March 12, 14, and 15, 2017

On March 12, we banded at PB 10 where we finally caught the birds that were present!  The host reported only 1 unbanded green after we left.  Sometimes we are not that lucky.  We banded 10 Painted Buntings and recaptured the two that had been banded in December.  When people tell me that banding will scare their birds off I remember times like this.

We had 6 incidental bandings:  2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, 2 Common Ground-Doves, 1 Great Crested Flycatcher, and a Northern Parula.

Red-bellied Woodpecker (female)

On March 14, we had our regular banding session at Possum Long.  We did well with 2 Painted Buntings; one a recapture and one a new bird.  Both were green so it afforded us the perfect opportunity for a side-by-side photo.  The key feathers are where I am pointing - that bird is a female because the feathers have a green edging.  The bird on the left shows grayer feathers in the same area.  It was born last summer.

Painted Buntings

Photo by Pat Marshall

(a cropped version of the above)

We also banded a Northern Parula and a Downy Woodpecker.  Birds are moving through the property with a recent report of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo!

Northern Parula

Photo by Pete Grannis

Northern Parula

Photo by Pete Grannis

Downy Woodpecker - female

Photo by Pat Marshall

We returned to DuPuis Wildlife Area (PB 6) several times but caught the most birds on March 15. We banded 8 Painted Buntings and recaptured quite a few.  At least one male was from Season 1!!  We also banded a new Chipping Sparrow and a recaptured one from 2 years ago.  The Clay-colored Sparrow was also still present.

Many birds are using the caged feeder.  The Painted and Indigo Buntings LOVE it.  There are also Chipping Sparrows that use it and the Clay-colored was in it for a few minutes.  Also a Gray Catbird managed to squeeze in.  I don't think they eat seed very often.  

Caged feeder (plans in Encouraging Painted Buntings page on this blog)

You can see a male and a green I hope.

Next scheduled Possum Long banding:  Tuesday, March 21.  Nets go up at 7:30 am.  

February 15, 19, 20, and 21, 2017

Wow!  It has been a busy week.  We went to 2 past Painted Bunting sites and a new one.  We did an impromptu session at Possum Long in addition to this week's regularly scheduled Possum Long banding.

On February 15, we actually went to 2 Painted Bunting sites that are on the same street.  We caught 2 at one location and recaptured 1 at the other.  High winds were a problem so we are glad we caught what we did.  We also banded a Northern Cardinal with a broken beak.  Other than the beak problem, the bird appeared to be fine and healthy.  It is managing!  We also had two House Sparrows.

Painted Bunting - male

Northern Cardinal with broken beak

On February 19, we banded at Possum Long and made up a little for the recent low number of buntings banded. We banded 3 Painted Buntings and a Downy Woodpecker.  We also recaptured an Ovenbird and a Northern Cardinal.

Painted Bunting

Downy Woodpecker

One fun non-bird observation was our resident Gopher Tortoise chomping on the grass in one of our lanes where we put up our net!  Always fun to see a Gopher Tortoise!

Gopher Tortoise

On February 20, we went to a new site where 5 buntings had been reported.  This site is close to another one and we are hoping to see if there are any visitations back and forth.  We banded 3 greens (a female and 2 young birds) and almost caught the one reported male.  Now the hosts at this site can observe their feeder to see if they may actually have more unbanded birds or if they see banded birds from the nearby site.  We will likely return here.

Our regularly occurring session at Possum Long brought us visitors.  We had a home school group visit to learn about bird banding.   We were able to show them some of the birds we caught today.  We banded a new Northern Parula and Gray Catbird.

Northern Parula

Photo by Linda Wishney

We also had a few recaptures.  One was a Yellow-rumped Warbler that was originally banded on December 1, 2015.  At that time we determined it was an adult male.  That means the bird is at least 3 years old and possibly older.  The other recaptured birds were recently banded but had remained on the property.  

Next regularly scheduled banding at Possum Long will be on Tuesday, February 28.  Nets go up at 6:45.

April 22, 2014

Finally a pretty good banding day.  It seemed slow and catbird numbers were down but we saw and banded more species than during other recent sessions.

We banded 4 Gray Catbirds, 5 Black-throated Blue Warblers, 1 Downy Woodpecker, and 1 Ovenbird. We also recaptured a Painted Bunting from over a year ago (3/26/13).  This one was banded before we started color banding.  We can now say that this green Painted Bunting is female; a male would have molted to his bright colors in the intervening year.

The Black-throated Blue Warblers were very interesting.  The backs of 3 of them showed the black centers that indicate they are the Appalachian subspecies.  The other two had all blue backs.

Black-throated Blue Warbler - with black back markings

Photo by Nancy LaFramboise

Black-throated Blue Warbler - without black back markings

Photo by Nancy LaFramboise

The Downy Woodpecker was born last year.  It still had juvenal covert feathers - see arrow.  These feathers are browner than the newer adult feathers.

Downy Woodpecker

Photo by Jane Wiewora

Ovenbird

Photo by Crystal Conway

In addition to the species banded, we also saw Cape May Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Parula, and Scarlet and Summer Tanagers.  Nancy Price also heard a Chuck-will's-widow in the early hours.

Scarlet Tanager

Photo by Crystal Conway

Northern Parula

Photo by Crystal Conway

Next banding session:  April 29, 2014.  Nets go up at 6 am.  Each week could get better - what will next week bring?

September 23, 2013

Birds are predicted to be heading our way following a stalled weather front that should arrive tomorrow or the next day.  We will take advantage of possible migrants and will be out and banding as often as possible this week.

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.

May 7, 2013 Start the Oven

This might be a bit short today as I am running out of time.  Today was busy and we stayed open until after 2 pm.  I thought that the Gray Catbirds departing would leave a big hole but luckily the migrants came.  West winds pushed birds toward the east coast and we had lots of American Redstarts to band.  Here I'm extracting an after-second-year (not born last year) male.

American Redstart

Photo by Crystal Conway

In all we banded eight American Redstarts today.  Many were second-year males.  They look a bit like females but have a bit of the orange tinge to their "starts" (look just under the wing) and at least a few black feathers coming in on the head area.

American Redstart

Photo by Linda Wishney

Actually the day started with Nancy Price spotting an Ovenbird on the ground near a net.  It wasn't too long and we had it.  Now the title makes sense (sort of!)  We banded two Ovenbirds today - the second picture shows the unique head stripes.

Ovenbird

Photo by Crystal Conway

Ovenbird

Ovenbird

Photo by Nancy Price

The redstarts just kept coming.  One kept chipping at me as I held it.  Crystal caught it in mid-call, mouth open.  Do you think I can teach it to sing on cue?

American Redstart

Photo by Crystal Conway

We also caught our first Downy Woodpecker at the Possum Long Banding Station.  All those white "stripes"  are dots lined up.

Downy Woodpecker 

Photo by Crystal Conway

Downy Woodpecker

Photo by Nancy Price

Next banding session May 14.