October 18 & 19, 2018

The White-crowned Sparrow Project (WCSP) is officially launched.  We have our state and federal permits and the colored bands arrived Tuesday evening so we are ready to go.

I originally worked with White-crowned Sparrow banding from 2007 until our move to Florida in 2011.  We banded almost 1400 White-crowned Sparrows at three main locations.  The color bands only indicated age and locations (all birds got a federal and 1 or 2 color bands). 

That initial study documented site-fidelity as was its intent but returns could only be counted to the largest number seen at any one time (6).  So site-fidelity was proven but percentages could not be calculated.  This new study allows us to individually mark birds so that we can observe how long an individual stays and if it returns in subsequent years as well as what percentages do come back to the same site.

Incidental captures have been included in this research project.  During the first study we banded 20 different incidental species.  It will be most interesting to see what additional species are caught as we band White-crowned Sparrows.

If you are in the Tri-Cities I hope you will hear more about this project and if you are interested in learning more, you can reach out to keepbirding2@yahoo.com

So, our initial banding day netted us 24 White-crowned Sparrows.  We also banded 7 Dark-eyed Juncos.  Six of these were the expected "Oregon" subspecies.  One was a "Slate-colored" subspecies and is not commonly seen.  This Slate-colored is a bit different than the east coast one.  In the Sibley Guide to Birds see the Rocky Mountain illustration.  We also banded two House Finches and an American Robin.

White-crowned Sparrow

first color combination

White-crowned Sparrow

first color combination

Dark-eyed Junco - slate colored

Rocky Mountain form

On the second day we were pleased to see birds banded the previous day.  We color banded 18 more White crowned Sparrows.  Incidental captures included 2 Dark-eyed Juncos, a House Finch and a Song Sparrow.  We do not have as many Song Sparrows at this site as seen in more wooded areas so it was nice to band this one.  We were very pleased to also catch a White-throated Sparrow that we had been seeing.  This species is rare on the west coast but usually at least annual, in low numbers in our area.  We banded one additional White -crowned Sparrow but did not use color bands.  It had a healed broken leg that would not have allowed the color bands to move.  It just got a federal (silver) band on its uninjured leg.

White-throated Sparrow (in yard several days prior to banding)

We will be adding 2 new locations and will keep you up to date on our progress.  

October 16, 2018

We are continuing to band with Dr Ed Rykiel and today we banded at the Amon Creek Natural Preserve.  This area is slowly being surrounded by housing and may not withstand the onslaught.  However, we did have our best day banding there and the birds were very active.  We banded the expected sparrows:  White-crowned (15) and Song (4) Sparrows.  The photos of the White-crowns will get you ready for our own upcoming project.  Mature birds (not born this past breeding season) have black and white stripes.  Immature birds' stripes are more buffy and brown.  Very easy to age until next spring when the White-crowns molt and all ages become black and white striped. 

adult White-crowned Sparrow

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

hatch-year White-crowned Sparrow

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

We also caught quite a few Yellow-rumped Warblers (21).  We enjoyed the challenge of trying to age and sex them.  These are the Audubon subspecies of Yellow-rumps.  The yellow throat is the obvious difference from the Myrtle Yellow-rumps we banded in Florida.  Also note the lack of eye stripe that Myrtle has.

Audubon's race of Yellow-rumped Warbler

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Always a pleasure to catch and band are the kinglets.  They are so small it is amazing to hold them.  We caught 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets.  The first one was female and lacks the hidden ruby feathers.  The second one was a male with a brilliantly colored crown.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Photo by Bill LaFramboise

We also banded an American Robin, an American Goldfinch, and 2 House Finches.  We will continue to band with Dr Rykiel but the good news is that by the end of today our color bands should arrive and we will start banding on October 18.  Let's see what we learn.

August 26, 2018 - west of the Cascade Mountains

Fresh off the plane from Arizona, we went to Edmonds, WA to observe a banding class conducted by the Puget Sound Bird Observatory.  I had taken a course through this organization a year before I moved to Florida (2010).  We banded in the Cascade Mountains and I have fond memories of this experience.  I was very pleased to be able to reach out to Christine Southwick and she graciously let us come to observe and/or help.

The class was specifically run on weekends so working folks could attend.  The small class size was perfect to accommodate us.  Students were Jen, Zack, Mariko, and Karissa.  Instructors Chris, Cynthia, and Elaine were great to work with.  We went on net runs, assisted in data taking, and whatever was needed.  Our first run had three American Robins and more.  It got hard to keep track of birds going in different directions (to different students and instructors).  It was clear that we were also students (does one ever stop learning? - I hope not).  It had been a while since we did evaluations of breeding birds and new hatch year birds as most of our banding was with winter birds.  It had also been a while since we looked at western species.  And thirdly, I had never worked west of the Cascades.

American Robin

Net runs also yielded Spotted Towhee (I banded a HY SPTO), Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Song Sparrows, and more.

Things got quiet for a while and we were just taking down nets when one net had 8 or 9 birds!  Wow - four or five were Bushtits as well as an Orange-crowned Warbler, and a already banded Chestnut-backed Chickadee.  I think there was also a wren or Song Sparrow too.  Oh, how I had wanted to band a chickadee (all were recaptures) but of course I settled for a Bushtit which was a new species for me to band.  (#115).  I must remember, patience is a virtue.

Bushtit (female)

The Bushtit was so incredibly small.  I had banded other small birds (gnatcatcher and kinglet) but this beat all!  5 grams!  I love her glaring eyes!  The male Bushtit has dark eyes.  This bird had a receding brood patch - was the whole family in the net?  As it turns out the answer is no, there was another post-breeding female.

What a tremendous opportunity.  I hope to encourage others to take classes offered by Puget Sound Bird Observatory and/or to support their work.  They are home-based in Puget Sound but work for all we believe in, in Washington, the Pacific Northwest, and beyond.  We hope to participate again.