Bird Banding - Episode 2

28 August 2016

     It was barely light when Miriam and I arrived at SpruceHaven, but Kevin was already out setting the nets, along with John Lichty who had arrived earlier than us. It was not long before we were joined by Jim Huffman and Francine Gilbert, along with their friend Bashar, all keen to observe the operation, as well as to get to know SpruceHaven a little, and get brought up to speed on our Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica colony.

     The first haul from the mist nets was substantial, and we already had secured new species, a scenario destined to repeat itself in the weeks ahead as the pace of migration accelerates.

     We trapped two Magnolia Warblers Setophaga magnolia which provided a fine opportunity for everyone to examine their autumnal plumage close up. Anyone owning a field guide to North American birds will be familiar with the pages called "Confusing fall warblers" - indeed they can be!

Magnolia Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

     Kevin mentioned that he has banded Blackburnian Warblers Setophaga fusca relatively infrequently, so it was a great surprise when we retrieved six from our nets. Obviously SpruceHaven is a significant migratory pathway for this species.

Blackburnian Warbler

     Our first vireo to be caught and banded was a Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus - hardly surprising.

Red-eyed Vireo

     Last week we counted ourselves lucky when we captured a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventri, and this week we netted two Traill's Flycatchers - more to be expected over the nest few weeks. A word of explanation is in order about Traill's Flycatcher, which is a bit of misnomer these days. There are two species of Empidonax flycatcher, Willow Flycatcher Empidonax trailli and Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum, which were formerly considered one species, Traill's Flycatcher. The two species are virtually identical morphologically but their song is distinctively different from one species to the other. In the spring when the males are singing it is easy to tell the two apart, and habitat also provides a clue, but in the fall it is impossible to know which is which, even in the hand. Thus, autumn bird banders still lump the two together as Traill's Flycatcher.

Traill's Flycatcher

      The other tyrant flycatcher we caught, Eastern Wood Pewee Contopus virens is shown below.

Eastern Wood Pewee

Eastern Wood Pewee

     Francine and Jim had brought coffee and croissants, and Miriam and I had coffee and an ample quantity of her delicious zucchini bread, so we were well provisioned that morning.

     In addition to birds there have been some other interesting sightings of late as the following pictures reveal.

Silver Spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus:

     This individual kept returning to the bird droppings, so I assume it was obtaining some kind of mineral enrichment from it.

Eastern Tailed Blue Cupido comyntas:

 Northern Crescent Phyciodes cocyta:

Common Ringlet Coenonympha tullia:

Giant Swallowtail Papilo cresphontes:

Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata:

     Stay tuned for other exciting species still to come.

All species banded: Eastern Wood Pewee (1), Traill's Flyycatcher (2), Red-eyed Vireo (1) Black-capped Chickadee (1), American Goldfinch (5), Magnolia Warbler (2), American yellow Warbler (1), Blackburnian Warbler (6), Chestnut-sided Warbler (2), Song Sparrow (9).  Total individuals: 30