This report does not include any firsts for the season, as has been the case with several recent reports. But two record numbers were definitely the highlight of the day, limiting the photo highlights in this blog posting as there simply was almost no time to take photos. The 202 birds banded was a single day record (previous record was 181 on October 7, 1990), and the 72 Hermit Thrushes was also a single day record (previous record was 52 on October 9, 2005). One bird was banded about every minute and a half, for 6 hours, nonstop.
Hatch-year Hermit Thrush
The majority of the Hermit Thrushes banded today were hatch-year birds as in the photo above. Many (but not all) showed the buffy shaft streaks and spots on their greater secondary coverts often shown by hatch-years, which is something that can be seen in the field.
Other highlights included two Eastern Phoebes, good numbers of both species of kinglet, two Swainson's Thrushes, a somewhat late Gray Catbird, singles of Winter Wren, Orange-crowned Warbler, and Lincoln's Sparrow. A touch of winter, other than the weather, was added by the capture of three Dark-eyed Juncos.
Hatch-year male Dark-eyed Junco
Interesting birds observed but not banded included a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher calling briefly near the banding area, and a juvenile Great Horned Owl begging, as has been the case for about a month, and a couple Purple Finches near the Field Nets.
I want to thank John Bieganowski, Dave Lancaster, and Tom Schlack for putting in such a great effort on this record day. It definitely could not have happened without them!
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Banding Data
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WEDNESDAY, October 14, 2009
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 6:43
Time Open (E.S.T.): 5:45
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:00
Hours Open: 7.25
No. of Nets: 4.75-13.25
Net Hours: 91.688
Temperature (F): 39-46
Cloud Cover: 100%
Wind: E-NE @ 5-7 (15) mph
Barometer: 30.40-30.28
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 202 (plus 11 recaptured and 2 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 21
Capture Rate: 234.5 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers: John Bieganowski, Dave Lancaster, Tom Schlack
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Eastern Phoebe - 2
Black-capped Chickadee - 1 (plus 2 recaptured)
Brown Creeper - 4
Winter Wren - 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 23
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 34 (plus 1 recaptured and 1 released unbanded)
Swainson's Thrush - 2
Hermit Thrush - 72
American Robin - 7 (plus 1 released unbanded)
Gray Catbird - 1
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 1
Song Sparrow - 9 (plus 5 recaptured)
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
Swamp Sparrow - 12 (plus 1 recaptured)
White-throated Sparrow - 10
White-crowned Sparrow - 2
Dark-eyed Junco - 3
Northern Cardinal - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)
American Goldfinch - 14 (plus 1 recaptured)
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