October 27, 2018

Not too much new news.  Banding with Dr Ed Rykiel and team on Tuesday was a bit slow but started off with a bang.  Two Hermit Thrushes and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.  Not too sure how many other birds but it was fairly quiet.

Hermit Thrush

Thought you might enjoy seeing one of the banded White-crowned Sparrows.  We have two split colors:  red/blue and yellow/orange.  This pictures shows how even with a camera it can be tough telling all 4 bands.  This one is split over silver on the left and bright blue over dark green on the right.  The blue one isn't visible.

White-crowned Sparrow (immature)

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.

October 2, 2018 another new species banded

We hope we are making progress toward our new banding project.  We now have our federal permit updated to WA state and our new project.  The proposal has also been submitted for our state permit.  The state agency has a maximum 60 days to review the application so it might be a while until we can start our banding.

In the meantime we are still working with Dr Ed Rykiel on his project.  We go out to local parks on most Tuesdays and today was no exception.  His project color bands four species; White-crowned Sparrows, Song Sparrows, House Finches, and Dark-eyed Juncos.  They are only banded with one color that indicates the location banded.  We have typically been catching the two sparrow species and a few more regulars.  The juncos aren't back yet and the House Finches are more typically caught later at feeders.

Today we banded 14 birds.  Most were the expected Song and White-crowned Sparrows.  We also caught a Bewick's Wren.  There were three other really fun birds:  Almost first off we caught an Orange-crowned Warbler.  This one was quite yellow, typical of a western sub-species.

Orange-crowned Warbler
Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Then we caught two Golden-crowned Kinglets.  Usually this species is very high in coniferous trees.  We have seen them low in shrubs during migration before so maybe they were moving.  This is #117 if you are following my banding life list.  Both birds were male and showed off their golden crown with the hidden red stripe.  It doesn't entirely show in this photo but you can see a hint of red.

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Later we caught a Golden-crowned Sparrow.  Both "golden" birds were new for Bill.

Golden-crowned Sparrow
Photo by Bill LaFramboise

Not a bad day of banding.

September 4, 2018 - WA first!

Ah, what a relief it is to feel caught up for now.  If you've been reading all along, there have been some update posts and some newer posts.  But this is finally in real time as of today.  If you are new to this blog, welcome.  There's a lot to read but we hope it is of interest and value to you.

Today Bill and I went banding with Ed Rykiel on his project in Richland parks.  He has a huge emphasis on education which is really in keeping with what we do and will be doing.  It was great to be working with Rich again too as well as getting to know Lori better.

We set up 5 nets in WE Johnson Park.  This park is special as it has excellent habitat and is known for its great variety of birds.  Lisa Hill helped us scope out our location.  Having Lisa so near the park means she really understands what birds are in the park and where.  I always enjoyed finding migrants here.

We banded a total of 14 birds.  The long desired Black-capped Chickadee was caught and banded - my #116.  We banded a total of 6.  Another surprise was a Lincoln's Sparrow.  They are on the move from their higher elevation breeding grounds.  We had expected Song Sparrows so catching a  Lincoln's Sparrow first was a surprise.  We eventually did get 3 Songs as well as a Bewick's Wren.  During the later morning slump we did catch a White-crowned Sparrow.

Song Sparrow

The next to last net run yielded a Western Tanager.  She had a receding brood patch.  A beautiful bird.

Then the final bird of the morning was a shocker!  (Yes, Nancy Price, I did carry it back to the banding table a little hidden behind my back!)  Imagine catching a bird we had yet to see in Washington state.  Please realize we lived and birded here for 22 years before our move-and-7-year-stay in Florida.  It is really hard for us to add to our Washington list.  The surprise bird was a Magnolia Warbler.  Note its diagnostic under-tail pattern.  Also note that not all warblers with yellow rumps are Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Magnolia Warbler

I can't wait to see what's next.......

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.  

August 18, 2018 Visiting Hummingbird banding

Welcome to our new look and new focus.  We have a new location, new projects coming, and a new header!  We will share any and all of our exploits, on our projects or the ones we visit, to learn more through banding and the birds in-hand.

On August 18, while birding in SE Arizona, we headed to Sierra Vista to attend hummingbird banding at the San Pedro House.  My permit does not allow me to band hummingbirds.  This takes special training and permits.  I really wanted to learn holding techniques and just to see another aspect of bird banding.

The banding was sponsored by Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory (SABO).  The permitted bander is Tom Wood and banding that day, was Sheri Williamson, author of "Hummingbirds of North America" in the Peterson Field Guides series.  Tom and Sheri are directors of SABO.  Studying and banding hummingbirds for years, they have amassed a wealth of knowledge about these jewels.

They banded over 30 Black-chinned Hummingbirds that evening.  Their local males had left but there were still migrating males, females, and young birds to see.  They take down all of the usual feeders and place a net enclosure around one remaining one.  When a bird is there the outside edge drops to catch the birds.

The birds are transported to the banding table in mesh containers and wait there until the birds can be processed.

Hummingbird bands are made in 5 sizes - extra small to extra large - by hand by the banders.  Sheets of thin metal with imprinted numbers are cut, filed, sized, and shaped.  The tools are much like the ones we have pictured on the blog for our work but smaller.  

Hummingbird banding tools and bands

The whole process is actually much like small bird banding but with adjustments.  Holds are along the body, securing the wings.  Birds are evaluated for fat, parasites, sex, molt, color, weight, and more.  

Applying the band

Checking for fat and overall condition

Of course some methods had to be adjusted.  The hummingbirds were wrapped in a gauze/net material and clipped to a scale to be weighed.  Each bird was no more than the weight of a penny (the old copper kind!).  

Weighing a hummingbird

The whole process is open to the public and there were a lot of folks there.  The first 30 people were asked if they wanted to release birds.  There was much enthusiasm for that.  Birds were offered nectar during the banding process if it appeared they were tired or even if they were over-active and needed calming.  They were also fed prior to release.  The volunteers made all the work look easy and a lot of education was done.  An excellent experience!

My sincere thanks to Sheri for answering all of my questions and for the work she does.  I also thank Tom Wood and all of the volunteers for this opportunity and for the work they do.