We’ve had a busy two days. Lots of birds checking out the traps, some feeding, others moving on – maybe returning, maybe just heading on. I would love to be able to follow the various flocks that show up and then disperse. Some I know fly out into the surrounding field and sit before returning for another feed. Others head off in a direction and there’s no sign that they return – but maybe they do later via a more circuitous route. Maybe some of the birds that show up at 11 are the same ones that were here at 7:30 and are just returning.

Yesterday I felt that I was seeing many of the same birds throughout the day. There was always a large group sitting out in the winter wheat while others fed and then they’d change places. But most of the time they were in view and going back and forth between the same venues. But today felt different. I sensed that birds were on the move. For example, when I arrived at first light I was met by a flock of 80+ Snow Buntings. They swirled several times around the trap area and then took off into the west. And for awhile there were no birds to be seen. Then they (I think it was the same group?) returned but they were very “flighty” taking off with the noise of each passing car. (This lead me to believe that they were “new” birds as “locals” aren’t deterred by passing vehicles.)

At 8:15 a group of 125+ arrived. They dispersed quickly when an American Kestrel flew in to see what all the activity was about but returned quickly for awhile when the threat had passed. An hour later a large flock of 200+ birds dropped in from the east. They spent only a few minutes around the traps and then continued on to the west.

And this is the way it went all morning. Birds moving in, moving out, leaving enough of their brethren in the traps for me to get a sample. But it felt like these birds were on the move. Coulf it br a response to the coming change in the weather? Sort of a repositioning effort? If it is, the question is: where are they repositioning to? What are they expecting? How do they know? So many questions, so little time.

January 21; Banded 89:
9 Horned Larks
75 Snow Buntings
5 Lapland Longspurs
[Marnie, on Irish Line, banded 121 Snow Buntings on her first day of banding!]

January 22; Banded 85:
13 horned Larks
68 Snow Buntings
4 Lapland Longspurs
[Marnie, on Irish Line – the same one as above – reported that there were 100’s at her site this morning. But, alas, she had to go to work. I tried to stress with her that you get only so many migrations and that maybe work wasn’t that important. She countered with something petty about bills that needed to be paid….]

And as an afterthought: Amy Thorne has now taken over 1st place in the carrot cake muffin with icing competition.
Rick

The night was easing into the gray of dawn when I pulled into the parking area at my banding site by the York Airport. When I got out of my car to lay and bait the traps, I didn’t hear a sound…at first. And then, there it was, the alarm call of a distant Snow Bunting. Magic. I scanned the field but couldn’t see a bird but a bird obviously could see me. The call was repeated by another from a different spot, and then another and another. And then there was a mixed flock of over 100 Snow Buntings and Horned Larks racing for the bait spot. They circled as I put down the cut corn and then surrounded the traps as soon as I turned to head back to the car. They were hungry, ravenous. And no wonder…they’d just spent a long night in -17 degree weather. They were ready for breakfast.

Birds just kept pouring in all morning. The traps would fill; we (Liam, Sam, Ben, Jennifer, and I) would clear them, and no sooner would we start banding in the car then the traps would fill again. The only times there were slowdowns was when Northern Harriers decided to see what all the hubbub was about and dropped by and when a distant Merlin sped by. We thought it might make a pass but it hadn’t seen the feeding frenzy and just kept on going.

I pulled the traps around 12:30 and, before leaving, restocked the corn piles so that any birds that wanted/needed to eat could and to reinforce that this was a good place to be – so that tomorrow morning we can do it all over again.
Banded 140:
20 horned Larks
116 Snow Buntings
4 Lapland Longspurs

And there were more than these Arctic-nesting birds around. Other noteworthy species that we encountered: Bald Eagle, 2+ Northern Harriers, Merlin, Common Raven.

We had a big day this morning. I had been expecting it as yesterday, when I touched up the bait piles early at 7:30, there was a mixed flock of around 300 Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, and Lapland Longspurs waiting for me. They had finished yesterdays offerings and were patiently waiting for more. They descended on the cut corn as soon as I turned to go back to the car. But….I wasn’t able to band due to appointments in the city. Late in the afternoon, upon my return, the morning corn was gone so I put out more. But the cold has been making these birds ravenous.

It was the same this morning – a large flock waiting to be fed. Only this time I was able to stick around and set out traps. Thankfully I was joined by Sarah and Liam. They did all the banding while I scribed. They also did most of the trap extractions which made things much easier on my knees. We had a bumper day, banding a total of 125 birds: 35 Horned Larks, 74 Snow buntings, 15 Lapland Longspurs….and 1 Northern Shrike. This gives us a total of 78 Snow Buntings, which is more than we banded in all of last year’s disastrous mild, 75-bunting season.

For most of the morning there were at least 200 birds hanging around. Whenever we went out to clear the traps they would fly up and land about 100 m. back in the winter wheat field. But as soon as we returned to the car they were right back to the corn. That is until a juvenile Northern Shrike showed up. It flew in surreptitiously and we weren’t aware of it’s presence until we noticed the panic in the traps. When Liam sprang from the car the shrike was outside the trap but by the time he quickly covered the 20 m. to the traps it was inside and managed to kill one bunting before he could grab it. It was amazing how quickly the bird solved the puzzle of how to get into the trap – if only buntings were as fast. The shrike put a damper on feeding, so after half an hour without many birds even in the area, we called it a day. But it was a good one!

We had an interesting “return” today: a Horned Lark that had been originally been banded here January 30th, 2023 – almost exactly a year ago. I wonder if it played a role in bringing birds to the site…..
Photos:





Rick

We have the cold and all we were lacking was snow. As I left the house, a light dusting was coating the roads and fields and by the time I got to the York Airport site it was covered by a centimeter – not much, but enough. And like I’ve been preaching: to catch these Arctic-nesting Winter birds you must have cold and snow. Well, we finally got both and the birds responded. Mixed flocks of Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, and a few Lapland Longspurs took turns cycling through the trap area. Numbers ranged from just a few to over 75. In a little less than 3 hours I banded 20 Horned Larks, 4 Snow Buntings (3 females and a male), and a lovely male Lapland Longspur.


But the important thing is that this site had been “discovered”!! There’s a large group of birds now that know where there’s a good (and consistent) supply of food and this will bring them back day after day. Of course, they will spread out over the countryside, they won’t just stick to this site. But whenever conditions get difficult they’ll be there.

As with most activities, it’s important to look one’s best. And nothing says bird bander like stylish accessories from Sarah and Emma’s Banding Boutique. Above, I’m sporting the latest in bird bag totes – useful, colourful, and with a message. Perfect!

Rick