Migration Monitoring: May 17 - 23

Hooded Warbler

New Arrivals

Common Nighthawk
Canada Warbler
Bobolink
Orchard Oriole
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Hooded Warbler
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Common Nighthawk

Species	Total
Northern Flicker	1
Eastern Wood Pewee	1
"Traill's" Flycatcher	3
Least Flycatcher	4
Great-crested Flycatcher	2
Swainson's Thrush	11
Hermit Thrush	1
Wood Thrush	1
House Wren	1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	2
Veery	2
Gray-cheeked Thrush	1
American Robin	4
Gray Catbird	11
Brown Thrasher	1
Blue-headed Vireo	2
Warbling Vireo	4
Philadelphia Vireo	1
Tennessee Warbler	1
Nashville Warbler	15
Northern Parula	1
Yellow Warbler	15
Chestnut-sided Warbler	8
Magnolia Warbler	18
Black-throated Blue Warbler	6
Myrtle Warbler	9
Black-throated Green Warbler	4
Western Palm Warbler	1
Bay-breasted Warbler	2
Blackpoll Warbler	1
Black-and-white Warbler	2
American Redstart	6
Ovenbird	1
Northern Waterthrush	3
Mourning Warbler	3
Common Yellowthroat	6
Wilson's Warbler	6
Canada Warbler	4
Hooded Warbler	1
Scarlet Tanager	1
Song Sparrow	2
Lincoln's Sparrow	8
Swamp Sparrow	7
White-throated Sparrow	8
White-crowned Sparrow	8
Red-winged Blackbird	12
Common Grackle	4
Baltimore Oriole	9
American Goldfinch	6
Total	231

Recapture Highlights

Eastern Kingbird 2261-68361: banded May 17, 2009
Least Flycatcher 2530-23014: banded May 29, 2010
Gray Catbird 1841-88949: banded August 10, 2007
Gray Catbird 1841-89471: banded August 19, 2010
Warbling Vireo 2400-04746: banded May 11, 2010
Warbling Vireo 2400-04323: banded May 10, 2009
Warbling Vireo 2400-04827: banded August 11, 2010
Yellow Warbler 2430-36981: banded May 12, 2008
Yellow Warbler 2400-04027: banded May 18, 2008
Yellow Warbler 2400-04267: banded May 8, 2009
Yellow Warbler 2400-04426: banded May 21, 2009
Yellow Warbler 2400-04592: banded August 20, 2009
Yellow Warbler 2530-21203: banded May 10, 2010
Yellow Warbler 2530-21215: banded May 11, 2010
Yellow Warbler 2530-21349: banded May 18, 2010
Red-winged Blackbird 1841-89348: banded April 23, 2010
Red-winged Blackbird 1212-61510: banded May 29, 2010
American Goldfinch 2430-32672: banded May 6, 2006

Migration Monitoring: May 8 - 14

Rose-breasted Grosbeak taken by Brett Tryon

We finally got a full week of banding in without being rained out! At least 5 pairs of Tree Swallows have taken up residence in the various cavities and nest boxes on the peninsula. The Gray Catbirds and Brown Thrashers have been singing up a storm, and large groups of Eastern Kingbirds have been battling over territories. Nests are clearly underway for the American Robins, Song Sparrows and Black-capped Chickadees, which have become conspicuously quiet. The Red-winged Blackbirds continue to make a raucous though, and females have been seen building nests.

Earlier this week one of the volunteers spotted a Peregrine Falcon chasing a Belted Kingfisher. Seconds later I saw the falcon, only it was being chase by two Eastern Kingbirds!

On Saturday, May 14 a heavy fog caused a fallout, the poor visibility causing all the migrating birds to come down once they crossed Lake Ontario. Since Tommy Thompson Park juts out 5 km into the lake, it is the first land that birds see if they are flying over the lake. That meant tons of birds for us! Various people described the park as "dripping" with birds. Luckily the forecasted rain held off for our Spring Bird Festival, and lots of people got to see birds in the hand and learn about the important work we are doing to contribute to population monitoring and conservation. Several children watched the banding and were positively quivering with excitement when they saw tiny songbirds in the hand. Such experiences are crucial early in life if our children are to grow up with a compassion for our fellow creatures and the environment we share.

Bay-breasted Warbler taken by Brett Tryon

With the diversity increasing, it is finally starting to feel like May. Many new species have arrived:

Flycatchers
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Eastern Wood-Pewee

Thrushes
Veery

Vireos
Philadelphia Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo

Warblers
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Blue-winged Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Northern Parula
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler

Sparrows
Lincoln's Sparrow

Other
Scarlet Tanager
Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Lincoln's Sparrow taken by Brett Tryon

Banding Totals: May 8 - 14

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	1
Least Flycatcher	2
Eastern Kingbird	1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	5
Veery	3
Hermit Thrush	1
Wood Thrush	1
American Robin	3
Gray Catbird	7
Blue-headed Vireo	1
Red-eyed Vireo	1
Nashville Warbler	9
Yellow Warbler	6
Magnolia Warbler	4
Black-throated Blue Warbler	2
Myrtle Warbler	29
Black-throated Green Warbler	1
Blackburnian Warbler	1
Western Palm Warbler	2
Black-and-white Warbler	1
American Robin	1
Ovenbird	3
Mourning Warbler	1
Northern Waterthrush	1
Common Yellowthroat	3
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	1
Chipping Sparrow	1
Lincoln's Sparrow	3
Swamp Sparrow	5
White-throated Sparrow	21
White-crowned Sparrow	7
Red-winged Blackbird	11
Common Grackle	2
American Goldfinch	1
Total	142

Recapture Highlights

Last week we recaptured quite a few birds that were banded in previous years. It is encouraging that these birds migrate thousands of kilometers every year and return to the exact same spot each spring to breed. It goes to show the importance of Tommy Thompson Park and other urban greenspace as habitat for songbirds. It also demonstrates that banding does not adversly affect the migration, productivity and survivorship of songbirds.

Downy Woodpecker 2261-68981 banded on May 18, 2010 as a second-year female
Eastern Kingbird 2251-54062 banded on May 28, 2006 as a second-year male. That means he is now in his 8th year!
Warbling Vireo 2400-04195 banded on August 22, 2008 as a hatch-year bird
Yellow Warbler 2400-04339 banded on May 13, 2009 as an after-second-year female
Yellow Warbler 2530-21215 banded on May 11, 2010 as a second-year male
Yellow Warbler 2530-21332 banded on May 18, 2010 as a second-year female
Yellow Warbler 2400-04592 banded on August 20, 2009 as a hatch-year male
Brown-headed Cowbird 1841-89338 banded on April 13, 2010 as a after hatch-year female. Every time this bird has been captured she has hopped down to the ground in front of the lab and preened, completely indifferent to our presence. Last time she actually "took a walk" down the trail. Clearly she can fly since she has been through 2 migrations since she was banded - perhaps she was just enjoying some temporary freedom from the constant harassment of her males suitors !

Brown-headed Cowbird 1841-89338 taken in 2010 by volunteer Mark Field

Spring Migration Monitoring: May 1 - 7

Western Palm Warbler

The trees are finally leafing out now, and we are starting to see the insectivore diversity increase. A pair of Tree Swallows has taken up residence in the nest box behind the lab and the female has been busy gathering nest material while the male sits on guard atop the weather pole.
We were rained out on Monday and Tuesday, and rain forced early closure on Friday as well. It sure has been a wet spring, and hopefully all the standing water will mean more insects for the birds to eat!

New Arrivals:

Northern Pintail
Savannah Sparrow
Gray Catbird
White-crowned Sparrow
Warbling Vireo
Cape May Warbler
Baltimore Oriole
Black-throated Green Warbler
Chimney Swift
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Eastern Kingbird
American Pipit
Nashville Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler


Banding Totals

Downy Woodpecker 1
Least Flycatcher 2
Great Flycatcher 2
Tree Swallow 4
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
House Wren 1
Winter Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 11
Hermit Thrush 6
American Robin 3
Nashville Warbler 2
Cape May Warbler 1
Myrtle Warbler 53
Western Palm Warbler 13
Black-throated Green Warbler 2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3
Song Sparrow 2
Swamp Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 21
White-crowned Sparrow 5
Red-winged Blackbird 18
Common Grackle 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
Purple Finch 1
American Goldfinch 2
Total 163