First winter season banding

First banding session for winter 2011 was slow but then I only had three nets up. Focus for the morning was birds coming to the bird feeders. The two White-throated Sparrows caught were both recaptures from February 2011. Always good to find migrants returning. Then there were three HY Brown-headed Nuthatches first caught in September this year. I believe the three birds are siblings. I frequently find them in each others' company.

Wrens and ovenbirds

MAPS Period 3 report
Northern Cardinals were noticeable by their absence today. Instead Carolina Wrens were vocal and two hatch years were banded. As these fledglings were caught in the same net within an hour of each other I suspect that the birds are siblings.

The other story of the morning was two Ovenbird recaptures. The bird described below was banded in 2009 as a ASY. The second bird was banded as a ASY on June 12, 2010. With this level of site fidelity I do hope the birds are fledging young successfully and that those young survive to migrate. This forest habitat is fragmented by dwellings. The answer to this question is one that MAPS data analysts may become able to answer.




Reading a research study about site fidelity is just not the same as holding a living example in your hand. The photo above was taken on May 31, 2010. That was the second year that this particular male Ovenbird (CP) went into a mist net. Today the same bird was recaptured. The original banding was on May 24, 2009. The bird was sexed as a male each time.

Wing in 2010.

Wing in 2011.

MAPS period 2 report

No information on developments at the cardinal boundary line from MAPS period 2 work. Two Northern Cardinal recaptures are probably a mated pair this season. The female is one of the first birds I banded here (August 4, 2007).

Three neotropical species were banded for the first time this year: red-eyed vireo, prothonotary warbler and ovenbird. Several PROW and OVEN were calling. Actually heard a yellow-billed cuckoo too.

Red-eyed Vireo

Prothonotary warbler

There appear to be four Eastern Bluebird chicks in this nest box. Only box occupied this year so far.

MAPS 1 - boundary war?

When two male cardinals are found in a net near each other on the same net run I suspect a dispute. When the birds got into the net during a five minute period while I checked another net I'm more certain. Add in evidence of injuries and I'm at 100%

Net 41 figured prominently in disputes for the Northern Cardinal now sporting band #82. At 7:40 this bird had an unbanded NOCA (now #81) partially in its clutches. I deduce this from feathers still clutched in its bleeding claw and the missing greater coverts on the other bird. Judging by the old gouge in the upper bill and rectrices growing in (R1 and R3) #82 is no stranger to disputes.

Then at 11:11 I find #82 back in the same net but accompanied by another NOCA male. The other male (#67) was banded as a HY in July 2010. This time the gouge in #82s beak is bleeding a little. Perhaps I'll discover who "wins" this spot later in the season.



This was not a stellar start to the MAPS season but not a bust either. One of the many vocal Great-crested flycatchers was captured, plus one of the stealth Gray Catbirds.

This and that

Unknown nest builder. Nest is tucked into corner over front door.

Hidden under foliage are ....

Pink Moccasin Flowers (Cypripedium acaule)

Redbelly Snake (found under a pot on a cold morning)

Turtle

I found this partially decayed turtle at the water's edge. There is still evidence of head, neck and legs. The tail is impressive and looks very dinosaur/prehistoric!. Eventually just the shell will remain.

There were lots of large turtles sunning on logs or the pond banks this last weekend.

Vegetable garden

Strawberry plants went in mid march.

Last year's strawberry plants growing amidst clumps of daffodils. I'll find out this year if the strawberry plants can grow and fruit okay this way. The flowers look good so far.

Young radishes.

Purple finches continued

I had a very successful banding day on Saturday. The weather was excellent for banding. I removed my highest ever number of birds from nets (30 in 19.25 net hours). Of these 23 were banded, 5 were recaptures, and 2 escaped from their bags (a lesson for me there).

The number of Purple Finches banded is now nine. I speculated in an earlier post on the size of the local flock. Well I saw three unbanded birds at the feeders this morning so there are at least 12 birds in the flock or local vicinity.

With this number of birds to look at I'm beginning to pick up on details in the coverts that distinguish SY and ASY birds.

Sex unknown

Male dipped in raspberry juice

Pine Siskins

At a bird feeder Pine Siskins look drab -- small grayish streaked birds. When you have a bird in your hand though the yellow in the tail and wings is eye popping bright.

Purple Finches

This winter Purple Finches are regular visitors to the bird feeders. I've counted eight at one time for Project Feederwatch, of which three were male birds based on coloration. Five Purple Finches are now banded but only one of the five is an obvious male bird (dipped in raspberry juice as they say). So either the ASY male birds are more adept at avoiding nets or there are more than eight birds coming to the feeders. Time will tell.

New species for the year banded today: ruby-crowned kinglet.

Eight species

There was a hard frost this morning so I switched banding to the afternoon. Most of the birds caught are coming for the food at the feeders. As a result I have data on birds that are year round residents. Also I'm building up a data set on white-throated sparrows. Some of the sparrows are returning each winter. My long-term goal is to compare data for this locale with the results of WTSP studies elsewhere and to check for any mini-migration movement during the winter season.

SPECIES BANDED February 11, 2011
*American goldfinch 2
*Brown thrasher 1
*Carolina chickadee 1
*Carolina wren 1
*Chipping sparrow 1
*Purple finch 1
*Yellow rumped warbler 1
*White th sparrow 2

* new species for 2011

Two recaptures: WTSP and TUTI.

Tracks in the snow

Snow can reveal some of the animals in your neighborhood. Here are two sets of tracks that I found this afternoon.

This first track is crossing a single lane dirt road between two water bodies.

2010 banding statistics

Outdoor activities are curtailed while snow and ice is on the ground. Hence I turn to compiling banding statistics.

The data covers too few years to uncover trends. I have noticed a change in presence/absence of several species but data for additional years is required. Then I'll also consult other data sets before reaching any inferences.

I am pleased with the variety of species banded. This station is located in a rural/suburban landscape mix. Planning authorities are approving smaller lot developments. The proportion of woodland and woodlot size is likely to diminish within a one mile radius of the station.

This year I banded more during migration. The species caught on a Friday differed from those the following Monday. This is probably an example of how species move in groups or waves. I'll look for more evidence of this.

Individual birds from both neotropical and wintering species have returned in subsequent years to this locale. None of the birds banded here have been reported as found elsewhere and I have not found a foreign recapture so information is not available on where birds may be at other times of year.

I'll continue to band whenever possible during the winter months so that data is accumulated on wintering populations. As weather patterns change, the composition of these wintering flocks may alter.

STATION 2007-2010 (3 ½ years, includes MAPS data)

Number of species banded: 59
Number of species recaptured: coming soon
Number of new bands: 555

MAPS 2008-2010 (3 summer seasons)

Number of species banded: 30
Number of species recaptured: 14

2010

2010 YEAR (includes MAPS data)
Number of species banded: 37
Number of species recaptured: coming soon
Number of new bands: 154
Number of recaptures: coming soon

Number of neotropical species banded : 15
Number of neotropical species recaptures: 3 (Ovenbird, White eyed vireo, wood thrush)

2010 MAPS
Number of species banded: 18
Number of species recaptured: 5
Number of new bands: 43
Number of recaptures: 12