Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Basking in the REVI-lry

 Captain Sams: 

    It's finally come! Our first good push of fall migrants, a small one to start but it's ramping up which is very exciting for us. We knew coming into today that it would produce some birds but I wasn't sure it was going to be as productive as it was. Katie and Aidan both got a little taste of what big days at Captain Sam's will be like. I remember my first big day last year, I was ecstatic (yet nervous) when I walked up to a net that was holding 7 birds in it knowing the nets to follow might be the same. Today was the same, yet different, I have so much more experience under my belt that I kept the excitement but dropped the nervousness.

    We picked up a new species for the banding station today which was Northern Parula. I had been expecting them for a few days hoping one would excite us on those days that drew long. Hoping they are more to come! Other notable catches for the day were 3 Traill's Flycatchers, I don't remember a day at all last year where we had so many. I also can't go without mentioning the three Cape May Warblers we caught today! We had after-hatch-year birds today to see how drab but still beautiful these warblers can be.

    The most interesting thing about the day to me was the sheer number of Red-eyed Vireos (Banding code: REVI) we caught. It was a great push of them but what really was peculiar about them is the influx of second-year birds we banded. In comparison to last year I remember seeing some but never so many in one day! Very excited to see what tomorrow brings, I'm hoping to will a Swainson's Warbler into existence for the station!


Eager for cold fronts,

Hands for birds, bands in pliers

Today set the mood


- Nate


Little Bear:

Today was my first day at our Little Bear site, and what a day it was. Much like Captain Sam's, we had our first taste of a high-volume day, with several very cool species. We got Little Bear's first Cape May warbler of the season, as well as several black-throated blue warblers, a couple yellow warblers, and the highlight of the day, a pair of hatch-year female Belted Kingfishers (Megaceryle alcyon). 



Kingfisher's syndactyl feet 


Belted kingfisher



Belted kingfisher


Black-throated blue warbler

One kingfisher for the day was already quite a surprise, as we rarely catch them. On the last run today, just before closing nets, I walked up on a second one and had to pick my jaw up out of the shin-deep swamp water. This was my first time having this species in hand and it was a treat to observe up close.

I look forward to tomorrow and next week and the rest of the season. I had such a blast banding all those birds today, learning to age and sex new species, and doing so in such good company. I feel super lucky to be here! Thank you for reading.

-Brendan
 

  Species  Captain SamsLittle Bear
NewRecapsNewRecaps
Mourning Dove
1---
Belted Kingfisher
--2-
Downy Woodpecker
-1--
Traill's Flycatcher
3---
White-eyed Vireo
--11
Red-eyed Vireo
11---
Carolina Chickadee
--1-
Blue-gray Flycatcher
1---
Veery
3---
Ovenbird
-12-
Northern Waterthrush
7-152
Black-and-white Warbler
1---
Common Yellowthroat
26-12-
American Redstart
19-5-
Cape May Warbler
3-1-
Northern Parula
1---
Yellow Warbler
--2-
Black-throated Blue Warbler
--4-
Prairie Warbler
3-2-
Northern Cardinal
-21-
Painted Bunting
3-72


Today's Banding StatsCaptain SamsLittle BearTOTAL
# Birds Banded
82
60
142
# of Recaptures
4
5
9
# of Species
16
14
18
Effort (net-hours)
157.5
102.5
260
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)
54.6
63.4
58.1
# of Nets
30
23
-

2022 Fall Cumulative Banding Stats Captain SamsLittle BearTOTAL
# Birds Banded
460
331
791
# of Recaptures
147
87
234
# of Species
36
28
40
Effort (net-hours)
3134.67
1375.75
4510.42
Capture Rate (birds/100 net-hours)
20.4
30.4
22.7
# of Days2215-

Banding Staff

Aaron Given (CS)
Kristin Attinger (LB)
Nate Watkins (CS)
Katie Serba (CS)
Brendan Wang (LB) 
Aiden Place (CS)
Maia Nguyen (LB) 

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