Oct 2006:
31 Oct:
Too windy for banding today, but the survey produced some good birds. A House
Wren set a new late date, superceding the record set five days ago.
Two Orange-crowned Warblers and a Nashville Warbler were
foraging in a crowd that included two Eastern Towhees, lots of
Golden-crowned Kinglets, and a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets.
Among the many White-throated Sparrows were six Fox Sparrows,
three White-crowned Sparrows, two Field Sparrows, and a
Lincoln's Sparrow.
30 Oct:
There are still good numbers of kinglets around, with Ruby-crowned
being more numerous. Juncoes are very abundant, with 22 being
banded today. A Swainson's Thrush captured today was a new late
date, but it was a recapture of a bird that had hit a window on October 13 and
cracked its bill. A Rose-breasted Grosbeak was in the banding
area, and there was a later report of one in east Dearborn.
29 Oct:
Despite the wind there were some good birds found on the survey, including a Blue-headed
Vireo, several Chipping Sparrows, a Bufflehead on the lake,
and a Black-throated Blue Warbler, which was a new late fall
date.
26 Oct:
There are still quite a few sparrows around, especially Fox Sparrows and
White-throated Sparrows. A House Wren banded today is a new
late date.
20 Oct:
A large infusion of sparrows arrived last night. The majority banded
were Song Sparrows, but there was a notable increase in White-throated
Sparrows and Swamp Sparrows as well. Among the White-crowned
Sparrows was our second palish-lored bird of the season; this bird was
also very short-winged and had a small, orange-pink bill, suggestive of a far
western race, although that seems unlikely. Two Chipping Sparrows
were the first we've seen in awhile.
A very bright Palm
Warbler was banded, not bright enough to be a "Yellow" Palm
Warbler, but far brighter than the dull "Western" race (there are,
apparently, intergrades). Our second Blue-headed Vireo of the
season was banded; I've only had one other year where I have caught two.
Hermit Thrushes were around in good numbers two days ago, but have
thinned out considerably. And finally, although not an uncommon species,
a male Eastern Bluebird was a new species for RRBO, bringing our total
to 139 species. In addition to being beautiful to look at, he charmed us
all by singing softly while I was banding him and taking photos!
19 Oct:
A Gray Catbird and a Field Sparrow were at one of the Dearborn
sunflower fields today.
18 Oct:
A Blue-headed Vireo was banded today, the first of the season.
Three Orange-crowned Warblers were also banded.
16 Oct:
After a rain delay beyond our scheduled hiatus, RRBO was back banding
yesterday. We've had a good mix of species. In addition to the
expected birds, such as Hermit Thrushes, White-throated Sparrows, Yellow-rumped
Warblers, both species of kinglets, and the ever-present robins, we
have banded over the last two days a number of Nashville Warblers, a Common
Yellowthroat, an Orange-crowned Warbler, two Tennessee Warblers,
a Black-throated Green Warbler, a House Wren, and an Indigo
Bunting. The first Fox Sparrows of the season were banded
yesterday. A Palm Warbler and several additional Orange-crowned
Warblers were seen near the banding lab yesterday as well.
2 Oct:
RRBO will be taking a short hiatus to attend a conference. Back in
business on October 11!
Sep 2006:
29 Sep:
Things have been a bit more quiet the last few days. Yesterday, a Peregrine
Falcon was seen flying over campus. Today, four American Pipits
were amongst a large flock of migrant robins (of which over 1300 were counted
around dawn). Our first Orange-crowned Warblers and Lincoln's
Sparrow of the fall were banded today, along with a smattering of other
warblers.
On Sunday, October 1, there
will be a Detroit Audubon field trip to RRBO, starting at 8 AM, and the public
is welcome. It will include a bird walk and, weather permitting, birds
from the banding lab will be shown and our research discussed. Greg
Norwood and I will be available to answer questions and generally hob-nob if
things aren't too busy. Directions to campus can be found
on this page; meet at the Environmental Interpretive Center.
24 Sep:
Another clear influx of new migrants, with the first fall Hermit Thrushes
and White-crowned Sparrows banded. White-throated Sparrows and
Song Sparrows were also more numerous. We banded 14 new Nashville
Warblers today, which is a good daily total for this species here.
24 Sep:
A Clay-colored Sparrow was banded today, along with a late Canada
Warbler.
23 Sep:
The first Winter Wren of fall was found on the survey today.
22 Sep:
The first Ruby-crowned Kinglets of the season were found today (one
banded) and a Blue-winged Warbler was found on the survey. In
east Dearborn, two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were the first for the
season.
21 Sep:
A Dark-eyed Junco was reported from campus, and Golden-crowned
Kinglets and a Red-breasted
Nuthatch in east Dearborn.
19
Sep:
Breezy conditions have meant banding is not as productive, and fewer birds
arrived with the strong cold front passage than we expected. Our only
new fall arrival lately was today's Gray-cheeked Thrush.
15
Sep:
A much quieter day today, with migrants in small pockets. Swamp
Sparrow was a new arrival, and Northern Parula was a highlight of
the survey.
14
Sep:
A nice day today at the nets, with 86 birds banded. Highlights were the
first White-throated Sparrow of the year, and our first Cooper's
Hawk ever (they just don't "stick" in the type of nets we use).
A Mourning Dove was also an unusual catch for us, although hardly an
uncommon bird! September 14 is the day that I generally think of as
"Philadelphia Vireo" day, and sure enough, four were banded.
After a week-long absence, Chestnut-sided Warbler and Wilson's
Warbler made appearances, and we ended up with 27 species of birds banded today.
The first Yellow-rumped Warblers of fall were seen on the survey, and
in the evening there was a good movement of Chimney Swifts and a small
movement of Common Nighthawks as well.
13
Sep:
A Connecticut Warbler was found today.
11
Sep:
Philadelphia Vireos are moving through right now, and there have been
increased numbers of Swainson's Thrushes and Nashville Warblers.
We banded the rather
interesting young Scarlet Tanager at the left last week. Some
young females are known to show faint wing bars, but this was a young male (as
indicated by the black shoulder feathers), and the wing bars are quite
distinct and bold. In the field, it might be mistaken for a Western
Tanager, a species only rarely found in Michigan, but other plumage
characteristics and measurements confirmed that this is a Scarlet
Tanager. You never know what you might learn about birds that you think
you understand!
5 Sep: Last
night there was a flight of around 300 Common Nighthawks in west
Dearborn, while several miles east none were seen. Substantial numbers
of migrating nighthawks are becoming more and more rare each year. Today
there were far fewer migrants in the area, although there was a noticable
increase in the number of Swainson's Thrushes, and our first Palm
Warblers were banded.
2 Sep: The
first Philadelphia Vireo of the season was banded today, and there were
once again increased numbers of "the usual suspects."
1 Sep: Much
quieter today, with Mourning Warbler being the only new species noted.
Aug 2006:
30 Aug:
New migrants arrived again last night, judging from the new species --
Swainson's Thrush, Blackpoll Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, and
Black-and-white Warbler -- and how lean banded birds were today compared to
yesterday. Once again, American Redstart, Magnolia Warbler, Wilson's Warbler,
Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Red-eyed Vireo were the most common
species.
29 Aug:
After the last few days of rain, many more migrants were around today,
dominated by American Redstart, Magnolia Warbler, and Wilson's Warbler,
along with quite a few Chestnut-sided Warblers. Many Red-eyed
Vireos were around also (11 banded), with skinny, scruffy resident birds
now joined by sleek, fat migrants. Scarlet Tanager and a Blackburnian
Warbler in the nets were a treat, since they are not banded very often due
to their usual high haunts.
28 Aug:
The first Black-throated Blue Warbler of the season was seen today.
23 Aug:
The first Nashville Warbler of the season was seen today.
22 Aug:
There was a little influx of migrants, with several Chestnut-sided Warblers
and one Black-throated Green Warbler banded today, and a Blackburnian
Warbler observed.
20 Aug:
American Woodcocks have started migrating.
18 Aug:
A Wilson's Warbler banded today was a new early fall record. American
Redstart and Least Flycatcher were new migrants.
17 Aug:
It was a vireo kind of day, with a dozen Warbling Vireos banded.
The previous high number for the entire fall season is 13, and we are at 16 so
far this year. A Tennessee Warbler was also banded.
Common Nighthawks have begun their migration.
16 Aug:
A migrant Magnolia Warbler banded to day was the first of the season.
15 Aug:
The fall banding season began today, with 13 species banded. Migrants
were Northern Waterthrush, Canada Warbler, and Cape May Warbler;
it was a new early fall date for the Cape May.
