Gnatcatchers and Tanagers and Grosbeaks, Oh My!

 Captain Sam's:

Although we were less busy than yesterday, we had a good day at Captain Sam's with 64 total birds (47 new and 17 recaps) of 18 species. We also got another first of season: a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher! These tiny blue birds very active, constantly flitting through foliage and fanning their long tails while foraging for small insects (despite the name, though, they don't actually catch many gnats). We've been hearing their wheezy calls around the station since the beginning of the season, but today was the first day one found its way into our nets.

Hatch-year Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Photo: SS)

We were able to age our gnatcatcher as hatch-year based on molt limits in its alula feathers and greater coverts. This species can only be sexed in summer when birds are in their alternate plumage - then, males will have a black angry eyebrow aka supercilium. 

We had a furry visitor today too: a bobcat! Kiawah has a population of about 30-35 bobcats. This one has been fitted with a radio collar as part of Kiawah's bobcat GPS tracking study, which you can learn more about here. He stayed safely away from our nets and we admired him from a respectful distance. 

Bobcat with a radio collar (Photo: AG)

-Sarah M.

Little Bear:

Today was quite a slow day. With only 38 birds captured today, 29 of those were newly banded birds. We had two new first for the site though! A Summer Tanager and a Blue Grosbeak! These two species were not captured at LB last year so it was a treat to see!  These next few days seem like they will be slow, but I am hoping to at least another new species added to KIBS.

Hatch year male Summer Tanager

Hatch year Blue Grosbeak, unknown sex

This is the wing of the Blue Grosbeak. Check out the molt on this one! I have shown the molt limit in the alulas. As you can see, A1 is a lot darker and fresh looking compared to A2-3. 

You can also see, which is not highlighted, the median coverts and greater covers are also have a fresh look to them and seem to have a nice darker look to them. Being that this bird is a hatch year, it is hard to sex them since most of them will not complete their molt until they have reached their wintering grounds.

-Kristin 

Species	Captain Sam's		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Downy Woodpecker	-	1	-	-
White-eyed Vireo	3	3	-	-
Red-eyed Vireo	6	1	3	-
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	1	-	-	-
Carolina Wren	-	-	-	2
Veery	2	-	-	-
Swainson's Thrush	2	-	-	-
Gray Catbird	2	2	5	-
Brown Thrasher	1	-	-	-
Yellow-breasted Chat	2	-	-	-
Ovenbird	3	1	-	-
Northern Waterthrush	3	3	2	-
Black-and-white Warbler	1	-	-	-
Common Yellowthroat	8	4	7	3
American Redstart	6	-	2	-
Northern Parula	2	-	-	-
Yellow Warbler	-	-	1	-
Palm Warbler	-	-	3	-
Prairie Warbler	3	-	2	-
Summer Tanager	-	-	1	-
Northern Cardinal	1	1	1	1
Blue Grosbeak	-	-	1	-
Painted Bunting	1	1	1	3

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	47	29	76
# of Recaptures	17	9	26
# of Species	18	13	23
Effort (net-hours)	138	119.6	257.6
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	46.4	30.9	39.6
# of Nets	30	21	-

2020 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	1373	634	2,007
# of Recaptures	343	112	456
# of Species	44	43	51
Effort (net-hours)	4,626.31	2,421.45	7,047.76
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	37.1	30.8	34.9
# of Days	39	28	-

 

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)
Sarah Mueller (CS)
Sarah Stewart (CS)
Dan Errichetti (CS)
Kristin Attinger (LB)
Josh Lefever (LB)

Vincent Weber (LB)