SpruceHaven 26 May 2019

     Spring banding came to an end today, and it was not especially auspicious. The previous day had seen vicious storms with heavy rain, very strong winds and hail - perhaps that had something to do with it, but there seemed to be very little movement of birds.
     Several old friends visited, however, including the first visit of the season by Nicole, sister of one of our star biologists, Daina, with whom you are all familiar.
     Right before our eyes, Nicole is morphing into a young woman!

     Our first catch of the day was a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventri), a particularly well marked individual, identifiable in the net even before removal, and this is a member of a group of birds which at times can be problematic to identify in the field.

     But back to Nicole, the luminary of the day; here she is with her big sister, Daina.

     I have absolutely no doubt that there is no finer big sister on the planet!
     Nicole was happy to release a female Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) that found its way into our nets.

     A Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) had a tick attached to it, too near its eye for us to attempt to remove it. Hopefully the bird will ultimately be able to shed this parasite. 
     Ross Dickson was able to take this remarkable closeup with his smart phone.

     Our short session of spring banding has come to an end, and even at that we lost a few days due to inclement weather, but we will look forward to resuming in mid August to cover the protracted passage of southbound migrants.

All birds banded 26 May: Grey Catbird (2), Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (1), Traill's Flycatcher (2), American Goldfinch (1), Common Yellowthroat (2), American Redstart (1), Baltimore Oriole (1). Total: 10 individuals of 7 species.

Bird Banding at SpruceHaven

12 September 2018

     I met Ross dark and early, having driven through dense fog, but the conditions at SpruceHaven looked favourable for a good day at the nets. It was not long before we were joined by Judy and Merri-Lee and right from the get-go it was a productive session.

     One of our first captures was a Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus), an occasion to delve into the finer points of sexing and aging - an educational opportunity for all present.

     The picture below shows the tips of the greater coverts typical of a hatch year bird. The retained coverts often contain a cinnamon tip such as this example, sometimes more than one on each side of the bird. The tips in the first set of feathers wear rapidly so that it is very uncommon to find this feature in spring in a second year bird.

     This character is valid for all Catharus and other brown(ish) thrushes in North America, as well as for American Robin (Turdus migratorius). I wonder whether it is true for European species such as Turdus merula. Maybe Phil Slade might like to comment on this.
     A Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) presents quite a difference in appearance once it has shed breeding attire for its definitive basic plumage.

     Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) and Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) are basically indistinguishable morphologically from each other, except at the extreme end of measurements, and are usually recorded as Traill's Flycatcher.

     Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) retains enough of its breeding plumage into the fall, as to be quite easily recognized.

     Hints of morphology, but measurements primarily, enabled us to identify this bird as a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventri).

     The rusty crissum of this Grey Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) is clearly visible on the bird below being held by Ross.

     I had to leave early, having other chores that had to be done, but after I left a hatch year Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) was captured, our first ever in the nets at SpruceHaven and I am indebted to Merri-Lee for the photograph below.

     Tomorrow will mark the annual visit of Waterloo Region Nature to our banding operation. We hope that we will have a range of interesting species to show the people coming out to enjoy a morning at SpruceHaven.

All species banded 12 September: Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (1), Traill's Flycatcher (1), House Wren (1), Grey Catbird (1), Swainson's Thrush (2), American Goldfinch (16), Nashville Warbler (3), Common Yellowthroat (2), Magnolia Warbler(2), Chestnut-sided Warbler (1), Black-throated Green Warbler (1), Song Sparrow (3), Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1), Indigo Bunting (1).  Total: 36 birds of 14 species.
Retraps: House Wren (1), Swainson's Thrush (1), American Goldfinch (1), Common Yellowthroat (1), Song Sparrow (1).

Quality not Quantity

01 September - 02 September 2018

     The pace of avian migration starts to really accelerate as we get into September and we detected this trend in some of the species we banded this past weekend. The number of birds we trapped was not huge, but we caught some consequential species that contribute to our knowledge of birds not seen at SpruceHaven during the breeding season, but moving through as they depart Ontario to spend the northern winter in Central and South America.

     Neotropical Warblers and Flycatchers (among others) are two distinct families that can provide identification challenges at times and our constant companion is "Pyle," the bird bander's indispensable guide. 

     As any bird bander will tell you, a bird in the hand can look quite different from the bird you observe flitting around in a tree, or in flight. And by having the bird in the hand and being able to take wing measurements, weight, and  examine other characteristics it is in most cases possible to identify the sex and age of the bird.

     Take for example, this Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus). 

     Pyle tells us that the orbital ring in an after hatch year bird is red (as opposed to greenish or dusky in a hatch year bird) and that the the shape and pattern of the outer rectrices show a rounded tip with a white terminus. 

     The red orbital ring is shown in the picture above and the details of the rectrices are shown below.

     Putting all this information together we can confidently identify this bird as an adult (AHY) bird.

     You can see the mosquito bites on Ross' forearm above - the price bird banders pay for plying their craft at this time of the year. 
     We were able to identify this Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) as a hatch year male based on the large, but mottled cap, and other plumage characters.

     It was very pleasing to be able to process a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventri), a species we see infrequently. 

    Whether this species could have been identified in the field is open to question. Empidonax flycatchers are notoriously difficult when they are not singing and several species are very similar indeed. Compound this lack of vocalization once the breeding season has passed, with less than perfect light conditions, rapid movement high in treetops and the fact that the bird is smaller than most leaves, and identification sometimes verges on alchemy! One has to be content often with the designation Empidonax species.
     Take a look at these two pictures of Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) taken from my files.

Male

Female (picture from Internet Bird Collection)

     The minute white flash, along with other characters, enables us to confidently identify this bird as a hatch year female Black-throated Blue Warbler.
     In a female hatch year Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla) the characteristic rufous patch on the head of this species is absent, as shown in the photograph below. The buffy eye ring is also diagnostic. 

     Bird banding is fascinating, challenging and very rewarding. Over time it contributes in no small measure to our understanding of the life histories of birds.
     Banders the world over are linked by a common passion and a dedication to helping the birds we love. For an excellent treatment of bird banding (ringing) in the UK see the excellent blog of my good friend Phil Slade  https://anotherbirdblog.blogspot.com

All species banded 1, 2 September: Black-billed Cuckoo (1), Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (1), Traill's Flycatcher (1), House Wren (1), Nashville Warbler (1), Magnolia Warbler (3), Black-throated Blue Warbler (1), Wilson's Warbler (1), Song Sparrow (3).  Total: 13 birds of 9 species.  
Retraps: Grey Catbird (1), Common Yellowthroat (1), Magnolia Warbler (1), Song Sparrow (1).

Bird Banding at SpruceHaven, St. Agatha, ON Episode No. 3

20 May 2018

     The weather has not been kind to us this weekend and our banding activity has been fairly dismal. Yesterday, without checking the weather, I went outside a little after 05h:30 only to find it raining, so I went back into the house.

     This morning I was a little later getting going having spent a wonderful evening with Francine and Jim and Franc and Carol and getting to bed later than normal. At least it was not raining.

     When I arrived at SpruceHaven Kevin, Heather and Daina were already there, having completed the first round of the nets in fact. My friend Khurram Janjua was also there with his young son Zacariya who is passionate about birds; their first visit to SpruceHaven and their first experience at a banding operation.

     It was wet underfoot, with cloudy conditions and a little cool, but we had high hopes for a series of migrant species. And we were not disappointed in the variety of species, but the numbers were low.

     We were excited to capture a Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata), a species only trapped previously in the fall. 

     It is a constant source of amazement to me that so many birds are black-and-white yet they are all distinctive in so many ways, and this species is handsome indeed, and its autumn migration is the stuff of legend.

     Flycatchers are moving north to their breeding territories and we were very pleased to capture this Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus).

     Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) and Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) are indistinguishable in the field unless they are singing. In fact they were formerly considered to be one species, Traill's Flycatcher. Even in the hand, other than for a very narrow range where the wing length differentiates one species from the other, it is well nigh impossible for a bander to establish the species with confidence. Thus, most birds are still recorded as Traill's Flycatcher - and this is the procedure we followed for this bird.

     Most warblers have now migrated north, but as evidence that a few are still moving through here we captured this female Blackburnian Warbler (Setphaga fusca). 

     We hope that she will find a mate and produce a fine clutch of healthy youngsters to journey to their home in South America.

     Judy Wyatt came out to help and Daina brought her boyfriend, Rob, a splendid young man, and very agreeable company. Daina also has a friend visiting from Copenhagen and she and her significant other also paid us a visit. It was a highly sociable morning and as always it was good to share our banding experience with others.

     I will leave you with this picture of Heather, our dedicated volunteer, who contributes so much to our success, and who delights me every time I see her.

     I had intended to take a picture of Daina too, our other biologist par excellence, but I neglected to do so, so here is a picture from my files.

     I cannot emphasize too much what these young women have meant to us, and how much they have contributed to the success of SpruceHaven banding and Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) monitoring. 

     And they are truly delightful to be around. I must confess that as I get older I am ever more aware that we need to pass the torch onto younger generations. In Daina and Heather we are handing off to the very finest. It is a happy experience in every way for me to be associated with them.

     Thank you Heather and Daina!

All species banded 20 May:  Traill's Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Grey Catbird, Common Yellowthroat, American Yellow Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Red-winged Blackbird, White-crowned Sparrow.  Total: 9 species, 9 birds.

A weekend of bird banding at SpruceHaven

26 and 27 August 2017

26 August

     Our nets went up a couple of weeks ago, but for one reason or another there has been no report here about our activity. Time to rectify that!

     The morning started badly on Saturday for Kevin, who forgot his waterproof boots, and did the rounds of the nets with soaking wet feet. Temperatures at the crack of dawn were hovering around 8°C so his feet were not only wet, but cold. Bird banders are hardy souls, however, and he persevered despite the discomfort, with nary a word of complaint coming out of his mouth. My feet were toasty warm and dry in my long rubber boots, (wellies as they are known in England), so perhaps there was an air of smugness about me - I hope not!

     One of the captures we made on the first circuit  was a Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), a species which we see infrequently at SpruceHaven since there is not (yet) suitable habitat for them, so we seem to have prima facie evidence that we are situated on their migratory pathway.

     We recovered three House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) from the same net, located close to the edge of the woodlot where they are known to breed, so it appears that they are initiating migration already.

     Wood warblers are certainly on the move now and we were not surprised to find this Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis tricha) in the net.

     A Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla) provided further evidence of the early stages of warbler migration.

     In a family noted for its scintillating beauty I find Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) exceptionally attractive, even though it is not as spectacular as some of its congeners.

     One of the most appealing features about our bird banding operation is to use it as an educational opportunity for the numerous visitors who come to observe the process and see birds they had not even known existed. Many are simply astounded at the migratory feats of these tiny gems. Everyone goes away with a new appreciation of the avian world, and not a few are motivated to support conservation measures when the opportunity arises. Sometimes it as simple as a commitment to enhance their gardens with bird-friendly native plants.

     One of our star pupils, almost since we banded our first nestling Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) has been Sandy's granddaughter, Annabelle. This bright young nine-year old has not only an insatiable curiosity she also helps us in many ways, not hesitating to do the rounds of the nets with us and carry back the birds in their bags. 

     Every bird banded affords us an opportunity to talk to Annabelle about it and she absorbs information like a sponge. It is always a special treat for her to have a bird placed in her hand for release, and she relishes this intimate contact with a tiny wild creature with whom she has gained an affinity.

     Perhaps we have one of the next generation of biologists or conservation giants right here at our modest little banding station. Regardless, I am always happy to see her.

     Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) and Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) are impossible to distinguish in the field unless they are heard. Even in the hand of a bird bander one cannot be differentiated from another and they are recorded as Traill's Flycatcher.

     Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) can be identified by wing measurement, however, and we were happy to have the opportunity to band one. Had we simply seen this bird flitting in the trees searching for food we would have been hard pressed to record it as anything other than Empidonax, sp.

     It was a day for tyrant flycatchers, with Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) being next on our list.

     This handsome male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) let Kevin know in no uncertain terms that it was not happy about being handled, and latched onto his hand. Those beaks are designed to crack open nuts and really hurt when sunk into human flesh.

     So not only did he have wet feet, he had a sore finger!

     We trapped numerous Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia), one of which was a bird we banded on 2 October 2016 (Band number 2581 87982) so we know that this bird migrated and returned to the same area this year.

All species banded 26 August: Eastern Phoebe (1), Traill's Flycatcher (1), Least Flycatcher (1), Cedar Waxwing (2), Black-capped Chickadee (3), House Wren (3), American Goldfinch (4), Nashville Warbler (1), Common Yellowthroat (1), Wilson's Warbler (1), Song Sparrow (3), Savannah Sparrow (2), Northern Cardinal (1).  Total:  24.

27 August

     Having learned his lesson yesterday, Kevin arrived with waterproof footwear, newly treated with silicone, and a warm fleece to start the day. I am sure he wiggled his toes with glee!

     Following a clear night with no wind, it was quiet, as we had expected.

     Another migrating warbler surrendered itself for a band, however; a female American Redstart ( Setophaga ruticilla), this time.

     This bird was followed in short order by Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum), one of several trapped over the weekend, but this individual obligingly fanned his tail to reveal the yellow terminal feathers and the waxy red tips on the wing, from which the bird gets its name. 

     A Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) was our first capture of this species in the fall.

     Roger Tory Peterson stated many years ago that this species was probably the most abundant species in eastern deciduous woodlands, but it is certainly no longer anywhere near as common as it used to be.

     A Common Yellowthroat was the only other warbler we banded today.

     Ever faithful, Annabelle came out to help and we enjoyed chatting with her, and tried to answer her hundred and one questions. She has been staying with her grandparents but she will be back home next weekend, so we probably won't see her. We'll just have to manage without her!

All species banded 27 August: Traill's Flycatcher (1), Red-eyed Vireo (1), Cedar Waxwing (1), House Wren (2), American Goldfinch (1), Common Yellowthroat (1), American Redstart (1), Song Sparrow (3).  Total: 11.