The wind returned with a vengeance this morning. I could only open 16 nets and had to shut down 2 of those early. It was shaping up to be a very slow and uneventful morning until a flock of about 500 Tree Swallows decided to feed on wax myrtle berries next to Net #14. The swallows swarmed a wax myrtle shrub gorging themselves on the berries near the end of the the net and 16 of them managed to get caught in the net.
Tree Swallows are able to digest the waxy coating of wax myrtle berries which allows this otherwise insectivorous species to winter further north than other swallow species. Similarly, Yellow-rumped Warblers can also feast wax myrtle berries making them one of the most prolific species in the winter around KIBS (and the coast of the South Carolina).
-Aaron
| Species | Captain Sam's | Little Bear | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New | Recaps | New | Recaps | |
Tree Swallow
|
16
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
Gray Catbird
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
Yellow-rumped Warbler
|
4
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
Swamp Sparrow
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
| Banding Stats | Captain Sam's | Little Bear | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| # Birds Banded |
20
|
||
| # of Recaptures |
10
|
||
| # of Species |
5
|
||
| Effort (net-hours) |
78.1
|
||
| Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours) |
38.4
|
||
| Nets |
16
|
Banding Staff
Aaron Given
