Thursday, August 26, 2021

Saved by the Cuckoo

 Captain Sam's:

Today was our first "classic" August day for the banding station with a total number of 11 birds caught. We had just been so fortunate to have these past few days that were so plentiful they spoiled us. With that said it allowed us to take very meticulous looks at the individuals we did catch. Of the birds caught today most notable was a new hatching year Painted Bunting! So our group of "triplets" might've been the quadruplets and we just hadn't caught this youngster yet, or this bird is from a different group entirely. Here's to hoping it picks back up again sooner rather than later!

Unbanded bunting

Are the triplets quadruplets

Or are you new here

- Nathaniel


Little Bear:

Our slow, hot August day yielded very few birds in the nets (8 total, to be precise). Each time we saw a Painted Bunting in a net, we were way more excited than we would usually be. Just as were giving up hope for the day and were about to close nets, Josh extracted a first-of-season species for Little Bear from net 1: a Yellow-billed Cuckoo! Striking to see in the field while birding, they're even more captivating in the hand. It was a hatch-year, and was making quite a ruckus, but it was awesome to see its long tail and unique bill from in the hand. Thanks, young Cuckoo, for the nice surprise at the end of the day (even though you were uncooperative and would not pose for a nice photo).

Sunrise at Little Bear, from net 23.

-Kandace


  Species  Captain Sam'sLittle Bear
NewRecapsNewRecaps
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
--1-
White-eyed Vireo-1--
Red-eyed Vireo
--1-
Eastern Towhee
----
Ovenbird
-1--
Prairie Warbler
2-1-
Northern Cardinal
-11-
Painted Bunting
3231



Today's Banding StatsCaptain Sam'sLittle BearTOTAL
# Birds Banded
5
7
12
# of Recaptures
6
1
7
# of Species
6
5
8
Effort (net-hours)
138
93.2
231.2
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)
8
8.6
8.2
# of Nets
30
23
53


2021 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats Captain Sam'sLittle BearTOTAL
# Birds Banded
240
121
361
# of Recaptures
72
20
92
# of Species
34
24
38
Effort (net-hours)
1579.5
662.45
2241.95
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)
19.8
21.3
20.2
# of Days126-

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)
Kristin Attinger (CS)
Ben Stalheim (CS)
Nate Watkins (CS)
Kandace Glanville (LB)
Josh Lefever (LB)