Howdy all,
Sorry for the lack of posts recently, but with this last storm, the banding
station was closed for three days. We tried it yesterday morning and ended up
soaking wet. Then tried in the afternoon and only managed to band 3 birds.
Today was a bit better as far as the weather goes, but very low bird numbers
(as expected). But we did have some interesting highlights.
We caught a BALTIMORE ORIOLE today, getting a bit late (but not out of the
norm).
Also today, we recaptured a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. And boy was this one a
surprise!! As it turned out, we originally banded this bird on the 18th
AUGUST!!! So it is a local breeder that has not left the area (Not just yet!
But very
soon!). So when we caught it on the 18 Aug this bird weighed 62.3 grams.
Today by stark contrast, this bird weighed 95.1 grams!!!! I kid you not!!! I
think it is about ready to head south! This was the biggest cuckoo I have ever
seen!
As I was opening nets this morning, I heard a WHIP-POOR-WILL in the banding
station! This was only the second Whip-poor-will have ever heard here at the
banding station over the last eight years! Quite the exciting morning.
I have also updated the blog I have been running so check out the new stuff!
_www.cvwo.org_ (http://www.cvwo.org) then click on CVWO BLOG.
Anyway here are the totals for the last two days.
9/27:
American Redstart 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 1
Ovenbird 1
House Wren 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Carolina Wren 1
Gray Catbird 7
Brown Thrasher 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 first of the season
TOTAL----------------------------------- 20
9/28:
American Redstart 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler 3
Common Yellowthroat 1
House Wren 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Gray Catbird 2
Baltimore Oriole 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Brown Thrasher 3
TOTAL----------------------------------- 17
I really can't say what the next few days are going to hold, but I will
assume it will be slow for awhile. I am hopeful that the next front to pass
through will bring some down, but I am not sure what kind of impact this last
big
storm had on migrant movement (i.e. did they go more interior due to the
strong Northeast winds).
I can tell you, I am ready for some migrants (especially neo-tropical ones!).
Cheers,
Jethro Runco
Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory
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