Northern Parula held by Ryan Welsh
Northern Parula close-up
Photo by Crystal Conway
Northern Parula
Photo by Pat Marshall
We also caught 3 more Gray Catbirds, they seem to be the staple of winter residents and I am guessing we will miss them when they leave. Hopefully by then we will have migrants to entertain us.
Today was a good teaching/learning day with Ryan and I helping people feel more comfortable holding and transferring birds and Nancy Price is now extracting birds from the nets. Almost everyone had a chance to practice recording data. Good job everyone!! Hopefully in the next few weeks we will be getting even more prepared for migration.
Ryan transferring a Gray Catbird to Crystal Conway
Today was also Wood Duck day. It looks like one or two pair may attempt to nest in boxes on the property. They can be seen in the pond or perched high in the trees! Do you see the female?
Wood Ducks high in the pines
Toward the end of the day we caught another new species. We banded a Red-bellied Woodpecker. Woodpeckers have very interesting molt patterns and if a woodpecker has retained some feathers from previous years we can sometimes tell how old it is up to three years. This bird had no retained feathers so we know is that it is an adult male likely over three years old..
Red-bellied Woodpecker and Ryan Welsh
Yes, they actually have a red belly! (Now Ryan wants to catch one of the Pileated Woodpeckers!)
The Red-bellied Woodpeckers have barred central tail feathers. Though it looks like one black and white feather, it is actually two feathers. Knowing this you can actually see the edges of the two central feathers that are much like the outer one.
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Red-bellied Woodpecker
Photo by Nancy Price
Three species banded today: 3 Gray Catbird, 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1 Northern Parula and 1 recaptured Gray Catbird originally banded in January.
Next banding: March 19, 2013
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