FOS: Magnolia Warbler

We banded 78 new birds and had 13 recaptures of 18 different species today.  Bird activity was down a little bit from the past couple of days but it was still very good.  There was a lot of activity early and as always it tapered off after 10:00 am.  Highlights today included a Yellow-billed Cuckoo (2nd of season), and two Magnolia Warblers (1st of the season).

In the fall, HY Magnolia Warblers cannot be reliable sexed by plumage unless they exhibit certain characteristics.  Males will usually have large black centers on the upper tail coverts and the edging of those coverts will be bluish.  Females will have indistinct dusky centers on the upper tail coverts and will be edged in yellowish/green.  The individual below is probably a male based on the moderate amount of black on the upper tail coverts but it was not enough for me to be absolutely certain so we left it as sex unknown.     

Magnolia Warbler (HY, sex unknown)

Yellow-billed Cuckoos can be aged this time of year by looking at the color of the eye-ring.  In HY birds, the eye-ring will be bright yellow and will dull to a grayish color with age.  

- Aaron
 

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (HY, sex unknown)

  

NEW BIRDS
1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo
1 "Traill's" Flycatcher
1 White-eyed Vireo
7 Red-eyed Vireo
1 House Wren
1 Swainson's Thrush
2 Gray-cheeked Thrush
16 Gray Catbird
2 Magnolia Warbler
8 Black-throated Blue Warbler
6 Palm Warbler (Western)
2 Prairie Warbler
6 American Redstart
20 Common Yellowthroat
1 Northern Waterthrush
2 Indigo Bunting
1 Painted Bunting

RECAPTURES
3 White-eyed Vireo
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
3 Gray Catbird
2 Common Yellowthroat
3 Painted Bunting

BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded:  78
# of Recaptures:  13
# of Species:  18
Effort:  110.0 net-hours
Capture Rate:  82.7 birds/100 net-hours
# of Nets:  20