Metro Beach spring banding totals

The spring of 2012 was the most successful since 1989, with a record total of 997 new birds banded of 64 species, plus 274 recaptures (which included 116 returnees of 19 species from previous years). The highlights included the first ever Clay-colored Sparrow for the station, which was the 120th species banded here, and only the 2nd and 3rd ever Solitary Sandpipers. Less rare but still noteworthy was the first spring capture of a Mourning Dove, as well as a single Eastern Kingbird, two Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, two Brown Thrashers, and single Field and Savannah Sparrows, and Rusty Blackbird, none of which is captured every year. Record numbers of Alder Flycatchers, Warbling Vireos (spring record), Cedar Waxwing (spring record), Swamp Sparrows, Common Grackles, and Brown-headed Cowbirds (tied record) were banded. Red-winged Blackbird deserves special mention as this spring provided the second highest number ever banded. And Lincoln's Sparrows were banded in the third highest numbers ever, spring or fall. Notable misses included Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Gray-cheeked Thrush, American Redstart, American Tree Sparrow, and Dark-eyed Junco; the latter two likely a result of the very early and warm spring driving wintering birds out of the area before the banding season began on April 7. Species captured in low numbers included Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Swainson's Thrush, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Canada Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Fox Sparrow, and White-crowned Sparrow. Several of these may also have departed with the early spring weather. A detailed banding report should be finished sometime this summer, and will be posted to my website at: http://www.amazilia.net/MetroBeachBanding/

Spring 2012 Bird Banding Totals

Solitary Sandpiper - 2
Mourning Dove - 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 8 (plus 1 return)
Downy Woodpecker - 5 (plus 2 returns)
[Hairy Woodpecker - 1 return, from 2004!]
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 2 (plus 1 return)
Alder Flycatcher - 8
Willow Flycatcher - 3
"Traill's" Flycatcher - 4
Least Flycatcher - 5
Eastern Phoebe - 1
Eastern Kingbird - 1
Warbling Vireo - 10 (plus 1 return)
Red-eyed Vireo - 2
Blue Jay - 2
Tree Swallow - 5 (plus 1 return)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 11
Black-capped Chickadee - 3 (plus 9 returns)
Tufted Titmouse - 1 (plus 1 return)
Brown Creeper - 6
House Wren - 11
Winter Wren - 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 13
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2
Veery - 4
Swainson's Thrush - 7
Hermit Thrush - 20
Wood Thrush - 2
American Robin - 43 (plus 3 returns)
Gray Catbird - 26
Brown Thrasher - 2
European Starling - 6
Cedar Waxwing - 7
Nashville Warbler - 5
Yellow Warbler - 49 (plus 24 returns)
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 3
Magnolia Warbler - 8
Black-throated Blue Warbler - 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 19
Black-throated Green Warbler - 3
Palm Warbler - 3
Black-and-white Warbler - 7
Ovenbird - 8
Northern Waterthrush - 9
Mourning Warbler - 7
Common Yellowthroat - 37 (plus 9 returns)
Wilson's Warbler - 13
Canada Warbler - 3
Northern Cardinal - 4 (plus 1 return)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 2
Clay-colored Sparrow - 1
Field Sparrow - 1
Savannah Sparrow - 1
Fox Sparrow - 1
Song Sparrow - 21 (plus 16 returns)
Lincoln's Sparrow - 27
Swamp Sparrow - 216 (plus 3 returns)
White-throated Sparrow - 75
White-crowned Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 142 (plus 18 returns)
Rusty Blackbird - 1
Common Grackle - 40 (plus 2 returns)
Brown-headed Cowbird - 10 (plus 3 returns)
Baltimore Oriole - 12 (plus 12 returns)
American Goldfinch - 40 (plus 8 returns)

I would like to thank the following 30 volunteers who made banding this spring possible. The number of hours each person volunteered is in parentheses (volunteers working 25 hours or more this year will earn a free annual Metroparks pass for 2013).

John Bieganowski (28.5), David Boon (10.0), Corey Braden (10.25), Mary Buchowski (10.0), Terri Chapdelaine (9.0), Brandon Charlebois (6.5), Chris Charlebois (2.0), Jacob Charlebois (23.0), Mike Charlebois (18.0), Diana Dugall (10.5), Karen Fenwick (10.0), Jean Gramlich (18.5), Wayne Hoch (31.0), Jeremy Joswick (9.0), Stevie Kuroda (12.25), Dave Lancaster (39.5), Ava Lau (8.0), Harry Lau (8.0), Rose Lau (8.0), Steve Mangas (38.0), Marie McGee (18.0), Kevin Rysiewski (10.0), Tom Schlack (56.0), Edie Schmitz (27.0), Joan Tisdale (10.5), Holly Vaughn (9.0), Judi Wade (29.75), Bruce Watson (12.25), Blanche Wicke (58.0), and Sue Wright (10.5).