We’ve been busy, banding on 6 of the last 7 days. Each day is different both in terms of numbers banded and in the variety of birds seen at the site. But two species have been consistent: Bobolinks and Indigo Buntings. Part of the prairie field was mown with a wide swath left down the middle (more or less) and another along the pond/woodland edge. We cut 2 net lanes through the middle swath and they have been very effective catching Bobolinks and, to a lesser degree, Indigo Buntings – we’re also picking the latter up in nets along the edge. Both species are seed-eaters; the Bobolinks are fattening up for the long journey to Argentina and the buntings are finishing off their moults before heading for southern Florida and Central America.

And the field has LOTS of food!


Below, to simplify things (for me), I’ll list the birds banded each day and throw in a few pictures. We’ve had a number of very helpful volunteers…who also take good photos.

September 5th; Banded 45:
2 Yellow-bellied Flycatchers

1 Least Flycatcher
1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
1 House Wren
4 Song Sparrows
2 Swamp Sparrows
23 Bobolinks
3 Common Yellowthroats
1 Wilson’s Warbler
7 Indigo Buntings
ET’s: 34 spp.

September 6th; Banded 12:
1 House Wren
4 Song Sparrows
1 Swamp Sparrow
1 Savannah Sparrow
2 Bobolinks
3 Indigo Buntings
ET’s: 19 spp.

September 7th; Banded 49:
2 Eastern Wood-pewee
1 Traill’s Flycatcher
2 Least Flycatchers
1 Warbling Vireo

1 Gray Catbird
4 American Goldfinches

5 Song Sparrows
1 Swamp Sparrow
17 Bobolinks
2 Tennessee Warblers
1 Nashville Warbler
5 Common Yellowthroats
1 Blackpoll Warbler
3 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
3 Indigo Buntings

ET’s: 42 spp.

September 8th; Banded 10:
2 Song Sparrows
4 Bobolinks
1 Common Yellowthroat
3 Indigo Buntings
ET’s: 36 spp.

September 9th; Banded 31:
1 Gray Catbird
2 American Goldfinches
1 Song Sparrow
1 Lincoln’s Sparrow
9 Bobolinks
1 Nashville Warbler
3 Common Yellowthroats
13 Indigo Buntings
ET’s: 24 spp.

Rick

Sarah has been able to band on 5 days in August, effectively kick-starting the Fall banding season. It’s been a great help!

I got back from the East Coast yesterday and was anxious to see what was happening at the Farm – especially as the prairie meadow had just had its first mowing. About half of the field had been cut and will be baled on the 5th. To maintain the meadow as a vibrant entity it will require mowing or o burn every year. The good thing about these grasses is that the cut isn’t made until into July when all nesting birds will have fledged young.

The cutting seems to have made the field even more attractive to a surprising variety of birds: Bobolinks, Song Sparrows, a Nashville Warbler, and (surprisingly – to me, at least) a young Marsh Wren that Liam astutely picked out as NOT a young House Wren.

It will be interesting to see the impact of baling as right now the windrows are quite think and heavy with the long-stemmed grasses.

There were not many warblers to be seen along the wetland edge but….we did catch and band an early Blackpoll Warbler. Which goes to show: you just never know.

Mosquitoes evidently had a pretty good year but aren’t as annoying as they were last year. Still, a head net or bug jacket might help you retain some sanity as the little blighters like to attack when you can’t use your hands, extracting, banding, scribing…..

Banded 38:
1 Least Flycatcher
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Marsh Wren
1 Carolina Wren
2 Gray Catbird
5 Song Sparrows
1 Swamp Sparrow
13 Bobolinks
2 Nashville Warblers
2 Common Yellowthroats
1 Blackpoll Warbler
4 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
4 Indigo Buntings

Rick

August 19

On August 19th I set out early in the morning to start the first day of fall migration monitoring at Haldimand Bird Observatory’s Hurkman’s Farm. The morning was cool, hazy and cloudy but there were a few birds to be caught. Mostly local summer residents, but a few migrants at the end.

I noted at least 8 Bobolinks flying over, which gave me hope for my new project that I would be starting the next day to monitor Bobolinks as they migrate south, like some other banding stations have been starting to do.

Cathy from Haldimand Stewardship and George from the Niagara Bee Group visited mid-morning to meet and take a nutritional sample of the Prairie Grasses. They were both exceptionally pleased with the progress made and gave much praise to HBO for our dedicated work for conservation and education.

Banded 14:
2 Least Flycatcher
2 Black-capped Chickadee
2 House Wren
1 Song Sparrow
2 Swamp Sparrow
2 Common Yellowthroat
3 Indigo Bunting

Recaptured 7

August 20

On the 20th of August, the weather was much sunnier, although still chilly in the morning. The strong North winds the night prior pushed a handful of migrants onto the property, a few of which found their way into our nets. Early in the morning we opened the newly placed Bobolink net situated on the path through the prairie grasses, and started a playback that would continue through the morning. Almost instantly we saw a Bobolink fly in, so we quickly left the area with our hopes high of capture.

In terms of the migration nets, the morning was productive for both numbers and species. We were delighted to catch two migrant warbler species – a young Magnolia Warbler and a young Northern Waterthrush – as well as an adult Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and five hatch-year Rose-breasted Grosbeaks all captured from the same net.

Just at dawn, we were delighted by droves of blackbirds leaving from their roosting area to the east of the property, and we estimated about 1000 of them, mostly Common Grackles. A pair of Sandhill Cranes gave us excellent views as the flew and called over the prairie field mid-morning. We observed 50 species the whole morning which is quite impressive for this time of year.

Back to the Bobolinks! We captured 10 in total for the morning and observed a total of 50, many of which were sitting around the net at the first net check. Ideally, we will add another net with the current one to increase our rate of capture. As they are a species at risk in decline due to habitat loss, monitoring Bobolink migration could be a very valuable program for Haldimand Bird Observatory to facilitate. With any luck, some of the attracted Bobolinks will return in the spring to nest in the prairie field.

Banded 30:
1 Warbling Vireo
1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
1 House Wren
1 Carolina Wren
1 Gray Catbird
1 Song Sparrow
3 Swamp Sparrow
10 Bobolink
1 Baltimore Oriole
1 Northern Waterthrush
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Magnolia Warbler
5 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
2 Indigo Bunting

Recaptured 1

Below, An assortment of Bobolink images by KDC. Notice the very long claws which many grassland birds sport for ease of gripping grasses and navigating uneven ground.

Sarah Sharp

Although we tend to think that there’s still a lot of Summer left, for many birds (and bats and butterflies) it’s almost over and the time to head south is here. Yellow Warblers are a common nesting bird in this area but after August 1st, I’m lucky if I see any and even luckier if I catch and band them. They nest, fledge young, moult, and then off they go. Same with swallows….although many spend some time in the area going to roosts for the night and then spreading out during the day to feed. For the past couple of weeks the Grand River around York and local farmers’ fields have been their daytime haunt. [The marshes around Port Maitland, downriver from Dunnville, are a good spot to search for roosting birds in the evening.]


It’s a magical thing to stand in the middle of the prairie grass field when all you can hear is the wind swishing through the grasses.

Right now there isn’t a lot of observable activity at the Farm. Young birds of the year are dispersing to look for good breeding areas for next Spring and adults are lying low while they go through an extensive moult. Bird song is only intermittent…but they’re around. And soon, when the migration really gets going, they’ll be there in large numbers. We’ll be ready. We’re preparing to put in a full Fall season which we plan to run from the end of August to the middle of November. We’re excited about the possibilities. If you’re interested in volunteering – or just finding out what it’s all about – email me: rludkin@hotmail.com [Put something about “banding” in the subject line.]

Hoping to identify and find out more about the bats in our area, Michelle Karam director of Land Care Niagara brought her team out to the Farm on Saturday evening. It was interesting – and a real learning experience – to see them put up sky nets extending 6 meters high. She tried to find areas that bats would use as “corridors”; e.g., along the laneway and through natural openings between the meadow and the pond. As with banding birds, patience is a virtue. this time, however, it wasn’t rewarded: we didn’t catch any. But there were a few around – their calls were being picked up by receivers. Evidently it is already “late” for them – most have headed south. Next year we’ll try in June and July.

But the night wasn’t a complete loss. I called in an Eastern Screech Owl using my phone. The bird checked out the trees all around us. When it couldn’t find another owl it showed its dismay and disgust at our intrusion by crapping – from well above me – onto my hand. Now that was a surprise! The Screech Owls at the Farm have been using our Wood Duck boxes as nesting sites. This bird was just letting me know that he wasn’t to be trifled with….
Rick