Until Our Paths Cross Anew, Godspeed!

 CAPTAIN SAMS

Hail and well met, fair friend — by my troth, I would have thee know that this be the last time I take quill in hand to write unto thee. Upon mine honour, I swear it: no more shall my letters ride to thy door, for duty and the turning of fortune bid me lay down this pen as a knight lays down his lance at the day's end. Grieve not overlong, for such partings are the lot of all who serve. 

Okay, in all seriousness folks, it hath been a most noble pleasure to serve within these halls, and verily I have gained a treasure of experience beyond measure. My heart doth swell with gratitude, for such service hath tempered me as the forge doth temper steel. I shall carry forth these lessons in fealty and honour, wheresoever my duty may call me. Forsooth, never did I think to be granted such a noble station and to perform such wondrous deeds in service! To Aaron and Michael, my true benefactors, I owe a debt of gratitude I can never repay — for all the wisdom and craft they hath imparted unto me, I am forever their humble vassal. Upon mine honour, I shall strive to prove worthy of their teaching. The beasts of the field and the wilds of this realm are truly wondrous to behold — a bounty most rare and worthy of song. Verily, I shall hold dear the memory of mine time in these lands, and treasure it evermore.

Fair readers all, I bid ye take good care. Should fortune will that we never meet again, then know ye this — by my troth, I have taken great joy in writing unto ye, and I do pray that ye keep to your reading in the years to come. May fortune smile upon thy path and honour guide thy every step. Godspeed thee!

- Sir Aiden The Yellow

LITTLE BEAR

New blog poster here! I've been visiting Kiawah Island throughout the fall season to learn more about songbird banding. I am a Master's student at Clemson University, where I help run a fall banding station set up in the Clemson University Forest at RC Edwards Meadow (RCEM). Unlike the banding operation at Kiawah, RCEM banding is informal, does not follow a rigid schedule of banding days, and is focused more on education and outreach over long-term migration trends. Despite this, some clear patterns stuck out this fall when comparing RCEM captures to those at Little Bear.


We only have 8 nets at RCEM and band once per week, so our total number of captures is much lower. Among our highest species banded this season were Magnolia Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and (especially in recent weeks) White-throated Sparrow.


Comparing RCEM to Little Bear reveals the stark variation in migration routes and trends on opposite ends of the state of South Carolina. On Tuesday of this week, we put forth a total effort of 32 net hours in Clemson, capturing 22 White-throated Sparrows and 8 Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Today, Little Bear had 143.6 net hours. Two RCKI and two GCKI were captured and banded, and no WTSP were captured (although we heard one calling near the banding station).

Golden-crowned Kinglet (hatch year female)

Conversely, when accounting for capture rate and net hours, Little Bear had oodles more Gray Catbirds and Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers than RCEM this season. GRCA and MYWA feed on berries in fall and winter that grow in the more mild coastal conditions. RCKI and WTSP (wintering birds) and Magnolia Warbler (a passage migrant) seem to prefer the wooded areas, brushy edges, and mixed deciduous forests that characterize the upstate of South Carolina over the patches of coastal scrub surrounded by saltmarsh and wetlands.


Maybe these trends seem obvious to bird aficionados that have spent a long time in South Carolina. To me, a newcomer to the south, it was fascinating to see the differences in preference for migration routes and wintering habitat on opposite ends of the state. I have really enjoyed visiting Kiawah this season, and I hope to come back in the future!


-Nick

Species	Captain Sams		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Downy Woodpecker	-	-	-	1
Eastern Phoebe	-	-	2	-
White-eyed Vireo	-	1	-	-
Blue-headed Vireo	-	-	1	-
Golden-crowned Kinglet	-	-	2	-
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	4	1	2	2
Northern House Wren	1	-	-	1
Gray Catbird	4	4	5	6
Hermit Thrush	-	3	-	1
White-throated Sparrow	2	1	-	-
Song Sparrow	-	1	-	-
Swamp Sparrow	1	1	2	-
Orange-crowned Warbler	-	-	2	1
Western Palm Warbler	-	-	1	-
Pine Warbler	-	1	-	-
Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warbler	13	5	40	1

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sams	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	25	57	82
# of Recaptures	18	13	31
# of Species	9	10	16
Effort (net-hours)	188.1	143.6	331.7
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	22.9	48.7	35.8
# of Nets	33	28	61

2026 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sams	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	5,018	2,922	7,940
# of Recaptures	805	527	1,332
# of Species	87	80	101
Effort (net-hours)	13,572.9	9,643.4	23,216.3
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	42.9	35.8	39.35
# of Days	88	81

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)

Michael Gamble (CS)

Liz Held (LB)

Olivia DeMarchi (LB)

Aiden Gifford (CS)

Nick Schleissmann (LB)

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.