October 6 & 7, 2014

I have had some people ask, so here's the scoop.  We typically band on every Tuesday until the birds take their winter break sometime in December.  While we are still getting migrants, we may add other days. Recently it has been on Mondays.  If you come to the property and we are not at the parking lot on 7th, continue down 7th and turn left on Hibiscus.  We sometimes work from there.

Migration has slowed but we are still getting great captures and recaptures.  On both days we captured 5 new birds.  Monday we had the first Gray Catbird of the season and we expect many more.  Funny how we are now excited about this species.  Another 100 catbirds from now this may diminish.  Other birds were a Black-and-white Warbler, a male Painted Bunting, and 2 Black-throated Blue Warblers.

Black-and-white Warbler

Photo by Nancy Price 

The tiny bit of buffy color below the gray on the face indicates that this is a hatch-year bird.  

Hopefully I can add a few more photos from Monday but one of our photographers is having camera and computer issues.

Tuesday's birds were a tad more exciting and a different variety of species.  We caught a Swainson's Thrush - our second thrush of the fall. This one can be identified by its buffy eye ring and background color of the spots.  It was an adult bird aged from the lack of light spots on the wing coverts.

Swainson's Thrush

Photo by Georgia Binderow

We also caught our third ever Hooded Warbler.  This is such a distinctly marked bird.  Awesome to have in hand.  All three birds have been male.  Maybe sometime we will get a female or hatch year one.

Hooded Warbler

Photo by Georgia Binderow

Black-throated Blue Warblers continue to find our nets.  Our visitor, Danny, was able to see a female and he released it.  

Black-throated Blue Warbler - female

Photo by Georgia Binderow

Black-throated Blue Warbler - male

Photo by Georgia Binderow

Recaptures can be a great source of information as well as a bit of excitement.  Tuesday we recaptured the first ever White-eyed Vireo we banded.  It was banded on February 15, 2013.  We do not detect the presence of this species during breeding so likely this bird had left the property and returned for the winter TWICE!  We also recaptured this bird on December 3, 2013.

White-eyed Vireo

Photo by Georgia Binderow

It too has decided to express its opinion of the bander.  

Next Tuesday banding - October 14, 2014.  Nets up between 6:45 to 7 am.