Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Tuesday's Results

Bird activity cooled off a bit today with 52 new birds banded and 10 more recaptured of 12 different species.  There were still lots of Common Yellowthroats which made up almost 75% of all birds banded.  We also banded our second Blue Grosbeak of the season and another Common Ground-Dove. 



Common Yellowthroat (hatch-year, sex unknown)



Even though this Common Yellowthroat does not have a black mask we cannot automatically assume that it is a female.  A small proportion of hatch-year males can lack black facial feathers which precludes us from positively identifying it as a female.  Alternatively, you cannot assume that all birds with black facial feathers are males, because some "older" after hatch-year females can take on male characteristics and have some black facial markings. 


White-eyed Vireo (after hatch-year, sex unknown)


The very prominent white-eye in the appropriately named, White-eyed Vireo, is one of the best clues in ageing them in the fall.  Adults (of after hatch-years) will have a very bright white eye while hatch-year birds will have a grayish or brownish eye.  This still should be used with caution as some hatch-year birds can have brighter colored eyes, so I always double check by looking at the bird's plumage. 



NEW BIRDS

1 Common Ground-Dove

2 White-eyed Vireo

1 Red-eyed Vireo

1 Veery

1 Prairie Warbler

1 American Redstart

1 Ovenbird

3 Northern Waterthrush

38 Common Yellowthroat

1 Blue Grosbeak

2 Painted Bunting

 

RECAPTURES

1 Common Ground-Dove

1 Brown Thrasher

1 Prairie Warbler

2 American Redstart

4 Common Yellowthroat

1 Painted Bunting

 

BANDING STATS

Effort:  72.0 net-hours

Capture Rate:  86.1 birds/100 net-hours

# of Nets:  16

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