The migration monitoring period at Ruthven runs every day from September 1st to November 7th. Going day after day you get into a routine – a routine that’s hard to break. But I must say that I’m working at it and sleeping in to 6:00 AM was a treat. But then I had to rush off anyway as there was a group of keen youngsters visiting this morning – and it would be their last opportunity until December.
One of the Saw-whets from Friday night. -B. Fotheringham
Of course, prior to this, on Friday night, Nancy had put in her last day “owling” – catching and banding the dimuntive Northern Saw-whet Owl. She finished her specialized season very successfully, banding one “new” bird and recapturing a bird that had been banded elsewhere (we don’t yet know where). So it’s all over except for the dismantling of the nets and the entry of all that data (yikes!!). Thanks to everyone that helped out in various ways, from scribing to observing to…..baking. It was a great season!
Jacqui and Mark with Friday’s two owls. -B. Fotheringham
We will continue to band but will cut back to using only a couple of nets and only one day a week (unless Snow Buntings move into the area en masse at which point we’ll go almost every day again).
We’ll try to keep you posted using the blog as to when we’ll be open as far ahead as we can.
Photo Gallery:
Tara’s self-made cookies were a treat – and gone in no time.
Maria with a new banding favourite – a Brown Creeper.
Elizabeth with her American Tree Sparrow.
Jake hold a Blackpoll Warbler that we originally banded October 1st. It now has a fat score lf “5” and a mass of over 17 grams.
American Tree Sparrow. -S. Joseph
Most of the juncos have moved through – except for the ones that will spend the Winter at Ruthven, taking advantage of our feeders. -S. Joseph
The joy of one’s first banded bird.
Compare this to the nest pictured on November 6th. This is a picture of a Red Squirrel nest that Carol Jones located on the internet.
American Goldfinches are more plentiful now than they’ve been for the past 2 months. -S. Joseph
Rick