The curtain has now fallen on the "Rare" Spring banding season. Although we didn't quite achieve our goal of 350, I blame the weather, with two mornings completely lost, and one "early closing." Would those losses have made a difference? I like to think they would!
Once again, the weather was less than kind. I got totally soaked setting up the nets on Friday evening, to the point where I could have entered a wet tee-shirt contest, had one been held anywhere near by. Saturday started off quite cool, but then the sun came out and the later morning was pleasant, if slightly breezy. 35 birds were banded, leaving a target of just 10 for Sunday......which is just as well. Considering it was the last day of May, the weather was, simply put, miserable (I was going to say crap, but that might offend people....therefore I won't describe the weather as crap....even though it was). Fortunately, although we were freezing our bits off, the wind didn't pick up until after we had banded our fourteenth and final bird of the day, bring the season's grand total to 304, and 45 species. Two new birds were added, one brand new for the project, a Hairy Woodpecker, and a new bird for this Spring, a female Mourning Warbler.
Migration has tapered off in this part of the world, as the birds settle into another breeding season. Hopefully the weather will be kind, and there will be a bumper crop of young birds for the Autumn campaign!
Here is the weekend breakdown:
American Redstart 7
"Traill's" Flycatcher 5
Yellow Warbler 1
House Wren 1
American Goldfinch 4
Common Yellowthroat 5
Cedar Waxwing 12
Gray Catbird 3
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Song Sparrow 1
Mourning Warbler 1
Red-winged Blackbird 2
Warbling Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Orchard Oriole 1
Wilson's Warbler 1
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Swainson's Thrush 1
Total 49, of 18 species.
My thanks to the crew, Georg, Erika, Josh, Brett, Larry, Bill, Amy and all the others who have assisted over the last few weeks. Without you all, this project would not exist!! Special thanks too to "Rare" for their unstinting support, and the use of this magnificent location. Once again, thanks to Georg Hentsch for the pictures of the crew (Georg is the chap peering over the wall!), Mourning Warbler, and Swainson's Thrush.
