Where did all the birds go? This week we banded 132 birds less than last week. We had the second highest banding day of the season on Monday followed by the lowest banding day of the season on Friday. Traditionally, September 21 is the peak day at Rocky Point. Give or take a day or two. This September 21 was not our peak day. Did the birds come early or are they being held up by the rain up island? Only time will tell. My highlight of the week was banding a Northern red-shafted flicker. It was a well behaved, after second year male. Top three species banded this week were: Orange-crowned warbler (20), followed by Lincoln’s sparrow (15), and fox sparrow (14).
On Sunday, new batteries arrived for our solar power system and Ann N. brought in muffins. We banded 23 birds and recaptured 4 from 15 species.
Monday was a livelier day with the second busiest day of the season! We banded the first varied thrush of the season and some Sandhill cranes flew over the site. We banded the 250th Pacific-slope flycatcher today. We banded 83 birds and recaptured 3 from 18 species.
Tuesday was a tad quieter on the bird front but the larger kettles of turkey vultures kept us looking to the sky. The Motek’s brought in snacks. We banded the 100th Lincoln’s sparrow. We banded 26 birds and recaptured 3 from 18 species.
September 21±1 day is the busiest day of the year. That was not the case this year as we only banded 35 birds and recaptured 3 from 18 species. All was not lost as our wonderful volunteers brought in treats! Coffee from Jeremy, muffins from Mary, and chocolate covered coffee beans from Margie! The 25th Oregon junco was banded today.
The base was closed on Thursday so no banding occurred today. It was also raining so I don’t think we missed much.
On Friday we continued to eat the left-over chocolate covered coffee beans and ate cookies from Donna M. We banded the first Myrtle warbler of the season. We banded 8 birds and recaptured 5 from 11 species. This was our worst banding day of the season.
On Saturday we banded the first Northern red-shafted flicker of the season and a song sparrow from 2008. Snacks from the Motek’s and more chocolate covered coffee beans were consumed. We banded 11 birds and recaptured 6 from 10 species.
Species weekly total (Sunday, September 18 – Saturday, September 24)
(this week/total)
Rufus hummingbird (0/7), downy woodpecker (0/3), Northern red-shafted flicker (1/1), willow flycatcher (1/43), Hammond’s flycatcher (2/11), Pacific-slope flycatcher (8/253), Hutton’s vireo (0/1), warbling vireo (0/5), chestnut-backed chickadee (0/26), bushtit (0/9), red-breasted nuthatch (0/2), brown creeper (0/11), Bewick’s wren (0/37), house wren (0/9), Pacific wren (11/48), marsh wren (0/1), golden-crowned kinglet (1/4), ruby-crowned kinglet (4/13), Swainson’s thrush (4/48), hermit thrush (13/36), American robin (0/8), varied thrush (1/1), cedar waxwing (0/2), orange-crowned warbler (20/166), yellow warbler (13/138), Audubon’s warbler (2/3), Myrtle’s warbler (2/2), black-throated gray warbler (0/5), Townsend’s warbler (0/4), white-throated sparrow (0/2), Macgillivray's warbler (0/48), common yellowthroat (5/47), Wilson’s warbler (11/337), Western tanager (0/2), black-headed grosbeak (0/1), spotted towhee (6/15), chipping sparrow (0/12), savannah sparrow (7/23), fox sparrow (14/45), song sparrow (6/66), Lincoln’s sparrow (15/105), Puget Sound white-crowned sparrow (10/120), golden-crowned sparrow (3/19), Oregon junco (11/27), red-winged blackbird (0/8), brown-headed cowbird (0/5), purple finch (1/13), pine siskin (0/1), American goldfinch (1/62), olive-sided flycatcher (0/1), Traill’s flycatcher (1/12), sharp-shinned hawk (0/4), Cooper’s hawk (0/1), saw-whet owl (0/1), Northern waterthrush (0/1), Western palm warbler (0/1).
Banding total:
Total birds banded this week: 186, recaptures: 24, species banded: 27.
Total birds banded this season: 1892, recaptures: 233, species banded: 57.
The banding board from the beginning of the season.
The most common birds banded for the season are listed in the first 3 columns
followed by the unusual birds.
-- Emily
Very interesting and informative. Thank you for sharing.
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