Highlights of the 26 birds banded on Saturday, May 3 were sparse, and included the first Blue Jay and Common Grackles of the spring; both sporting their iridescent plumages of course.
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| Second-year Blue Jay |
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| After second-year male Common Grackle |
Interesting birds observed but not banded included both Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal in a pond out in the field, attesting to the higher water levels this year, as well as multiple Virginia Rails and Sora. Two Solitary Sandpipers were also out in the vicinity of the Field Nets, and a somewhat late female Rusty Blackbird gave good views at the banding station near where we park along the road.
Highlights of the 69 birds banded on Friday, May 9 included the second Spotted Sandpiper ever banded at the station; the first was banded in spring 2013. This individual was sexed as female based on the size, density, and number of black spots on the breast.
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| After hatch-year female Spotted Sandpiper |
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| After hatch-year female Spotted Sandpiper |
On the same net run, another shorebird was captured, a Wilson's Snipe, which was also only the second ever at the station, with the first banded in spring 1991.
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| Second-year female Wilson's Snipe |
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| Second-year female Wilson's Snipe |
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| Second-year female Wilson's Snipe |
This bird was aged as second-year based on mixed ages of median and lesser coverts, and was sexed as female based on the pattern and length of the outermost tail feather.
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| Second-year female Wilson's Snipe |
Volunteer, Annie Crary, was responsible for flushing the snipe into the net, and was happy to have her photo taken with her prize catch.
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| Annie Crary with Wilson's Snipe |
A bit overdue, the first thrushes of the spring other than Hermit were captured today, including a single Veery and a lone Swainson's Thrush.
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| After hatch-year Veery |
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| After hatch-year Swainson's Thrush |
Rather tardy were two Northern Waterthrushes, the only migrant warblers banded today. Good numbers of Yellow Warblers have arrived, and the first Common Yellowthroats of the spring were also banded.
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| After hatch-year Northern Waterthrush |
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| Second-year male Common Yellowthroat |
Interesting birds observed but not banded included a flyover Green Heron, continuing good numbers of Sora and Virginia Rails, Great Crested Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Wood Thrush, and single individuals of several warbler species: Nashville, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Yellow-rumped, Palm, and American Redstart.
Highlights of the 49 birds banded on Saturday, May 10 included a stunning after second-year male Magnolia Warbler.
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| After second-year male Magnolia Warbler |
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| After second-year male Magnolia Warbler |
The first Lincoln's Sparrow of the spring was banded today, and the Baltimore Orioles have discovered the hummingbird feeders and are being captured more frequently, including some from previous years.
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| After hatch-year Lincoln's Sparrow |
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| After second-year male Baltimore Oriole |
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| After second-year male Baltimore Oriole |
Interesting birds observed but not banded included flyover Green Heron and Turkey Vulture, two circling and calling Sandhill Cranes (rare here), and a few warblers including: Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided, Bay-breasted, Black-and-white, American Redstart, and a stunning Canada right next to the banding station.
Highlights of the 52 birds banded on Sunday, May 11 included only the fourth Virginia Rail ever banded at the station; the first two were in 1992 and the third was in 1998.
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| After hatch-year Virginia Rail |
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| After hatch-year Virginia Rail |
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| After hatch-year Virginia Rail |
Audio luring over the past couple of weeks has brought both Virginia Rail and Sora close to the nets, but not in them. This morning, Virginia Rails were seen in a clump of shrubs between the Field Edge and Field Nets, so the audio lure was set up there. That alone did not catch the rail, but posting a volunteer (Jacob Charlebois) nearby to watch what the birds did allowed one bird to be tracked until it walked into the center of the "U" in the field, where it was captured. Of course Jacob got to pose with "his" rail for photos.
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| Jacob Charlebois with Virginia Rail |
Another unusual capture was only the station's 5th ever Eastern Kingbird, a feisty adult male.
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| After hatch-year male Eastern Kingbird |
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| After hatch-year male Eastern Kingbird |
Today was the best day so far for songbird migrants, including the first Warbling Vireo, Nashville Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and American Redstart.
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| After hatch-year Warbling Vireo |
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| After hatch-year female Nashville Warbler |
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| Second-year male Chesnut-sided Warbler |
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| Second-year female Yellow-rumped Warbler |
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| After second-year male American Redstart |
And some highlights don't come in the form of rarities or colorful species, but in recapturing individuals banded long ago. This past week there were nearly as many Yellow Warblers returning from previous years, including some 4-5 years old, as were newly banded. Even older was a male Song Sparrow banded as a hatch-year in 2008, making him 6 years old this summer.
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| Sixth-year male Song Sparrow |
Interesting birds observed but not banded included an American Woodcock flushed from near the Field Nets in the early morning, and a few different warblers from previously: Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, and Ovenbird. A Scarlet Tanager was a nice sight also.
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SATURDAY, May 3, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:25
Time Open (E.S.T.): 5:45
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 12:45
Hours Open: 6.00
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 77.00
Temperature (F): 48-57
Cloud Cover: 70-100%
Wind: SSW-W @ 5-10-12 mph
Barometer: 29.77-29.70
Precipitation: Intermittent light rain, 11:45-12:45
No. Banded: 26 (plus 10 recaptured, 2 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 9
Capture Rate: 49.4 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 9.5 hours, 5:00-14:30): Jacob Charlebois, Steve Mangas, Blanche Wicke
Blue Jay - 1
House Wren - 1
Hermit Thrush - 1
American Robin - 4
[Song Sparrow -2 recaptured]
Swamp Sparrow - 7 (plus 1 recaptured)
Red-winged Blackbird - 8 (plus 2 recaptured, 1 released unbanded)
Common Grackle - 4 (plus 1 released unbanded)
[American Goldfinch - 5 recaptured]
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FRIDAY, May 9, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:17
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 12:15
Hours Open: 6.25
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 79.25
Temperature (F): 57-66
Cloud Cover: 20-100%
Wind: S-SW @ 7-10-12 mph
Barometer: 29.91-29.81
Precipitation: Rain at 12:30
No. Banded: 69 (plus 31 recaptured, 3 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 19
Capture Rate: 130.0 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 9.5 hours, 5:00-14:30): Annie Crary (6.5 hrs), Dave Lancaster, Judi Wade
SPOTTED SANDPIPER - 1
WILSON'S SNIPE - 1
Mourning Dove - 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1
Blue Jay - 6 (plus 1 released unbanded)
Tree Swallow - 1
Black-capped Chickadee - 1
Veery - 1
Swainson's Thrush - 1
American Robin - 1
Yellow Warbler - 10 (plus 10 recaptured)
Northern Waterthrush - 2
Common Yellowthroat - 3 (plus 3 recaptured, 1 released unbanded)
Song Sparrow -2 (plus 1 recaptured)
Swamp Sparrow - 8
White-throated Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 17 (plus 4 recaptured, 1 released unbanded)
Baltimore Oriole - 4 (plus 5 recaptured)
American Goldfinch - 7 (plus 8 recaptured)
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SATURDAY, May 10, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:16
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:00
Hours Open: 7.00
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 91.00
Temperature (F): 54-73
Cloud Cover: 20-40%
Wind: SW-WNW @ 5-7-12 mph
Barometer: 29.92-29.50
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 49 (plus 12 recaptured, 1 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 16
Capture Rate: 68.1 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 10.0 hours, 5:00-15:00): John Bieganowski (3.5 hrs), Jacob Charlebois, Jean Gramlich, Dave Lancaster (3.5 hrs), Steve Mangas, Marie McGee (5.0 hrs)
Blue Jay - 1
Tree Swallow - 1
American Robin - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)
European Starling - 2
Yellow Warbler - 5 (plus 5 recaptured, 1 released unbanded)
Magnolia Warbler - 1
Northern Waterthrush - 3
Common Yellowthroat - 7 (plus 2 recaptured)
Song Sparrow - 1
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
Swamp Sparrow - 8
Northern Cardinal - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 6
Common Grackle - 1
Baltimore Oriole - 3 (plus 2 recaptured)
American Goldfinch - 7 (plus 2 recaptured)
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SUNDAY, May 11, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:15
Time Open (E.S.T.): 5:45
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:00
Hours Open: 7.25
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 92.25
Temperature (F): 48-73
Cloud Cover: 10-100-70%
Wind: Calm-SE @ 0-5-7 mph
Barometer: 30.01-30.09
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 52 (plus 23 recaptured, 1 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 24
Capture Rate: 82.4 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 9.5 hours, 5:00-14:30): Jacob Charlebois, Michelle Serreyn (2.25 hrs), Sarah Toner, Blanche Wicke
VIRGINIA RAIL - 1
[Mourning Dove - 1]
Northern Flicker - 1
EASTERN KINGBIRD - 1
Warbling Vireo - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)
[American Robin - 1 recaptured]
Gray Catbird - 2
Nashville Warbler - 1
Yellow Warbler - 7 (plus 6 recaptured)
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1
Magnolia Warbler - 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2
American Redstart - 1
Northern Waterthrush - 4
Common Yellowthroat - 4 (plus 2 recaptured)
Song Sparrow -1 (plus 4 recaptured)
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
Swamp Sparrow - 4 (plus 1 recaptured)
Northern Cardinal -1
Red-winged Blackbird - 9 (plus 1 recaptured)
Common Grackle - 1 (plus 1 released unbanded)
Brown-headed Cowbird - 1
Baltimore Oriole - 2 (plus 3 recaptured)
American Goldfinch - 5 (plus 3 recaptured)
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