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.