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

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