Fifth Week of Spring Banding 2017

(male) Bay-breasted Warbler. In two days, we banded 34 individuals & considering
that we've banded 39 total in the past eight years, that's pretty amazing!

We actually had two beautiful sunny days in a row during the fifth week of spring banding this season; one might have started to suspect that spring was finally here! But, alas, we went right back to strong northwest winds, cooler temps, and yes, rain. We had two days of banding cut short due to rain and one due to strong winds. We did, however, successfully deploy the first set of nanotags on four Blackpoll Warblers and the one Swainson's Thrush that we had tagged the week prior flew north to its breeding grounds. We look forward to receiving its data from the other towers in the Motus network to find out more info such as its date and time of departure as well as what path it took when it left here and even potentially how fast it was flying.

This week we had a Yellow Warbler that we banded as an adult in 2011 return once again
to nest at the park. Because we banded the bird, we know that he was hatched in
2009 OR EARLIER. That's pretty darn awesome for such a small bird.
Good luck, little buddy!

Gray-cheeked Thrush, one of two banded this past week. We don't always catch this
species every year so this was a bit of a treat. As they nest pretty far north in Canada
and winter in South America, we often don't even see them either. I like how Cornell
describes them as a: "shy skulker of the underbrush." 

(male) Hooded Warbler. One of  three banded this past week.

(male) Blackburnian Warbler. Always a showstopper.

Adult female Black-throated Green Warbler

male Black-throated Green Warbler. A species with a name longer than its body. :)

Oh, the Canada Warbler, such a beautiful species. 

Haha the moment that one of our volunteers pointed out that I was wearing the same 'outfit'
as this stunning male Indigo Bunting. Pretty sure that he wore it better though! :)

adult male Indigo Bunting. 

This second year male Scarlet Tanager was quite the 'highlight' this week not only because this was the first one that we've ever banded at Presque Isle State Park but also because a large portion of his breast plumage was highlighter yellow.

Week Five Totals Listed By Species:

Ruby-crowned Kinglet: 1

Magnolia Warbler: 15

Tennessee Warbler: 7

American Redstart: 9

Black-throated Green Warbler: 2

Chestnut-sided Warbler: 3

Northern Parula: 2

Wilson's Warbler: 3

Black-and-White Warbler: 1

Least Flycatcher: 1

Traill's Flyctcher: 1

Blue-winged Warbler: 1

House Wren: 6

Yellow Warbler: 67

Common Yellowthroat: 9

Black-throated Blue Warbler: 12

Bay-breasted Warbler: 34

Cape May Warbler: 1

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle): 2

Hooded Warbler: 3

Blackpoll Warbler: 11

Eastern Wood-pewee: 1

Canada Warbler: 5

Blackburnian Warbler: 3

Palm Warbler (Western): 2

White-eyed Vireo: 1

Philadelphia Vireo: 3

American Goldfinch: 3

Black-capped Chickadee: 1

Field Sparrow: 1

Ovenbird: 1

Indigo Bunting: 2

Northern Waterthrush: 6

Red-eyed Vireo: 20

Song Sparrow: 2

Swainson's Thrush: 8

Veery: 3

Gray-cheeked Thrush: 2
White-breasted Nuthatch: 1

White-throated Sparrow: 10

White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel's): 1

Brown-headed Cowbird: 1

Great-crested Flycatcher: 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 2

Wood Thrush: 2

Baltimore Oriole: 6

Gray Catbird: 56

Eastern Towhee: 1
Northern Cardinal: 2

American Robin: 3

Yellow-shafted Flicker: 1