 5
April to 3 June (30 days)
Average
4.7 hours per day with 13 to 15 nets (12-meter equivalents. In order
to compare different locations or years that may operate the same number
of hours but with more or fewer nets, capture rate is calculated by "net-hours."
One net hour is one 12-meter net open one hour, or two 6-meter nets open
one hour, etc. This rate is often expressed per 100 net-hours for
more managable numbers.)
827
birds netted:
--- 685 new birds (spring mean 634)
--- 106 recaps
--- 43.8 birds per 100 net-hours
66
species, plus 3 released unbanded (House Sparrow, European Starling, Ruby-throated
Hummingbird). Spring average is 63.
Most
numerous species:
Gray Catbird -- 96 (previous spring mean 44)
Yellow-rumped Warbler -- 92 (previous spring mean 52)
American Goldfinch -- 40
Red-winged Blackbird -- 37 (26 of them female! They are really increasing
in our netting area as shown in the chart, although we maintain the habitat
to mimimize changes as much as possible)
Swainson's Thrush -- 27
Yellow Warbler and Magnolia Warbler -- 20
White-throated Sparrow -- 19
Indigo Bunting -- 18 (previous spring mean 6.3)
"Traill's" Flycatcher and Swamp Sparrow -- 17
Other
species with a story
Big misses included Downy Woodpecker (never missed in any season
thus far!), Fox Sparrow, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Golden-crowned Kinglet,
Eastern Towhee, Carolina Wren, Cedar Waxwing, and Connecticut Warbler.
Appearing in low numbers were House Wren (2, continuing a dramatic
decline that may be habitat related, see graph)  and
Black-and-white Warbler (2). Species tallying good numbers were
Baltimore Oriole (9, previous spring mean 1.3), Lincoln's Sparrow (16,
previous spring mean 6.6), and Veery (12, previous spring mean 5.5).
Interesting
species included:
Kentucky Warbler -- southern warblers were relatively scarce in southern
Michigan this year, with the exception of Kentucky Warblers.
Louisiana Waterthrush -- the first RRBO has banded.
White-eyed Vireo (3) -- An "invasion" year for this species.
American Woodcock (4)
Northern Parula -- rarely comes down to the nets.
Eastern Wood-pewee -- ditto.
Yellow-breasted Chat
Eastern Screech-owl -- insomnia has its rewards.
Blue-winged Warbler
Here's
look at a list of all
the birds banded this spring, and totals since 1992
Coming
back for more...Previous year returns
113 long-distance migrants have returned to UM-D in years after they
were banded. Here are this year's returning birds:
20 Gray Catbirds from previous years returned (the total is now 83 returning
catbirds over the years, with some coming back several years in a row).
2 Wood Thrushes -- both males that have previously nested successfully,
one from 1995 and one from 1997. For more info, visit the Wood
Thrush study page.
3 Red-eyed Vireos, one each from 1995, 1996, 1998.
1 Yellow Warbler from 1998
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