This morning we had a great start with overall species diversity, we captured 16 species including our first of season Baltimore Oriole, and Alder Flycatcher. However, our numbers were slightly less than the past couple days netting only 38 new birds and 6 recaps. Our biggest accomplishment of the day was keying out both a Willow Flycatcher and an Alder Flycatcher. Differentiating between these two species during migration is difficult, as is the same with most species in the Empidonax genus of flycatchers. However, with these two species, unless you hear them vocalize it is almost impossible to tell them apart. It is so difficult that even we as banders need a formula composed of different feather and bill measurements to venture a guess as to which species we are holding.
-Sean
NEW BIRDS
1 Eastern Wood-pewee
1 Alder Flycatcher
1 Willow Flycatcher
5 Red-eyed Vireo
8 Northern Waterthrush
6 Common Yellowthroat
2 Black and White Warbler
1 American Redstart
1 Yellow Warbler
4 Prairie Warbler
1 Baltimore Oriole
4 Painted Bunting
1 Summer Tanager
1 Carolina Chickadee
1 Ovenbird
RECAPTURES
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Carolina Wren
1 Northern Waterthrush
2 Northern Cardinal
1 Common Yellowthroat
BANDING STATS
# of Birds Banded: 38
# of Recaptures: 6
# of Species: 16
Effort: 120.75 net-hours
Capture Rate: 36.44 birds/100 net-hours
BANDING STAFF
Mattie VandenBoom
Chris Snook
Nancy Raginski
Michael Gamble
Casey Weissburg
Sean McElaney
