Under an overcast sky the third MAPS banding session was undertaken on June 26th at Ruthven. The threat of precipitation was in the air, as too were vast quantities of falling caterpillar poop and leaf debris from the tent caterpillar infestation that has blighted the local forest. The cuckoos seemed to be having an easy time of finding food however.
Banded 21: BWWA, BCCH 2, YWAR 3, REVI 2, SOSP, DOWO, GRCA 4, BHCO, RBGR 2, YBCU, AMRO, RBWO, MODO
Retrapped 12: REVI 2, GRCA 3, RBGR 2, NOCA, BAOR, YWAR 2, SOSP
The most enchanting capture of the day however could not be banded as the bird in question was too small. A young Mourning Dove, flying on more prayer than wing, was captured in Net 10. Endowed with a gormless innocence, it decided that the whole experience of being captured could be improved with a better view. He then promptly walked up my arm and perched on my shoulder...only becoming disgruntled when I evicted him (don't think he was potty trained). Perhaps he mistook me for a pirate. Polly want cracked corn? Just doesn't fly....
First fledged Black-capped Chickadee of the season.
B
Monday, June 26, 2006
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Selkirk Spring Banding Report
The
A total of 2721 birds were banded of 82 species plus 1 form.
The 11 year average is 2007 birds banded per spring of 78 species.
The station uses 20 warbler nets, 1 jay-trap and up to 4 ground traps. Coverage was consistent with that of prior years.
Birds banded in AOU no. order
Mourning Dove 39
Eastern Screech-owl 1
Downy Woodpecker 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Yellow-shafted Flicker 4
Great-crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Phoebe 7
Eastern Wood Pewee 1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 4
Traill's Flycatcher 20
Least Flycatcher 12
Blue Jay 13
European Starling 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 36
Red-winged Blackbird 37
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 10
Common Grackle 22
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 141 (new banding season high)
Savannah Sparrow 6 (new banding season high)
E. White-crowned Sparrow 46
Gamble's W-C. Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 394 (new banding season high)
American Tree Sparrow 75 (new banding season high)
Chipping Sparrow 13 (ties previous best banding season)
Field Sparrow 8
Slate-colored Junco 121
Song Sparrow 104
Lincoln's Sparrow 50
Swamp Sparrow 34
Fox Sparrow 5
Eastern Towhee 2
Northern Cardinal 12
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 12
Indigo Bunting 6
Scarlet Tanager 1
Tree Swallow 57 (new banding season high)
N. Rough-winged Swallow 3 (new banding season high)
Cedar Waxwing 39 (New spring high)
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue-headed Vireo 5
Black-and-white Warbler 8
Nashville Warbler 30
Orange-crowned Warbler 2 (ties previous spring high)
Tennessee Warbler 1
Yellow Warbler 64
Black-thr. Blue Warbler 8
Myrtle Warbler 69
Magnolia Warbler 82
Chestnut-sided Warbler 4
Blackpoll Warbler 3 (new spring high)
Blackburnian Warbler 1
Black-thr. Green Warbler 5
Pine Warbler 2
w. Palm Warbler 19
Ovenbird 57
Northern Waterthrush 1
Mourning Warbler 5
Common Yellowthroat 35
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Hooded Warbler 1
Wilson's Warbler 11
Canada Warbler 9
American Redstart 10
Gray Catbird 72
Brown Thrasher 7
House Wren 24
Winter Wren 20
Brown Creeper 26
White-breasted Nuthatch 4 (new spring high)
Red-breasted Nuthatch 3
E. Tufted Titmouse 1
Black-capped Chickadee 23 (new spring high)
Golden-crowned Kinglet 242
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 244
Wood Thrush 14
Veery 27
Gray-cheeked Thrush 6
Swainson"s Thrush 28
Hermit Thrush 134
American Robin 63
Eastern Bluebird 1
John Miles
Bander-in-charge
Eastern Screech-owl 1
Downy Woodpecker 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Yellow-shafted Flicker 4
Great-crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Phoebe 7
Eastern Wood Pewee 1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 4
Traill's Flycatcher 20
Least Flycatcher 12
Blue Jay 13
European Starling 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 36
Red-winged Blackbird 37
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 10
Common Grackle 22
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 141 (new banding season high)
Savannah Sparrow 6 (new banding season high)
E. White-crowned Sparrow 46
Gamble's W-C. Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 394 (new banding season high)
American Tree Sparrow 75 (new banding season high)
Chipping Sparrow 13 (ties previous best banding season)
Field Sparrow 8
Slate-colored Junco 121
Song Sparrow 104
Lincoln's Sparrow 50
Swamp Sparrow 34
Fox Sparrow 5
Eastern Towhee 2
Northern Cardinal 12
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 12
Indigo Bunting 6
Scarlet Tanager 1
Tree Swallow 57 (new banding season high)
N. Rough-winged Swallow 3 (new banding season high)
Cedar Waxwing 39 (New spring high)
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue-headed Vireo 5
Black-and-white Warbler 8
Nashville Warbler 30
Orange-crowned Warbler 2 (ties previous spring high)
Tennessee Warbler 1
Yellow Warbler 64
Black-thr. Blue Warbler 8
Myrtle Warbler 69
Magnolia Warbler 82
Chestnut-sided Warbler 4
Blackpoll Warbler 3 (new spring high)
Blackburnian Warbler 1
Black-thr. Green Warbler 5
Pine Warbler 2
w. Palm Warbler 19
Ovenbird 57
Northern Waterthrush 1
Mourning Warbler 5
Common Yellowthroat 35
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Hooded Warbler 1
Wilson's Warbler 11
Canada Warbler 9
American Redstart 10
Gray Catbird 72
Brown Thrasher 7
House Wren 24
Winter Wren 20
Brown Creeper 26
White-breasted Nuthatch 4 (new spring high)
Red-breasted Nuthatch 3
E. Tufted Titmouse 1
Black-capped Chickadee 23 (new spring high)
Golden-crowned Kinglet 242
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 244
Wood Thrush 14
Veery 27
Gray-cheeked Thrush 6
Swainson"s Thrush 28
Hermit Thrush 134
American Robin 63
Eastern Bluebird 1
John Miles
Bander-in-charge
Friday, June 16, 2006
Ruthven MAPS banding - June 16th, 2006
The second session of MAPS banding took place this morning. Under a near full moon surrounded by a corona (no, not the beer) the morning started somewhat chilly with the temperature at opening recorded as 8C. There was very little movement for the first couple of net runs but once the temperatures warmed up a few birds and scads of mosquitoes made their appearances.
A proud family group consisting of a male and female RBGR made an appearance in one of the nets along with their bouncing baby Brown-headed Cowbird.... and the first fledged Song Sparrow was also banded.
Banded 13: AMGO, YWAR 2, REVI 2, SOSP, GRCA 2, RBGR 2, BHCO, BAOR, AMRO
Retrapped 12: GRCA 3, BHCO, YWAR 3, RBGR, SOSP, REVI, AMRO, COYE
B
A proud family group consisting of a male and female RBGR made an appearance in one of the nets along with their bouncing baby Brown-headed Cowbird.... and the first fledged Song Sparrow was also banded.
Banded 13: AMGO, YWAR 2, REVI 2, SOSP, GRCA 2, RBGR 2, BHCO, BAOR, AMRO
Retrapped 12: GRCA 3, BHCO, YWAR 3, RBGR, SOSP, REVI, AMRO, COYE
B
Monday, June 12, 2006
Selkirk - June 9th, 10th, and the spring banding season's final day, the 11th
June 11th
Packed it in today for the spring season after the best spring at Selkirk. Unofficially 2667 birds were banded at the station which exceeded the previous best spring total of 2630. The nest box bandings up to June 15th are still to be incorporated into the above total plus any adjustments once the bandmanager inputting is checked.
Closed today out with a bit of a flourish. Banded: GRCA 1, CEDW 1, SOSP 2, SWSP 1, COGR 3, AMGO 2 = 10.
Unofficially Selkirk's top birds banded with 40 or more bandings are
WTSP 394
RCKI 244
GCKI 242
AMGO 141
HETH 134
SCJU 121
SOSP 104
MAWA 82
ATSP 75
GRCA 72
MYWA 69
YWAR 64
AMRO 62
OVEN 57
LISP 50
EWCS 46
John
June 10th
A typical day for this time of the year. Not much around in the banding nets. Of note a mother Wood Duck and a brood of about 1/2 dozen young about 1/4 the size of the mother were under the foot bridge on the way in.
Kudos to John Woodcock and his crew at Thunder Cape this morning for catching and banding most likely the first ever Green-tailed Towhee to be banded in Ontario. This is a rare bird in Ontario usually appears at feeders in the winter about once a decade but in the middle of the boreal forest in breeding season is something else. Thunder Cape over the years has had an impression list of rare and or unusual species show up often 100's if not 1000's of miles out of the species normal range.
Banded: AMRO 1, GRCA 1, COGR 2, BHCO 1, AMGO 1 = 6
John
June 9th
Another "summer" type banding day, a few birds with a surprise thrown in.
Banded: NRWS 1, YWAR 2, COGR 1, AMGO 4 = 8
The spring session at the Selkirk station will finish Sunday June 11th. The fall session will commence on or about July 10th.
Yours truly will be leading OFO trips, June 17 to the Long Pt area and June 24 & 25 to the Bruce, check the OFO web page for times and meeting spots.
John
Packed it in today for the spring season after the best spring at Selkirk. Unofficially 2667 birds were banded at the station which exceeded the previous best spring total of 2630. The nest box bandings up to June 15th are still to be incorporated into the above total plus any adjustments once the bandmanager inputting is checked.
Closed today out with a bit of a flourish. Banded: GRCA 1, CEDW 1, SOSP 2, SWSP 1, COGR 3, AMGO 2 = 10.
Unofficially Selkirk's top birds banded with 40 or more bandings are
WTSP 394
RCKI 244
GCKI 242
AMGO 141
HETH 134
SCJU 121
SOSP 104
MAWA 82
ATSP 75
GRCA 72
MYWA 69
YWAR 64
AMRO 62
OVEN 57
LISP 50
EWCS 46
John
June 10th
A typical day for this time of the year. Not much around in the banding nets. Of note a mother Wood Duck and a brood of about 1/2 dozen young about 1/4 the size of the mother were under the foot bridge on the way in.
Kudos to John Woodcock and his crew at Thunder Cape this morning for catching and banding most likely the first ever Green-tailed Towhee to be banded in Ontario. This is a rare bird in Ontario usually appears at feeders in the winter about once a decade but in the middle of the boreal forest in breeding season is something else. Thunder Cape over the years has had an impression list of rare and or unusual species show up often 100's if not 1000's of miles out of the species normal range.
Banded: AMRO 1, GRCA 1, COGR 2, BHCO 1, AMGO 1 = 6
John
June 9th
Another "summer" type banding day, a few birds with a surprise thrown in.
Banded: NRWS 1, YWAR 2, COGR 1, AMGO 4 = 8
The spring session at the Selkirk station will finish Sunday June 11th. The fall session will commence on or about July 10th.
Yours truly will be leading OFO trips, June 17 to the Long Pt area and June 24 & 25 to the Bruce, check the OFO web page for times and meeting spots.
John
Thursday, June 08, 2006
June 7th, 2006
Ruthven
There was a buzz in the air as the first MAPS session was conducted at Ruthven this morning. The MAPS (monitoring avian productivity and survival) project has been conducted at Ruthven since 2004 and gives an indication of what species are breeding around the area, particularly in the slough forest. On occasion there can be surprising results such as the MOWAs encountered in both previous years, and the juvenile BRCR that was found in 2005.
The buzz today? Only the mosquitoes descending en masse on the poor hapless banding flunkies.....
Banded 8: AMGO, YWAR, EAWP, COYE, INBU, REVI, GRCA, BAOR
Retrapped 7: COYE, AMGO, YWAR 2, YBCU, AMRO, SOSP
The YBCU was banded during last year's MAPS banding and hadn't been encountered since.
B
Selkirk
An almost typical mid summer day at Selkirk, a few local birds and the odd almost unexpected migrant to keep things interesting.
Banded: MODO 1, GCFL 1, SWTH 1, COYE 1, AMGO 3 = 6
Provided the running total in the log book is correct Selkirk's spring total now stands at 2632 birds banded which exceeds Selkirk's previous best spring of 2630. This total does not include the dozen to a score of nestlings banded in the bird boxes in the park. All nestings banded up to June 15th will form part of Selkirk's spring totals while those banded after June 15th will be included with the fall totals.
Speaking of fall coverage, that should commence within about 30 days and we have not finished the spring coverage!!!!
John
There was a buzz in the air as the first MAPS session was conducted at Ruthven this morning. The MAPS (monitoring avian productivity and survival) project has been conducted at Ruthven since 2004 and gives an indication of what species are breeding around the area, particularly in the slough forest. On occasion there can be surprising results such as the MOWAs encountered in both previous years, and the juvenile BRCR that was found in 2005.
The buzz today? Only the mosquitoes descending en masse on the poor hapless banding flunkies.....
Banded 8: AMGO, YWAR, EAWP, COYE, INBU, REVI, GRCA, BAOR
Retrapped 7: COYE, AMGO, YWAR 2, YBCU, AMRO, SOSP
The YBCU was banded during last year's MAPS banding and hadn't been encountered since.
B
Selkirk
An almost typical mid summer day at Selkirk, a few local birds and the odd almost unexpected migrant to keep things interesting.
Banded: MODO 1, GCFL 1, SWTH 1, COYE 1, AMGO 3 = 6
Provided the running total in the log book is correct Selkirk's spring total now stands at 2632 birds banded which exceeds Selkirk's previous best spring of 2630. This total does not include the dozen to a score of nestlings banded in the bird boxes in the park. All nestings banded up to June 15th will form part of Selkirk's spring totals while those banded after June 15th will be included with the fall totals.
Speaking of fall coverage, that should commence within about 30 days and we have not finished the spring coverage!!!!
John
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Selkirk, June 6th, 2006
A few migrants continue to trickle through resulting in a little better day than yesterday.
Banded: TRFL 1 (Willow), GRCA 1, YWAR 3, AMGO 3 = 8
T- 5 and still counting
John
Banded: TRFL 1 (Willow), GRCA 1, YWAR 3, AMGO 3 = 8
T- 5 and still counting
John
Monday, June 05, 2006
Selkirk, June 4th and 5th
June 5th
A very slow banding day today although a few migrants were in the area but did not enter the banding nets. Migrants noted included Black-throated Blue and Mourning Warbler. Several Eastern Kingbirds appeared today as well as Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos.
Banded: MODO 1, SOSP 1, AMGO 1 =3
John
June 4th
A much better day today compared to yesterday. Also a Giant Swallowtail flew by the banding lab.
Banded: MODO 2, TRFL 1,(Willow), GRCA 2, NOCA 1, BHCO 1, AMGO 3 = 10
STD 2615
T-16 and still counting.
John
A very slow banding day today although a few migrants were in the area but did not enter the banding nets. Migrants noted included Black-throated Blue and Mourning Warbler. Several Eastern Kingbirds appeared today as well as Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos.
Banded: MODO 1, SOSP 1, AMGO 1 =3
John
June 4th
A much better day today compared to yesterday. Also a Giant Swallowtail flew by the banding lab.
Banded: MODO 2, TRFL 1,(Willow), GRCA 2, NOCA 1, BHCO 1, AMGO 3 = 10
STD 2615
T-16 and still counting.
John
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Selkirk, June 2nd and 3rd
June 3rd
Very little in the way of new birds in the banding area. Resident birds singing high defending territory although a few were retrapped. It looked like I would be skunked but a couple of new birds appeared in the nets late in the morning.
Banded: RBGR 2
John
June 2nd
Another quiet day at Selkirk with just the odd migrant appearing in the nets.
Banded: TRFL 2, GCTH 1, AMRO 1, CAWA 1, SOSP 2, SWSP 2, AMGO 2 = 11
T - 28 and still counting
John
Very little in the way of new birds in the banding area. Resident birds singing high defending territory although a few were retrapped. It looked like I would be skunked but a couple of new birds appeared in the nets late in the morning.
Banded: RBGR 2
John
June 2nd
Another quiet day at Selkirk with just the odd migrant appearing in the nets.
Banded: TRFL 2, GCTH 1, AMRO 1, CAWA 1, SOSP 2, SWSP 2, AMGO 2 = 11
T - 28 and still counting
John
Thursday, June 01, 2006
May 31st, 2006 - End of spring migration monitoring at Ruthven
HOwdy:
This marked the last day of Spring migration monitoring at Ruthven Park. Now we realize that birds will continue to trickle through for the next 2 weeks or so but.....we have other things to do. As it stands we had a VERY successful Spring season setting a new record for the most birds banded : 1,482. The previous record was 1,407.
We will now switch to our "summer" banding protocol - MAPS banding is done once in every 10-day period starting in June. If you are interested, contact Brian Pomfret (bpomfret(at)bfree.on.ca) to see when he is going to do it. Then, toward the middle of July we start to band whenever we get the chance in order to capture and mark the newly fledging young. If you are interested in this, you contact Rick Ludkin (rludkin(at)hotmail.com) to find out when it will be going on. We use different nets for the two different banding regimes so as not to confuse the data collection.
I would like to thank everyone that helped out and Jeff MacLeod for creating the HBO blog that everyone seemed to find so entertaining.
Rick
Ruthven
A retrapped Common Yellowthroat prevented me from being skunked on my first net round (usually the biggest round) this morning. The heat has brought the spring migration at Ruthven to an end. The number of species on census is way down from a week ago. Most of the birds I handled today were clearly breeding locally.
Banded today (3): GCFL, NOCA, SOSP.
Retrapped (8): PHVI, COYE, BWWA, YWAR, SOSP.
Loretta
Selkirk
A decent assortment on first run this morning but then it died. Slim pickings for the rest of the morning.
Banded: TRFL 1, GCTH 1, GRCA 3, CEDW 1, MAWA 1, COYE 1, LISP 2 = 10
T-39 and counting.
May was a productive month with 1192 birds banded.
Selkirk will be closed June 1st, but will be open on the 2nd for about 10 more days. It definitely will close June 15 for the spring season, if not before.
John
This marked the last day of Spring migration monitoring at Ruthven Park. Now we realize that birds will continue to trickle through for the next 2 weeks or so but.....we have other things to do. As it stands we had a VERY successful Spring season setting a new record for the most birds banded : 1,482. The previous record was 1,407.
We will now switch to our "summer" banding protocol - MAPS banding is done once in every 10-day period starting in June. If you are interested, contact Brian Pomfret (bpomfret(at)bfree.on.ca) to see when he is going to do it. Then, toward the middle of July we start to band whenever we get the chance in order to capture and mark the newly fledging young. If you are interested in this, you contact Rick Ludkin (rludkin(at)hotmail.com) to find out when it will be going on. We use different nets for the two different banding regimes so as not to confuse the data collection.
I would like to thank everyone that helped out and Jeff MacLeod for creating the HBO blog that everyone seemed to find so entertaining.
Rick
Ruthven
A retrapped Common Yellowthroat prevented me from being skunked on my first net round (usually the biggest round) this morning. The heat has brought the spring migration at Ruthven to an end. The number of species on census is way down from a week ago. Most of the birds I handled today were clearly breeding locally.
Banded today (3): GCFL, NOCA, SOSP.
Retrapped (8): PHVI, COYE, BWWA, YWAR, SOSP.
Loretta
Selkirk
A decent assortment on first run this morning but then it died. Slim pickings for the rest of the morning.
Banded: TRFL 1, GCTH 1, GRCA 3, CEDW 1, MAWA 1, COYE 1, LISP 2 = 10
T-39 and counting.
May was a productive month with 1192 birds banded.
Selkirk will be closed June 1st, but will be open on the 2nd for about 10 more days. It definitely will close June 15 for the spring season, if not before.
John
May 30th, 2006
Selkirk
There seemed to be more song and movement in the hedge row early than yesterday. But it soon quieted down as the heat of the day increased. A Connecticut was singing south of the neeting area early. Not a great May banding day but a couple of good birds never the less.
Banded: HOWR 1, GCTH 1, SWTH 2, GRCA 2, CEDW 1, YWAR 1, MAWA 2, COYE 1, YBCH 1 (1st since '02), INBU 1, SOSP 1, LISP 1, BAOR 1 = 16
T- 49 and counting.
John
Ruthven
Yesterday, Brian and I banded. We only opened some of the nets: we left # 10, 4 and 6 closed as we are going to use them for the MAPS banding which will start in about 1 week.
Banded 11: 2 TRFL, 2 GRCA, 1 PHVI, 3 YWAR, 1 AMRE, 1 NOCA, 1 BHCO.
Retrapped 7: 1 BCCH, 4 YWAR, 1 SOSP, 1 BHCO.
Rick
There seemed to be more song and movement in the hedge row early than yesterday. But it soon quieted down as the heat of the day increased. A Connecticut was singing south of the neeting area early. Not a great May banding day but a couple of good birds never the less.
Banded: HOWR 1, GCTH 1, SWTH 2, GRCA 2, CEDW 1, YWAR 1, MAWA 2, COYE 1, YBCH 1 (1st since '02), INBU 1, SOSP 1, LISP 1, BAOR 1 = 16
T- 49 and counting.
John
Ruthven
Yesterday, Brian and I banded. We only opened some of the nets: we left # 10, 4 and 6 closed as we are going to use them for the MAPS banding which will start in about 1 week.
Banded 11: 2 TRFL, 2 GRCA, 1 PHVI, 3 YWAR, 1 AMRE, 1 NOCA, 1 BHCO.
Retrapped 7: 1 BCCH, 4 YWAR, 1 SOSP, 1 BHCO.
Rick
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