Spider Venom and Bird Banding Episode 4

11 September 2016

     Today is the fifteenth anniversary of those terrible events in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon, which have come to be universally known as 9/11. I freely confess to having not remembered it at all, and it was only when I had to write the date in the bird banding log that the significance was impressed upon me. All I can say is, thank goodness life has returned to normal, and no doubt legions of bird banders across the United States were also going about their business as usual. The terrorists did not succeed.

     When returning from a circuit of the nets, bags containing birds in hand, the keen eyes of Jim Huffman saw a Cabbage White Pieris rapae fly into a spider's web. Instantly imprisoned it flapped its wings so furiously that the first pictures I took were just a blur. Quick as a flash, a spider in the genus Argiope, (although I am not sure as to species), was on the butterfly and I assume quickly injected venom into it, and its wing beats ceased.

     How many dramas in nature do we miss? How many life and death struggles take place unseen as we strain to see a bird through our binoculars? This one was riveting to watch, albeit deadly for the Cabbage White, and I am truly grateful to Jim for drawing my attention to it.

     We had a very successful day of banding, with several species of warbler, giving us more evidence each week that SpruceHaven is part of a significant migratory pathway for warblers.

     This Nashville Warbler Leiothlypis ruficapilla is resting quietly in John Lichty's hand before flying off to continue its migration, now clearly identified as passing through St. Agatha, ON.

     We were very happy to band our first Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana of the year; note the bright rusty scapulars.

     Other than Song Sparrows Melospiza melodia, sparrows have not yet appeared in our nets, but we expect that shortly other species will start to show up.

     We captured two Wilson's Warblers Cardellina pusilla, handsome birds indeed, and a further indication that SpruceHaven is a pathway for southbound neotropical migrants.

     A friend of mine who is Jewish always refers to this warbler as a Yarmulke Warbler since he says the black patch on the head always reminds him of the skullcap worn by observant Jews.

     Flycatchers in the genus Empidonax are notoriously difficult to identify in the field, and even in the hand, can present the bird bander with some difficulties in nailing down the species. Kevin was uncertain initially about this individual, but carefully consulted the reference "bible" and based on the measurement of the wing chord and the weight of the bird, he narrowed it down to Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus. This was our first trap of this species and represents the third species in this family (that we know of) to journey through SpruceHaven.

     Once again I would be remiss if I concluded this post without a word of thanks to Kevin Grundy, a superb bander who demonstrates time and again a keen bias in favour of the welfare of the birds. We are very fortunate to have Kevin as part of our team. Indeed, without Kevin, this operation would not take place since he is the only one among us with a permit.

     See you next Saturday Kevin!

Total species banded: Traill's Flycatcher (2), Least Flycatcher (1), Red-eyed Vireo (1), House Wren (1), American Goldfinch (4), Nashville Warbler (2), Common Yellowthroat (8), Wilson's Warbler (2)Song Sparrow (6), Swamp Sparrow (1) - Total individuals: 28


One Ruby-throated Hummingbird  Archilochus colubris was captured and released.