Our Last Banding for the Spring

Erie Bluffs, 31 May

Yesterday we conducted our last day of banding for the spring season. The nets provided a variety of local breeders, with no birds that I could unequivocally consider migrants. Most were in breeding condition, so we're well into the nesting season.

This female Blue Jay was the first one I'v caught that raised its crest while in the hand.

In typical corvid fashion she then struck several weird poses. I'm not sure why they do this, but Ruth was most amused.

We also captured three Hooded Warblers, all males and two of them recaptures from previous years.

It wasn't all birds. During our net checks I found this mushroom. It's one of the largest I've ever seen.

The Veeries are singing down the hill, and this was one of two that we caught.

We haven't caught very many Rose-breasted Grosbeaks the past few weeks, for which my sore fingers are very grateful. This SY male sat in Ruth's hand for close to a minute before flying off. Sitting next to Ruth is Sarah, who came by to help and regale us with a tale of a wallaby that she found yesterday and helped capture. Who knows how the poor animal ended up in rural western Pennsylvania, but it's now adjusting to life at a game park near Lake Pymatuning. Sarah just started her new job as a park ranger today, and we wish her the best of luck with her new career.

Speaking of other unexpected species, this tail-less catbird looks a lot like an ant-pitta, but no such luck. I'm not sure what caused it to lose all of its rectrices, but they were growing back, so it should do OK.

And finally, the last bird of the 2012 spring banding season, an SY male Common Yellowthroat.

Thank you everyone for visiting and I'll put up a few more posts before the end of June.