November 2007:
25
Nov: A Winter Wren was seen in east Dearborn, and a Killdeer
was also noted.
24 Nov: In addition to the Merlin, a young male and adult
female Peregrine Falcon were seen in the field at Southfield
Fwy (M-39) Service Dr and Hubbard. Only one Common Redpoll was located
there today.
23
Nov: A small flock of Tundra Swans flew over east Dearborn
today.
20 Nov: One Common Redpoll appeared at the EIC
feeders.
17
Nov: At the field at Southfield
Fwy (M-39) Service Dr and Hubbard (fields 1 on this
map), the female Merlin was found again. At least 8 Common
Redpolls and one male Purple Finch were in the flocks of other
finches. In the bare dirt field, there were 13 Horned Larks, and at
least one American Pipit was present. Sparrows included 5 or 6 each of Fox,
White-crowned, and White-throated. Small numbers of American
Tree Sparrows were also found.
13
Nov: A Common Redpoll (previously reported as a Red Crossbill) was heard flying over west Dearborn. In
east Dearborn, several Golden-crowned Kinglets were still
present.
11
Nov: A female Merlin was seen at the fields at Southfield
Fwy (M-39) Service Dr and Hubbard (fields 1 and 2 on this
new map).
6 Nov: Fall 2007 banding results have
now been posted.
3
Nov: Two Rusty Blackbirds in the nets today were only the
second and third ever captured by RRBO; the first was our 10,000th bird
banded, in fall 2005.
October 2007:
26 Oct: A
single Pine Siskin was the EIC feeders today, as was a single American
Tree Sparrow. An Eastern Phoebe was banded, along with our 14th Orange-crowned
Warbler of the season, tying our fall record for number banded. A
smattering of Purple Finches have been seen or heard nearly
daily.
28 Oct: A
tardy House Wren was banded today.
26 Oct: At
the sunflower/wildflower fields at Hubbard and the Southfield Fwy. service
drive, the first American Tree Sparrow and Fox Sparrow of fall
were located. There were five Rusty Blackbirds at the sunflower field
at Michigan Avenue and Mercury Drive.
25 Oct: An
immature Northern Goshawk flew over campus today.
24 Oct: There
is an obvious new pulse of Swamp Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows and
Orange-crowned Warblers today, and there are still lots of American
Goldfinch. One was a recapture originally banded in 2005. We also banded a
one-legged adult Yellow-rumped Warbler. A House Wren is still
present.
22 Oct: After
more dull days and then a hiatus due to high winds, we were able to get back
to the nets today. Our bird of the year was an adult Northern Shrike,
the first RRBO has banded and the earliest fall record for Dearborn (previous
early date was 10 Nov). A Rusty Blackbird flew over with other
blackbirds. A House Wren is not our latest date, but past the typical
departure of 15 Oct. Sparrows have waned, especially White-crowned Sparrows,
but Hermit Thrushes have increased, as have both species of kinglets.
One Orange-crowned Warbler was banded today, there were good numbers of
Yellow-rumps around. American Goldfinch are present in large
numbers. We also noted an Eastern Phoebe and Eastern Towhee.
12 Oct: Many more birds around today. Lingering migrants included House
Wren, Magnolia Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Gray-cheeked Thrush, and
American Woodcock. Yellow-rumped and Orange-crowned Warblers were
also around, as expected. Red-winged Blackbirds were becoming more
numerous in the flocks of Common Grackles. More sparrows were present,
with White-crowned seeming slightly more evident than White-throateds.
10 Oct: What might end up being the last Gray Catbird of the
fall was seen gleaning berries in east Dearborn.
9
Oct: The change in weather brought in a modest number of migrants.
The most interesting bird was a Yellow-throated Vireo, only the second
fall record for Dearborn and the first fall record for campus.
5 Oct: In contrast with yesterday, it was extremely quiet today in
the unseasonable heat and humidity. A singing Blue-headed Vireo was
near the banding area, but eluded the nets; the first fall Orange-crowned
Warbler was captured, though.
4
Oct: More activity today, with Hermit Thrushes and White-crowned
Sparrows making their first appearances. A very late Connecticut
Warbler was banded; the previous late date was 13 September. A lingering Scarlet
Tanager was also seen today, and the first Dark-eyed Juncos of the
season were seen in east Dearborn.
3
Oct:
There is still a Ruby-throated Hummingbird coming to a feeder in east
Dearborn.
2
Oct:
A Northern Mockingbird was banded today. The only other mockingbird we
have banded was in May 2005.
1 Oct:
Migrants, aside from Yellow-rumped Warblers, were scarce today.
Thrushes were absent. The first Winter Wren of the season was found on
the survey. A Green Heron is getting tardy.
September 2007:
30
Sep:
The first fall Brown Creeper was in east Dearborn.
28 Sep:
Today things were much quieter -- at least in the nets and perhaps because of
a strong breeze. We did band our first Golden-crowned Kinglet of the
season, as well as a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher which is getting a bit
late.
27 Sep:
Things have finally picked up here on campus. There was a huge movement of American Robins
at dawn. The most numerous migrant birds were Lincoln's Sparrows and Palm Warblers,
with continued good numbers of Nashville Warblers. Indigo Buntings
are never numerous in our nets; our fall average is 3.5 birds and our record is 16. Today we banded our 20th. Many seasons I don't band a
Savannah Sparrow, but today we had three. We also banded our 100th new
Gray Catbird of the season, two-thirds of our way to average numbers. Meanwhile,
White-throated Sparrows and thrushes remain scarce so far.
What is very striking is the ratio of adults to young. Like most other banding stations, we band many more young birds than adults -- about 85% or more are young birds, especially of passage migrants (species which do not nest here). Today, of the 41 birds of 14 species of passage migrants banded, only 53% were young birds. Our robin numbers are down in general, and only 50% have been young birds.
Should these figures remain like this the entire season, we might suspect that productivity was low for the species with low numbers of young birds. I would suspect that this could be due to the prolonged spring freeze. Perhaps fewer birds arrived on the nesting grounds, or those that did arrive got there in poor condition, or too late to nest. We had a very dry summer -- and the drought in some parts of the far north was even worse -- that may have also played a part in low productivity. We'll have to see how it all plays out.
The first Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker of the season was also found today in east Dearborn.
23 Sep: We
banded a very late Yellow Warbler today -- typical departure date is 5
September, latest date was 14 September. The first Ruby-crowned Kinglet
of the season today was exactly on time, with the typical fall arrival of 23
September.
21 Sep: The
first Lincoln's Sparrow of fall was banded today. Nashville Warblers
are clearly on the increase.
20 Sep: White-throated
Sparrows were found today on the survey, and a number of others were in
east Dearborn later in the day.
18 Sep: New
fall arrivals today were Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Gray-cheeked
Thrush.
17 Sep: A
Yellow-rumped Warbler banded today was a little earlier than our
typical 19 September arrival date.
14 Sep: The
first Northern Parula of fall was seen today.
13 Sep: Broad-winged
Hawks have started to move, with a kettle of 57 flying over campus today
-- usually we don't get groups at this location.
10 Sep: Today
new arrivals banded were Purple Finch and Philadelphia Vireo. Blackpoll
Warblers and American Redstarts were the most common warbler
species.
