Overcast with a raw cool Northwest wind to start. By noon however there was a good mix of sun and cloud, and the temperature had warmed to 10 C. The wind was persistent though and hampered banding efforts again today. The feeder nets were again the biggest attractors.  Retrapped birds outnumbered newly banded birds.

I had lots of volunteers today, so lots of company to keep things interesting. Caleb Scholten’s keen eyes spotted an interesting event: A rather frantic Hairy Woodpecker was diving and calling at a Red-bellied Woodpecker (a beautiful male). The Red-bellied was enlarging a woodpecker hole high up in a dead tree in front of the Mansion, and reaching his head into the cavity. It appeared that the Red-bellied Woodpecker was robbing the Hairy’s nest. I didn’t know they did that.

Banded 22:

3 Mourning Doves

1 Eastern Bluebird

1 Northern Cardinal

4 Chipping Sparrows

1 Song Sparrow

1 Dark-eyed Junco’s

1 Common Grackle

9 American Goldfinches

1 House Sparrow

 Retrapped 24:

 1 White-breasted Nuthatch

4 Song Sparrows

8 Dark-eyed Juncos (These Junco’s have really good fat scores- looks like they are ready to move on!)

1 Pine Siskin

10 American Goldfinches

 Estimated Total: 43 species

 Loretta