Lake St. Clair and heading north, three Wilson's Snipe winnowing over the marsh most of the morning, two Eastern Phoebes in the banding area but avoiding the nets, several Tree Swallows including a couple birds checking out the nest box near the Field Nets, and a single singing Winter Wren. A few Brown Creepers were in the area but avoided capture.

Highlights of the 33 birds banded on Wednesday, April 9 included the first Eastern Phoebe of the season. This species has been banded later than the end of April only once in 10 years, so starting early int he spring is a good way to document their occurrence. This first bird was documented as a second-year, which is only occasionally possible, by the presence of two very worn outer greater secondary coverts contrasting (molt limit) with the rather fresh-looking and broadly whitish tipped inner coverts.

Second-year Eastern Phoebe

Second-year Eastern Phoebe. Arrows show older worn coverts.

The first Brown Creepers of the spring were banded today, the last of the early migrants that starting so early in the season is intended to document.

After hatch-year Brown Creeper

It is always nice to get a close look at this species amazing bill, and interesting eye shape that it shares with the wrens.

After hatch-year Brown Creeper

An interesting recapture was another American Tree Sparrow that was banded in a fall season, but this one was banded in fall 2012, documenting for the first time (but completely expected) winter site fidelity of this species in the park. 

Interesting birds observed but not banded included 4 flyover Double-crested Cormorants, two flyover Great Egrets, a calling Virginia Rail in the marsh near the Field Nets, a flyover Sandhill Crane, three Wilson's Snipe still winnowing over the marsh, two singing Winter Wrens, and a single singing Swamp Sparrow (many more to come!).

============================
Banding Data
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SUNDAY, April 6, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 6:06
Time Open (E.S.T.): 8:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:30
Hours Open: 5.5
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 70.00
Temperature (F): 30-55
Cloud Cover: 10-20%
Wind: Calm-S-ESE @ 0-3-7 mph
Barometer: 29.57 - 29.50
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 35 (plus 7 recaptured)
No. of Species: 8
Capture Rate: 60.0 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 8.00 hours, 7:00-15:00): Jacob Charlebois (4.5 hrs), Annie Crary (1.5 hrs), John Hummel, Sarah Toner

Black-capped Chickadee -1 (plus 4 recaptured)
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 8
American Robin - 4
American Tree Sparrow - 10 (plus 1 recaptured)
Fox Sparrow - 6
Song Sparrow - 3
Red-winged Blackbird - 1
American Goldfinch - 2 (plus 2 recaptured)

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WEDNESDAY, April 9, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 6:01
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:00
Hours Open: 7.00
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 91.00
Temperature (F): 37-52
Cloud Cover: 30-10%
Wind: NW-S @ 3-5-7 mph
Barometer: 29.25 - 29.35
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 33 (plus 20 recaptured)
No. of Species: 11
Capture Rate: 69.6 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 9.5 hours, 5:00-14:30): Jacob Charlebois, Anne Ross (9 hrs), Edie Schmitz (9 hrs), Sarah Toner, Blanche Wicke (9 hrs).

[Downy Woodpecker - 1 recaptured]
Eastern Phoebe - 1
[Black-capped Chickadee - 1 recaptured]
Brown Creeper - 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 9 (plus 1 recaptured)
American Robin - 3
American Tree Sparrow - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)
Fox Sparrow - 2 (plus 4 recaptured)
Song Sparrow - 4 (plus 6 recaptured)
Red-winged Blackbird - 2
American Goldfinch - 7 (plus 6 recaptured)

Winter is for writing reports...

The record setting winter in southeastern Michigan has kept me indoors more than normal. The up side is that I've had more time to get reports from last year's activities finished. These include the 2013 Hummingbird Banding Report (download a PDF here). Michigan had a record number of Rufous Hummingbirds last year, while Ohio and Indiana both had good numbers as well. Unlike most years, all of them departed by mid-December, apparently sensing what kind of winter was coming.

Adult male Rufous Hummingbird, banded in Westerville, OH

Also available is the Fall 2013 Banding Report from Lake St. Clair Metropark, Macomb Co., Michigan (download a PDF here).

Hatch-year Red-tailed Hawk

And, I have also updated the annual banding results from 2004-2013 (website link here).

Spring banding at Lake St. Clair Metropark is just around the corner, with opening day scheduled for the first weekend in April. Hopefully all our snow will be melted by then, and the banding area won't be flooded to badly.

I did manage to get out a little bit this winter, including a wonderful day at Port Huron on February 19 to observe the Long-tailed Duck spectacle that the near-record ice cover on the Great Lakes has produced there. A few photos from that day follow. Click on the images to view them full size.

 There were a few duck species present on the river, and I ran into a small group  of Canvasbacks very close to the shore, including this nice male.

Male Canvasback at Port Huron

 Slightly greater numbers of Red-breasted Mergansers were interspersed among the Long-tailed Duck hordes. This nice male was close to shore but was a challenge to photograph because it kept dozing off and had its eyes closed most of the time.

Male Red-breasted Merganser

I like the way the wake of this bird seems to reflect the shape and texture of its wispy crest. Artsy...

Male Red-breasted Merganser

My estimate was 25,000 Long-tailed Ducks in about a two-mile stretch of the St. Clair River; less than had been there a week ago, but more than I'd ever seen in one place before. The Coast Guard cutter flushed this group just as I was preparing to take video.

Long-tailed Ducks

There were many opportunities to photograph sitting birds nearby, but I was especially interested in getting some flight shots. This male cooperated nicely.

Male Long-tailed Duck

The landings were especially interesting, as they came in with feet swung forward and tail tips dragging the water.

Male Long-tailed Duck

At first, it looks like it might turn into a graceful landing...

Male Long-tailed Duck

But then they just PLOP breast first into the water, even bouncing once or twice like a skipping stone. Notice the out of focus male in the background of this image trying desperately to get out of the way of the "landing" bird!

Male Long-tailed Duck

A fun day capped off nicely by running into friends, Bob ("Dr. Bob") and Judy Setzer.

Metro Beach banding station - Fall 2013 summary

The 9th fall banding season conducted since 2005 is now history, and looking back it was a very good season in many ways. Several records were set, especially for wrens and sparrows, while warbler and thrush  numbers were below average. Banding was conducted on 26 days between August 4 and November 3, a very good effort considering that the number of days canceled and rescheduled due to rain and/or wind was the most we've ever experienced. This is largely due to the commitment and flexibility of the volunteers who made this all possible. Nets were open a total of 178.75 hours, for a record 2315.25 net hours. A record 2645 new birds were banded, of a record 81 species. The capture rate of 140.3 birds per 100 net hours was the second highest ever. A summary of birds banded is provided below.

RED-TAILED HAWK - 2 (first ever for the station)
SORA - 1 (first ever for the station)
Mourning Dove - 6 (record high)
Eastern Screech-Owl - 1 (2nd ever for the station)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 79
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 4
Hairy Woodpecker - 1
Northern Flicker - 5
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 6
Alder Flycatcher - 1
Willow Flycatcher - 6
"Traill's" Flycatcher - 1
Least Flycatcher - 2
Eastern Phoebe - 3
Great Crested Flycatcher - 1
Blue-headed Vireo - 5
Warbling Vireo - 7
Philadelphia Vireo - 3
Red-eyed Vireo - 3
Black-capped Chickadee - 10
Tufted Titmouse - 1
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
Brown Creeper - 16
Carolina Wren - 1
House Wren - 32 (record high)
Winter Wren - 36 (record high)
Marsh Wren - 17 (highest since 1997)
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 130 (2nd highest ever)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 76
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 1
Veery - 2 (low)
Gray-cheeked Thrush - 8 (low)
Swainson's Thrush - 22 (lowest ever)
Hermit Thrush - 110 (tied record high)
Wood Thrush - 4 (record high)
American Robin - 19
Gray Catbird - 7
Brown Thrasher - 2
Cedar Waxwing - 15
Tennessee Warbler - 14 (low)
Orange-crowned Warbler - 4
Nashville Warbler - 40 (low)
Yellow Warbler - 35
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1 (low)
Magnolia Warbler - 14 (low)
Cape May Warbler - 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler - 18 (very low)
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 9
Palm Warbler - 14 (record high)
Bay-breasted Warbler - 2
Blackpoll Warbler - 44
American Redstart - 6 (very low)
Ovenbird - 11 (low)
Northern Waterthrush - 3 (low)
Connecticut Warbler - 3 (tied record high)
Mourning Warbler - 3
Common Yellowthroat - 83
Wilson's Warbler - 5 (low)
Canada Warbler - 2 (low)
Yellow-breasted Chat (9th ever for the station)
Scarlet Tanager - 1 (5th ever for the station)
Northern Cardinal - 5 (low)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 2
Indigo Bunting - 3
Eastern Towhee - 1
American Tree Sparrow - 10
Field Sparrow - 10 (record high)
Savannah Sparrow - 2 (record high, first ever in fall)
Fox Sparrow - 5
Song Sparrow - 282 (record high)
Lincoln's Sparrow - 23
Swamp Sparrow - 72
White-throated Sparrow - 305 (2nd highest ever)
White-crowned Sparrow - 101 (record high)
Dark-eyed Junco - 11 (record high)
Red-winged Blackbird - 73 (record high for fall)
Brown-headed Cowbird - 2
Baltimore Oriole - 1 (low)
House Finch - 26 (record high)
American Goldfinch - 749 (record high)

Many thanks to the following volunteers for making banding this fall possible: John Bieganowski, Rebecca Blundell, Mary Buchowski, Terri Chapdelaine, Brandon Charlebois, Chris Charlebois, Jacob Charlebois, Mike Charlebois, Trisha Charlebois, Jean Gramlich, Stevie Kuroda, Dave Lancaster, Mary Mangas, Steve Mangas, Marie McGee, Renee Render, Tom Schlack, Harrison Smith, Edie Schmitz, Michelle Serreyn, Jeff Silence, Joan Tisdale, Bruce Watson, Blanche Wicke, and Sue Wright.

Metro Beach banding station report - October 20 - November 3, 2013

The final five banding days of the fall season continued to be productive, especially for sparrows. Banding was conducted on Sunday October 20, Thursday October 24, Sunday October 27, Wednesday October 30, and Sunday November 3. The weather was not our friend, as banding days had to be cancelled and rescheduled three times due to rain, and once due to high winds. On October 27, after those high winds, we came upon a fallen tree across the net lanes at the Swamp Nets. The tree was about 10 inches in diameter, but that didn't stop the excellent banding team from getting it cleared (thanks to Stevie and Bruce having saws in their car), and set up at the same time as normal.

The banding volunteers have been wonderful this fall, as always, with many of them expanding their skills. Banding could not have been done without their help. Thanks to Terri Chapdelaine, Stevie Kuroda, Dave Lancaster, Mary Mangas, Steve Mangas, Tom Schlack, Edie Schmitz, Michelle Serreyn, Bruce Watson, and Blanche Wicke.

Highlights of the 48 birds banded on Sunday, October 20 included the first bird of the day, an Eastern Screech-Owl. In late October, we can get our nets open nearly two hours before the sun rises, allowing a brief period for audio luring for owls, which has been done for the last 5 years, but this is only the second owl captured at this station, the first being a screech-owl banded in 2011.

Hatch-year Eastern Screech-Owl

Hatch-year Eastern Screech-Owl

This late in the season, it is always nice to catch a warbler, and the only one today was this Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Hatch-year female Yellow-rumped Warbler

It wasn't a very busy day, but as always it was an early day, so some of the volunteers took an opportunity to "recharge" their energy...

Interesting birds observed but not banded included a flyover Great Egret, a Cooper's Hawk, and a calling Eastern Phoebe.

Highlights of the 78 birds banded on Thursday, October 24 included the 32nd and 33rd Winter Wrens of the season. The previous record was 26.

Hatch-year Winter Wren

It was a record day for Field Sparrows, with three banded. This ties the previous record for an entire SEASON, and there were already 3 Field Sparrows banded this fall, so today doubled the previous record year.

Hatch-year Field Sparrow

And the first Fox Sparrows of the season (2) were banded today, almost 3 weeks later than the first ones are expected.

Hatch-year Fox Sparrow

A total of SIX Dark-eyed Juncos today was only one short of the record for an entire fall season.

Hatch-year female Dark-eyed Junco

And American Goldfinches haven't made the highlights for a while. Today saw the 700th goldfinch of the season banded. The previous seasonal record was 515.

Hatch-year female American Goldfinch

Interesting birds observed but not banded included 3 flyover Double-crested Cormorants, 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers, an Eastern Towhee that eluded capture all day despite being within a few yards of a net, and a flyover Lapland Longspur.

Highlights of the 71 birds banded on Sunday, October 27 included the last Yellow-rumped Warbler of the season.

Hatch-year female Yellow-rumped Warbler

The one day record for Field Sparrows didn't hold up for long, as FOUR were banded today, bringing the season's total to 10. The 10-year average per season is 1.1.

Hatch-year Field Sparrow

The 100th White-crowned Sparrow of the fall was captured today. The previous season record was 44.

Hatch-year White-crowned Sparrow

Two more Dark-eyed Juncos brought the season total to 9, a record season (previous record was 7).

Hatch-year male Dark-eyed Junco

Interesting birds observed but not banded today included a calling Eastern Phoebe, and in the early morning a single calling Great Horned Owl, and an Eastern Screech-Owl calling back to the owl tape (the Northern Saw-whet Owl tape actually got him calling).

Highlights of the 92 birds banded on Wednesday, October 30 included a Hairy Woodpecker, a species that is not banded here every year.

Hatch-year male Hairy Woodpecker

Hatch-year male Hairy Woodpecker

The 79th species of the fall season, tying the all-time record set last year, was a White-breasted Nuthatch, which does not find its way into the swamp woods of the banding area very often.

Hatch-year female White-breasted Nuthatch

Hatch-year female White-breasted Nuthatch

The 80th species of the season was the first Carolina Wren of the fall, another infrequently captured species.

Hatch-year Carolina Wren

Two warbler species were captured today. The Orange-crowned Warbler was a bit late, but the most expected species in late October.

Hatch-year male Orange-crowned Warbler

Much less expected, and quite late, was a Common Yellowthroat.

Hatch-year Common Yellowthroat

The four American Tree Sparrows captured today were the season's first, only a few days later than expected. They were also the 81st species for the fall, the only new species that was expected today.

Hatch-year American Tree Sparrow

Interesting birds observed but not banded today included a calling Eastern Screech-Owl, a late Marsh Wren, two flyover Eastern Bluebirds (rare in this park), two flyover American Pipits, an Eastern Towhee that again eluded capture, and a Field Sparrow.

Highlights of the 57 birds banded on Sunday, November 3 included the second Red-tailed Hawk ever banded at the station, and the second this fall season. Most of the same volunteers were working today as were helping on August 31, so once again Stevie helped with digging out the larger bands and pliers from my backpack, helping open the band, and release the bird.

Hatch-year Red-tailed Hawk

Hatch-year Red-tailed Hawk

Hatch-year Red-tailed Hawk

Stevie Kuroda releasing Red-tailed Hawk

A Winter Wren banded today brought the record season up to 36, a single Hermit Thrush brought the season total to a record-tying 110, and the 9 Song Sparrows banded today brought the season total to a record of 282 (the previous record was 220 in 2008). The last bird of the fall season was the 11th Dark-eyed Junco of the fall, which is also a record for a single season.

Hatch-year female Dark-eyed Junco

Interesting birds observed but not banded included a small hawk migration that included 2 Northern Harriers, 13 Red-tailed Hawks, 2 Red-shouldered Hawks, and a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk. A Wilson's Snipe was flushed in the dark near the Field Nets, a Belted Kingfisher flew over, an Eastern Phoebe eluded capture calling from the opposite side of the road from most of the nets, and two Snow Buntings flew over.

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Banding Data
-------------------------------------
SUNDAY, October 20, 2013
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 6:51
Time Open (E.S.T.): 5:45
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 12:45
Hours Open: 7.0
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 94.50
Temperature (F): 39.57
Cloud Cover: 50-90-20-80%
Wind: SW-S @ 3-5-12 mph
Barometer: 29.89 - 29.95
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 48 (plus 26 recaptured)
No. of Species: 15
Capture Rate: 78.3 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 9.0 hours, 5:00-14:00): Terri Chapdelaine, Stevie Kuroda, Bruce Watson, Blanche Wicke.

EASTERN SCREECH-OWL - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
[Black-capped Chickadee - 3 recaptured]
Brown Creeper - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)
Winter Wren - 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 2
Hermit Thrush - 8 (plus 1 recaptured)
American Robin - 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1
Song Sparrow - 9 (plus 5 recaptured)
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
White-throated Sparrow - 1 (plus 2 recaptured)
White-crowned Sparrow - 4 (plus 8 recaptured)
American Goldfinch - 12 (plus 6 recaptured)

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THURSDAY, October 24, 2013
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 6:56
Time Open (E.S.T.): 5:45
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 12:45
Hours Open: 7.0
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 91.00
Temperature (F): 34-52
Cloud Cover: 40-60%
Wind: WSW @ 5-7-12 mph
Barometer: 29.99 -30.05
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 78 (plus 26 recaptured and 2 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 14
Capture Rate: 113.2 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 9.0 hours, 5:00-14:00): Dave Lancaster, Steve Mangas, Tom Schlack, Blanche Wicke.

Brown Creeper - 1
Winter Wren - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 1
Hermit Thrush - 6
American Robin - 1
Field Sparrow - 3
Fox Sparrow - 2
Song Sparrow - 16 (plus 3 recaptured, 1 released unbanded)
Lincoln's Sparrow - 3
Swamp Sparrow - 3
White-throated Sparrow - 18 (plus 1 recaptured)
White-crowned Sparrow - 1 (plus 2 recaptured)
Dark-eyed Junco - 6
American Goldfinch - 15 (17 recaptured)

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SUNDAY, October 27, 2013
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 7:00
Time Open (E.S.T.): 5:45
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 12:45
Hours Open: 7.0
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 91.00
Temperature (F): 36-50
Cloud Cover: 100-30-80%
Wind: SW-SSW @ 5-7 mph
Barometer: 30.06 - 30.10
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 71 (plus 25 recaptured, 1 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 14
Capture Rate: 106.6 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 9.0 hours, 5:00-14:00): Stevie Kuroda, Mary Mangas, Steve Mangas, Michelle Serreyn (2.5 hrs), Bruce Watson

Mourning Dove - 1
[Black-capped Chickadee - 1 recaptured]
[Winter Wren - 1 recaptured]
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Hermit Thrush - 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1
Field Sparrow - 4 (plus 1 recaptured)
Fox Sparrow - 1
Song Sparrow - 23 (plus 5 recaptured)
Swamp Sparrow - 4
White-throated Sparrow - 12 (plus 4 recaptured, 1 released unbanded)
White-crowned Sparrow - 1 (plus 2 recaptured)
Dark-eyed Junco - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)
American Goldfinch - 19 (plus 10 recaptured)

-------------------------------------
WEDNESDAY, October 30, 2013
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 7:03
Time Open (E.S.T.): 5:45
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:15
Hours Open: 7.50
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 98.00
Temperature (F): 36-61
Cloud Cover: 0-30%
Wind: NE-SE @ 1-3-5 mph
Barometer: 30.23 -30.17
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 92 (plus 14 recaptured, 1 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 19
Capture Rate: 109.2 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 10.0 hours, 5:00-15:00): Dave Lancaster, Tom Schlack, Edie Schmitz (7.5 hrs), Blanche Wicke (7.5 hrs).

Hairy Woodpecker - 1
[Black-capped Chickadee - 1 recaptured]
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
Brown Creeper - 1
Carolina Wren - 1
Winter Wren - 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 30 (plus 1 released unbanded)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 4
Hermit Thrush - 5
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 1
American Tree Sparrow - 4
Fox Sparrow - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)
Song Sparrow - 24 (plus 3 recaptured)
Swamp Sparrow - 2
White-throated Sparrow - 3 (plus 1 recaptured)
White-crowned Sparrow - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)
[Dark-eyed Junco - 1 recaptured]
American Goldfinch - 9 (plus 6 recaptured)

-------------------------------------
SUNDAY, November 3, 2013
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 7:08
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:30
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:15
Hours Open: 6.75
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 88.75
Temperature (F): 37-46
Cloud Cover: VAR%
Wind: NW-SE @ 3-5-7 mph
Barometer: 30.29 -30.43
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 57 (plus 10 recaptured,)
No. of Species: 15
Capture Rate: 75.5 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 8.5 hours, 6:00-14:30): Stevie Kuroda, Steve Mangas, Bruce Watson, Blanche Wicke.

RED-TAILED HAWK - 1
[Mourning Dove - 1 recaptured]
[Black-capped Chickadee - 3 recaptured]
Brown Creeper - 4
Winter Wren - 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 16 (plus 1 recaptured)
Hermit Thrush - 1
American Tree Sparrow - 6
[Fox Sparrow - 1 recaptured]
Song Sparrow - 9 (plus 1 recaptured)
Swamp Sparrow - 1
White-throated Sparrow - 2
Dark-eyed Junco - 1
Northern Cardinal - 1
American Goldfinch - 14 (plus 3 recaptured)