Metro Beach banding report - April 3-13, 2011

Every spring I try to get the bird banding station at Metro Beach Metropark, Macomb County, Michigan open on at least one day in the first week of April. My hope is always to band some of the last lingering winter birds like American Tree Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos, while also trying to catch the beginning of them migrations of some early migrants like Eastern Phoebe, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, and Fox Sparrow. But the first week of April in southeastern Michigan can be tricky. Sometimes, winter is still hanging on, though most years there is no ice remaining in the swamp woods. How did we fare on opening day, and two subsequent banding days this spring? Read on.

Since we're likely to be doing some clearing of net lanes (though not as much as in fall), start time for opening day in spring is typically 8 a.m. Here is a photo of the happy first-day crew on Sunday, April 3.


Left to right: Mary Buchowski, Sarah Matuszak, Mike Matuszak.
















It was Sarah and Mike's first time out. Their day turned into somewhat of an initiation. The mud and water was not as bad as it has been virtually every spring since 2004, though there was still plenty of both. It wasn't as difficult to get around and this might be due to the Phragmites having been removed and possibly allowing a better flow of water through the area. Out at the Field Nets, we pushed a Glossy Buckthorn, which had been cut down last November by park staff (thanks Todd!) out of the net lanes. But another net lane had a much larger tree down in the the middle of it.


Tree fallen across Willow (west) net lane.
















Lacking a chainsaw or even a decent hand saw, I decided that we'd move the net to another spot about 10 yards away. Sadly, the tree that fell often provided a good perch for warblers and other songbirds in the fall. At the Upland-U nets, I noticed a log that had fallen perhaps 3 years ago with very fresh woodpecker diggings near it on the ground. The holes, as can be seen in the photo below, were oval in shape and were about 6-inches long by 3-inches wide.


Log with woodpecker diggings.
















This is very characteristic of Pileated Woodpecker, which had never been recorded in the park before one was seen flying west along the beach in fall 2010. This raises the exciting possibility that this large woodpecker is still in the area (the diggings looked VERY fresh), and perhaps I'll have a chance to band my first-ever Pileated Woodpecker this year. The nets went up pretty much without any problems, and we managed a few hours of banding, resulting in a pretty good total of 19 birds banded. The weather prediction was for rain to move in during late afternoon and the evening, but by about 1:30 p.m. (EDT) the sky suddenly didn't look so friendly any more, so I decided to close up, with the rain starting lightly as we were doing so. We got the nets all closed, with no birds caught, and prepared to take them all down. But winter decided to return and over the next hour or so the rain got heavier, turned to sleet, then freezing rain, the wind came up and it began to snow! This is the first time we've taken the banding station down in snow! The new recruits survived, and have indicated that they will be back. Mother Nature loves to initiate new banding volunteers! Conditions on Saturday, April 9 and Wednesday, April 13, were much more spring-like.

Highlights of birds banded on Sunday, April 3 included five American Tree Sparrows (the spring season record is 8). So, one of the main goals of opening this early was met.


American Tree Sparrow (AHY-U).
















Another highlight was a White-breasted Nuthatch already wearing a band, caught in the new Willow (west) net location, proving its worth right away. Nuthatches aren't rare in the park, but we don't often see them back in the swamp woods/marsh transition zone where the banding station is located, so don't band very many. And this one being banded was from a previous year (2010 it turned out), the first "returnee" of this species we've had.


White-breasted Nuthatch (AHY-M) originally banded 8 September 2010 as HY-M
















Interesting birds observed but not banded included a flyovers of Killdeer, Horned Lark, and Tree Swallow, along with single Brown Creeper and Winter Wren in the woods, and a few Golden-crowned Kinglets and Rusty Blackbirds.

Highlights of birds banded on Saturday, April 9 included three Eastern Phoebes, a very good number for one day.


Eastern Phoebe (AHY-U)

Among the singing Winter Wrens in the area, one managed to find its way into the nets.


Winter Wren (AHY-U)
















The number of kinglets, especially the early migrating Golden-crowned, present in spring is much smaller than in fall, so it was a pleasant surprise to band a dozen of them today.


Golden-crowned Kinglet (AHY-M)
















A bigger surprise was the continued capture and banding of American Tree Sparrows, with the 12 banded today bringing the season total to 17, shattering the previous spring record of 8.


American Tree Sparrow (AHY-U)
















Fox Sparrows are always nice to see up close, and an early migrant, so the four banded today was definitely a highlight.


Fox Sparrow (AHY-U)
















A single White-throated Sparrow was the earliest ever banded here. The fact that it was already banded was exciting too. It turns out that it had been banded as a HY-F on the last day of banding last fall at Metro Beach, so almost certainly had spent the winter here. This is the first different-season recapture of a White-throated Sparrow at Metro Beach. Like the over-wintering birds banded in my yard in Inkster, Wayne County, this sparrow was in heavy body molt. The main migration of White-throated Sparrows won't begin in earnest for another couple weeks.


White-throated Sparrow (SY-F) originally banded 3 November 2010
















A surprise late in the day was a Rusty Blackbird. This species is difficult to catch, as they spend much time in the treetops and, when they descend to the ground are mainly in open areas of swamp where they flip over leaves to search for invertebrate prey. This is not the kind of area that conceals a mist net very well. So, this is only the fourth Rusty Blackbird banded here since 2004, and only the tenth since 1989 (all in spring). It can be sexed as female based on the all-gray plumage with very little iridescence.


Rusty Blackbird (SY-F)



Rusty Blackbird (SY-F)

Interesting birds observed today but not banded included a Sandhill Crane that circled over the marsh calling for a couple minutes, a winnowing Wilson's Snipe, two displaying American Woodcock, and a single early Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Highlights of birds banded on Wednesday, April 13 included a good total of 7 Brown Creepers and the season's first Hermit Thrush.


Hermit Thrush (AHY-U)
















The four Swamp Sparrows banded today added to the two banded on the 9th, and included birds with nice solid chestnut caps, a character not related to age or sex.


Swamp Sparrow (AHY-U)
















Two more American Tree Sparrows brought the season's total to 19, and two more Fox Sparrows added to the four banded on April 9th. A single Dark-eyed Junco was another winter species that is hoped for in early April.


Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco (SY-F)
















Interesting birds observed but not banded included four flyover Common Loons, the season's first Sora, and once again Wilson's Snipe and American Woodcock before sunrise. The number of Yellow-rumped Warblers in the area increased to five, and swallows were more in evidence with a single Purple Martin and a couple Barn Swallows. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher called from near the Swamp Nets but never came down low enough to be caught, and an Eastern Towhee called briefly near the Willow Nets.

Banding on these three days could not have been done without the help of willing and capable volunteers, including Mary Buchowski, John Bieganowski, Sarah Matuszak, Mike Matuszak, and Tom Schlack.

============================
Banding Data
-------------------------------------
SUNDAY, April 3, 2011
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 6:13
Time Open (E.S.T.): 8:45
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:00
Hours Open: 4.75
No. of Nets: 4.25-13.25
Net Hours: 54.688
Temperature (F): 34-42-39
Cloud Cover: 40-100%
Wind: SE @ 3-15 mph
Barometer: 29.73-29.66
Precipitation: Rain/Snow at close
No. Banded: 19 (plus 3 recaptures)
No. of Species: 8
Capture Rate: 40.2 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 7.5 hours, 8:00-15:30): Mary Buchowski, Mike Matuszak, Sarah Matuszak.

Black-capped Chickadee - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)
[White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 recaptured]
American Robin - 4
American Tree Sparrow - 5
[Song Sparrow - 1 recaptured]
Northern Cardinal - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 4
American Goldfinch - 3

-------------------------------------
SATURDAY, April 9, 2011
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 6:03
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:00
Hours Open: 7.00
No. of Nets: 4.25-13.25
Net Hours: 85.750
Temperature (F): 36-50
Cloud Cover: 80-20-100%
Wind: Calm-SE @ 0-3-5 mph
Barometer: 30.12-30.07
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 65 (plus 7 recaptures)
No. of Species: 12
Capture Rate: 84.0 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 10.0 hours, 6:00-16:00): Mary Buchowski, Tom Schlack.

Eastern Phoebe - 3
Brown Creeper - 4
Winter Wren - 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 12
American Tree Sparrow - 12
Fox Sparrow - 4
Song Sparrow - 8 (plus 5 recaptured)
Swamp Sparrow - 2
[White-throated Sparrow - 1 recaptured]
Red-winged Blackbird - 2
RUSTY BLACKBIRD - 1
American Goldfinch - 16

-------------------------------------
WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2011
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:56
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:00
Hours Open: 7.00
No. of Nets: 4.25-13.25
Net Hours: 85.750
Temperature (F): 36-64
Cloud Cover: 20-10%
Wind: N @ 3-5 mph
Barometer: 30.08-30.05
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 34 (plus 8 recaptures and 1 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 13
Capture Rate: 49.0 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 10.0 hours, 6:00-16:00): John Bieganowski, Tom Schlack.

Downy Woodpecker - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)
[Eastern Phoebe - 1 recaptured]
Brown Creeper - 7
Winter Wren - 1
Hermit Thrush - 1
American Robin - 4 (plus 1 recaptured)
American Tree Sparrow - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)
Fox Sparrow - 2
Song Sparrow - 2 (plus 2 recaptured)
Swamp Sparrow - 4
Dark-eyed Junco - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 4 (plus 1 released unbanded)
American Goldfinch - 4 (plus 2 recaptured)

How I Spent My Summer Hunting Dragons

During the summer of 2009, I had planned to try to find and photograph as many species of dragonfly and damselfly as I could, mainly in Michigan as I had no plans to travel. Well, Mother Nature had different ideas, and the cool wet summer that year was not at all favorable for dragonflies. I think I might have only found a dozen species at the most. But summer of 2010 was completely different; warm and not too dry or too wet, and with a surprising number of species found. It was a great success, and here I present some dragonfly highlights to help ease you out of winter and into spring (only an hour away from arriving as I write this).

The dragon hunt started out well, in late May, when a Carolina Saddlebags decided to perch among the vegetation near the Field Nets at the bird banding station at Metro Beach Metropark. This is a southern species, until this year only known from a few southern counties in Michigan and collected only once before in Macomb County. I managed a poor photo of it, shown here.


Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina)















It turned out to be a remarkable year for Carolina Saddlebags. A friend, Curt Powell, told me about another southern wanderer at Lower Huron Metropark, Wayne County, and there were at least two Carolina Saddlebags there as well. When orchid-hunting later in the summer, I came across at least two or three at West Lake in Kalamazoo County. But, despite several chances to observe this beautiful bug, I only had one chance all year for a photo. Friends in the Upper Peninsula managed quite good photos of Carolina Saddlebags in Marquette County, well north of where they've ever been recorded in Michigan.

The other southern species that Curt put me onto at Lower Huron Metropark was the Comet Darner, perhaps confirmed from even fewer Michigan counties than the saddlebags. This was a very active dragonfly, and although I managed repeated views there (and in Ann Arbor) over the course of two months, I never saw a male perched. In desperation, I took some shots of flying males, with the following results.



Male Comet Darner (Anax longipes)















Male Comet Darner















I was able to photograph a female much closer, as she was laying eggs; certainly a very rare event in Wayne County.


Female Comet Darner laying eggs.















Other early successes included several Four-spotted Skimmers in late May at Tuttle Marsh, Iosco County, when I went up to (successfully) chase the Purple Gallinule found their by my friend Karl Overman earlier in the month. While the previous two species were "lifers", Four-spotted Skimmer was not as I'd seen them once before, in Alaska in 2004, and it is not a rare species in Michigan.


Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata)















And in early June, I came across this wonderful Rusty Snaketail at the Port Huron State Game Area, St. Clair County, where many dragonfly discoveries surely lurk. I'd seen this snaketail at this same locale in 2008.


Rusty Snaketail (Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis)















Throughout the summer, I found pretty much all the common species I was expecting, though most are uncommonly beautiful. Some were found while banding hummingbirds, like the Black-tipped Darners that were everywhere in one yard in Jackson County, or while searching for orchids in bogs across the state.


Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa)















Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina)















Black-tipped Darner (Aeshna tuberculifera)















An uncommon species, found in Ann Arbor, was the Swamp Darner, largest of Michigan's dragonflies (slightly longer than the Green Darner). I've only encountered this species regularly at Metro Beach Metropark, and most often tangled in my mist nets.


Swamp Darner (Epiaeschna heros)















Another widespread species is the Slaty Skimmer. I'd seen them before, but during summer 2010 they were very common at many locales.


Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta)















I would be remiss if I didn't share the beauty of the smaller members (flying toothpicks!) of this interesting group, the damselflies and spreadings. But, I am on much shakier ground with these as identification is difficult in many species. So, while I feel fairly confident in those shown below, I don't guarantee that I've identified them correctly! Still, they're beauties worth a look.


Blue-fronted Dancer (Argia apicalis)



Mating Blue-ringed Dancers (Argia sedula)



Eastern Forktail (Ischnura verticalis)

Spreadwings are named after their habit of perching with their wings partly open, unlike damselflies which perch with wings closed (as above) or dragonflies which perch with their wings flat. They are also extremely difficult to identify, so identifications in the photos below are definitely not guaranteed.


Amber-winged Spreadwing (Lestes eurinus)















Elegant Spreadwing (Lestes inaequalis)
















Swamp Spreadwing (Lestes vigilax)















A small group, somewhat different from other damselflies, are the broad-winged damselflies which includes two common species in Michigan, one uncommon, and one rare. The common species are Ebony Jewelwing and American Rubyspot.


Male and female Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata)















Male American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)















Trips to bogs were always rewarding, not only for the flowers (including orchids), but for the dragonflies. Here there were uncommonly observed species, including a few "lifers" for me. The Chalk-fronted Corporal is a fairly common species, as long as you're in or near a bog.


Male Chalk-fronted Corporal (Libellula julia)















But the Band-winged Pennant and Spangled Skimmer were both unexpected and beautiful "lifers" both at the same bog.


Band-winged Pennant (Celithemis fasciata)
















Spangled Skimmer (Libellula cyanea)















A bonus was a species I'd only seen once before, in the Upper Peninsula, the very cool Stream Cruiser.


Stream Cruiser (Didymops transversa)















Ashy and Dusky Clubtails are difficult to tell apart, and both inhabit bogs. I believe the individual below is a Dusky, but no guarantees on this ID.


Dusky Clubtail (Gomphus spicatus)















At a bog in Kalamazoo County, the Frosted Whiteface was quite common, and very near the southern edge of its range in Michigan. I'd only seen them before in the Upper Peninsula and in New England.


Frosted Whiteface (Leucorrhinia frigida)















Smaller denizens of the bogs included the somewhat unusually marked Aurora Damsel, the bright Fragile Forktail with two exclamation points on its shoulders, and the tiny Sedge Sprite (a flying needle).


Aurora Damel (Chromagrion conditum)















Male Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita)















Female Sedge Sprite (Nehalennia irene)















In late summer, yet another tip from Curt sent me to the Leonard Preserve in Washtenaw County, where I'd been only once before. Here there were two really spectacular bugs, both of them in the clubtail group, and both "lifers". The first was the large Arrow Clubtail.


Arrow Clubtail (Stylurus spiniceps)
















The other was the Tyrannosaurus rex of dragonflies, the aptly named Dragonhunter, which feeds almost exclusively on other dragonflies, some quite large. It looks very big, and it is, probably the heaviest of Michigan's dragonflies but not as long as the Swamp Darner.


Dragonhunter (Hagenius brevistylus)















As summer starts giving way to fall, a number of other common dragonflies emerge. There are about a dozen species of Meadowhawk in Michigan, small, mostly red, and some difficult to identify even in the hand. Below are two species that aren't too difficult, so I'm reasonably sure of the identifications, the White-faced Meadowhawk and Band-winged Meadowhawk.


White-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum)



Band-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum semicinctum)

Lingering only into late summer were Dot-tailed Whitefaces which, unlike most of its relatives, is not associated with bogs.


Dot-tailed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta)















And one of the commonest species of late summer well into October is the Black Saddlebags.


Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)















A surprise in the mist nets during bird banding at Metro Beach in late August was yet another "lifer" dragonfly, the uncommon Mottled Darner, named for the mottled pattern on the sides of its thorax.


Mottled Darner (Aeshna clepsydra)
















Thanks to the wonderful blog (Urban Dragon Hunters) of my friends Julie Craves and Darrin O'Brien, I was able to "borrow" some information about some species I was trying to see. One of these was the Citrine Forktail, which is uncommon and local in Michigan. I visited a Wayne County locale several times before coming up with the photo of a female below. Many immature damselflies are yellow when they first emerge so this isn't as easy an ID as it might seem. I'll have to try again this summer to see, and hopefully photograph a male.


Female Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata)















This locale also provided a good opportunity to see a fairly easy to identify damselfly, the Double-striped Bluet. There were many mating pairs, as below, as well as immatures. Some of the immatures would flush and fly straight up into the air until they were out of sight. For one of these, it ended with a loud SNAP as a Cedar Waxwing sallied out from a branch and grabbed it in midair!


Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens)















As the fall season progressed, and it got cooler, it was more difficult to find dragonflies and damselflies, and very difficult to find new species for the year. Thanks again to Urban Dragon Hunters, I found myself at two different Wayne County locales on two different dates, looking at two rare species for Michigan. The first was at apparently the only known locale in the state, adjacent to a shopping mall of all places, where I managed to find a grand total of 14 Great Spreadwings. I did try to find this species in Monroe County, without success, but was rewarded with being able to collect what I believe may be the first specimen of Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) for Monroe County. Unlike the other 10 or so species of spreadwing in Michigan, the Great Spreadwing is the size of a small dragonfly...really Great! And I really love the genus name; it sounds really prehistoric.


Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis)

















A little later in the fall, and right on the very rusty barrel in the creek where it had been the day before, was the rarest of the four species of broad-winged damselflies in Michigan, the Smoky Rubyspot, the last species for the year (#83) and a "lifer" too.


Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia)















As I finish this blog entry, spring is now two hours old, it is dark and raining outside, which reminds me that the salamanders should be emerging soon, if they haven't already. I hope you've enjoyed my ramblings about chasing dragonflies last summer as much as I've enjoyed sharing them with you. I promise that the next blog posting will get back to birds, as the bird banding season at Metro Beach begins April 3.








End of post