Bird Banding Blog

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All banding, marking, and sampling is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Bird Banding Lab (BBL).
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BELLE ISLE BIRD OBSERVATORY - A New Chapter

After 27 years of bird banding effort at Lake St. Clair Metropark, Macomb County, Michigan, the HCMA and Nature Center forced us out with blatant false accusations, and showing chronic ignorance and incompetence about bird research and conservation. During spring and summer this year, I found a new partner that is legitimately interested in bird conservation, research, and education; the Michigan DNR. Belle Isle is the gem of the parks within the City of Detroit, and for many years was operated by the city. But starting in 2014 the MI-DNR began managing the park under a 30-year lease. 

I did some bird banding on Belle Isle in October & November 2006 adjacent to the old Children's Zoo, for the primary purpose of capturing Rusty Blackbirds to collect feathers to submit to a chemical and isotope study being conducted by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. A total of 257 birds of 25 species was banded, but none of them were Rusty Blackbirds. And in January & February 2017 did an impromptu banding effort for over-wintering Northern Saw-whet Owls (2 banded). The potential for bird banding on this island has always been excellent, being both figuratively and literally an island of habitat amid an urban landscape. Fortunately, the MI-DNR agrees as well as a number of individual friends and organizational supporters including the Belle Isle Conservancy, Detroit Zoological Society, Audubon Great Lakes, Detroit Bird Alliance, Oakland Bird Alliance, Grosse Pointe Audubon, Washtenaw Bird and Nature Alliance, and hopefully others in the future.

Four different areas were explored during spring and summer to assess the suitability for mist netting, developing a research plan, and to fulfill public education objectives that MI-DNR was anxious to develop. I settled on an area of approximately 10-acres, adjacent to the Nature Center and adjacent to a roadway (Oakway Trail) that was removed to help improve the hydrology of the ecologically special wet-mesic flatwoods on the eastern end of Belle Isle. The location of this bird banding station is shown on the two maps below.

Belle Isle Bird Observatory - Oakway East banding station

Preliminary Mist Net locations at Belle Isle Bird Observatory

A total of 12 mist nets (12-meters each) have been set up within this 10-acre circle, with 6 nets along the removed roadsides to study the response of bird diversity and numbers to the habitat regeneration and improvements by the MI-DNR, and 6 nets along a new trail in older, and less disturbed habitat away from the removed roadsides. The photo below was taken from the parking lot where the birds are taken to be banded, at the west end of the ADA playground parking lot. It shows the habitat along the removed Oakway Trail road on August 30, 2024.

Oakway Trail looking SW from the banding station

Saturday, October 5, 2024

Our first day at the station was mostly occupied with setting up the net poles, and nets, at the previously determined preliminary locations. With a lot of capable help, we got all the nets open by 11:15 a.m., which was a little later than expected.

Setting up mist nets on October 5th.

 

Our first net run produced 5 birds, which was one bird for each of the 5 experienced volunteer "extractors".

Happy bird banding volunteers with birds in holding bags

The very first bird captured and banded at this station was this hatch-year female Golden-crowned Kinglet. 

Hatch-year female Golden-crowned Kinglet

October is the peak month for kinglet migration, and is also a good month for sparrows. Our first net run included two White-throated Sparrows which were also around the peak in their migration on this day.

Hatch-year White-throated Sparrow

Warblers migrate primarily during late August and September, so we were not expecting too many warblers today. One of the latest warbler species to migrate is the Yellow-rumped Warbler, and we caught this one on our first net check.

Hatch-year male Yellow-rumped Warbler

This Blackpoll Warbler was a little surprising. Although they do migrate into October, the majority pass through during September.

Hatch-year Blackpoll Warbler

A single Swainson's Thrush banded today was probably one of the last that we'll see this fall.

Banding Data: October 5, 2024

12.0 nets open 11:15 - 14:15 (3.0 hours, 34.5 net hours)

Temperature: 55-67
Cloud Cover: 10% - 0%
Wind Direction: NE-E
Wind Speed: 1-3-7 mph
Barometer: 30.31-30.23
Precipitation: None
Sunrise: 7:34

Birds Banded

Swainson's Thrush - 1
Hermit Thrush - 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 2
Blackpoll Warbler - 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1
White-throated Sparrow - 6 (plus 1 released unbanded)

# Species Captured: 6
# Individuals Banded: 12
# Recaptured: 0
# Released Unbanded: 1
Capture Rate (# per 100 net hrs): 37.7

Bander: Allen T. Chartier
Assistants: Mike Charlebois, Guadalupe Cummins, Wren Haynes, Dave Lancaster, Guy Lenk, Nolan Lenk, Blanche Wicke.
Visitors: 0

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Thursday, October 10, 2024

Today was our first full, "normal" day of banding, and it was a good one. We use a broom handle with hooks on it to separate birds by weight and size on our net runs (invented by Terri Chapdelaine, and modified), which is featured in the photo below showing our first net run of the morning.

First net run of the morning

This Red-bellied Woodpecker was a nice capture today. The reddish eye indicates that it is not a young bird, and the pattern of molt on the primary coverts were consistent with after second-year, and the full red crown is characteristic of a male.

After second-year male Red-bellied Woodpecker

In the photo below, the bird is starting to close it's nictitating membrane, which is a transluscent eyelid that covers the eye to protect it. In this case so that it wouldn't damage its eyes while it hammered at my fingers!

After second-year male Red-bellied Woodpecker

It was a good day for kinglets, thrushes, and sparrows, and included three handsome White-crowned Sparrows. They can be aged more easily than many birds as the hatch-years have brown crown stripes and after hatch-years have black and white crown stripes.

After hatch-year White-crowned Sparrow

Hatch-year White-crowned Sparrow

Field Sparrows were infrequently captured at previous banding stations, so today's is considered a highlight until more banding data comes in.

Hatch-year Field Sparrow

Two more Yellow-rumped Warblers were banded today, and another late warbler species as well, this Palm Warbler.

Hatch-year Palm Warbler

Banding Data: October 10, 2024

12.0 nets open 6:45 - 13:15 (6.5 hours, 75.0 net hours)

Temperature: 44-60
Cloud Cover: 0% - 20%
Wind Direction: Calm-NE
Wind Speed: 0-5 mph
Barometer: 30.23-30.22
Precipitation: None
Sunrise: 7:39

Birds Banded

Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 2
Black-capped Chickadee - 1
Winter Wren - 1 (plus 1 released unbanded)
Carolina Wren - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 22
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 19
Hermit Thrush - 14
Palm Warbler - 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2
Field Sparrow - 1
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
Swamp Sparrow - 8
Fox Sparrow - 1
Song Sparrow - 11
White-crowned Sparrow - 3
White-throated Sparrow - 34 (plus 1 recaptured)
Northern Cardinal - 3

# Species Captured: 18
# Individuals Banded: 126
# Recaptured: 1
# Released Unbanded: 1
Capture Rate (# per 100 net hrs): 170.7

Bander: Allen T. Chartier
Assistants: Mike Charlebois, Kimberly Johnson, Dave Lancaster, Leah Stafford, Blanche Wicke.
Visitors: 4

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Sunday, October 13, 2024

Rain delayed opening the nets this morning, and very soon after we opened something ran through one of the nets tearing an 8-foot long hole in the bottom panel of one net, reducing the station to 11 nets for the day. At first I thought it was a White-tailed Deer that destroyed the net, but on subsequent days it seems possible that it was a Wild Turkey. Captures were less today, with only two real highlights captured right around the time a group from the DNR came by. The first was a Blue-headed Vireo.

Hatch-year Blue-headed Vireo

The other highlight was a final late-migrating warbler that was expected, but typically captured in small numbers at all banding stations in Michigan, an Orange-crowned Warbler.

Hatch-year male Orange-crowned Warbler

Banding Data: October 13, 2024

11.0 nets open 8:00 - 13:15 (5.25 hours, 56.75 net hours)

Temperature: 54-63
Cloud Cover: 100%
Wind Direction: NE
Wind Speed: 3-5-10 mph
Barometer: 29.83-29.76
Precipitation: Intermittent light rain
Sunrise: 7:43

Birds Banded

Downy Woodpecker - 1
Blue-headed Vireo - 1
Black-capped Chickadee - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 10 (plus 2 recaptured)
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 2
Hermit Thrush - 6 (plus 1 recaptured)
American Robin - 1
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
White-throated Sparrow - 4 (plus 1 recaptured)
Northern Caerdinal - 2

# Species Captured: 10
# Individuals Banded: 29
# Recaptured: 4
# Released Unbanded: 0
Capture Rate (# per 100 net hrs): 58.1

Bander: Allen T. Chartier
Assistants: Cass Arsenault, Alexa Blankenship, Mike Charlebois, Wren Haynes, Guy Lenk, Nolan Lenk, Blanche Wicke.
Visitors: 10

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Friday, October 18, 2024

Our protocol is to get nets open about 30 minutes before sunrise, which is "first light" when diurnal birds start becoming active. This morning we were quicker, and got them open 45 minutes before sunrise. This may have been why we caught this beautiful "red morph" Eastern Screech-Owl. 

Hatch-year Eastern Screech-Owl

It was another busy day today, with good numbers of sparrows, and even better numbers of Hermit Thrushes. Other than the owl, the most surprising capture of a species that is quite rare after October 1st, an Ovenbird.

Hatch-year Ovenbird

In 27 years of banding, I have captured only 3 Ovenbirds after October 15th, and only a few after October 5th. This one had a small growth on the base of its upper mandible. 

Hatch-year Ovenbird

Banding Data: October 18, 2024

12.0 nets open 7:00 - 13:15 (6.25 hours, 73.5 net hours)

Temperature: 39-64
Cloud Cover: 0%
Wind Direction: Calm-SW
Wind Speed: 0-3-5 mph
Barometer: 30.45-30.48
Precipitation: None
Sunrise: 7:45

Birds Banded

Eastern Screech-Owl - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)
Blue Jay - 1
Black-capped Chickadee - 1 (1 recaptured)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 9
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 6
Winter Wren - 3 (plus 1 recaptured)
Carolina Wren - 2
Hermit Thrush - 30 (plus 2 recaptured)
American Robin - 4
Ovenbird - 1
Field Sparrow - 2
Swamp Sparrow - 7
Fox Sparrow - 1
Song Sparrow - 12 (plus 1 released unbanded)
White-throated Sparrow - 5
Northern Cardinal - 3

# Species Captured: 17
# Individuals Banded: 90
# Recaptured: 5
# Released Unbanded: 1
Capture Rate (# per 100 net hrs): 130.6

Bander: Allen T. Chartier
Assistants: Alexa Blankenship, Mike Charlebois, Kimberly Johnson, Dave Lancaster, Mark Schaller, Erika Van Kirk, Blanche Wicke Sue Wright.
Visitors: 6

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Thursday, October 24, 2024

Weather was not ideal over the weekend of the 19th and 20th, so we had to cancel a day and resume this week. I opened 4 nets at 5:30 and placed audio lures for Northern Saw-whet Owls near them, in the hopes that this morning's ideal condiitons would result in a capture. But it didn't happen. Today was back to lower numbers and species, with the only real highlight being the first American Tree Sparrow of the season. 

Hatch-year American Tree Sparrow

Sometimes they are mistaken for Chipping Sparrows, which don't have rufous crowns in late fall, have a black line behind the eye and bright white over the eye, they don't stay this late, and have pink bills not black and yellow.

Hatch-year American Tree Sparrow

Two Fox Sparrows today were also notable as they are usually a scarce species.

Banding Data: October 24, 2024

4 nets open for owl audio-luring 5:30 - 7:30 (2.0 hrs, 8.0 net hours)
12.0 nets open 7:30 - 13:30 (6.0 hours, 72.0 net hours)

Temperature: 43-56
Cloud Cover: 0%
Wind Direction: NW-W
Wind Speed: 1-3-5 mph
Barometer: 30.19-30.17
Precipitation: None
Sunrise: 7:56

Birds Banded

Black-capped Chickadee - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 14 (plus 1 released unbanded)
Winter Wren - 1
Hermit Thrush - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)
American Tree Sparrow - 1
Swamp Sparrow - 2
Fox Sparrow - 2
Song Sparrow - 3 (plus 2 recaptured)
White-throated Sparrow - 7 (plus 1 recaptured)
Northern Cardinal - 1

# Species Captured: 11
# Individuals Banded: 39
# Recaptured: 4
# Released Unbanded: 1
Capture Rate (# per 100 net hrs): 60.1

Bander: Allen T. Chartier
Assistants: Dave Lancaster, Mark Schaller, Blanche Wicke, Sue Wright.
Visitors: 29 (included a class of 4th graders)

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Saturday, October 26, 2024

Audio luring for Northern Saw-whet Owls this morning worked! Although there was 90 minutes of darkness when it could have flown into the nets, it waited until first light. 

Hatch-year female Northern Saw-whet Owl

The weight and long wings indicated it was a female, and the uniform-aged primaries and secondaries indicated it was a hatch-year. After a few quick photos we walked her to a dense area of vegetation for release.

Hatch-year female Northern Saw-whet Owl

New species for the month were Tufted Titmouse and White-breasted Nuthatch.

Banding Data: October 24, 2024

4 nets open for owl audio-luring 6:00 - 7:30 (1.5 hrs, 6.0 net hours)
12.0 nets open 7:30 - 13:30 (6.0 hours, 72.0 net hours)

Temperature: 44-55
Cloud Cover: 0%  - 40%
Wind Direction: W-NW
Wind Speed: 3-5-12 mph
Barometer: 30.29-30.35
Precipitation: None
Sunrise: 7:58

Birds Banded

Northern Saw-whet Owl - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 3 (plus 1 recaptured)
Black-capped Chickadee - 3
Tufted Titmouse - 1
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 3 (plus 1 recaptured)
Winter Wren - 1
Hermit Thrush - 9 (plus 1 recaptured)
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1
Swamp Sparrow - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)
Song Sparrow - 7
White-throated Sparrow - 5 (plus 1 released unbanded)
American Goldfinch - 12 (plus 2 released unbanded)

# Species Captured: 14
# Individuals Banded: 49
# Recaptured: 4
# Released Unbanded: 3
Capture Rate (# per 100 net hrs): 77.8

Bander: Allen T. Chartier
Assistants: Alexa Blankenship, Wren Haynes, Pierre Hendricks, Kimberly Johnson, Erika Van Kirk, Blanche Wicke, Sue Wright.
Visitors: 11

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Friday, November 1, 2024

Audio luring for Northern Saw-whet Owls this morning did not succeed, probably because it was too windy. Numbers and diversity were decreased, as is expected in early November. One of the Song Sparrows captured had an interesting plumage anomaly on its flight feathers, random whitish patches probably best described as leucism.

Hatch-year Song Sparrow

But there were two highlights today, one early and one later in the morning. The early highlight was an American Woodcock.

Hatch-year female American Woodcock

Based on the shapes and widths of the outer three primaries, and on the uniformly-aged primaries and secondaries, it was a hatch-year female. Their eyes are placed unusually high on the head, allowing them to have 360 degree vision.

Hatch-year female American Woodcock

It was nice to catch one after hearing them in flight, making a twittering sound on a couple mornings previously. Later, I caught up with the volunteers on a net run and they casually said they had taken a Sharp-shinned Hawk out of the net. And that it was banded! It was a hatch-year male, based on plumage (age) and wing length (sex). 

Hatch-year male Sharp-shinned Hawk

Hatch-year male Sharp-shinned Hawk

Recapturing banded birds happens on many days at a banding station, but almost always they are birds banded at the same site previously that season, or sometimes in a previous season or year. Much less frequently, birds banded by others, at other banding stations, are captured. These are called "foreign recaptures" and are the highlight of any banding stations efforts.

 

Hatch-year male Sharp-shined Hawk

I reported the band number of this bird on the site where everyone should report any banded birds they encounter (reportband.gov). I got a surprisingly quick reply, and found that this bird had been banded only 6 days before (October 26th) at Hawk Cliff near Port Stanley, Ontario, which is 94 miles ENE of Belle Isle.

Banding Data: November 1, 2024

4 nets open for owl audio-luring 5:30 - 7:30 (2.0 hrs, 8.0 net hours)
12.0 nets open 7:30 - 13:30 (6.0 hours, 72.0 net hours)

Temperature: 51-50
Cloud Cover: 100% - 70%
Wind Direction: W
Wind Speed: 10-12-7 mph
Barometer: 30.03-30.21
Precipitation: Trace Rain
Sunrise: 8:05

Birds Banded

[Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 recaptured]
American Woodcock - 1
[Downy Woodpecker - 1 recaptured]
[Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1 recaptured]
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 9
Winter Wren - 1
Hermit Thrush - 4
American Robin - 1
American Tree Sparrow - 2
Swamp Sparrow - 4
[Fox Sparrow - 1 recaptured]
Song Sparrow - 10
White-crowned Sparrow - 1
White-throated Sparrow - 4
Northern Cardinal - 1

# Species Captured: 15
# Individuals Banded: 38
# Recaptured: 4
# Released Unbanded: 0
Capture Rate (# per 100 net hrs): 58.3

Bander: Allen T. Chartier
Assistants: Alexa Blankenship, Danielle Hawkins, Dave Lancaster, Mark Schaller, Ben Sehl, Erika Van Kirk, Blanche Wicke, Sue Wright.
Visitors: 0

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Sunday, November 3, 2024

The time change back to Standard Time occurred today, so we had less darkness for audio-luring owls. Today was the last banding day of the fall season, and we were greeted by a spectacular sunrise over the Nature Center.

Two new species for the season were banded today, Dark-eyed Junco (2) and a Brown Creeper.

Hatch-year Brown Creeper

Hatch-year Brown Creeper

And another American Woodcock was banded today. This one was an adult, and I didn't take photos of it other than the open wing.

After hatch-year American Woodcock

Again, the widths and shapes of the outermost primaries were key to determining this bird's age and sex. Also, there are at least two and possibly three different ages of secondaries visible in the photo above.

And below is a final photo of half of the big crew of 14 who came to help take the station down today.

Banding Data: November 3, 2024

4 nets open for owl audio-luring 5:30 - 6:30 (1.0 hrs, 4.0 net hours)
12.0 nets open 6:30 - 12:30 (6.0 hours, 72.0 net hours)

Temperature: 43-57
Cloud Cover: 100% - 50%
Wind Direction: E-ESE
Wind Speed: 3-5-7 mph
Barometer: 30.38-30.31
Precipitation: None
Sunrise: 7:08

Birds Banded

American Woodcock - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
[Black-capped Chickadee - 1 recaptured]
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 3
Winter Wren - 3
Brown Creeper - 1
Hermit Thrush - 2
American Robin - 2
American Tree Sparrow - 2
Swamp Sparrow - 2
Dark-eyed Junco - 2
Fox Sparrow - 2
Song Sparrow - 5 (plus 1 recaptured)
White-throated Sparrow - 1

# Species Captured: 15
# Individuals Banded: 29
# Recaptured: 2
# Released Unbanded: 0
Capture Rate (# per 100 net hrs): 43.1

Bander: Allen T. Chartier
Assistants: Shelly Andrews, Mike Charlebois, Guadalupe Cummins, Wren Haynes, Kimberly Johnson, Guy Lenk, Nolan Lenk, Mark Schaller, Leah Stafford, Erika Van Kirk, Blanche Wicke, Sue Wright, Ken Williams, Nicholas Yerkes.
Visitors: 5

 

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Bird Banding Totals for Fall 2024 - Belle Isle Bird Observatory
October 5 - November 3, 2024 (8 days)

Total Hours open: 51.5
Total Net Hours: 527.75
Total Additional Audio Luring Net Hours: 26.0
Total Species Banded: 33 (plus 1 recaptured)
Total Birds Banded: 412
Total Recaptures: 24
Total Released Unbanded: 7

Total Capture Rate (#/100 net hrs): 83.9

American Woodcock - 2
[Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 Foreign Recapture]
Eastern Screech-Owl - 1
Northern Saw-whet Owl - 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 9
Blue-headed Vireo - 1
Blue Jay - 1
Black-capped Chickadee - 7
Tufted Titmouse -1
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
Brown Creeper - 1
Carolina Wren - 3
Winter Wren - 10
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 58
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 48
Swainson's Thrush - 1
Hermit Thrush - 68
American Robin - 8
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 4
Palm Warbler - 1
Blackpoll Warbler - 1
Ovenbird - 1
Northern Cardinal - 10
American Tree Sparrow - 5
Field Sparrow - 3
Fox Sparrow - 6
Song Sparrow - 48
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
Swamp Sparrow - 25
White-throated Sparrow - 66
White-crowned Sparrow - 4
Dark-eyed Junco - 2
American Goldfinch - 12

Thank you again to all the Volunteer Assistants who helped this fall. See you next spring!