It was still windy this morning, although not as windy as yesterday. Even so, I didn’t open a couple of the nets that were being billowed by it (I was also fearful of yesterday’s 3-hour closing ordeal). It was quite an easy-going morning. Faye showed up around opening time. She is a good bet to be the next person to get her banding sub-permit through her involvement at Ruthven so I am trying to let her do as much of the banding as possible. And then Liz showed up and she is working dilegently at becoming a scribe emeritus so I let her do all of that. And then Mike Furber showed up to help Faye and Liz and to explain things to the visitors. That left me with only the census to do and the handling of the pie – did I mention the pie? Well, Liz, understanding the critical importance of feeding the “bander-in-charge”, brought in a homemade pumpkin pie, the recipe for which she wanted to test out before hosting a feast at Thanksgiving. So this was the situation: in the lab you’ve got 3 bander personnel, two of Liz’s sons, and a couple of visitors….and me with the pie. Do I share? Do I hoard/hide it away? Do I take it home? What’s the proper etiquette in this situation? Hmmm…..you can see the dilemna.

It was a hard decision but…I decided to share. This was a very savvy tactical move on my part as everyone got a piece and, lo and behold, I got two AND the good feelings of the others because I had shared. Life is good if you control the pie.

While doing the census I got to witness some drama: an Osprey came flying up the river with a fish clutched in its talons. Out of nowhere two adult Bald Eagles showed up in hot pursuit. The Osprey tried to shake them off with some nifty aerial dodging but was hard pressed and eventually, when about to be overtaken by one of the eagles, dropped the fish. The eagle missed it and the fish dropped into the heavy scrub below the Mansion, not to be retrieved. One day, if you’re walking in the woods and come upon a fish…..this may explain why.

The banding wasn’t exactly slow but it was at a pace that didn’t stress anyone out – a good learning/practice pace.

Banded 33:
4 Blue Jays
1 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
3 Gray-cheeked Thrushes
1 Gray Catbird
4 Cedar Waxwings
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Nashville Warbler
1 Magnolia Warbler
1 Myrtle Warbler
6 Blackpoll Warblers
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Northern Cardinal
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
2 Song Sparrows
1 Lincoln’s Sparrow
1 White-throated Sparrow
1 House Finch

Retrapped 13:
1 Black-capped Chickadee
1 House Wren
1 Gray-cheeked Thrush
2 Swainson’s Thrushes
3 Gray Catbirds
2 Blackpoll Warblers
1 American Redstart
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 Scarlet Tanager

ET’s: 50 spp.

Rick