October 10, 2013 "Emergency" banding day sets new record

Well, Tuesday left us disappointed so when the weather changed, we hoped that there would be birds moving.  We called an "emergency" banding session.  (The emergency part comes from some fun we had on Tuesday - Jane was tickled when I suggested an emergency banding session instead of "unscheduled" or "impromptu" banding later in the week).  It turned out to be a record setting day with 18 newly banded birds (8 species) and one recapture.  The recapture was a Gray Catbird originally banded at the end of August (which was an early return time).

We started with Ovenbirds and Gray Catbirds - I think we may be very glad that catbirds are back.  They make good teaching birds.  Not too bite-y and big enough to practice holding.

Ovenbird

Gray Catbird - hard to take pictures of your own hand!

Then the fun began, we had a very good variety of birds:

Common Yellowthroat

The color underneath threw me for awhile.  Common Yellowthroats in the western US aren't as colorful underneath.

Black-and-white Warbler

Jane was present for this next bird.  It was a new species for me to band.  By noting the hook on the bill you may guess it is a vireo.  The eye isn't as red as it will be.  This indicated a hatch-year bird.  The photograph actually shows a bit more red than was present in reality.  This one did bite and I could feel the hook but it did not pierce.

Red-eyed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Photo by Nancy Price

Jane had to leave and we had some thoughts of  deciding when we should close but the birds kept coming.    Our next bird was also a new species for me to band and new for the property list.  Though it looks female in appearance there are indications that this is a hatch-year male.  The newest coverts on the wing are black, there are tiny red feathers starting to appear on the chest.  One nice thing about a bird in hand is that you can see things that are not always apparent on a bird in a tree.  I love the color of the underwing.  This one bit hard!

 Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Photo by Nancy Price

 Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Photo by Nancy Price

Black-throated Blue Warbler - female

Blue Jay

Nancy Price was almost certain she saw a cuckoo on the property and that would have been a new property species.  In reality we will count Yellow-billed Cuckoo as Nancy also found a wing of one (likely a left over from a Cooper's Hawk meal).  The rusty color was stand out.

wing of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo

It was an amazing day.  

Next scheduled banding is October 15, nets to go up at 7 am.