Bloodroot are (finally) in bloom. -N. Furber
How does that old adage about April go? In like a lion, out like a lamb? Or vice versa? How about: In like a cold, sopping towel; out like a cold, sopping towel? What a month April was. All through it I was waiting for Spring….but it never seemed to come. And now, entering May, it’s much the same. But Hope springs eternal….and every morning for the last 4 days I’ve headed for Ruthven with hopeful anticipation. But as my notes show: light rain, heavy rain, fog, and…more rain. No morning temperatures over 9 degrees. Stiff winds. We didn’t open nets on two days – just traps – due to rain and limited netting on a third day due to gusting winds. If I was a migrant, I think I’d be heading south (like the Common Loon I saw this morning).
The fine breast streaking on a buff background identify this as a Lincoln’s Sparrow (first for the year).
But while it feels like “everything is late”, some migrants have been showing up right on time (when compared to previous years): 1st Rose-breasted Grosbeak on May 1st; and Wood Thrush and Lincoln’s Sparrow today. These arrival dates are right in line with previous years.
First banded as an After-Second-Year bird in early May 2009, this striking male Rose-breasted Grosbeak is at least 7 years old.
We had an interesting retrap today: a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak that Loretta Mousseau had banded here in early May, 2009. At that time it was already an “After-second-year” bird (i.e., at least 2 years old); so today it had to be in at least its 7th year. And just think: each Fall it has travelled down to Central, or maybe even South, America! Its plumage was magnificent: crisp, bright red, white and black. How many years/trips South does it have left I wonder?
Trying to teach students the differences between look-alikes (from left): female Red-winged Blackbird; (young) male Red-winged Blackbird; male Rusty Blackbird; male European Starling; female Brown-headed Cowbird; male Brown-headed Cowbird.
April 29th; Banded 26 (traps only):
2 Mourning Doves
3 Chipping Sparrows
11 Brown-headed Cowbirds
10 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 28 spp.
April 30th; Banded 7 (traps only):
2 Mourning Doves
1 Red-winged Blackbird
2 Brown-headed Cowbirds
1 House Finch
1 American Goldfinch
ET’s: 38 spp. Zander with his first banded bird: a White-throated Sparrow.
May 1st; Banded 38:
1 Mourning Dove
3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
2 American Robins
1 European Starling
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
2 Chipping Sparrows
4 Field Sparrows
2 Song Sparrows
4 White-throated Sparrows
8 Red-winged Blackbirds
1 Rusty Blackbird
3 Brown-headed Cowbird
6 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 41 spp.
May 2nd; Banded 22:
3 Mourning Doves
1 House Wren
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 Chipping Sparrow
3 Field Sparrows
1 Lincoln’s Sparrow
2 Red-winged Blackbirds
6 Brown-headed Cowbirds
4 American Goldfinches
ET’s: 44 spp.
Rick