Not much going on at the Kiawah Island Banding Station these days - bird activity is very slow. Unfavorable conditions exist across the Eastern U.S. for any major migration activity along the South Carolina coast. We only banded 10 new birds and had 6 recaptures of 6 different species.
I was notified today by the Bird Banding Lab that a Yellow-rumped Warbler that I banded two winters ago on 03/07/12 was recovered on 06/21/13 in Quebec, Canada. Unfortunately, the bird was found dead. These reason given was that it was "caught due to striking: stationary object other than wires or towers". My guess is that it fell victim to a window strike.
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
3 Red-eyed Vireo
2 Prairie Warbler
2 Common Yellowthroat
1 Northern Waterthrush
2 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Northern Cardinal
5 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 10
# of Recaptures: 6
# of Species: 6
Effort: 98.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 16.3 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
Northern Parula - FOS
We banded 11 new birds along with 11 recaptures of 9 different species. Northern Parula was a new species for the season!
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
3 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Northern Mockingbird
1 Northern Parula
1 Prairie Warbler
2 American Redstart
1 Northern Waterthrush
2 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Carolina Chickadee
2 Carolina Wren
1 Red-eyed Vireo
7 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 11
# of Recaptures: 11
# of Species: 9
Effort: 98.8 net-hours
Capture Rate: 22.3 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 19
- Aaron
 |
| Northern Parula (HY, female) |
NEW BIRDS
3 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Northern Mockingbird
1 Northern Parula
1 Prairie Warbler
2 American Redstart
1 Northern Waterthrush
2 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Carolina Chickadee
2 Carolina Wren
1 Red-eyed Vireo
7 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 11
# of Recaptures: 11
# of Species: 9
Effort: 98.8 net-hours
Capture Rate: 22.3 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 19
Thursday, August 29, 2013
The Trend Continues . . .
We banded 12 new birds and had 6 recaptures of 9 different species. We banded our 5th Eastern Kingbird of the season - a hatch year as evident by the whitish tips to wing coverts and the lack of orange in the crown.
This Common Ground-Dove was a recapture. He was originally banded last fall on September 9th as an adult (AHY). This photo really illustrates the amount of rufous on the underside of the wing.
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Eastern Kingbird
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
1 Prairie Warbler
1 Common Yellowthroat
6 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Common Ground-Dove
3 Northern Cardinal
2 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 12
# of Recaptures: 6
# of Species: 9
Effort: 105.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 17.1 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
 |
| Eastern Kingbird (HY, sex unknown) |
This Common Ground-Dove was a recapture. He was originally banded last fall on September 9th as an adult (AHY). This photo really illustrates the amount of rufous on the underside of the wing.
 |
| Common Ground-Dove (AHY, male) |
NEW BIRDS
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Eastern Kingbird
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
1 Prairie Warbler
1 Common Yellowthroat
6 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Common Ground-Dove
3 Northern Cardinal
2 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 12
# of Recaptures: 6
# of Species: 9
Effort: 105.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 17.1 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Slow Day - Fledgling PABU
Another slow day - we only banded 13 new birds and had 6 recaptures of 7 different species. Painted Bunting numbers continue to impress with 6 more banded today bringing the total for the season to 69. We captured a very young Painted Bunting - probably only a few days out of the nest. Its tail was only half grown in, it wing feathers about 3/4 of the way in, and it body was covered in a soft juvenile plumage. After putting a band on it, I quickly brought him/her back to the area where it was captured. Mom was anxiously awaiting her baby's return as she was calling softly from a nearby wax myrtle. I released the young bunting and it started calling immediately with soft sharp chips. The adult female started calling back and began to circle around perimeter of the net to get closer to her chick. The young bunting stayed put low in a marsh elder shrub and in just a couple of minutes Momma and Baby were reunited.
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Northern Mockingbird
2 Prairie Warbler
1 Ovenbird
2 Northern Cardinal
6 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Chickadee
1 Northern Mockingbird
1 Northern Cardinal
2 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 13
# of Recaptures: 6
# of Species: 7
Effort: 110.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 17.3 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
- Aaron
 |
| Painted Bunting (HY, sex unknown) |
NEW BIRDS
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Northern Mockingbird
2 Prairie Warbler
1 Ovenbird
2 Northern Cardinal
6 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Chickadee
1 Northern Mockingbird
1 Northern Cardinal
2 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 13
# of Recaptures: 6
# of Species: 7
Effort: 110.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 17.3 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Kentucky Warbler and Ovenbird (FOS)
There was a little migration happening last night . . . but not too much. There is a high pressure system sitting over the northern states right now which has created unfavorable conditions for migration. A cold front is expected to move down around Friday so I am hoping that will bring us some more birds for the weekend.
We banded 15 new birds and had 7 recaptures of 10 different species today. We had a few more migrants today including two new species for the 2013 fall season: Ovenbird and Kentucky Warbler. This Kentucky Warbler is only the second banding record for KIBS in five years of fall banding.
We also banded our first adult (AHY) male American Redstart today. In fact, all three redstarts banded today were AHY males. One of the redstarts had an unusual plumage aberration. He had a few white feathers on his head and nape, and the orange coloration in the wings and tail was muted. This condition is known as leucism which is the complete loss of pigment in some or all of the feathers. Leucism is attributed to the expression of mutant alleles or deviations in gene expression that disrupts the pigmentation at feather development. It is different than albinism in that birds with leucism will generally have normal colored soft parts (legs, feet, skin, and eyes).
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
1 "Traill's" Flycatcher
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
1 Northern Mockingbird
2 Prairie Warbler
3 American Redstart
1 Kentucky Warbler
1 Ovenbird
1 Northern Cardinal
3 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
2 Carolina Wren
5 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 15
# of Recaptures: 7
# of Species: 10
Effort: 108.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 20.4 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
We banded 15 new birds and had 7 recaptures of 10 different species today. We had a few more migrants today including two new species for the 2013 fall season: Ovenbird and Kentucky Warbler. This Kentucky Warbler is only the second banding record for KIBS in five years of fall banding.
 |
| Kentucky Warbler (HY, male) |
 |
| Ovenbird (HY, sex unknown) |
- Aaron
 |
| American Redstart (AHY, male) |
NEW BIRDS
1 "Traill's" Flycatcher
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
1 Northern Mockingbird
2 Prairie Warbler
3 American Redstart
1 Kentucky Warbler
1 Ovenbird
1 Northern Cardinal
3 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
2 Carolina Wren
5 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 15
# of Recaptures: 7
# of Species: 10
Effort: 108.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 20.4 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Monday, August 26, 2013
Extremely Slow Day
It was extremely slow this morning with only 7 new birds and 2 recaptures of 4 different species. Due to increasingly windy conditions (and the lack of bird life) we closed nets down early. Conditions were favorable locally for migration last night but there were no birds to replace them this morning.
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
2 Northern Mockingbird
1 American Redstart
4 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
2 Carolina Wren
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 7
# of Birds Recaptured: 2
# of Species: 4
Effort: 78.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 11.5 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
2 Northern Mockingbird
1 American Redstart
4 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
2 Carolina Wren
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 7
# of Birds Recaptured: 2
# of Species: 4
Effort: 78.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 11.5 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Eastern Whip-poor-will (new species for KIBS)
Well, bird activity was not as good as I would have expected, but it was not too bad. We banded 33 birds and had 7 recaptures of 12 different species. We had a nice little push of Northern Waterthrushes and Prairie Warblers with 7 of each species banded. We also banded our first Common Yellowthroats of the season; a species that we will see over, and over, and over again this fall.
The bird of the day goes to an Eastern Whip-poor-will! This is the first time a Whip has ever been banded at KIBS. In fact, this is the first time (that I know of) that a Whip-poor-will has been recorded on Kiawah Island!
This bird was sexed as a male by the presence of large white patches on the outer three rectrices (tail feathers). This is also true for our more common Chuck-Will's-Widow.
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
1 Eastern Whip-poor-will
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 "Traill's" Flycatcher
2 Red-eyed Vireo
3 Northern Mockingbird
7 Prairie Warbler
1 Worm-eating Warbler
3 Common Yellowthroat
7 Northern Waterthrush
1 Northern Cardinal
6 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Carolina Wren
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Northern Mockingbird
4 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 33
# of Recaptures: 7
# of Species: 12
Effort: 102.3 net-hours
Capture Rate: 39.1 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
The bird of the day goes to an Eastern Whip-poor-will! This is the first time a Whip has ever been banded at KIBS. In fact, this is the first time (that I know of) that a Whip-poor-will has been recorded on Kiawah Island!
This bird was sexed as a male by the presence of large white patches on the outer three rectrices (tail feathers). This is also true for our more common Chuck-Will's-Widow.
 |
| Eastern Whip-poor-will (HY, male) |
 |
| Eastern Whip-poor-will |
NEW BIRDS
1 Eastern Whip-poor-will
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 "Traill's" Flycatcher
2 Red-eyed Vireo
3 Northern Mockingbird
7 Prairie Warbler
1 Worm-eating Warbler
3 Common Yellowthroat
7 Northern Waterthrush
1 Northern Cardinal
6 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Carolina Wren
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Northern Mockingbird
4 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 33
# of Recaptures: 7
# of Species: 12
Effort: 102.3 net-hours
Capture Rate: 39.1 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Swainson's Warbler and Lots of Mockers
We had a very good day of banding with 61 new birds and 15 recaptures of 16 different species. The cold front that moved across KIBS this morning brought in many more migrants than we have been seeing of late. Stronger north winds are predicted for tonight and tomorrow which should bring in even more birds. I am expecting tomorrow to be even better!
The most common species banded today was the Northern Mockingbird with 14. This is more than half of the total mockingbirds that were banded all of last fall! All were juveniles and most were captured in groups of two or three as the inexperienced rowdy teenagers were out exploring their natal territory.
New species for the season included a Swainson's Warbler (2nd ever banding record for KIBS) and three Black-and-White Warblers.
-Aaron
NEW BIRDS
1 Great Crested Flycatcher
10 Red-eyed Vireo
2 Carolina Chickadee
1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
14 Northern Mockingbird
13 Prairie Warbler
3 Black-and-White Warbler
7 American Redstart
1 Prothonotary Warbler
4 Northern Waterthrush
1 Swainson's Warbler
1 Northern Cardinal
3 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 "Traill's" Flycatcher
1 Carolina Chickadee
2 Carolina Wren
2 Brown Thrasher
1 Prairie Warbler
1 Northern Cardinal
7 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 61
# of Recaptures: 15
# of Species: 16
Effort: 120.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 63.3 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
The most common species banded today was the Northern Mockingbird with 14. This is more than half of the total mockingbirds that were banded all of last fall! All were juveniles and most were captured in groups of two or three as the inexperienced rowdy teenagers were out exploring their natal territory.
New species for the season included a Swainson's Warbler (2nd ever banding record for KIBS) and three Black-and-White Warblers.
-Aaron
 |
| Swainson's Warbler (HY, sex unknown) |
NEW BIRDS
1 Great Crested Flycatcher
10 Red-eyed Vireo
2 Carolina Chickadee
1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
14 Northern Mockingbird
13 Prairie Warbler
3 Black-and-White Warbler
7 American Redstart
1 Prothonotary Warbler
4 Northern Waterthrush
1 Swainson's Warbler
1 Northern Cardinal
3 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 "Traill's" Flycatcher
1 Carolina Chickadee
2 Carolina Wren
2 Brown Thrasher
1 Prairie Warbler
1 Northern Cardinal
7 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 61
# of Recaptures: 15
# of Species: 16
Effort: 120.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 63.3 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Friday, August 23, 2013
A Little Hint of Fall Migration
The north winds last night help bring in some migrants! We banded 26 new birds and 7 recaptures of 14 different species.
A good mix of neotropical warblers were banded including Prairie Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, Prothonotary Warbler, and the first Hooded Warbler of the season.
We also banded the first Empidonax flycatchers of the season with two "Traill's" Flycatcher and one Acadian Flycatcher. Willow and Alder Flycatchers are collectively know as "Traill's" Flycatchers when a positive identification cannot be made. In the field the only way to separate Willow and Alder Flycatcher is by their call as they look nearly identical. When the bird is in the hand, it is also extremely difficult separate and most cases they can only be identified as "Traill's". Several very precise and tedious measurements are taken including the difference in length between the longest primary and the longest secondaries, the longest primary and p6, p6 and p10, p9 and p5, nares to tip of bill, bill width, and tail length. Even after all of these measurements there is usually too much overlap between the two.
This time of year when the birds rarely vocalize, it is difficult to separate "Traill's" from Acadian Flycatchers in the field but it can be done in the hand using leg color. "Traill's" have black legs and Acadian have gray legs as shown in the photo below.
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
2 Common Ground-Dove
1 Downy Woodpecker
2 "Traill's" Flycatcher
1 Acadian Flycatcher
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Brown Thrasher
1 Northern Mockingbird
4 Prairie Warbler
5 American Redstart
1 Prothonotary Warbler
1 Northern Waterthush
1 Hooded Warbler
5 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Northern Cardinal
5 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 26
# of Recaptures: 7
# of Species: 14
Effort: 124.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 26.6 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
A good mix of neotropical warblers were banded including Prairie Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, Prothonotary Warbler, and the first Hooded Warbler of the season.
We also banded the first Empidonax flycatchers of the season with two "Traill's" Flycatcher and one Acadian Flycatcher. Willow and Alder Flycatchers are collectively know as "Traill's" Flycatchers when a positive identification cannot be made. In the field the only way to separate Willow and Alder Flycatcher is by their call as they look nearly identical. When the bird is in the hand, it is also extremely difficult separate and most cases they can only be identified as "Traill's". Several very precise and tedious measurements are taken including the difference in length between the longest primary and the longest secondaries, the longest primary and p6, p6 and p10, p9 and p5, nares to tip of bill, bill width, and tail length. Even after all of these measurements there is usually too much overlap between the two.
 |
| "Traill's" Flycatcher (HY, sex unknown) |
 |
| Acadian Flycatcher (AHY, sex unknown) |
This time of year when the birds rarely vocalize, it is difficult to separate "Traill's" from Acadian Flycatchers in the field but it can be done in the hand using leg color. "Traill's" have black legs and Acadian have gray legs as shown in the photo below.
- Aaron
 |
2 Common Ground-Dove
1 Downy Woodpecker
2 "Traill's" Flycatcher
1 Acadian Flycatcher
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Brown Thrasher
1 Northern Mockingbird
4 Prairie Warbler
5 American Redstart
1 Prothonotary Warbler
1 Northern Waterthush
1 Hooded Warbler
5 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Northern Cardinal
5 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 26
# of Recaptures: 7
# of Species: 14
Effort: 124.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 26.6 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Rain Out: Thursday
No banding . . . Thunderstorms along the coast kept us from opening nets yesterday morning.
- Aaron
- Aaron
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Very Slow Banding Day
Bird activity around KIBS decreased substantially today with only 9 new birds and 7 recaptures of 7 different species being captured. Some birds are on the move right now but we are still in the that post-breeding/pre-migration lull. The warm temperature, humid air, and southerly winds are not helping us one bit. The 10-day weather forecast shows no signs of changing so I think we may be stuck in this "bird void" a while.
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
1 Brown Thrasher
2 Northern Mockingbird
2 Prairie Warbler
3 Painted Bunting
1 Northern Cardinal
RECAPTURES
1 White-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
1 Northern Mockingbird
1 Prairie Warbler
1 Northern Cardinal
2 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 9
# of Recaptures: 7
# of Species: 7
Effort: 94.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 17.0 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
1 Brown Thrasher
2 Northern Mockingbird
2 Prairie Warbler
3 Painted Bunting
1 Northern Cardinal
RECAPTURES
1 White-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
1 Northern Mockingbird
1 Prairie Warbler
1 Northern Cardinal
2 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 9
# of Recaptures: 7
# of Species: 7
Effort: 94.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 17.0 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Painted Bunting "Returns"
Bird activity seemed to slow down a bit today with 19 new birds and 14 recaptures of 9 different species. Five of the Painted Bunting recaptures were returns from previous years!
Original Banding Info:
1. 9/23/10 at KIBS; recaptured on 5/12/12 on Kiawah Island
2. 7/19/12 on Kiawah Island (Inlet Cove)
3. 8/15/12 at KIBS
4. 7/1/09 at Seabrook Island; also recaptured in fall 2010
and 2011 but interestingly not last year.
5. Original banding date and location unknown;
also recaptured during the fall of 2011 and 2012.
It was nice to get some of adult Painted Buntings today (including 2 males). All of the adults are in molt right now replacing body feathers, wing coverts, and flight feathers.
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
1 Great Crested Flycatcher
2 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
3 Northern Mockingbird
1 Yellow Warbler
4 Prairie Warbler
1 Northern Waterthrush
6 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Carolina Wren
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Prairie Warbler
2 Northern Cardinal
9 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 19
# of Recaptures: 14
# of Species: 9
Effort: 102.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 31.4 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Original Banding Info:
1. 9/23/10 at KIBS; recaptured on 5/12/12 on Kiawah Island
2. 7/19/12 on Kiawah Island (Inlet Cove)
3. 8/15/12 at KIBS
4. 7/1/09 at Seabrook Island; also recaptured in fall 2010
and 2011 but interestingly not last year.
5. Original banding date and location unknown;
also recaptured during the fall of 2011 and 2012.
It was nice to get some of adult Painted Buntings today (including 2 males). All of the adults are in molt right now replacing body feathers, wing coverts, and flight feathers.
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
1 Great Crested Flycatcher
2 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
3 Northern Mockingbird
1 Yellow Warbler
4 Prairie Warbler
1 Northern Waterthrush
6 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Carolina Wren
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Prairie Warbler
2 Northern Cardinal
9 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 19
# of Recaptures: 14
# of Species: 9
Effort: 102.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 31.4 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Monday, August 19, 2013
First White-eyed Vireo of the Season
Bird activity slowed down today with only 24 birds banded and 5 recaptures of 11 different species. We had isolated rain showers all around us most of morning but somehow managed to dodge most of them only getting sprinkled on once for about 5 minutes.
Painted Buntings continue to be the most common species captured with a large majority of them being hatch-year birds. We banded our first White-eyed Vireo of fall season - a very young hatch-year bird. This individual was still in juvenal plumage and had not yet started its first prebasic molt.
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
1 Common Ground-Dove
2 Red-eyed Vireo
1 White-eyed Vireo
3 Carolina Wren
2 Northern Mockingbird
1 Brown Thrasher
1 American Redstart
1 Prothonotary Warbler
1 Worm-eating Warbler
2 Northern Cardinal
9 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 White-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
2 Northern Cardinal
1 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 24
# of Recaptures: 5
# of Species: 11
Effort: 116.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 25.0 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Painted Buntings continue to be the most common species captured with a large majority of them being hatch-year birds. We banded our first White-eyed Vireo of fall season - a very young hatch-year bird. This individual was still in juvenal plumage and had not yet started its first prebasic molt.
- Aaron
 |
| White-eyed Vireo (HY, sex unknown) |
NEW BIRDS
1 Common Ground-Dove
2 Red-eyed Vireo
1 White-eyed Vireo
3 Carolina Wren
2 Northern Mockingbird
1 Brown Thrasher
1 American Redstart
1 Prothonotary Warbler
1 Worm-eating Warbler
2 Northern Cardinal
9 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 White-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
2 Northern Cardinal
1 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 24
# of Recaptures: 5
# of Species: 11
Effort: 116.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 25.0 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Sunday, August 18, 2013
A "Mural" of Painted Buntings
We had a very good mid-August banding session this morning with 53 new birds and 5 recaptures of 14 different species. It appears that 2013 is going to be an excellent year for Painted Buntings. We banded 17 more today bringing the total to 25 for the season in only two days of banding (last fall we banded 71 the entire season). We banded some of the expected early season neotropical warblers including Yellow Warbler, American Redstart, Prothonotary Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, and Northern Waterthrush.
We had a good opportunity to study Eastern Kingbirds. As I mentioned on Friday we don't band that many of them so it was nice to capture an adult and juvenile during the same net round for comparison. Eastern Kingbirds can easily be aged by looking at the color of the greater and median coverts, and the shape of p10 and p9. In juveniles (hatch-year; HY), whitish tips/edging on the greater and median coverts while adults (after hatch-year; AHY), will lack whitish tips/edging. Also, notice the difference in overall wing color between the AHY and HY. The AHY is browner, faded, and more worn compared to the HY. Usually, adult passerines will have a fresher plumage than juveniles because they molt all their flight feathers before fall migration. But AHY Eastern Kingbirds do not molt their flight feathers until they reach their South American wintering grounds so their wing feathers are much older than their HY counterparts who just grew them in a few months ago.
The other characteristic we look at is the outer two primary feathers (p10 and p9). In AHYs, p10 and p9 will be notched at the tip but in HYs the ends of p10 and p9 will be rounded off. In addition, it is sometimes possible to sex Eastern Kingbirds based on the length of the notching. In general, if the the notch is greater than 8mm it would be a male and less than 8mm would be a female. This individual measured 9.2 mm and we were able to sex it as a male.
This season's banding assistants arrived yesterday afternoon and this morning was their first day at KIBS. I would like to welcome Mattie, Josh, Claire, and Vicki to Kiawah Island and I look forward to a good fall season with them!
NEW BIRDS
1 Great Crested Flycatcher
2 Eastern Kingbird
2 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Chickadee
1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
4 Northern Mockingbird
3 Yellow Warbler
7 Prairie Warbler
7 American Redstart
1 Prothonotary Warbler
2 Worm-eating Warbler
1 Northern Waterthrush
4 Northern Cardinal
17 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
2 Northern Cardinal
3 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 53
# of Recaptures: 5
# of Species: 14
Effort: 120.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 53.5 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
We had a good opportunity to study Eastern Kingbirds. As I mentioned on Friday we don't band that many of them so it was nice to capture an adult and juvenile during the same net round for comparison. Eastern Kingbirds can easily be aged by looking at the color of the greater and median coverts, and the shape of p10 and p9. In juveniles (hatch-year; HY), whitish tips/edging on the greater and median coverts while adults (after hatch-year; AHY), will lack whitish tips/edging. Also, notice the difference in overall wing color between the AHY and HY. The AHY is browner, faded, and more worn compared to the HY. Usually, adult passerines will have a fresher plumage than juveniles because they molt all their flight feathers before fall migration. But AHY Eastern Kingbirds do not molt their flight feathers until they reach their South American wintering grounds so their wing feathers are much older than their HY counterparts who just grew them in a few months ago.
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| Eastern Kingbird (HY) |
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| Eastern Kingbird (AHY) |
The other characteristic we look at is the outer two primary feathers (p10 and p9). In AHYs, p10 and p9 will be notched at the tip but in HYs the ends of p10 and p9 will be rounded off. In addition, it is sometimes possible to sex Eastern Kingbirds based on the length of the notching. In general, if the the notch is greater than 8mm it would be a male and less than 8mm would be a female. This individual measured 9.2 mm and we were able to sex it as a male.
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| Eastern Kingbird (AHY, male) |
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| Eastern Kingbird (HY, sex unknown) |
This season's banding assistants arrived yesterday afternoon and this morning was their first day at KIBS. I would like to welcome Mattie, Josh, Claire, and Vicki to Kiawah Island and I look forward to a good fall season with them!
NEW BIRDS
1 Great Crested Flycatcher
2 Eastern Kingbird
2 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Chickadee
1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
4 Northern Mockingbird
3 Yellow Warbler
7 Prairie Warbler
7 American Redstart
1 Prothonotary Warbler
2 Worm-eating Warbler
1 Northern Waterthrush
4 Northern Cardinal
17 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
2 Northern Cardinal
3 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 53
# of Recaptures: 5
# of Species: 14
Effort: 120.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 53.5 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 20
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Another Rain Out
When I checked the radar this morning, South Carolina and Georgia was covered in green. There was a break in the weather from 6am-8am but after that it looked like we were going to get wet, so I decided not to band this morning. I continued to follow the radar the rest of the morning, and as I watched the rain approach Charleston, SC it would dissipate and break apart. In the end, it barely rained here along coast all day long. Lesson learned . . . We should be good for tomorrow - fingers crossed.
- Aaron
- Aaron
Friday, August 16, 2013
"Unofficial" First Day of Banding
The rain let up and I was able to get a full 6 hours of banding in this morning. I only opened 9 of the 20 nets just in case I had to close them down quickly for a passing rain shower. It was a good first day with 27 birds banded and 4 recaptures of 11 different species. The first birds of the fall were a pair of Prairie Warblers, followed by a couple of Painted Buntings, and two Great Crested Flycatchers. The bird(s) of the day were two Eastern Kingbirds that were captured on the very last net round of the morning. Eastern Kingbirds were all over the banding station this morning carrying on and chasing each other from tree top to tree top. I was surprised it took as long as it did to catch one in the nets. We usually don't catch Eastern Kingbirds. Before today we had only banded one in the five years KIBS has been in operation.
This time of year we can fairly easily recognize hatch-year Painted Buntings by the buffy tips on the brownish colored greater coverts. Adults Painted Buntings will have green greater coverts.
I am always amazed by the striking purplish-pink eye color of Common Ground-Doves.
A field mark not usually seen in the field in Eastern Kingbirds is the hidden bright orange patch of feathers on the top of the head.
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
1 Downy Woodpecker
2 Great Crested Flycatcher
2 Eastern Kingbird
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
1 Northern Mockingbird
5 Prairie Warbler
1 American Redstart
5 Northern Cardinal
8 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Common Ground-Dove
2 Northern Cardinal
1 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 27
# of Recaptures: 4
# of Species: 11
Effort: 54.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 57.4 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 9
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| Painted Bunting (hatch-year, sex unknown) |
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| Common Ground-Dove (after hatch-year, male) |
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| Eastern Kingbird (after hatch-year, sex unknown) |
- Aaron
NEW BIRDS
1 Downy Woodpecker
2 Great Crested Flycatcher
2 Eastern Kingbird
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
1 Northern Mockingbird
5 Prairie Warbler
1 American Redstart
5 Northern Cardinal
8 Painted Bunting
RECAPTURES
1 Common Ground-Dove
2 Northern Cardinal
1 Painted Bunting
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 27
# of Recaptures: 4
# of Species: 11
Effort: 54.0 net-hours
Capture Rate: 57.4 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets: 9
Thursday, August 15, 2013
First Day of Fall Banding
After a long summer, I was excited to start begin fall migration banding today but Mother Nature had other ideas. A "cold" front had moved into South Carolina this morning but unfortunately it also brought with it rain - lots and lots of rain. The cooler temperatures and north winds would have most certainly brought in some early migrants. This cold front has now stalled out over us and this wet weather pattern is expected to continue for the next 2-3 days dumping as much as 5-8 inches of rain in some areas. I will be watching the weather all night and if it looks like there will be a break in the weather in the morning I am going to try to get out. However, at this point it looks more like wishful thinking.
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