Tuesday, August 23, 2016

FOS: Common Ground-Dove, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Blue-winged Warbler

Captain Sam's

We had another good day out at Captain Sam's this morning with 31 new birds and 7 recaptures of 12 species. The Northern Waterthrush just beat out the American Redstart for most abundant species of the morning. We caught our first-of-the season Common Ground-Dove, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Blue-winged Warbler. The highlight was definitely the Blue-winged Warbler, which is a very rare catch here. If we catch any it is usually just one. We caught two last year but only one was caught at Captain Sam's and another at Little Bear. It was also the first Blue-winged Warbler I have ever banded!

A recent study found that Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers are 99.97 percent genetically similar. You wouldn't think this based on their physical appearance, where they look completely different. They also sound completely different and live in different parts of the country (Golden wings living in the Northeast and upper Midwest and blue wings more south from the Ozark Mountains to the Appalachian Mountains), but they do interbreed where the two species meet, forming hybrids. The study compared the differences between Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers to the differences between people who have or do not have freckles. This is a very interesting find considering these two species are strikingly different by appearance.  

-Michael

Blue-winged Warbler (hatch year, female)

Photo by Mattie Vandenboom


Little Bear

The second day of banding at Little Bear proved much less fruitful than the first, with only 12 new birds and 2 recaptures. Overnight wind out of the east seems to have blown most migrants beyond the eastern end of Kiawah and we caught considerably fewer resident birds, meaning they may already be starting to avoid the nets. Despite the slow capture rates, it was not a bad morning to be out there. Cloud cover and the stiff morning breeze kept things cool for the first three hours.


-Blaine

Sunrise at Little Bear


  Species Captain Sam's Little Bear
New Recaps New Recaps
Common Ground-Dove
1
-
1
-
Traill's Flycatcher
-
-
1
-
Great Crested Flycatcher
1
-
-
-
Red-eyed Vireo
1
-
-
-
Carolina Wren
-
4
-
1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
1
-
-
-
Northern Waterthrush
7
-
3
-
Blue-winged Warbler
1
-
-
-
American Redstart
6
-
-
-
Yellow Warbler
1
-
1
-
Prairie Warbler
7
-
-
-
Northern Cardinal
1
-
1
-
Painted Bunting
4
3
5
1




 Banding Stats Captain Sam's Little Bear TOTAL
# Birds Banded
31
12
43
# of Recaptures
7
2
9
# of Species
12
7
13
Effort (net-hours)
125.0
56.25
181.25
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)
30.4
24.9
28.7
Nets
25
15
40

Banding Staff
Aaron Given (LB)
Blaine Carnes (LB)
Mattie VandenBoom (CS)
Michael Gamble (CS)

22 August 2016

Captain Sam's

We had a fairly good morning at Captain Sam’s with 36 new birds and 4 recaptures, comprised of 15 species.  The overnight radar showed another pulse of migrants from the North Carolina coast.  As a result of that pulse, 80 percent of the birds banded were migrants.  Prairie Warblers, Red-eyed Vireos, and Northern Waterthrush were the most numerous species around the station.  We also had several first of the seasons including Downy Woodpecker, Ovenbird, Black and White Warbler, and Common Yellowthroat. 
-Mattie 
Black and White Warbler (after hatch-year, male)
 Little Bear
Today was the first day of banding this season at Little Bear and the site produced 55 new birds and 1 recapture, representing 15 species. Unlike Captain Sam's, almost half the birds were species that breed on Kiawah. Over the next few days the Northern Cardinals, Painted Buntings, Carolina Wrens, and other residents will start learning where the nets are and the number that gets captured will drop off.

-Blaine


  Species Captain Sam's Little Bear
New Recaps New Recaps
Downy Woodpecker
1
-
-
-
"Traill's" Flycatcher
3
-
1
-
White-eyed Vireo
-
-
2
-
Red-eyed Vireo
5
-
9
-
Carolina Chickadee
-
1
-
-
Carolina Wren
1
2
6
1
Brown Thrasher
-
-
2
-
Ovenbird
2
-
2
-
Northern Waterthrush
4
-
4
-
Black and White Warbler
2
-
-
-
Prothonotary Warbler
2
-
-
-
American Redstart
3
-
2
-
Common Yellowthroat
3
-
2
-
Yellow Warbler
2
-
2
-
Black-throated Blue Warbler
-
-
1
-
Prairie Warbler
6
-
7
-
Yellow-breasted Chat
-
1
-
-
Eastern Towhee
-
-
1
-
Northern Cardinal
2
-
9
-
Painted Bunting
-
-
6
-




 Banding Stats Captain Sam's Little Bear TOTAL
# Birds Banded
36
56
92
# of Recaptures
4
1
5
# of Species
15
15
19
Effort (net-hours)
130.0
55
185.0
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)
30.8
103.6
52.4
Nets
25
15
40

Banding Staff
Aaron Given (LB)
Blaine Carnes (LB)
Mattie VandenBoom (CS)
Michael Gamble (CS)