Feels like August!

CAPTAIN SAMS 

It was a pretty slow day today that started off at a toasty 75.4℉ at 6:30AM as we were surrounded by fog! The early morning fog resulted in a very pretty pink sky over the banding table! The humidity persisted as the temperature climbed. We banded 22 birds and had 5 recaptures, from 11 different species. The slow day allowed us to work on repairing some holes in nets. One of our volunteers, Amy, got to band her first Cape-May Warbler today! We also recaptured a hatch year Brown Thrasher that has visited us a few times in the past few days! 

- Camille 

Brown Thrasher (hatch year, unknown)

A foggy sunrise over the banding table

LITTLE BEAR

The trend of warm weather and low capture rates continues at Little Bear with 39 total birds today. We did band our thousandth bird, a handsome after hatch year male Cape May Warbler! I (Arden) have been hoping to see a bright male in the hand all season so was especially excited for him. We also captured yet another Common Yellowthroat with abnormal plumage! This hatch year individual has a partial loss of pigment in some of its primary feathers and primary coverts. While the slow days may be boring, sometimes it's nice to be able to take the time to admire each bird we catch. 

Hatch Year Common Yellowthroat
with unusual pale feathers

After Hatch Year Male Cape May Warbler,
the thousandth bird banded at Little Bear 

 -Arden 

Species	Captain Sam's		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	-	-	1	-
White-eyed Vireo	1	-	1	-
Red-eyed Vireo	5	-	-	-
Carolina Chickadee	-	-	-	1
Gray Catbird	1	-	-	-
Brown Thrasher	-	1	-	-
Swainson's Thrush	-	-	2	-
Yellow-breasted Chat	1	-	1	-
Ovenbird	-	1	-	-
Northern Waterthrush	-	-	1	-
Common Yellowthroat	9	2	10	2
American Redstart	1	-	-	1
Cape May Warbler	1	-	1	-
Yellow Warbler	-	-	1	-
Western Palm Warbler	-	-	10	-
Prairie Warbler	-	-	1	-
Northern Cardinal	1	1	-	-
Painted Bunting	2	-	5	1
	-	-	-	-

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sams	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	22	34	56
# of Recaptures	5	5	10
# of Species	11	11	18
Effort (net-hours)	142.0	131.6	273.6
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	19.0	29.6	24.1
# of Nets	32	28	60

2025 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sams	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	1,731	1,023	2,754
# of Recaptures	250	226	476
# of Species	52	49	63
Effort (net-hours)	6,023.8	4,002.8	10,026.6
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	32.9	31.2	32.2
# of Days	39	32

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)

Michael Gamble (CS)

Liz Held (LB)

Arden Schneider (LB)

Camille Beckwith (CS)

Jeremiah Sullivan (LB)

Amy Nickerson (CS)

Note:  All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Bird Banding Lab.