Selkirk

The daily movement of birds into the banding area continues.

Banded: MODO 1, AMRO 6, GRCA 8, CEDW 4, YWAR 9, COYE 1, INBU 1, SOSP 3, BHCO 1, AMGO 3 = 37.

July 2006 is shapping up as the best July ever at Selkirk with over 400 birds banded so far.

On Friday I saw something I had not seen before. I released a retrapped Song Sparrow and it flew across the sedge marsh into the scrub. When the bird was about 20 feet out a Monarch Butterfly rose out of the grass and began chasing the sprrow in hot pursuit in a power flight. The distance across the sedge marsh is about 200 ft. Both critters disappeared into the scrub. It appeared the butterfly was gaining on the sparrow. The butterfly was giving a good impression of a gyrfalcon in hunting mode. Has anyone ever seen this before with monarchs or other butterflies???

John