Tommy Thompson Park Bird Research Station

The migration of a banding coordinator

2012-01-30T11:55:00.001-05:00

Brett Tryon with Tree Swallow

After 6 seasons at TTPBRS, this little bird has decided to spread her wings. It has been a rewarding three years and an experience I will never forget. To hold a wild bird in one’s hand is a privilege, and something that most people will never experience in a lifetime. To do it every day for a living is almost unheard of. I take with me some incredible memories: the first-record Worm-eating Warbler that I banded, the Baltimore Oriole that sang in my hand, the Northern Shrike that pierced my finger with its razor sharp bill, and the rare Whip-poor-will whose softness took my breath away. These are just some highlights - every bird is special and every day has been a learning experience.

I have been fortunate to work outdoors in Toronto’s urban wilderness, a side to the city that many people have yet to explore. By achieving the unthinkable feat of getting up hours before dawn, I have been able to experience wonders of nature that only occur in those final moments of darkness. I have watched the full moon setting over the sleeping city; I have seen the sun rise over the misty lake; and I have listened to the dawn chorus as hundreds of birds awaken the world with song.

What I will miss most is the TTPBRS family – the volunteers that have made my job possible. Although life pulls people in different directions, many of the volunteers have returned season after season. Their dedication and enthusiasm constantly inspires me. It takes a unique individual to get up so early and dedicate a full day of their time without pay, simply out of passion and good will. With only one paid staff member, the volunteers are the backbone of this program. They have been so fun to work with and have taught me so much. I want to thank all of the following volunteers who I have worked with throughout the years:

Stephen Campbell

Theresa Carlin

Andrea Chreston

Lisa Chou

Antonio Coral

John Crawford

Bronwyn Dalziel

Marc Dupuis Desormeaux

Charlotte England

Mark Field

Tom Flinn

Attila Fust

Andrea Geboers

Stephanie Hung

Andrew Jano

Don Johnston

Andreas Jonsson

Bindu Kaimal

Bob Kortright

Laura Arnot Kucey

Priscilla Lai

Jan McDonald
Larry Menard

Theresa McKenzie

Lisa Myslicki

Denise Potter

Paul Prior

Elisabeth Purves

Whitney Pyper

Glenn Reed

Maya Ricker-Wilson

Emily Rondel

Sachiko Schott

Josh Shook

Zak Smith

Zoe Southcott

Ian Sturdee

Dell Tune

Bert Vanderzon

Paul Xamin

Juan Zuloaga

The search is on for a new Coordinator, so if you are interested in applying, please visit http://www.trca.on.ca/careers/job/126641

Good Birding!

Brett

Owls at Tommy Thompson Park

2012-01-13T15:26:00.000-05:00

Tommy Thompson Park (TTP) is a popular winter hangout for owls, and for those who seek them. The largest existing greenspace on the Toronto waterfront, TTP provides critical habitat for owls during the harshest months of the year. Ten owl species have been observed at TTP, but the most common owls are Great Horned, Long-eared and Northern Saw-whet.

Northern Saw-whet Owl (Theresa McKenzie)

During the winter many birders and photographers visit TTP in search of owls. Some regulars even know which trees to check, as owls often have favorite roosting locations. Unfortunately, the well-worn paths leading right up to the trunks of such trees are a clear indication that people are getting too close for comfort. Over the years there have also been many accounts of people crowding around owls, causing them to fly away and even pruning or breaking branches in order to get better photographs. There is no doubt that people’s intentions are good – we love owls so much that we will spend hours in the cold and wind just to get a glimpse of them! The question is can we love them to death?

If you think that this is a bold or unrealistic question, considering the following story. A Snowy Owl turned up one winter at a construction site in Michigan, where it remained for the season. Birders and photographers flocked to see it over the course of the winter. Not surprisingly, there were many complaints about the owl being harassed. There were accounts of groups literally surrounding the owl, people flushing the owl into traffic, and some individuals even trespassing onto private property in order to get better photos. The temptation to get a good shot seems to preclude common sense and consideration for animal welfare. When one conscientious birder suggested on the local birding forum that people should not approach the owl so closely, he was met with much opposition. People commented on how healthy the owl seemed to be. One photographer, who had clearly flushed the owl, asserted that its behavior of flying around was a result of it being in good health and exploring its surroundings. In early spring the owl was found dead, and a necropsy revealed that this “healthy” bird had in fact died of malnutrition. It isn’t out of the question to assume that the hoards of people harassing this owl on a daily basis interfered with its ability to hunt successfully and caused it to waste precious energy in an attempt to escape their advances. While people may not have directly caused the owl’s demise, they no doubt made matters worse.

Owls budget their time and energy very carefully. Food is scarce during the winter, and an owl must be a successful hunter in order to survive. Distracting an owl from its prey or causing it to fly away and abandon its intended meal disrupts this process. A roosting owl on the other hand, is attempting to rest and save its energy for the long night of hunting ahead. Whenever a sleeping owl is flushed, it is forced to waste its precious energy.

Some species like Long-eared Owls tend to be quite skittish and have a tendency to flush easily, so it is important to keep a good distance from them. The Northern Saw-whet Owl has a different defence mechanism; rather than fly away and draw attention to itself, it sits very still in hopes of not being seen. These owls might let you get very close, but don’t be fooled into thinking that they are comfortable with your presence; they consider you to be a predator. Their eyes wide open and staring at you and upright, elongated posture are tell-tale signs of stress. An owl should not be focused on you: it should either be sleeping with its eyes closed on focusing intently on prey. If you see an owl exhibiting these sings, simply back off and give it space.

Considering the stress that one individual can place on an owl, it is easy to see how problematic it can be when the location of an owl is posted or shared by word of mouth. It isn’t long before the owl is being bombarded by multitudes of people. As TTP is such a popular destination and so easily accessible, there has been growing concern over the impacts that people have on its owls. In order to address these concerns and take a proactive approach to the issue, TRCA has developed an Owl Viewing and Reporting Policy. This document was written after careful consideration of scientific literature and various owl management strategies. By following the simple guidelines, you can help ensure that our beloved owls continue to thrive at Tommy Thompson Park.

Tommy Thompson Park Owl Viewing and Reporting Policy

Fall Migration Monitoring: October 26 - November 12

2011-11-30T15:32:00.000-05:00

It was such a mild, beautiful fall this year. Bird activity really slowed down during the last few weeks, but we did have a surprise on November 3rd when we captured a Northern Shrike. It took some sneaky maneuvers to take it out of the net without being sliced!

Northern Shrike (Brett Tryon)

Banding Totals

Eastern Phoebe 1

Black-capped Chickadee 4

Brown Creeper 13

Winter Wren 1

Golden-crowned Kinglet 85

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 15

Hermit Thrush 28

American Robin 2

Northern Cardinal 13

Eastern Towhee 2

American Tree Sparrow 25

Fox Sparrow 5

Song Sparrow 1

Swamp Sparrow 2

White-throated Sparrow 7

White-crowned Sparrow 3

Dark-eyed Junco 17

Northern Shrike 2

Total 226

American Tree Sparrow (volunteer Charlotte England)

It finally started to feel like winter was on its way during the last week, with strong winds and frost on the ground. Most of the land bird activity we noted was in the form of flyovers, mainly Pine Siskins, American Pipits, Horned Larks, Snow Buntings and huge flocks of blackbirds. On the last two days we didn't catch a single bird!

On the final day of Migration Monitoring we were visited by a Tundra Swan, which was spotted by a volunteer off of the North shore. We all gathered with the scope and watched in delight as it paddled in closer and closer, until it was within a couple of meters of us. It was nice to actually see the field marks that are described in the field guides, especially the distinctive yellow spot on the bill. Eventually it wandered off and then suddenly took flight, issuing a rattling call reminiscent of a Sanhill Crane.

Fall migration really "flew by" this year! Thank you to all of the dedicated volunteers who make this possible. We will be open again for on April 1 through June 9. Until then, enjoy your winter birding and happy holidays!

Fall Migration Monitoring: October 12-25

2011-10-31T10:21:00.003-04:00

Orange-crowned Warbler (left) and Tennessee Warbler (right)

BANDING TOTALS

Species	Total
Downy Woodpecker	1
Eastern Phoebe	2
Brown Creeper	21
Winter Wren	38
Golen-crowned Kinglet	49
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	30
Hermit Thrush	55
American Robin	2
Gray Catbird	1
Brown Thrasher	1
Red-eyed Vireo	2
Tennessee Warbler	2
Orange-crowned Warbler	1
Nashville Warbler	2
Myrtle Warbler	41
American Tree Sparrow	2
Chipping Sparrow	1
Field Sparrow	1
Fox Sparrow	2
Song Sparrow	12
Swamp Sparrow	5
White-throated Sparrow	32
White-crowned Sparrow	1
Dark-eyed Junco	10
Total	314

Exciting Recapture!

2011-10-21T05:54:00.003-04:00

Myrtle Warbler 2290-36370

On Tuesday we caught this adult female Myrtle Warbler (the eastern race of Yellow-rumped Warbler) and it already had a band. This happens quite frequently, as we recapture birds that we have already banded during their stopover. When I began to read out the band number 2290-36370, however, I realized that it was not a band from our inventory. Myrtle Warblers take a size zero band, and all of ours start with prefix 2500. I was very excited. Since I began at TTPBRS in 2009, I have not yet encountered a bird from another station!

When I got home I went to the Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) website to look up the band number. The BBL is jointly administered by the Canadian Wildlife Service and the US Geological Survey, and they keep a database of all of the birds banded in North America. It took 5 minutes for me to fill out a form, and the information was instantly available. It turns out that the bird was first banded as a hatch-year female at Pelee Island on October 6, 2009! This bird is now on her fifth migration. Wish her luck!

If you ever find a banded bird or a stray band, visit http://www.reportband.gov/ to report it. The data from these encounters is rare, and provides valuable information about migratory routes, dispersal and longevity. You will also receive a certificate with all of the information about that bird. I am looking forward to getting that piece of paper in the mail!

September 29 - October 5

2011-10-15T18:25:00.003-04:00

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Banding Totals

Species	Total
Blue Jay	3
Black-capped Chickadee	1
Brown Creeper	2
Winter Wren	1
Golden-crowned Kinglet	29
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	20
Gray-cheeked Thrush	1
Swainson's Thrush	1
Hermit Thrush	16
Gray Catbird	1
Philadelphia Vireo	1
Tennessee Warbler	3
Nashville Warbler	5
Black-throated Blue Warbler	5
Myrtle Warbler	83
Black-throated Green Warbler	3
Western Palm Warbler	2
Blackpoll Warbler	2
Ovenbird	1
Common Yellowthroat	3
Wilson's Warbler	1
Fox Sparrow	1
Song Sparrow	2
Lincoln's Sparrow	1
Swamp Sparrow	4
White-throated Sparrow	15
White-crowned Sparrow	3
Dark-eyed Junco	1
Total	211

September 22-28

2011-10-07T22:41:00.002-04:00

Field Sparrow

Banding Totals

Species	Total
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	4
Northern Flicker	1
Eastern Phoebe	1
Blue Jay	3
Brown Creeper	3
Winter Wren	4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	4
Veery	1
Gray-cheeked Thrush	5
Swainson's Thrush	9
Hermit Thrush	1
Gray Catbird	1
Tennessee Warbler	1
Orange-crowned Warbler	1
Red-eyed Vireo	4
Nashville Warbler	4
Northern Parula	1
Magnolia Warbler	6
Black-throated Blue Warbler	2
Myrtle Warbler	16
Western Palm Warbler	1
Blackpoll Warbler	1
American Redstart	2
Common Yellowthroat	3
Wilson's Warbler	2
Field Sparrow	1
Lincoln's Sparrow	2
Swamp Sparrow	2
White-throated Sparrow	14
Total	100

September 15-21

2011-09-29T16:24:00.003-04:00

Wilson's Warbler

Banding Totals Species	Total
Northern Flicker	2
Traill's Flycatcher	1
Brown Creeper	3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	1
Veery	1
Gray-cheeked Thrush	7
Swainson's Thrush	2
American Robin	1
Gray Catbird	3
Warbling Vireo	2
Philadelphia Vireo	6
Red-eyed Vireo	5
Tennessee Warbler	2
Nashville Warbler	20
Yellow Warbler	1
Magnolia Warbler	9
Black-throated Blue Warbler	3
Black-throated Green Warbler	5
Bay-breasted Warbler	1
Blackpoll Warbler	9
American Redstart	3
Common Yellowthroat	2
Wilson's Warbler	7
Lincoln's Sparrow	1
White-throated Sparrow	1
Total	99

Fall Migration Monitoring: September 8-14

2011-09-19T20:54:00.006-04:00

American Redstart

The weather was beautiful, with a few migrants coming through. Surprisingly, we continued to catch young Gray Catbirds, with yellow gapes and covered in fluffy juvenile plumage. Belted Kingfishers have been flying back and forth along the shoreline, often carrying food - a sign that they are still feeding young. It is hard to believe that birds have continued nesting so late into the season - hopefully that is a sign of a productive summer!

Banding Totals Species	Total
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	1
Traill's Flycatcher	1
Veery	2
Gray-cheeked Thrush	5
Swainson's Thrush	13
American Robin	2
Gray Catbird	3
Warbling Vireo	2
Philadelphia Vireo	4
Nashville Warbler	4
Chestnut-sided Warbler	1
Magnolia Warbler	11
Black-throated Blue Warbler	2
Myrtle Warbler	1
Western Palm Warbler	2
Bay-breasted Warbler	2
Blackpoll Warbler	7
Black-and-white Warbler	1
American Redstart	11
Ovenbird	2
Common Yellowthroat	3
Wilson's Warbler	7
Song Sparrow	2
TOTAL	89

Migration Monitoring: September 1-7

2011-09-12T05:20:00.004-04:00

Blackpoll Warbler

With such hot and humid weather and hardly a bird in sight, the beginning of September did not feel like fall migration. Then on Labour Day, like clockwork, the temperature dropped and the winds blew from the North, bringing an influx of birds. We banded 26 birds that day - not a lot, but it felt busy! September 6th was similar, with 20 birds banded. The most interesting capture that day was an Eastern Red Bat, a species we haven't captured here before. Oddly enough, it was caught around noon, whereas we normally catch bats when it is still quite dark. It should also be noted that only trained personnel with rabies shots and leather gloves may handle bats!

Eastern Red Bat

New Arrivals: Bobolink, Greater Scaup, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Western Palm Warbler, Philadelphia Vireo

Species	Sep-01	Sep-03	Sep-05	Sep-06	Total
Traill's Flycatcher	1	1	2		4
Eastern Wood-Pewee			2	3	5
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher			1	1	2
Traill's Flycatcher				1	1
Least Flycatcher			1	1	2
Veery			1		1
Swainson's Thrush			1	2	3
Red-eyed Vireo			5		5
Nashville Warbler				2	2
Chestnut-sided Warbler		1			1
Magnolia Warbler	1	1	3		5
Black-throated Blue Warbler			1		1
Black-throated Green Warbler				1	1
Western Palm Warbler				1	1
Bay-breasted Warbler			1		1
Blackpoll Warbler			2	2	4
Black-and-White Warbler	1		1		2
American Redstart	1	3	1	1	6
Ovenbird	1				1
Northern Waterthrush			1		1
Common Yellowthroat		2	2	2	6
Wilson's Warbler			1	2	3
Canada Warbler				1	1
Total	5	8	26	20	59

August 18 - 31

2011-09-06T18:34:00.006-04:00

Chestnut-sided Warbler

The end of August was hot and humid, not exactly prompting the birds to get moving. Diversity and numbers did start to increase by the end of the month, but migration came in trickles rather than waves.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were passing through on the 30th and 31st, and several flew into the nets. We don't band hummingbirds however, as they require a special permit and a unique type of band that fits their delicate legs. Hummingbirds must be handled very delicately, and only those personnel with experience are permitted to extract them from nets.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Species	Aug-20	Aug-21	Aug-28	Aug-29	Aug-31
Traill's Flycatcher	1	2	1	2
Least Flycatcher		1
Black-capped Chickadee			1
Veery			1	1
Swainson's Thrush				1
American Robin	1
Warbling Vireo			3		2
Red-eyed Vireo				2
Orange-crowned Warbler				1
Yellow Warbler					1
Chestnut-sided Warbler				2
Magnolia Warbler			1	1
Black-throated Blue Warbler				2	1
Myrtle Warbler					1
Bay-breasted Warbler					1
Blackpoll Warbler					1
American Redstart				1	5
Ovenbird			1	1
Northern Waterthrush				1
Mourning Warbler			2
Wilson's Warbler				1	1
Canada Warbler	2		1	1
Indigo Bunting				1
Song Sparrow	1	1		1	1
Baltimore Oriole			1
American Goldfinch			1
Total	5	4	13	19	14

Fall Migration Monitoring: August 13 - 17

2011-08-21T20:35:00.003-04:00

Canada Warbler taken by Brett Tryon

The weather was beautiful this week, and we were actually able to run the station for five consecutive days without being rained out. We had a little wave of migrants, including Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Canada Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, American Redstart and Ovenbird. We continued to catch fluffy, juvenile Gray Catbirds, or "kitten birds" as I like to call them. We have been lucky to band 6 Canada Warblers, all hatch-year females.

Although there has been some activity, many of the birds have been staying up in the tops of the trees, therefore our total for the week was a mere 87 birds banded. This is usual for August though, and we look forward to the weeks to come!

Species	Total
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	1
Traill's Flycatcher	8
Eastern Kingbird	4
Black-capped Chickadee	4
Gray Catbird	6
Cedar Waxwing	1
European Starling	7
Warbling Vireo	5
Yellow Warbler	5
Myrtle Warbler	2
Ovenbird	3
Chestnut-sided Warbler	8
Northern Waterthrush	6
American Redstart	8
Canada Warbler	6
Song Sparrow	6
Baltimore Oriole	5
Myrtle Warbler	1
Common Grackle	1
Total	87

Spring Migration Monitoring: Week 1

2011-08-14T21:52:00.008-04:00

Orchard Oriole

Migration monitoring got off to a great start this year, with 58 birds banded on the first day. 22 of those were Baltimore Orioles. We banded a lot of hatch-year birds, a good indication that this breeding season was a success. Most of the birds were local breeders, with only one true migrant: a hatch-year male Myrtle Warbler, still molting all of its feathers. The highlight was a hatch-year female Orchard Oriole, the first one banded at TTPBRS!

Cedar Waxwing

Numbers steadily decreased as the week went on, with many of our local birds moving on and only a trickle of new birds coming through. Large flocks of Cedar Waxwings and European Starlings account for most of the activity.

Banding Totals

Downy Woodpecker 1
Traill's Flycatcher 9
Eastern Kingbird 4
Black-capped Chickadee 1
American Robin 6
Gray Catbird 14
Cedar Waxwing 16
European Starling 15
Warbling Vireo 11
Yellow Warbler 26
Myrtle Warbler 1
Song Sparrow 2
Red-winged Blackbird 2
Baltimore Oriole 25
American Goldfinch 1
Orchard Oriole 1
Total 135

Migration Monitoring: May 24 - 30

2011-06-05T21:10:00.003-04:00

Common Nighthawk by volunteer Lisa Chou

With all the rain we have been getting, the study area is turning into a swamp. It has been so flooded that there have actually been carp swimming in the net lanes! If it gets any higher we will need hip waders to check nets!

The flooding has created ideal conditions for species we don't normally observe. One of the volunteers had a Green Heron land in the water beside him while he was doing census.
The first Black-billed Cuckoo showed up on May 24 and they have been seen regularly in the study area throughout the week. The same day we had our first and only flock of Whimbrel fly over, something we don't often get to see.

On three occasions we have seen Common Nighthawks roosting, which we have never seen here before. One day before dawn we spotted one circling around the parking lot and watched it swoop lower and lower, passing through the trees as it searched for a place to settle in for the day. Eventually it landed on a tree right beside us, out in the open. It stayed there all day, clinging precariously as the branch swayed violently in the wind. We made sure not to disturb it and were able to get some great photos through the scope.

There has been a family of American Woodcock hanging around in the early hours. That explains why the pair that we saw daily in April seemed to disappear all of a sudden - they have obviously been busy!

New Arrivals:

Whimbrel
Black-billed Cuckoo
Alder Flycatcher
Green Heron

Banding Totals: May 24-30

Species	Total
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	7
"Traill's" Flycatcher	15
Least Flycatcher	1
Great-crested Flycatcher	1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	1
Gray-cheeked Thrush	6
Swainson's Thrush	12
Gray Catbird	3
Blue-headed Vireo	1
Warbling Vireo	6
Philadelphia Vireo	1
Red-eyed Vireo	7
Nashville Warbler	1
Northern Parula	1
Yellow Warbler	17
Chestnut-sided Warbler	7
Magnolia Warbler	23
Black-throated Blue Warbler	6
Black-throated Green Warbler	6
Blackburnian Warbler	4
Bay-breasted Warbler	1
Blackpoll Warbler	11
Black-and-white Warbler	1
American Redstart	4
Northern Waterthrush	3
Mourning Warbler	3
Common Yellowthroat	6
Wilson's Warbler	5
Canada Warbler	3
Savannah Sparrow	1
Song Sparrow	1
Lincoln's Sparrow	4
Common Grackle	8
Red-winged Blackbird	8
American Goldfinch	5
TOTAL	190

Migration Monitoring: May 17 - 23

2011-05-29T21:55:00.002-04:00

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

2011-05-18T08:23:00.006-04:00

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

2011-05-07T20:44:00.002-04:00

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

Spring Migration Monitoring: April 30

2011-04-30T20:29:00.004-04:00

Yellow-breasted Chat by Brett Tryon

Finally it is feeling like spring! Today was the first day for weeks that we didn't have to contend with rain, snow, fog or wind. It was calm, sunny and bustling with birds. The first Purple Martins of the season were seen, and the breeding birds were busily defending territories and competing for mates. It was as if the Red-Wing Blackbird championship was underway, the males taking turns battling it out in mid-air, their feet locking and causing them to fall in a flapping fury to the ground.

We had a steady stream of birds, the majority of them Yellow-rumped Warblers. There were some Western Palm Warblers as well, and the first Yellow Warbler of the season. I tend to forget how incredibly brilliant they are, until I have that first spring male in the hand. One of the volunteers aplty called him a little drop of sunshine.

Yellow Warbler by Brett Tryon

The most exciting capture of the day however, was a Yellow-breasted Chat. It was only our second time banding a chat, the first record in 2007. Someone reported seeing one at the base of the spit in the "wet woods" yesterday, so it was amazing that it made it up to peninsula D and ended up in one of our nets. We likely would not have seen it otherwise, since they are such secretive birds and we were too busy with banding to go bird the study area. This highlights one of the values of banding, as it can often reveal species which are otherwise not observed.

Spring Migration Monitoring: April 12 - 19

2011-04-24T21:24:00.005-04:00

Ruby-crowned Kinglet by Brett Tryon

The cold, wet, windy weather has continued to keep the migrants in waiting - and us as well! Between the lack of bird activity and net closures due to weather, we only managed to band 70 birds all week.

The cold, wet, windy weather has not only stalled migration but nesting as well. Usually by this time the Red-winged Blackbird nests are well underway, but by the 19th the females were just starting to arrive.

The first butterflies made an appearance on April 14, with some Mourning Cloaks and Spring Azures flitting around. It felt like spring MUST be here, but the cold and rain has since driven them away.

Although it has been slow, there are always discoveries to be made. On We recaptured a Brown Thrasher that was originally banded in April 2007 as a after hatch-year, making it over 5 years old! Because the males and females of this species are identical, normally we cannot determine their sex. When it was recaptured in 2009 however, it had a brood patch - a bare belly which birds develop during the breeding season in order to transfer heat onto eggs. In Brown Thrashers (and most bird species) only females incubate the eggs, therefore the presence of a brood patch signifies a female. Since she was recaptured in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011, it is likely that she will be busy building a nest here some time soon!

Brown Thrasher by Brett Tryon

The Caspian Terns were the first terns to show up, with the Common Terns arriving on On April 15. On April 19 volunteer Ian Sturdee was doing census when he saw 2 terns flying high, and although they were too far to see distinguising details, he instantly recognized their calls and was able to identify them as Forster's Terns. There is a brief window in the spring when Forster's Terns might be seen migrating through Toronto, the earliest record at TTPBRS being April 18 and the latest on May 7. This is a great example of how valuable birding by ear can be.
On April 18 a beautiful male Purple Finch was singing over the station. We do see Purple Finches from time to time, however a singing male is a rare sight here.

Season Species: 85

New Species: Forster's Tern, Purple Finch, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Common Tern, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Swamp Sparrow, Bonaparte's Gull, Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Spring Migration Monitoring: April 9-11

2011-04-11T21:54:00.005-04:00

Hermit Thrush by Brett Tryon

Lots of birds showed up over the last couple of days. Saturday was gorgeous, then Sunday and Monday brought rain and wind that forced us to shut down nets early. We did manage to get some banding in though, and the totals have been steadily increasing each day.

April 9

Birds Banded

Eastern Phoebe: 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet: 2
Hermit Thrush: 1
American Tree Sparrow: 1
Song Sparrow: 4

Recaptures

Eastern Phoebe: 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet: 2

Song Sparrow by Brett Tryon

April 10

Birds Banded

Downy Woodpecker: 1
Eastern Phoebe: 1
Brown Creeper: 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet: 13
American Robin: 1
American Tree Sparrow: 4
Fox Sparrow: 1
Song Sparrow: 2
Dark-eyed Junco: 3

Recaptures

Black-capped Chickadee: 1

New Species:

Chipping Sparrow
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk

Field Sparrow by Brett Tryon

April 11

Birds Banded

Eastern Phoebe: 2
Brown Creeper: 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet: 11
Hermit Thrush: 2
American Robin: 1
American Tree Sparrow: 2
Field Sparrow: 2
Fox Sparrow: 2
Song Sparrow: 7
Dark-eyed Junco: 13

New Species

Field Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Great Egret
Myrtle Warbler
Northern Shoveler
Blue-winged Teal

Spring Migration Monitoring: April 6 & 7

2011-04-08T20:47:00.002-04:00

Golden-crowned Kinglet by Brett Tryon

April 6

Thankfully the weather forecast was wrong on Wednesday (no big surprise) and instead of strong winds and rain, we had a nice morning with some new migrants on our doorstep. Several new species were recorded:

Caspian Tern
Belted Kingfisher
Hermit Thrush
Pied-billed Grebe
Northern Cardinal
Lesser Scaup

Our banding total was our highest to date, with 18 birds banded:

Eastern Phoebe: 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet: 8
American Robin: 2
American Tree Sparrow: 4
Song Sparrow: 2
Dark-eyed Junco: 1

Recaptures:

Black-capped Chickadee: 1
Song Sparrow: 1

April 7

Thursday was very foggy and although you would expect more birds to fly in the nets because of reduced visibility, we had a very slow day. It wasn't even possible to look at ducks on the lake until later in the morning when the fog cleared.

The highlight of the day was when I was taking a Song Sparrow out of the net. It was chipping noisily and suddenly some curious birds showed up. Something scurried past me along the ground, and by the way it was moving it seemed more like a rodent than a bird. Then it hopped up on a branch and I realized that it was another Song Sparrow, puffed up and doing a broken wing display! It was clearly trying to convince me that it was an easy meal in order to lure me away from its friend. This is something that we know parent birds do to defend their offspring, but not something you would expect from a bird that is not even nesting yet.

Birds Banded:

Brown Creeper: 1
American Robin: 2
Song Sparrow: 1

Birds Recaptured:

Golden-crowned Kinglet: 1
Black-capped Chickadee: 1

Spring Migration Monitoring: April 5

2011-04-05T13:54:00.002-04:00

Eastern Phoebe by Brett Tryon

The ice has finally melted and the migrants are starting to arrive. With the arrival of our Golden-crowned Kinglets, it is starting to feel like spring!

Although banding was called off on Monday due to the rain and thunderstorms, volunteer Don Johnston was able to do the census. The rain miraculously stopped just as it was time to begin, and started up again soon after he was done! He noted 2 new species for the season: Eastern Phoebe and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

Despite the bitter wind, today was productive. When we arrived this morning there were at least 4 American Woodcocks in the study area, which we could pinpoint by listening to their frog-like “peent” calls. It was too dark to see them at first, but by the time we started opening nets I was able to spot one up in the air doing its display, zig-zagging across the sky until finally fluttering back down to the ground like a falling leaf. One woodcock almost landed on a volunteer’s head!

There are still lots of ducks to observe, including Redhead, American Widgeon, White-winged Scoter, Common and Red-breasted Merganser, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Greater Scaup and Long-tailed Duck and Gadwall.

The census yielded 25 species, amazing considering the howling wind seriously hinders one’s ability to hear birds. We had several new arrivals today:

Tree Swallow

Black-crowned Night Heron

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Peregrine Falcon

Coopers Hawk

Winter Wren

We had to shut most of the nets by the second net check because the wind was too strong, but were able to keep a few open for the whole day. We did end up banding 2 Eastern Phoebes and 1 Song Sparrow, all second-year birds. The volunteers had a chance to learn how to see the difference between adult and juvenal feathers, an important characteristic to use in ageing birds.

Spring Migration Monitoring: April 3

2011-04-05T05:39:00.000-04:00

Sunday was another gorgeous day, and it was great to see so many people out at the park enjoying nature. We had a few new species including Brown Creeper, Eastern Meadowlark, Canvasback, Glaucous Gull and Greater Yellowlegs. There were 2 Iceland Gulls still hanging around on the ice as well.

Birds banded:

Song Sparrow

Brown Creeper

American Robin

Recaptures:

American Robin

Black-capped Chickadee

After banding was over we took a stroll over to Cell 1 to see if the King Eider was still there. It was quite close and with the scope we had excellent looks. It really is a beautiul bird. We also took a peak at the Long-eared Owls, and were able to make out the different generations of flight feathers by the different patterns of barring.

Hopefully when the weather turns, we will have another wave of migrants!

Spring Migration Monitoring Has Begun!

2011-04-03T05:17:00.005-04:00

It is wonderful to be back at TTPBRS taking in the sunshine and fresh air. The Red-winged Blackbirds and Song Sparrows are singing and battling over territories, and the European Starlings and Mute Swans have already begun nesting.

The last of the snow was still melting as we set up the station on Thursday. When we were done getting the nets up, we headed over to Cell 1 to see the King Eider which has been hanging around. We also managed to spot 2 Long-eared Owls from afar, perched low in some willows.

Spring Migration Monitoring kicked off on Friday, and we got off to a record slow start. We didn't catch a single bird all day! There were very few passerines to be found, not a kinglet in sight. The census yeilded 191 individuals of 20 species, the majority being ducks. The highlight was 2 Iceland Gulls sitting out on the ice.

The following species were recorded on April 1:

Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Mute Swan
Canada Goose
American Black Duck
Mallard
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Redhead
Greater Scaup
Long-tailed Duck
White-winged Scoter
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Mourning Dove
Downy Woodpecker
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
American Robin
European Starling
American Tree Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Trumpeter Swan
Iceland Gull

The pace picked up a little on Saturday as temperatures warmed. We captured 5 Black-capped Chickadees - 3 new and one which was already banded during a previous season. There were several early arrivals including Osprey, Turkey Vulture and 3 Sandhill Cranes which circled over the station a few times. Other new species were Northern Flicker, Brown-headed Cowbird, Rusty Blackbird and Wood Duck.

Sandhill Cranes taken by Juan Zuloaga

With such a long winter it is no surprise that migration seems delayed for our songbirds. Now that spring is here, we should expect a new wave any day now!

Final week of fall migration

2010-11-15T00:27:00.007-05:00

We couldn't have asked for better weather during our last week of migration monitoring. We had mild temperatures, little wind and lots of sunshine.

Although banding slowed down considerably, we had some exciting moments. On November 7 one of the volunteers spotted an American Avocet flying over Embayment D. On November 8 and 9 we had a White-winged Crossbill hanging out near the lab, following around a flock of American Goldfinches. On November 9 we had our first and only Long-eared Owl of the season. It was roosting between two of our nets and stayed there all day despite our frequent net checks. On November 10 a Rough-legged Hawk flew over the station, our third sighting this fall. While these hawks are sometimes seen in other parts of the park, they are rarely seen at the station.

We continued to see flocks of Snow Buntings, Horned Larks and American Pipits migrating overhead. Normally they keep moving, but we have been lucky to see some land on the beach.

American Pipit by volunteer Paul Xamin

On the last day of banding we finally captured an Eastern Towhee. We see these birds occasionally but don't catch them often.

Eastern Towhee

We were in for a surprise when we recaptured an American Tree Sparrow with an unfamiliar band number. I checked the database and sure enough, it wasn't in there. That meant that this bird was banded somewhere else. It is rare and exciting to catch a bird that was banded by another station, and it will be interesting to find out where this bird was coming from. Because all of the banding data from stations in Canada is sent to the Canadian Wildlife Service, we will be able to find out exactly where and when this bird was banded.

American Tree Sparrow 2430-36825

This has been a great season, and thank you to the many volunteers who made it possible!

The tail end of migration

2010-11-04T06:02:00.004-04:00

Fox Sparrow

The yodeling chorus of Long-tailed Ducks and the arrival of Snow Buntings can only mean one thing: winter is coming. Indeed, the ground has been covered in frost the last few days and it actually snowed here on Monday.

As the migratory window closes, most of the birds we are monitoring are those which will go no further than the Southern US, such as Winter Wrens, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Hermit Thrushes, American Robins, Fox Sparrows, Song Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows and Lincoln's Sparrows. Others will settle into TTP for the winter: Dark-eyed Juncos, Snow Buntings, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, American Goldfinches and Black-capped Chickadees.

American Tree Sparrow

From October 18 - 27 the winds were mostly blowing from the West/Southwest, not only preventing the birds at TTP from leaving, but keeping a new wave of migrants from arriving. Hence, we were capturing almost as many recaptures as unbanded birds. This data will be useful in our study of stopover ecology, showing how quickly birds put on fat and weight while they are at TTP.

Although the Soutwesterly winds kept most birds away, they did bring some special visitors. Cave Swallows, which breed in the Southern US, were blown into the Great Lakes and have been observed at various points on Lake Ontario and Lake Erie since October 26. We first observed them at the station on Saturday, when I noticed 5 swallows flying off of the North shore of Peninsula D. The combination of a square tail and buffy rump narrowed them down to either Cave or Cliff. Both species have black caps, and must be distinguished by the colour of their throats. Cliff Swallows have dark throats which blend in with the head colour, giving them a hooded appearance. Cave Swallows have a pale buffy throats, contrasting with the head to give them a "capped" appearance. Even in the flat light I was able to see the contrasting cap, helping me determine that they were Cave Swallows. As it turned out, other birders had seen Cave Swallows that morning at other spots on the spit.

This late in the fall, any swallow sighting is suspect because the more common swallow species have long since departed. In past years Cave Swallows have been reported into mid-November. If you see a swallow in late fall, take the time to study it well and make sure to report your sightings on Ontbirds.

Exciting Week!

2010-10-09T22:40:00.004-04:00

Adult male Whip-poor-will

Whip-poor-will!

This week we had a special treat when we caught a Whip-poor-will. This nocturnal species belongs to the nighjar family, a group of birds known as "goatsuckers" because of an old superstition that they would fly into barns at night to suck the teats of goats.

Whip-poor-wills are nocturnal, and like flycatchers they hop from a perch or the ground to snap insects out of the air. Although they have tiny bills, their mouths are huge. If you look closely at the picture, you will notice that the line of the mouth extends to the eye. When I was banding this bird, it opened its mouth so wide that I couldn't see its head! The whisker-like rictal bristles funnel insects into the mouth, protect the eyes from insects, or perform a sensory function which allows them to hone in on prey.

During they day Whip-poor-wills perch horizontally on a branch to roost, their cryptic plumage acting as the perfect camoufage. This makes them almost impossible to find, and it is rare to see one - much less band one! One would expect that it was caught during the first net check when the sun is barely up, but it flew into the net just before 9:00.

Chickadee Irruption

Chickadees have been taking over the park! Black-capped Chickadees are non-migratory, but when there are food shortages in the northern part of their breeding range, large numbers will move south into central and southern Ontario. This typically happens every 3-5 years, and sure enough the last irruption recorded at TTPBRS was in 2007. On October 7 we banded 52 chickadees, and October 8 we banded 63!

Hatch-year Black-capped Chickadee

American White Pelican

Just as we were about to tally up our observations today, I spotted a large white bird flying across the sky. We all grabbed our binoculars, and simultaneously gasped as we saw the large head and yellow bill, and black trailing edges of the wings. We went running towards the South shore of the peninsula and watched it fly over Embayment C towards Peninsula C, where it turned around and began flying back towards us. We had amazing looks as it flew over us, surprisingly low. It continued North until it hit the shore, turned East and then circled twice over Embayment D. We were hoping it would come down, but it continued East until it hit the main spine of the spit and turned North towards the mainland. The last record at the station was in 2005.

Fallout

2010-10-01T21:17:00.003-04:00

Thursday night's clear skies and strong North wind provided the ideal conditions for migration. Indeed, when I checked the radar this morning it looked like a heavy migration was taking place. Before I left for the station the birds had not yet landed, but when I arrived an hour before sunrise the darkness resounded with bird calls; the dry chips of Myrtle Warblers, the "zeets" of White-throated Sparrows, and the chirps of Hermit Thrushes.

Doppler radar at 5:38 am showing bird migration

The wind was too strong to open nets on the North side of the peninsula, so we opened 11 of the nets. That ended up being a good thing, because in our second net check we had over 100 birds! Luckily there were plenty of experienced extractors and helpers on hand, and we quickly removed the birds from the nets before shutting all of them. Then the banding began...

Once things calmed down, a couple of nets were re-opened. By the end of the day I had banded 157 birds! 85 of them were Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warblers! Luckily I have had lots of practice ageing and sexing Myrtles recently, so it is possible to process them in about 30 seconds. The other main species were Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows, Black-capped Chickadees, and Hermit Thrushes. Our one recapture was a male Black-throated Blue Warbler.

After second-year Male Black-throated Blue Warbler

Once I was able to go back outside, I was amazed. There were birds on every tree, shrub, and flower stalk. Even the paths were covered with Palm Warblers and Dark-eyed Juncos. I have never seen so many birds at TTPBRS - truly what I would call a fallout!

Road Closures Today

2010-09-26T05:33:00.002-04:00

For those of you planning to visit us today, keep in mind that the Toronto Waterfront Marathon will be causing several road closures. You may be able to get to the park, but unable to leave until 1:00. Check out the link for a detailed list of the closures:

http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/en/pdf/roadclosures2010.pdf

Migration Monitoring: September 10

2010-09-10T20:59:00.003-04:00

hatch-year Philadelphia Vireo

After days of wind and rain, today we had a reprieve! It was still too breezy to open all the nets, but the North wind brought a ton of birds here overnight. We had our busiest day this season, with a total of 68 birds banded (and that was with only half the nets open). There were lots of Philadelphia Vireos (above), which can be distinguished from Warbling Vireos from their yellow throat and more contrasting eye line. One of the highlights of the day was a male Scarlet Tanager in non-breeding (basic) plumage (pictured below).

after hatch-year male Scarlet Tanager

With the wind still blowing from the North, hopefully we'll get another wave of migrants tonight. Tomorrow is supposed to be a nice day too, so try to make it for a visit!

Fall Migration Monitoring: August 27

2010-08-27T19:41:00.001-04:00

Hatch-year Red-eyed Vireo

The north winds brought an abundance of birds this week, and we have been enjoying the mixed flocks of warblers, vireos, chickadees, flycatchers and nuthatches. Only a fraction have been caught in our nets though, as most of these birds have been staying high in the trees. Some of us are suffering from "warbler neck" but it is worth it!

Hatch-year male Wilson's Warbler

Black-billed Cuckoos have been seen frequently this month in the vicinity of the banding station. Yesterday we were in for a surprise when not one, but two cuckoos were spotted together. After the first bird was found, our attention was drawn to the motion of fluttering wings from behind some leaves. Sitting on the same branch was a juvenile cuckoo begging for food! Along with sightings of Black-billed Cuckoos througout the summer, this is a good indication that the species has bred at TTP.

After weeks of a Merlin hanging around the spit, we finally caught sight of one at the station yesterday. It was actively hunting the very flock of warblers that we were watching! It kept zooming past, swooping down low and giving us excellent looks. What an impressive bird to observe, with such speed and agility!

Thursday as we were going over the day's observations, a hawk flew past the lab. We all dropped what we were doing and ran out to see what it was. Quite unexpectedly, it turned out to be a Red-shouldered Hawk, a species very rarely seen at TTP. Luckily it was quite close and afforded excellent looks by 5 observers, all who saw the trademark windows, dark primary tips, narrowly banded tail, shape, etc. that distinguished it from any other potential raptor.

Migration Monitoring: August 17

2010-08-17T21:07:00.012-04:00

Adult female Cedar Waxwing

After the initial burst of activity from starlings and resident breeders, activitiy slowed down considerably at the station. The last week has been so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

One of our biggest highlights was not even a bird - instead we caught a very interesting dragonfly. It was successfully extracted by Bronwyn Dalziel, and we were lucky to get some great photos before it flew away. It was identified as a Swamp Darner, a species which is quite rare in this region.

Swamp Darner

Finally, today we had our first real wave of migrants. It is amazing how much faster time passes when you are catching birds! Today we banded 34 birds and recorded 11 new species, bringing our season total to 86 species.

This Baltimore Oriole was one of 6 caught in one net! It was a hatch-year bird, most likely born at TTP this summer. Evidently it has been feeding on honeysuckle berries, which are high in carotenoids - the pigment that produces reds, yellows and that brilliant orange that you can see in this bird. Most of the orioles we catch have the typical yellow plumage.

Hatch-year Baltimore Oriole

Banding Totals August 5 - 17
Species	Total
Yellow-shafted Flicker	3
Eastern Wood Pewee	2
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	1
Traill's Flycatcher	10
Least Flycatcher	2
Black-capped Chickadee	6
Swainson's Thrush	1
American Robin	10
Gray Catbird	3
Cedar Waxwing	4
European Starling	23
Warbling Vireo	15
Yellow Warbler	7
Magnolia Warbler	3
Myrtle Warbler	1
Black-and-white Warbler	2
Ovenbird	1
Northern Waterthrush	1
Canada Warbler	3
Northern Cardinal	1
Song Sparrow	5
Red-winged Blackbird	1
Baltimore Oriole	11
Total	116

Weekend Update: August 7-8

2010-08-08T04:48:00.007-04:00

Hatch-year Magnolia Warbler

This was our first weekend of the season, and the cold snap was much appreciated after the oppressive heat of Thursday. On Saturday morning I was quite surprised to be chilly for a change, but I wasn't complaining!

It was rather quiet, but we did have several new species: American Black Duck, Northern Cardinal, Tree Swallow, Cooper's Hawk, Myrtle Warbler, Magnolia Warbler and Canada Warbler. Until now the earliest a Magnolia was seen at the station was August 8, 2005. Canada Warblers haven't been this early since August 7, 2004.

Note: some of these species (such as the Northern Cardinal) were here all summer but just weren't detected on the first two days of migration monitoring.

Hatch-year female Canada Warbler

On Sunday we were having a great morning until the rain came and forced us to close early. We did manage to add American Wigeon and Common Merganser to the list though. Our season total is now 51 species, with 35 birds banded of 13 species.

First Day of Fall Migration Monitoring

2010-08-05T14:38:00.007-04:00

Northern Waterthrush

It felt good to get back to the station today. We were greeted by the resident breeders, including Yellow Warblers, Song Sparrows, Baltimore Orioles, Cedar Waxwings and Warbling Vireos. Most of the Red-winged Blackbirds have left, and now we have hundreds of European Starlings instead! Every time a huge flock swooped towards a net, there was a slight twinge of panic. One or two starlings is one thing, but a net full of them is another thing entirely...

Despite the heat and humidity, we managed to band 20 birds of 9 species. All breed at TTP except one: a Northern Waterthrush. This species does tend to be one of the early migrants, but it won't be surprising if migration is on the early side this year after such a productive summer.

As we were shutting nets, I noticed a caterpillar on the trunk of a European Birch, and I have never seen anything like it before. It turned out to be a White-marked Tussock Moth, quite a stunning creature.

White-marked Tussock Moth

Our season species list is up to 42 and counting. It is so much fun at the beginning, because every day promises new species to check off of the list!

Don't forget to visit us on the weekends, and get there early because we close the nets around 11:45. Trust me, with this heat you will want to get there in the wee hours!

Spring Migration Monitoring: Week 9

2010-06-09T23:21:00.004-04:00

Yellow Warbler male

June update

As May came to a close, migration slowed to a trickle. The breeding birds have provided lots of entertainment though. On Wednesday we were inside banding when suddenly we heard the distinctive vit-vit calls of Barn Swallows right outside the lab. We turned around to see a pair hovering in the doorway, no doubt scouting for nest locations!

The Tree Swallows have been kicked out of their nest box, either invaded by a House Wren or predated by a raccoon. They have been busy gathering material around the station to re-build a nest in the nest box next door. Hopefully they will have better luck this time! Native to North America, Cowbirds are considered nest parasites because the females lay their eggs in the nests of other species. Most birds have not evolved to be able to tell the difference between their own eggs and a cowbird egg or nestling, so they will care for them all the same. The Cowbird chicks hatch first and quickly out-compete the real offspring of the host species. As cruel as this seems, the cowbird strategy is incredibly smart. Some Yellow Warblers have evolved a counter-strategy – when they see a cowbird egg in their nest, they build a new nest on top of the old one. Last year a volunteer found a triple-decker!

On June 2 we caught our first youngster of the year: a very scruffy American Robin!

WEEK 9
Species	May-27	May-29	May-30	Jun-01	Jun-02	Jun-03
Eastern Wood Pewee		1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	1	3				2
Traill's Flycatcher	8	3		2	3	1
Least Flycatcher	1	1				1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow		4
Gray-cheeked Thrush	4	6	7	1
Swainson's Thrush	9	2	2		1	1
American Robin	1				1
Gray Catbird	1	2	2		1	2
Brown Thrasher	1		1
Yellow Warbler			2
Magnolia Warbler	4	2			1
Blackpoll Warbler	1		1	1		2
American Redstart	1		2		1
Northern Waterthrush	2	1
Mourning Warbler		1				1
Common Yellowthroat	1			1	1	1
Wilson's Warbler	1	2
Song Sparrow		1	1
Lincoln's Sparrow					1
Red-winged Blackbird		1	1	1	3	1
Common Grackle				1
Baltimore Oriole	1
American Goldfinch	3
TOTAL	40	30	19	7	13	12