Now I don’t want to sound like I’m whinging, it’s really not my style. But….how come when I go out to help with Saw-whet Owl banding I never get any? Last night I wheeled out the sound system at 8:00; and did the next two net checks at 9 and again at 10. Zero. Nada. Bupkiss. Matt arrives and does the later checks and he gets two. And then, to add insult to injury, he pulls one out of net 9A at 9:00 in the morning in bright sunshine. As he says: “It’s a gift”. And so it is – and one that everyone was able to enjoy. Especially the owl this morning. (But you know, it just doesn’t feel right that the co-op students Mack and Nick and long-time volunteer Carol as well as other visitors get to see one without having paid their late night dues.)



It was an interesting day. We banded 9 different species of sparrows (including the 1st Fox Sparrow of the year) but only 7 American Goldfinches and no Golden-crowned Kinglets. We banded 86 birds, which by Spring banding standards would have been great but by our recent experience was kind of low. There were lots of birds around however, but the wind picked up part way through the morning and billowing nets don’t catch many birds (just leaves).

We’re heavily into the short-distance migrants now, most of the long-distance birds having moved on. Still, a good number of these birds will end up in the southern states as far south as Florida. I’m wondering if Florida is up to it…if there is enough good habitat left to accomodate such a large influx. Good old Florida – can it handle birds and old folks?

This was a very interesting chickadee. After being banded it did not fly away but continued to sit on Nancy’s hand. I got some seed and Nancy shifted the bird over to me and it sat for awhile and even pecked at the food before finally flying off – quite vigorously, it wasn’t hurt or sick….just smart?


Banded 86:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Northern Saw-whet Owl (plus 2 last night)
3 Black-capped Chickadees
1 Brown Creeper
8 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
1 Gray-cheeked Thrush
1 Swainson’s Thrush
6 Hermit Thrushes
1 Magnolia Warbler
22 Myrtle Warblers
1 Blackpoll Warbler
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Chipping Sparrow
1 Field Sparrow
1 Fox Sparrow
3 Song Sparrows
1 Lincoln’s Sparrow
3 Swamp Sparrows
16 White-throated Sparrows
2 Eastern White-crowned Sparrows
3 Dark-eyed Juncos
1 Purple Finch
7 American Goldfinches

Retrapped 31:
1 Eastern Tufted Titmouse
2 Black-capped Chickadees
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
3 Swainson’s Thrushes
8 Hermit Thrushes
5 Myrtle Warblers
2 Blackpoll Warblers (1 had gained 5 g since banding)
2 Song Sparrows
3 White-throated Sparrows
1 Eastern White-crowned Sparrow (gained 7 g since banding)
1 Dark-eyed Junco
2 American Goldfinches

ET’s: 60 spp.
Fall Banding Total: 3,222
Year-to-Date Banding Total: 5,807

Some neat pictures sent to me by Fred Smith of his trip out West:

Rick