Fired up and ready to go!

Friday, April 14 2017:  It was set-up day yesterday at BBBO, and everything went smoothly.  Betsy, Andrea, Gayle, Peggy, Ann, Marilyn, Pat, Debi, Jim, Allen, Tom K, Tom and Jeanne V (and I think I forgot someone!) enjoyed the morning sunshine and each others’ company, and managed to get all the nets set up for the start of the spring season. A pole from net 90 blew down in the March windstorm, so that net is on hiatus pending an overhaul.  Otherwise, the station looks great and we are ready for the birds!

And none too soon . . . Maggie and Andrea decided to do a “soft open” one day before the official opening.  This morning, we banded 81 new birds of 11 species, and 11 recaps.  New species were Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Gray Catbird (!!!), Eastern Towhee, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Slate-colored Junco, and Northern Cardinal.  The catbird was certainly the most surprising catch of the day, as we expect them more in May than in April.  Bird of the day was Black-capped Chickadee with 41 banded, followed by Golden-crowned Kinglet with 24 banded.  We have clearly missed the start of the GCKI migration, as most of the birds today were female.

White-throated Sparrows Rule the Day!

Tuesday October 11,2016   76 new, 35 retraps, 11 species

Slower day from what we had on Monday!  But enough to keep us busy and show some birds to our visitors.

Bird of the day  was White-throated Sparrow with 31 banded.

 

Ryan Kayhart -BIC

Vireo-oh-oh-my!

Thursday August 25, 2016.  23 new birds of 11 species, 17 recaps.  New species:  Blackpoll Warbler.  Birds of the day were Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos, with five new bands each.

It was a fairly quiet morning, and the birds came in small pulses rather than consistently throughout the morning.  We had our first Blackpoll Warbler of the season, and she was the only new bird captured today that we can be certain was a migrant.  All of the other new birds belong to species which do or could breed in the area (although it’s likely that most of the individuals we captured didn’t in fact breed onsite).  Vireos made a strong appearance today – most were young birds on their first migratory journey.

Another 100+ Day!

Saturday, May 28, 2016.  We banded 108 new birds and had 13 recaptures, but with no new species.  The day was surprisingly slow despite a frenetic amount of radar activity last night.

Bird of the day was Magnolia Warbler with 22 banded.    We were treated to two Black-billed Cuckoos (I believe this breaks the record?) and a boisterous Great-crested Flycatcher.

We saw Ryan off to Vermont and also said goodbye to Erin, which, combined with the increasing number of flycatchers, indicate that the season is almost over!

Ann banded six hummers today before she also departed for the season.

Jenna Holzschuh

AN EXCELLENT SPRING BANDING DAY!

Friday May 27, 2016  The tally came to 186 new bands. Bird of the day was Traill’s Flycatcher  at 34. Other high numbers were American Redstart at 16 banded and Red-eyed Vireo at 15 banded. Other highlights of the day were 8 Mourning Warblers and 4 Black-billed Cuckoos.

It was another great day!

Cindy Marino, BIC

Best Day of the Spring Season????

Thursday May 26, 2016.  261 new bands of 34 species; 5 recaps.  New species Alder Flycatcher, Eastern Wood Pewee, and Gray-cheeked Thrush.

Normally, unless a Traill’s Flycatcher sings in the hand while being banded, we cannot be sure if it an Alder or Willow Flycatcher.  But one bird sang in its bag while waited in line to be banded and it sang in the hand … and it was clearly the song of an Alder Flycatcher!

It was a glorious day of banding with 34 species handled, and the crew operating like the well-trained banders, scribes, and net-pickers they are!  We were particularly happy to have John Waud back with us helping with all the rounds at the nets.  And it was also wonderful to have Doris Waud back with one of her wonderful coffee cakes!

Quinn Deutschlander helped carry bird bags on some of the net runs.  Altogether, perhaps the best day of the spring 2016 season!

Betsy Brooks, BIC

 

 

AT LAST! A 200+ BIRD DAY!

Wednesday May 25, 2016.  205 new bands of 31 species; 9 retraps.  New species Gray-cheeked/Bicknell’s Thrush. There were 15 warbler species banded and bird of the day honors went to Magnolia Warbler with 35 banded, followed by Gray Catbird with 32 banded.

Wednesday Crew  Photo by Kathy Habgood