That's a Wrap and a Fox Sparrow!

CAPTAIN SAM'S

Well, that's a wrap on the 2021 fall banding season.  It was a very good fall with lots of good birds and a great groups of banders!  Stay tuned for a season summary in a few days.  

The last day of the season was a productive one with 17 new birds and 37 recaptures.  Many of the recaps from today are the same individuals that I have been catching for the last several weeks.  I bet they will miss me when I don't show up tomorrow for their daily check-up.  

It's been a month since we've captured a White-eyed Vireo, but one showed up today.  Odd enough, it was a bird that was banded way back on September 5th.  It's been recaptured a few times sporadically since and I suspect that this bird will spend the winter on Kiawah.  

The highlight of the day came early when Chris brought back a "large, red sparrow with a gray stripe on its head".  My first thought was Fox Sparrow but we've only banded one of those in 13 years.  Sure enough, when I pulled the bird from the bag, it was a stunning Fox Sparrow! Today's Fox Sparrow was the 105 species banded this season at Captain Sam's and Little Bear combined.  The most we have ever banded in one season was 104 backing in 2019.  

Fox Sparrow (hatch-year, sex unknown)

The last bird of the season was a recap Yellow-rumped Warbler.  There's probably no other species that represents KIBS more this time of year than the yellow-rump.  

Yellow-rumped Warbler (after hatch-year, female)
This gal was actually banded last year on November 15th.  

Thanks to Chris for his help today!

-Aaron

 

Species	Captain Sam's		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Downy Woodpecker	-	2	-	-
White-eyed Vireo	-	1	-	-
House Wren	-	1	-	-
Carolina Chickadee	-	1	-	-
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	2	2	-	-
Hermit Thrush	-	2	-	-
Gray Catbird	-	10	-	-
House Finch	1	-	-	-
Fox Sparrow	1	-	-	-
Song Sparrow	-	2	-	-
Swamp Sparrow	-	1	-	-
Orange-crowned Warbler	-	1	-	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)	13	14	-	-

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	17	-	-
# of Recaptures	37	-	-
# of Species	13	-	-
Effort (net-hours)	195.0	-	-
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	27.7	-	-
# of Nets	30	-	-

2021 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	4704	3103	7807
# of Recaptures	1429	589	2018
# of Species	92	79	105
Effort (net-hours)	15023.9	8332.6	23356.5
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	41.0	44.3	42.1
# of Days	103	78	-

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)

Chris Snook (CS) 

Banding Marathon

 CAPTAIN SAM'S

Against some very strong protests from my body, I decided around midday to do a banding marathon and keep going until dark.  It was quite windy during the morning hours which kept bird activity low.  The wind died down to next to nothing around 1:00pm so I thought maybe the afternoon would be better.  It was slightly better - I caught 27 birds prior to 1pm and 29 birds after.

After yesterday, I thought I might be done with Tree Swallows for the season but they were back again today, and I managed to get 8 more.

-Aaron     

Species	Captain Sam's		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Tree Swallow	8	-	-	-
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	-	2	-	-
Carolina Chickadee	-	2	-	-
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	2	-	-
Hermit Thrush	1	3	-	-
Gray Catbird	-	5	-	-
Brown Thrasher	-	1	-	-
House Finch	1	-	-	-
Savannah Sparrow	-	1	-	-
Song Sparrow	-	3	-	-
Swamp Sparrow	-	2	-	-
Orange-crowned Warbler	-	2	-	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)	14	7	-	-
Northern Cardinal	-	1	-	-

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	24	-	-
# of Recaptures	32	-	-
# of Species	14	-	-
Effort (net-hours)	295.8	-	-
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	18.9	-	-
# of Nets	30	-	-

2021 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	4687	3103	7790
# of Recaptures	1392	589	1981
# of Species	91	79	104
Effort (net-hours)	14828.9	8332.6	23161.5
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	41.0	44.3	42.2
# of Days	101	78	-

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)

Swallow-nado 5: The Final Chapter?

 CAPTAIN SAM'S

Today was shaping up to be to a typical late November day until the last net run.  It was cloudy most of the day but got extremely overcast and the wind picked up around noon.  Around that same time, I noticed a large flock of Tree Swallows gathering at the end of the spit so I rushed out to open the swallow nets.  During my closing net run, I noticed the swallows swirling low over the banding table then drift off toward the marsh.  While processing the birds that I captured during the last run, I could hear the familiar chattering of feeding Tree Swallows across the marsh, and I had a feeling that they might have been feeding in the wax myrtle where my net was located.  Sure enough, they were, and I ended up catching 28 of them!

One of the Tree Swallows was already banded.  I had assumed that it was probably one of the birds that we had banded earlier this season but the band number was not one that we used.  I reported the band to the Bird Banding Laboratory this evening, and found out that this Tree Swallow was banded this summer on June 10 near Cayuga, Ontario as a chick.  Presumably this bird was banded at a nest box.  

 Tree Swallow from Canada (hatch-year, male)

-Aaron

Species	Captain Sam's		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Tree Swallow	27	1	-	-
Carolina Chickadee	-	1	-	-
Carolina Wren	-	2	-	-
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	1	-	-
Hermit Thrush	-	1	-	-
Gray Catbird	1	9	-	-
Field Sparrow	-	1	-	-
Song Sparrow	-	2	-	-
Swamp Sparrow	-	2	-	-
White-throated Sparrow	1	-	-	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)	11	12	-	-

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	40	-	-
# of Recaptures	32	-	-
# of Species	11	-	-
Effort (net-hours)	206.6	-	-
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	34.8	-	-
# of Nets	30	-	-

2021 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	4663	3103	7766
# of Recaptures	1360	589	1949
# of Species	91	79	104
Effort (net-hours)	14533.1	8332.6	22865.7
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	41.4	44.3	42.5
# of Days	100	78	-

Banding Staff

Aaron Given

Amy Given

Aidan Given

Katie Rainwater

Talon Rainwater

A Mini COYE Comeback

 CAPTAIN SAM'S

I had productive day of banding out on the spit today with 26 new birds and 27 recaptures of 13 species.  It was chilly to start the morning but as the sun rose above the trees, it warmed up quickly.  The usual cast of characters (yellow-rumps, catbirds, sparrows) found their way into the nets again.    It's been two weeks since we caught a Common Yellowthroat (COYE) and today I captured two of them - 1 new and 1 recapture.  A Field Sparrow was also a nice surprise found in Net 0.  The other 4 Field Sparrows that we have captured this year have all be captured in the dune nets (27 and 28).  Net 0 is located a pretty good distance from the dune but is located along the marsh edge.  

With only 3 days left in the 2021 fall banding season, my body can't wait for it to be over.  I ain't as young as I used to be, and after a 3½ month long season, my feet, knees, and hips have worn down.  When I am by myself like I have been for the last week and a half, I put in 7-8 miles a day walking the banding trails.  I am looking forward to some rest in December.

-Aaron   

Species	Captain Sam's		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Downy Woodpecker	-	1	-	-
House Wren	1	-	-	-
Hermit Thrush	-	2	-	-
Gray Catbird	2	8	-	-
House Finch	1	-	-	-
Field Sparrow	1	-	-	-
Song Sparrow	-	1	-	-
Swamp Sparrow	-	1	-	-
White-throated Sparrow	1	-	-	-
Yellow-breasted Chat	-	1	-	-
Orange-crowned Warbler	-	1	-	-
Common Yellowthroat	1	1	-	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)	19	11	-	-

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	26	-	-
# of Recaptures	27	-	-
# of Species	13	-	-
Effort (net-hours)	181.6	-	-
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	29.2	-	-
# of Nets	30	-	-

2021 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	4623	3103	7726
# of Recaptures	1328	589	1917
# of Species	91	79	104
Effort (net-hours)	14326.5	8332.6	22659.1
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	41.5	44.3	42.6
# of Days	99	78	-

Kinglet from Little Bear Visits Captain Sam's

 CAPTAIN SAM'S

There was a rain delay this morning and I didn't get the nets open until about 8:30am.  The rest of the morning was quite windy which kept bird activity down.  A total of 30 birds were captured in a little over 4 hours.  I got to extract my first hawk of the season - a striking adult male Sharp-shinned Hawk.   

Birds are rarely recaptured between the Captain Sam's and Little Bear sites.  The two banding sites are only located about 8 miles away but for the most part act completely independent of each other.  So I was pretty amazed when I looked up the band of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet that I captured today and found out that it was banded at Little Bear last November!  Captain Sam's and Little Bear have only "traded" birds a few times since we started banding at Little Bear in 2015.  

-Aaron

Species	Captain Sam's		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Sharp-shinned Hawk	1	-	-	-
Downy Woodpecker	-	1	-	-
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	1	-	-
Hermit Thrush	-	1	-	-
Gray Catbird	-	2	-	-
House Finch	2	-	-	-
Song Sparrow	-	1	-	-
Orange-crowned Sparrow	-	3	-	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)	10	8	-	-

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	13	-	-
# of Recaptures	17	-	-
# of Species	9	-	-
Effort (net-hours)	121.1	-	-
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	24.8	-	-
# of Nets	30	-	-

2021 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	4597	3103	7700
# of Recaptures	1301	589	1890
# of Species	91	79	104
Effort (net-hours)	14144.9	8332.6	22477.5
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	41.2	44.3	42.7
# of Days	98	78	-

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)

A Thanksgiving Chat

 CAPTAIN SAM'S

What a beautiful Thanksgiving Day out on the spit.  It was a cool crisp morning with little wind and it warmed up nicely by midday.  I banded 22 new birds and had 39 recaptures of 12 different species.  The highlight of the day was Yellow-breasted Chat!  The last few years I have banded a late November chat.  This is presumably an individual that will overwinter on Kiawah rather than a late migrant.  

Mixed in with the 39 recaptures were some interesting returning birds  including a 3 year old Orange-crowned Warbler, a 2 year old Yellow-rumped Warbler, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler that is at least 5 years old.  She was an adult when we banded her on 11/6/2016.  

Yellow-breasted Chat (after hatch-year, probable male)

-Aaron    

Species	Captain Sam's		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Carolina Wren	-	2	-	-
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	2	-	-
Hermit Thrush	-	2	-	-
Gray Catbird	1	11	-	-
Brown Thrasher	-	1	-	-
Song Sparrow	2	3	-	-
Swamp Sparrow	1	-	-	-
House Finch	-	1	-	-
Yellow-breasted Chat	1	-	-	-
Orange-crowned Warbler	-	1	-	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)	17	13	-	-
Northern Cardinal	-	1	-	-

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	22	-	-
# of Recaptures	37	-	-
# of Species	12	-	-
Effort (net-hours)	176.7	-	-
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	33.4	-	-
# of Nets	29	-	-

2021 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	4584	3103	7687
# of Recaptures	1284	589	1873
# of Species	91	79	104
Effort (net-hours)	14023.8	8332.6	22356.4
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	41.8	44.3	42.8
# of Days	97	78	-

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)

Frosty Nets

 CAPTAIN SAM'S

It was a chilly start to the morning with thermometer reading 38.2 degrees at 7:00am.  A thin layer of frost laid atop several of the furled nets.  This was the first frost of the season.  Some years I can go the entire fall season without the temperature dipping below 40 degrees.  It took a little while for the birds to warm up and start moving around the banding station.  I had a lot more activity today with 20 new birds and 31 recaptures.  A majority of the birds captured today were Yellow-rumped Warblers which is par for the course during this time of year.  One of the recaptures from today was a yellow-rump that was banded 4 years ago on 11/11/2017.  At the time he was aged as a hatch-year which makes him 4 years old now.  Outside of 2017, he has only be recaptured one other time on 11/19/2019.  

Frosty Net 16

 

Species	Captain Sam's		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Downy Woodpecker	-	1	-	-
House Wren	-	1	-	-
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	2	-	-
Hermit Thrush	1	-	-	-
Gray Catbird	-	6	-	-
House Finch	1	-	-	-
White-throated Sparrow	-	1	-	-
Orange-crowned Warbler	-	1	-	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)	18	18	-	-
Northern Cardinal	-	1	-	-

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	20	-	-
# of Recaptures	31	-	-
# of Species	10	-	-
Effort (net-hours)	177.45	-	-
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	28.7	-	-
# of Nets	29	-	-

2021 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	4562	3103	7665
# of Recaptures	1245	589	1834
# of Species	91	79	104
Effort (net-hours)	13848.8	8332.6	22181.4
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	41.9	44.3	42.8
# of Days	96	78	-

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)

Swallow-nado 4: Monsters in the Myrtles

 CAPTAIN SAM'S

Very windy conditions plus temperatures in the upper 30's caused me to delay opening the nets this morning.  I didn't get out to the banding station until 11:00am.  Upon my arrival at the banding table I heard the familiar sound of twittering Tree Swallows nearby.  They were feeding in the wax myrtle behind the banding table where our other "swallow net" was located.  I quickly ran out and got the net open.  Within minutes they were back in the wax myrtle picking off berries.  Unfortunately, they stay mostly in the top of the tree just above the top if the net so I only was able to capture five today.  

I then ran around and opened up 16 nets and banded for a couple of hours.  In that time, I captured 14 new birds and had 7 recaptures.

It is supposed to be chilly again tomorrow morning but the wind should not be as strong.

-Aaron  

Species	Captain Sam's		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	1	-	-	-
Tree Swallow	5	-	-	-
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	-	1	-	-
Hermit Thrush	-	1	-	-
Gray Catbird	-	2	-	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)	8	3	-	-

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	14	-	-
# of Recaptures	7	-	-
# of Species	6	-	-
Effort (net-hours)	40.4	-	-
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	52.0	-	-
# of Nets	16	-	-

2021 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	4542	3103	7645
# of Recaptures	1213	589	1802
# of Species	91	79	104
Effort (net-hours)	13671.4	8332.6	22004.0
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	42.1	44.3	42.9
# of Days	95	78	-

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)

Swallow-nado 3: Little Blue Fury

 CAPTAIN SAM'S

I was hoping for a much busier day today with overcast skies and little wind for most of the morning.  Unfortunately, there was not many birds moving around and as a result, I only banded 21 new birds and had 13 recaptures.  Around 11:00am a cold front arrived and the wind picked up and the temperature dropped a bit.  About the same time, I noticed some Tree Swallows starting to flow down the spit.  It didn't appear that there were that many birds but when they started to swirl around at far end of the spit, I estimated the flock to be about 300 birds.  I decided to run out and open up the swallow net, just in case.  For about an hour the swallows stayed out of sight and I didn't think I had a chance to capture any today.  After the last net run of the day, I looked out at the swallow net and saw some "white things" hanging in the net.  The swallow flock must have fed in the wax myrtle bush was while I was closing up the rest of the nets.

Compared to Friday's swallow catch which was made up of mostly females (70%), today's swallow captures were mostly male (86%).  I wonder the sex ratio is skewed toward one sex in these huge migratory/wintering flocks?  Or maybe the sexes are somewhat segregated within the flock?  Food for thought...    

Tree Swallow (male)

 

Thanks to Rob, Margaret, and Malcolm for their help and company today!

-Aaron            

Species	Captain Sam's		Little Bear
	New	Recaps	New	Recaps
Tree Swallow	7	-	-	-
Carolina Wren	-	1	-	-
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	2	-	-	-
Hermit Thrush	1	1	-	-
Gray Catbird	1	3	-	-
Song Sparrow	-	1	-	-
White-throated Sparrow	1	-	-	-
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)	9	6	-	-
Northern Cardinal	-	1	-	-

Today's Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	21	-	-
# of Recaptures	13	-	-
# of Species	9	-	-
Effort (net-hours)	200.6	-	-
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	16.9	-	-
# of Nets	30	-	-

2021 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats	Captain Sam's	Little Bear	TOTAL
# Birds Banded	4528	3103	7631
# of Recaptures	1206	589	1795
# of Species	91	79	104
Effort (net-hours)	13631.0	8332.6	21963.6
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)	42.1	44.3	42.9
# of Days	94	78	-

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)

Rob Smith (CS)

Margaret Creighton (CS)

Malcolm Smith (CS)