Bird Banding: Learning From Birds In-hand: March 22, 2016

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

March 22, 2016

I think it happens every year. Migrants are moving; we saw Red-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos, Northern Parulas, and Great Crested Flycatchers. However, in the nets we had more common winter birds. We caught 3 Northern Cardinals, a Painted Bunting, a Common Yellowthroat, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler. Recaptures included a Northern Cardinal from 2014, the Ovenbird who has been around for the past three weeks, and a Painted Bunting originally banded three weeks ago.

Our Osprey has young in the nest. Always great entertainment when a parent brings in food and we can see the tiny head reaching for food.

The new Northern Cardinals were all female. The recapture was a male.

Northern Cardinal

Photo by Nancy LaFramboise

The Painted Bunting was a new green. Hopefully these birds will continue to return to the property. They are soon to be on their way to their breeding grounds in North Carolina, South Carolina, or Georgia.

Painted Bunting

Photo by Nancy LaFramboise

Any bunting we capture now is over our total from last year. Read more in the Pages section of this blog: Painted Buntings - Season Three.

The Common Yellowthroat may have been the only true migrant but hard to tell as it just as likely could have overwintered at the pond.

Common Yellowthroat

Photo by Nancy LaFramboise

Our Yellow-rumped Warbler had not really begun molting. It had some fat so maybe with a little more feeding it will make its way north and acquire its summer appearance.