Metro Beach banding report - August 13 & 15, 2009

Mid-August is a time of transition at Metro Beach, where many juvenile birds are still in the area and a few early fall migrants are beginning to move through. Both of these scenarios played out on the two days of banding this past week. A total of 124 birds was banded, plus 12 more recaptured and 4 released unbanded.
Juvenile sparrows can be a challenge. Both Song and Swamp Sparrows are common here, and both species were captured in good numbers on both days. The central breast spot so characteristic of adult Song Sparrows is absent in juveniles, while the streaks on the breast of juvenile Swamp Sparrows is quite different from the unstreaked breasts of adults. At times, wing formulas had to be determined to figure out which species was in-hand at the moment. Another useful characteristic is the bold, triangular whisker mark below a white malar of the Song Sparrow versus the narrow whisker mark below a buffy malar of the Swamp Sparrow. Photos of juveniles of both species are shown below.

Hatch-year Song Sparrow

Hatch-year Swamp Sparrow

This juvenile Common Grackle was molting into its first basic plumage which is represented by the patches of iridescent feathers among the juvenile grayish feathers, and of course this bird, a female determined by wing length, had not attained the bright yellow eye of an older bird. Also, you can see in the photo below the sharp protrusion from the roof of the mouth that may be used to crack nuts and acorns, and which is very painful if they manage to grab your finger with this!

Hatch-year female Common Grackle

It is shaping up to be a good fall season for banding Cedar Waxwings. A group of 10-30 is always present in the trees above the Field Nets and multiples were captured on both days this past week including both adults and juveniles. One of the adults had orange-tipped tail feathers instead of the typical yellow, which has been attributed to dietary causes, including their consumption of Autumn Olive berries during the growth of those feathers. There are quite a few Autumn Olive trees inside the Field Net setup.

After hatch-year female Cedar Waxwing with orange tail tips.

On Thursday, August 13, banding highlights included two Baltimore Orioles, several Empidonax flycatchers (3 Willows, 2 Leasts, and 2 "Traill's"), and the migrants of the day, 2 Northern Waterthrushes.

Hatch-year Northern Waterthrush

Interesting birds observed but not banded included a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (nested nearby?), an American Redstart, and a Canada Warbler.

On Saturday, August 15, the banding highlights included the first Yellow-bellied Flycatcher of the season.

After hatch-year Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

But the most interesting bird of the week, perhaps of the month, was only the third Olive-sided Flycatcher ever banded at Metro Beach. The first was in spring 1992 and the second was in spring 1996, so this is also the first ever banded in fall, and a personal first as well. It was an adult bird based on the duller edgings on the wing coverts (hatch-year would be buffy) and also based on the streaking below shown well in the second photo (though the lens of the camera exaggerates the size of the bill). The wing length measurement determined the bird to be female.

After hatch-year female Olive-sided Flycatcher

After hatch-year female Olive-sided Flycatcher

Interesting birds observed but not banded included an Eastern Screech-Owl calling at about 11:00 a.m., and a Northern Waterthrush calling back in the swamp.

Thanks very much to the volunteer banding assistants who made banding on these two days possible: Dave Lancaster, Tracy McMullen, Joan Tisdale, and Roy and Myrna Weichner.

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Banding Data
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THURSDAY, August 13, 2009
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:37
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:15
Hours Open: 7.25
No. of Nets: 5.50-13.75
Net Hours: 92.188
Temperature (F): 63-82
Cloud Cover: 0%
Wind: WNW @ 1-3-10 mph
Barometer: 30.19-30.22
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 81 (plus 4 recaptured and 4 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 16
Capture Rate: 96.5 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers: Dave Lancaster, Joan Tisdale

Downy Woodpecker - 1
Willow Flycatcher - 3
"Traill's" Flycatcher - 2
Least Flycatcher - 2
Warbling Vireo - 1
Black-capped Chickadee - 1
American Robin - 7 (plus 1 released unbanded)
Gray Catbird - 5
Cedar Waxwing - 4
Yellow Warbler - 5
Northern Waterthrush - 2
Common Yellowthroat - 5 (plus 1 recaptured and 1 released unbanded)
Song Sparrow - 13 (plus 2 recaptured and 1 released unbanded)
Swamp Sparrow - 12 (plus 1 recaptured)
Red-winged Blackbird - 13 (plus 1 released unbanded)
Common Grackle - 3
Baltimore Oriole - 2

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SATURDAY, August 15, 2009
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:39
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:15
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:15
Hours Open: 7.0
No. of Nets: 5.50-13.75
Net Hours: 89.875
Temperature (F): 68-84
Cloud Cover: 20%
Wind: S-SE @ 1-3-10 mph
Barometer: 30.20-30.19
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 43 (plus 8 recaptured)
No. of Species: 16
Capture Rate: 56.7 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers: Tracy McMullen, Roy Weichner, Myrna Weichner
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 2
[Hairy Woodpecker - 1 recaptured]
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER - 1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 1
Alder Flycatcher - 1
Willow Flycatcher - 1
Warbling Vireo - 1
House Wren - 4
[American Robin - 1 recaptured]
Cedar Waxwing - 6
Yellow Warbler - 2
Common Yellowthroat - 4 (plus 1 recaptured)
Song Sparrow - 12 (plus 4 recaptured)
Swamp Sparrow - 7
Red-winged Blackbird - 1
[Baltimore Oriole - 1 recaptured]

Fall Banding. Yes, Fall Banding!

Believe it or not, its that time of year again. Some birders are aware that Arctic shorebirds begin migrating southward during July and head out to the nearest mudflats and beaches to see them. But the beginnings of songbird migration goes largely unnoticed. I have been opening the banding station at Metro Beach Metropark, Macomb County, Michigan the first week of August partly to sample the population of young birds produced during the summer on the edge of Point Rosa Marsh, but also to begin banding near the very start of songbird migration. And both days spent banding this week delivered both young birds hatched locally and migrants from northern Michigan and beyond.

On Sunday, August 2, an eager group of 7 volunteers, plus me, started out late in the morning (8 a.m.) clearing the net lanes and getting them ready for the banding season. Most of the net lanes were in good shape, so only needed a branch or two trimmed, but the trail out to the Field Nets, and the net lanes out there, had become quite overgrown as they always do. Thankfully, this year a new volunteer, Aaron Potts, brought two gas-powered weed-whackers and cut a couple hours off our labors. So, the nets were opened a little before lunchtime and kept open for about 4 hours. The banding highlights today included three Cedar Waxwings, which we don't catch every year.

After hatch-year female Cedar Waxwing

A single Eastern Wood-Pewee and two Warbling Vireos were other infrequently banded species, and which we usually only band in early August. The biggest surprise was the capture of not one, but two Swainson's Thrushes. This species nests more than 100 miles north of here, so were definitely early migrants. A single Ruby-throated Hummingbird banded was also a highlight, as any day banding a hummingbird is a good day!

On Tuesday, August 4, a good number of Yellow Warblers was captured, probably the last day where there will be a high count of these and several showed fat deposits indicating that they were migrants and not summer residents. Juvenile sparrows made a good showing, with lots of young Song Sparrows and a few Swamp Sparrows. Their plumages were confusing enough that I had to resort to assessing the wing formula given in the Pyle Guide we use for banding. A juvenile flycatcher was captured today too, out at the Field Nets where a pair of Willow Flycatchers has clearly nested. This youngster had a short tail, wings, and bill, which means that the measurements necessary to confirm it as a Willow Flycatcher could not be made.


Hatch-year Willow Flycatcher

Another highlight was the capture of two Marsh Wrens. They breed in the marsh and are present during May, but for some reason we never, never catch them in spring...only in fall.

Hatch-year Marsh Wren

Migrants were once again captured today, with a Swainson's Thrush originally banded on Sunday recaptured, and a surprisingly early Tennessee Warbler. This species apparently is one of few passerines known to undertake a "molt migration", departing the breeding grounds early for a staging area where they molt before continuing their migration. Today's bird was a second-year female, as indicated by very worn plumage and other characteristics. And she had apparently very recently departed the breeding grounds as her brood patch was still very well developed. Very few Tennessee Warblers nest in Michigan, and well to the north of Metro Beach. These early second-year female Tennessee Warblers have been turning up at the banding stations of the Kalamazoo Nature Center for years but this is the first time one has turned up here.

Second-year female Tennessee Warbler

Many thanks to the hard working volunteers who helped clear the net lanes on Sunday, and who helped set up and operate the station on Tuesday: Dave Furi, Andy Johnson, Thierry Lach, Aaron Potts, Renee Render, Amanda Sheehy, Jason St. Pierre, Cathy Thiesen, and joan Tisdale.

====================

Banding Data

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SUNDAY, August 2, 2009

Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:25
Time Open (E.S.T.): 8:45
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:15
Hours Open: 4.50
No. of Nets: 3.75-13.75
Net Hours: 44.125
Temperature (F): 68-73
Cloud Cover: 20-40%
Wind: W @ 1-3-10 mph
Barometer: 29.93-29.95
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 23 (plus 6 recaptured)
No. of Species: 14
Capture Rate: 65.7 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers: Dave Furi, Thierry Lach, Aaron Potts, Renee Render, Amanda Sheehy, Jason St. Pierre, Joan Tisdale

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1
"Traill's" Flycatcher - 1
Warbling Vireo - 2
Black-capped Chickadee - 1
House Wren - 3
Swainson's Thrush - 2
American Robin - 2
Gray Catbird - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)
Cedar Waxwing - 3
Yellow Warbler - 2 (plus 2 recaptured)
Common Yellowthroat - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)
Song Sparrow - 2 (plus 2 recaptured)


-----------------------------
TUESDAY, August 4, 2009
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:27
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 12:00
Hours Open: 6.0
No. of Nets: 5.50-13.75
Net Hours: 76.125
Temperature (F): 73-81
Cloud Cover: 60-80%
Wind: SW @ 5-10 mph
Barometer: 29.90-29.87
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 46 (plus 10 recaptured)
No. of Species: 16
Capture Rate: 73.6 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers: Andy Johnson, Cathy Thiesen

Downy Woodpecker - 2
Willow Flycatcher - 1
Warbling Vireo - 1
House Wren - 1
Marsh Wren - 2
[Swainson's Thrush - 1 recaptured]
American Robin - 1
Gray Catbird - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)
Cedar Waxwing - 2
Tennessee Warbler - 1
Yellow Warbler - 14 (plus 3 recaptured)
Common Yellowthroat - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)
Song Sparrow - 14 (plus 4 recaptured)
Swamp Sparrow - 3
Red-winged Blackbird - 1
Baltimore Oriole

Summer 2009 Hummingbird Banding

I have been offline for a while, doing a lot of different things, including banding hummingbirds. I got a late start, not banding any until late June, but I made up some ground and have banded more this summer than in any previous summer, with 364 banded. Of course, to compare with other years, the number of birds per trap-hour is the best measurement, and this summer's 6.5 per trap hour is perhaps slightly below average. Some banding sites have had greater numbers than usual, while a couple of sites have produced far fewer birds than normal. This seems to be the case every summer, with local ups-and-downs for one summer at most. At the end of September, I'll have a better idea of how the numbers stack up.

On July 25, the Third Annual Michigan Hummingbird Festival was held at the River Lake Inn Restaurant near Colon, and good crowds estimated at 700+ turned out, and a record 51 hummingbirds was banded, in addition to 5 recaptured that were banded in previous years (3 from 2008, 2 from 2007 and 1 from 2006).

200th Species for Naked Birding List

On June 21, 2009, Nancy and I went up to the Deckerville area in Sanilac County, Michigan where we were to begin our USFWS Breeding Bird Survey route (http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/) a little after 5 a.m. We've done this route every year since 1992, and other routes off-and-on since 1978. In the dark, I heard a Sedge Wren singing, and thus added it as the 200th species on my 2009 Naked Birding list for Michigan:

Click to hear my Sedge Wren recording

Naked Birding? Perhaps a little explanation is in order here!

Late last fall, a birder posted to the Ohio-Birds chat group that he was going to do a "naked birding" list in Ohio in 2009. His description of the list intrigued me, and I decided to do one of my own for Michigan in 2009. Despite what it sounds like, it is not going out au-natural looking for birds. It is intended to test your birding skills using only your naked eyes and naked ears, no optical or audio assistance (i.e., no binoculars, scopes, cameras, or listening devices).

As a long-time "ear-birder" I was up for the challenge!

From January through March, many birds were added based on visual observation at close range, or based on long-distance visual characters I've learned over the years. But beginning with spring migration, as expected, the bulk of my new Naked List birds were heard only, as singing birds flooded into the state. It was frustrating to not be able to add such rarities as White-faced Ibis, present and found in both Wayne and Washtenaw counties, because they were simply too distant to identify with the naked eye. That was my rule, that I must be able to IDENTIFY it with my naked eye, not just SEE it. Seeing a distant White-faced Ibis, identifying it through binoculars or a scope, then "counting" it after that ID was made was not allowed. That would be cheating.

In late April, a flock of Smith's Longspurs was being seen in Berrien County in the southwestern corner of the state. Being familar with the species already, though not having it on my Michigan list, I went over and found a field full of singing and calling Smith's Longspurs (and only one Lapland!). This identification was based on the songs and calls, with which I am familiar, but just to seal the deal a beautiful breeding-plumaged adult male landed on a patch of corn stubble just 30-feet away, making a visual ID easy too.

During the month of May, many new species were added based mainly on vocalizations, many quite beautiful as many birders already know.

Click to hear my Hooded Warbler recording

Click to hear my Mourning Warbler recording

Click to hear my American Redstart recording

Click to hear my Black-and-white Warbler recording

Click to hear my Cerulean Warbler recording

Click to hear my Canada Warbler recording

Click to hear my Chestnut-sided Warbler recording

Click to hear my Magnolia Warbler recording

Click to hear my Wood Thrush recording

Click to hear my Yellow-throated Vireo recording

Click to hear my Bobolink recording

Click to hear my Scarlet Tanager recording

On June 4th, I was finally able to head back to Berrien County where the state's first ever Fish Crow had been seen since late May, but mostly "it" was being heard. I arrived in the area well before sunrise so that I could try to find the Chuck-will's-widow that was present nearby for the 4th or 5th year in a row. It was fairly easy to find this bird, and I managed a decent, if not quiet recording, a short portion of which can be heard below:

Click to hear my Chuck-will's-widow recording

At the Forest Lawn Landfill, Three Oaks Township, I managed to see and hear at least one Fish Crow calling and flying overhead in my first hour on site. During the second hour, things got more interesting as it was obvious multiple Fish Crows were present, and my recordings help prove this.

Click to hear my Fish Crow recording

On June 7, species 199 for the list was another Wren, this one a first for my state list as well (and only the 9th for the state overall), a Rock Wren found while I was leading a Washtenaw Audubon Society field trip to the Port Huron State Game Area! Although it wasn't close enough to identify when initially found, it not only approached to within 10-feet, but even sang a few times!

The next challenge for my Naked Birding list will be shorebirds. I haven't done much yet this year as far as this challenging group, and I'll need to brush up on shorebird vocalizations if I hope to add more than just a couple to the list. Stay tuned.

Metro Beach Spring 2009 Banding Summary

The spring 2009 banding season has come to a close, and I have tallied up the general results, which I'll present here. More details will be available in the coming weeks as I compile the full report, which will be posted at www.amazilia.net/MetroBeachBanding/

A total of 773 new birds of 60 species was banded. There were 117 individuals of 18 species that returned from previous years, including at least two that were banded in 2004. An American Goldfinch banded on 28 September 2008 as a hatch-year female was recaptured on 6 June 2009 at a banding station on Walpole Island, Ontario, Canada. Banding was conducted on 16 days between April 5 and June 6, with a total of 1241.13 net hours, and an overall capture rate of 84.4 birds per 100 net hours.

Banding Totals:

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 6
Downy Woodpecker - 5 (plus 5 returns)
Hairy Woodpecker - 2 (plus 1 return)
Northern Flicker - 4
Alder Flycatcher - 6
Willow Flycatcher - 3
"Traill's" Flycatcher - 3
Least Flycatcher - 1
Eastern Phoebe - 5
Eastern Kingbird - 1
White-eyed Vireo - 3
Blue-headed Vireo - 1
Warbling Vireo - 3 (plus 1 return)
Blue Jay - 8
Tree Swallow - 3
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1
Black-capped Chickadee - 1 (plus 11 returns)
Brown Creeper - 11
[Carolina Wren - 1 return]
House Wren - 7 (plus 1 return)
Winter Wren - 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 11
Veery - 9
Gray-cheeked Thrush - 2
Swainson's Thrush - 12
Hermit Thrush - 28
Wood Thrush - 2
American Robin - 31 (plus 4 returns)
Gray Catbird - 20 (plus 1 return)
Brown Thrasher - 1
Nashville Warbler - 7
Yellow Warbler - 59 (plus 20 returns)
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1
Magnolia Warbler - 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 8
Black-throated Green Warbler - 2
Palm Warbler - 1
Black-and-white Warbler - 1
American Redstart - 4
Ovenbird - 8
Northern Waterthrush - 8
Mourning Warbler - 3
Common Yellowthroat - 13 (plus 6 returns)
Wilson's Warbler - 13
Canada Warbler - 2
Northern Cardinal - 5 (plus 3 returns)
Eastern Towhee - 1
American Tree Sparrow - 7
Savannah Sparrow - 1
Fox Sparrow - 5
Song Sparrow - 26 (plus 17 returns)
Lincoln's Sparrow - 6
Swamp Sparrow - 63 (plus 1 return)
White-throated Sparrow - 51
White-crowned Sparrow - 1
Dark-eyed Junco - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 166 (plus 17 returns)
Common Grackle - 24 (plus 1 return)
Brown-headed Cowbird - 8 (plus 4 returns)
Baltimore Oriole - 14 (plus 4 returns)
American Goldfinch - 55 (plus 19 returns)
House Sparrow - 2

Metro Beach banding report - June 5 & 6, 2009

The final week of spring banding in the first week of June always brings anticipation of some last, late migrants, as well as the possibility of capturing some of the first fledged young birds of the year. Both expectations were met on these last two days, and the unusually dry conditions resulting in almost no standing water made getting around much easier for a change. Midges, which usually hatch during the peak of warbler migration, finally hatched this week with clouds of them in the banding area but with few migrants to take advantage. Record numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds (166), Yellow Warblers (60), and Baltimore Orioles (14) were banded this spring, and independent fledgling American Robins and Common Grackle were captured this week. Details of the few (very few) late migrants banded and observed this week also follows in the detail below.

Banding highlights from Friday, June 5 included an impressive 24 Red-winged Blackbirds, many of them females. It gave us an opportunity to examine one character to age them (second-year vs. after second-year) which can often be seen in the field. Second-year (SY) female Red-winged Blackbirds typically have entirely or mostly white throats as in the top photo below, while after second-year (ASY) females are often washed with peach-yellow on the throat as in the bottom photo below. The amount of reddish in the shoulders of females varies quite a bit, and is not a particularly good indicator of age, though I do see more of it on ASY birds.

Red-winged Blackbird, second-year female

Red-winged Blackbird, after second-year female.

And always a highlight, two Baltimore Orioles, a male and female were banded today bringing the season total up to a record of 13 (one more was banded on June 6).

Baltimore Oriole, after second-year male.

The lone tardy spring migrant captured today was of a quite unexpected species, a Hermit Thrush. Before today, the last one banded was on May 10, which is about normal for the last one of these. Their migration typically peaks in this area the last week of April and the first week of May. This bird appeared to be in good health, and had some fat deposits, which would be expected on a migrant.

Hermit Thrush, after hatch-year

Additional banding highlights included a Hairy Woodpecker. Interesting birds observed but not banded included a Green Heron in trees over the Field Edge net, a calling Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, persistently singing Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos. A quick examination of the nest box near the Field Nets revealed four recently hatched young and an unhatched egg.

Banding highlights from Saturday, June 6 included another late thrush, this one a Swainson's, though this species has been banded here in early June in other years so is more expected.

Swainson's Thrush, after hatch-year

Additional banding highlights included a recently fledged Common Grackle, which was interesting in that it was still showing subtle signs of the fleshy gape corners typical of nestlings, as well as a dull yellow eye and almost no iridescence, different from what is expected in adults.

Common Grackle, hatch-year

Other banding highlights included two female Northern Flickers, including one that had clearly taken a dust bath just before getting caught in the nets. Blowing on the breast feathers to check her for a brood patch produced a big cloud of dust! Perhaps in a moment of silliness due to it being the last banding day of the spring, I nicknamed her "dusty". Five Empidonax flycatchers of the difficult "Traill's" species pair were banded today, and surpisingly all of them keyed out; 3 were Alder and 2 were Willow. It seems that the migration of these species may continue into early June most years. Also, an Empidonax flycatcher that was banded last week was recaptured today for the second time since it was banded. It has been singing fitz-bew out by the field nets and has been observed wearing a band, so he has now informally earned the nickname of Willie the Willow Flycatcher! Of course, I had to take a photo...

Willow Flycatcher, after hatch-year male

One of the last birds captured today was a female Carolina Wren, originally banded as an after hatch-year of unknown sex on 22 May 2006, recaptured again in fall 2006, again in spring and fall 2007 when she was first determined to be female based on the presence of a brood patch as she had today, and recaptured once more in fall of 2008. She was the only Carolina Wren captured this spring as the activity of this species in the park, based on singing birds, appears to be concentrated away from the banding area at the southwest corner of Point Rosa Marsh and the southern end of Cherry Lane just outside the park.

Carolina Wren, after 4th year female

Tessa Lau, our youngest volunteer, releases the female Carolina Wren as regular volunteer Joan Tisdale looks on.

Encouraging the young and educating the public are important objectives, additional to our research, which provides park staff and land managers with information about the natural treasures that use this park. Hopefully I, and the very helpful volunteers this spring, have accomplished some of that.

Interesting birds observed but not banded today included flyover Cedar Waxwings and a single Wilson's Warbler which was quite late.

Many thanks to the volunteer assistants who made banding on these two days possible: John Bieganowski, David Furi, Dave Lancaster, Harry Lau, Rose Lau, Tessa Lau, and Joan Tisdale.

==========================================================

Banding Data: ==========================================================

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009

Sunrise (E.S.T.): 4:56 a.m.

Time Open (E.S.T.): 5:45

Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:30

Hours Open: 7.75

No. of Nets: 5.00-13.25

Net Hours: 96.313

Temperature (F): 43-73

Sky: 0% cloud cover

Wind: NW-SW @ 0-3-7 mph

Barometer: 30.03 - 29.98

Precipitation: None

No. Banded: 46 (plus 25 recaptured and 6 released unbanded)

No. of Species: 15

Capture Rate: 79.9 birds per 100 net hours

Assistants: John Bieganowski, Dave Lancaster

[Downy Woodpecker - 2 recaptured]

Hairy Woodpecker - 1

Alder Flycatcher - 1

[Black-capped Chickadee - 2 recaptured]

[House Wren - 1 recaptured]

HERMIT THRUSH - 1

American Robin - 5 (plus 1 recaptured)

Gray Catbird - 1 (plus 3 recaptured and 1 released unbanded)

Yellow Warbler - 3 (plus 7 recaptured)

Common Yellowthroat - 2

[Song Sparrow - 3 recaptured]

Red-winged Blackbird - 24 (plus 5 recaptured and 3 released unbanded)

Common Grackle - 6 (plus 2 released unbanded)

[Brown-headed Cowbird - 1 recaptured]

Baltimore Oriole - 2

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SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2009
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 4:56 a.m.
Time Open (E.S.T.): 5:45
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:15
Hours Open: 7.50
No. of Nets: 5.00-13.25
Net Hours: 96.188
Temperature (F): 52-64
Sky: 10-0% cloud cover
Wind: NE-E @ 5-7-10 mph
Barometer: 30.03 - 30.09
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 39 (plus 12 recaptured)
No. of Species: 13
Capture Rate: 53.0 birds per 100 net hours
Assistants: David Furi, Harry Lau, Rose Lau, Tessa Lau, Joan Tisdale

Northern Flicker - 2

Alder Flycatcher 3

Willow Flycatcher - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)

[Carolina Wren - 1 recaptured]

House Wren - 1

Swainson's Thrush - 1

American Robin - 8 (plus 1 recaptured)

Gray Catbird - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)

Yellow Warbler - 6

Song Sparrow - 1 (plus 2 recaptured)

Red-winged Blackbird - 9 (plus 5 recaptured)

Common Grackle - 3

Brown-headed Cowbird - 1

Baltimore Oriole - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)

Metro Beach banding report - May 29, 2009

Although there is likely another week of migration activity, the spring songbird migration is coming to an end. This was represented nicely by the females captured today. As many birders know, the males migrate north first to establish and claim the best territories, and the females often follow later. The unusually large number of birds released unbanded today was due to the escapes of blackbirds and grackles from the nets just as we arrived to extract them. There will be one more banding report, hopefully covering two more banding days in the first week of June where we may capture a few more late warblers, and possibly more Empidonax flycatchers.

Banding highlights for Friday, May 29 included several Wilson's Warblers, including three females.

Second-year female Wilson's Warbler

Only the second Canada Warbler of the spring was captured, this one also a female.

After hatch-year female Canada Warbler

And an American Redstart was captured also, but this one was a male despite being in gray, white, and yellow plumage. Some birders don't realize that this species takes two years to attain the black and orange 'adult' male plumage, and so pass off a lot of second-year (first year in field guide terminology) males. This individual would be easily sexed as male in the field by noting the black blotches on the crown and especially in front of the eye, which females do not show. And of course these second-year males sing, which females do not do.

Second-year male American Redstart

A male Mourning Warbler and a female Magnolia Warbler rounded out the migrant warblers captured today. It was another good day for Red-winged Blackbirds (the season total is now 133, well ahead of last year's record of 92). And three Common Grackles were captured on the last net run, including this nicely iridescent male, which took a good hunk of flesh out of one of my fingers during the brief photo session!

After second-year male Common Grackle

Interesting birds observed but not banded included a rather late Black-and-white Warbler that was unusual for another reason. It appeared to be a melanistic individual, as it was completely normal in plumage on the back, wings, and tail, but the head and breast were unusual. The crown was solid black, with no white median crown stripe, and the cheeks, throat, and breast were medium gray with no sign of streaks or the normal face pattern. Only poor photos were obtained of this odd bird, and the best of them is posted below.

Melanistic Black-and-white Warbler

Since posting this blog on May 31, I received an e-mail from Ben Coulter who forwarded me a photo of a similar Black-and-white Warbler that he photographed at Presque Isle State Park, PA, in 2003. His bird is blacker on the entire head, and shows distinct streaking on the flanks, unlike this bird.

Also of interest was a "V" of about 35 Canada Geese heading north, rather late but most likely undergoing "molt migration", as well as singing Yellow-bellied and Alder Flycatchers in the swamp and marsh. At least two Tennessee Warblers were singing in the area today too, but avoided capture (the 1990-1999 capture rate was ten times my current capture rate for this species!).

A non-avian oddity caught our attention yesterday, as sometimes happens (see the Big Brown Bat photos from a late April posting). Today, an odd "bug" was seen crawling along the road. It was originally identified by me as a dragonfly nymph, but several comments have indicated it is not. The leading contender is that it is the larva of a Predaceous Diving Beetle (Family Dysticidae). I tend to agree with this assessment. Others have called it a "helgrimite" which is a colloquial name for Dobsonfly larva (Family Corydalidae). These are entirely aquatic at this stage of their life, so seeing one crawling along the dry gravel road was bizarre. We figured it had been captured in the water by a bird (grackle?) but when it reared its fearsome head, like something out of a sci-fi movie, the bird may have dropped it into the road. I returned it to the roadside pond after taking photos and avoiding getting bitten.

Predaceous Diving Beetle larva (Dysticidae), species unknown

Many thanks to the volunteer assistants who made banding today possible: Chris Charlebois, Jean Gramlich, and Dave Lancaster.

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Banding Data: ==========================================================

FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2009

Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:00 a.m.

Time Open (E.S.T.): 5:45

Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:15

Hours Open: 7.50

No. of Nets: 5.00-13.25

Net Hours: 93.00

Temperature (F): 56-73

Sky: 50-0% cloud cover

Wind: WNW-W @ 3-5-12 mph

Barometer: 29.85 - 29.86

Precipitation: None

No. Banded: 36 (plus 20 recaptured and 8 released unbanded)

No. of Species: 19

Capture Rate: 68.8 birds per 100 net hours

Assistants: Chris Charlebois, Jean Gramlich, Dave Lancaster

"Traill's" Flycatcher - 1

[Willow Flycatcher - 1 recaptured]

House Wren - 1

[American Robin - 2 recaptured]

Gray Catbird - 1 (plus 2 recaptured)

Yellow Warbler - 3 (plus 3 recaptured and 1 released unbanded)

Magnolia Warbler - 1

American Redstart - 1

Mourning Warbler - 1

Common Yellowthroat - 4 (plus 1 recaptured and 1 released unbanded)

Wilson's Warbler - 5

Canada Warbler - 1

[Song Sparrow - 3 recaptured]

[Swamp Sparrow - 1 recaptured]

[Northern Cardinal - 2 recaptured]

Red-winged Blackbird - 10 (plus 4 recaptured and 3 released unbanded)

Common Grackle - 3 (plus 3 released unbanded)

Brown-headed Cowbird - 1

Baltimore Oriole - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)

American Goldfinch - 1