Today (with the front still stalled north of us) we banded 5 new birds. As has been happening for the past few weeks first we had an Ovenbird. The next bird was another hatch-year Blue Jay.
A White-eyed Vireo (only our third) was banded. It was a hatch-year bird based on the dark eye instead of the white eye of an adult. Up close this was a fun way to see the hooked aspect of a vireo bill. The bird was snapping at everything so we offered it a paperclip and it snapped at it and held on long enough to get the photo.
White-eyed Vireo
Photo by Jane Wiewora
White-eyed Vireo
Photo by Nancy Price
As vireos are sometimes slow to move around, Jane was able to catch a post-banding photo.
White-eyed Vireo
Photo by Jane Wiewora
Then we got a male Downy Woodpecker, likely the mate of the female we caught this spring. The red feathers at the back of the head were whispier than I expected. You can clearly see the white outer tail feathers with their black spots. With a retained older brown covert feather and a secondary (inner wing) feather growing in (at arrows) we know this bird was at least 3 years old (after second year).
Downy Woodpecker
Photo by Jane Wiewora
Downy Woodpecker
Photo by Jane Wiewora
Downy Woodpecker
Photo by Nancy Price
Our last bird was a hatch year male American Redstart. Though it resembles the female but it is a bit more orange especially under the wing and it is starting to show a black head feather.
American Redstart - hatch year male
Photo by Nancy Price
My unending thanks to Nancy and Jane who make this project possible! We will meet around 7:15 tomorrow morning and hope that if there is rain that it will let up. If not, watch this blog and come join us if the weather permits banding.
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