A flurry of snow, Horned Larks and Snow Buntings. -KAP
Whew! It’s just sinking in that Ruthven Park’s 2017 banding season is officially done.
THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT MADE IT SUCH A SUCCESSFUL – AND REALLY ENJOYABLE – YEAR!!!
Our final tally: we banded 6,771 birds of 106 species.
Top Ten (for the Year):
Snow Bunting – 982
American Goldfinch – 861
Cedar Waxwing – 560
Myrtle Warbler – 353
White-throated Sparrow – 304
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 274
Song Sparrow – 225
Dark-eyed Junco – 207
Golden-crowned Kinglet – 193
Common Yellowthroat – 146
We have been able to finish off the year with a strong Snow Bunting banding period in the second half of December (banded: 240 Snow Buntings, 128 Horned Larks and 27 Lapland Longspurs). The snow and very cold weather have brought the birds in fairly early and we’ve been able to take advantage of it. And it’s these cold, snowy conditions that are going to get the 2018 season off to a good start. An old farmer’s adage went: make hay while the sun shines. Snow Bunting banders, eschewing the discomfort of frozen digits, take advantage of the conditions we’ve been getting…..and so will we. You’re welcome to join it!
Photos:
Aidan about to release a Snow Bunting. -KAP
A young Cowbird looking for a way to get into the corn. -MMG
Horned Larks have been common so far this Winter. -IT
Snow Bunting – denizen of cold, wide-open spaces. -IT
Tessa with her first Horned Lark. (The old guy beside her is not sleeping – note the pen is still in his hand – he’s scribing). -IT
Young male Snow Bunting. -IT
Adult male Snow Bunting. -IT
A somewhat confusing adult female Snow Bunting. -IT
Extracting buntings and larks is cold work in -20 weather. -IT
Callie with a nice male Horned Lark. -IT
Tessa feeds her thumb to a Lapland Longspur. -IT
Rick