Week 13: A Not-So Ivory Gull and Subspecies Suprises

 

With week 13 in the books, the season winds down to a close. As always, the final week of banding is bittersweet. Staff and volunteers are ready for a little reprise from pre-dawn alarms, Spotted Towhee bitten fingers and endless loads of feather-full laundry. However, the beautiful sunrises, good birds, and better friends will be sorely missed… until next season!

One of the final sunrises of the season. (Evan Lewis)

This week Pedder Bay banded 136 new birds of 18 species, bringing the season total to 3163 new birds. Ruby-crowned Kinglet took the top spot this week, with 24 individuals banded. Fox sparrow and Golden-crowned sparrow followed closely behind with 22 and 19 individuals banded respectively. Highlight birds for Pedder this week included this male Anna’s Hummingbird, sporting a gorgeous full gorget, and a very cool Fox Sparrow recapture. 

A male Anna's Hummingbird. (David Bell)

One of the most exciting parts of banding is the potential for recapturing birds banded in previous years. Not only is it incredibly cool to see old birds, but the knowledge we gain from these records is highly valuable in developing survivorship curves and longevity data for birds. Everyone enjoys pulling a recaptured bird from a bag and noticing that the band is worn, and you don’t recognize number string. At Pedder this week, the banders had the pleasure of recapturing a Fox Sparrow that was banded as a hatch-year in 2015, making it 8 years old! The longevity record for this species is not far off at 10 years, so hopefully this individual keeps coming back for another couple of years!

The 8 year-old Fox Sparrow. See you in a couple of years to break the record! (Evan Lewis)

Rocky Point’s last week was unfortunately shortened due to military activity on Monday-Wednesday. However, the beginning of the week still gave us a good showing, with 146 new birds of 22 species banded for a season total of 4220. It is quite uncommon for Rocky Point to surpass 4000 birds banded in a season, so it is nice to see that we recovered from the slow start to the season! 34 newly banded Golden-crowned Sparrows took the top spot at Rocky Point this week, with Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Spotted Towhees coming in next with 31 and 22 individuals banded respectively. Highlight birds for Rocky this week included a Slate-coloured Junco. An uncommon visitor to coastal BC, this subspecies of Dark-eyed Junco is usually found in more Boreal Habitat, from Alaska and Northern BC across to eastern Canada.  

A Slate-coloured Junco (or maybe an SCJUxORJU?) (James Kennerley)

A range map of Dark-Eyed Junco subspecies (and a few other junco species for good measure).
Aleixandre, Pau & Hernández-Montoya, J.C. & Mila, Borja. (2013). Speciation on Oceanic Islands: Rapid Adaptive Divergence vs. Cryptic Speciation in a Guadalupe Island Songbird (Aves: Junco). PloS one. 8. e63242. 10.1371/journal.pone.0063242. 

Rocky Point banded its 3rd rare warbler of the season this week, a Nashville Warbler! Unlike the individual banded earlier this season at Pedder Bay, a combination of plumage characteristics and a short tail made this week’s bird the eastern nominate subspecies Leiothlypis ruficapilla ruficapilla.

An eastern Nashville Warbler. (David Bell)

The final week around the stations were certainly quieter, but there were still good birds to be found. On October 13th, David Bell had a pigment-deficient Short-billed Gull at Rocky Point. Had Daniel Donnecke not reported the same bird from seawatch at Beechey Head a few days earlier, this certainly would have caused some heart attacks, as the resemblance to an Ivory Gull is striking! On October 14th Ian Cruickshank and James Kennerley had a Pine Grosbeak fly over the station at Rocky Point. This represents the first record for RPBO, as most Pine Grosbeak records for southern Vancouver Island occur later in the year and get missed by the banding crew!

The very ivory Short-billed Gull. (David Bell)

And with that, we're done for the season. The final bird of the season was banded (A hatch-year American Robin) and the passerine nets have been taken down. A huge thank you goes out to all of the incredibly dedicated volunteers who have contributed their time this season. We really could not do it without all of you, and the staff are all incredibly appreciative of your hard work. If you aren't quite ready to be done for the year, the owl program is still going until Halloween, and they could use your help. We'll see you all next season!

The final passerine banded at RPBO this year. (David Bell)

The closing day Rocky Point crew.

The closingday Pedder Bay crew.

Week 13 and season totals.

Week 12: Cackling our way to 7000!

It's hard to come to terms with, but the 2023 migration season is starting to wrap up. The morning air has cooled, our alarm clocks are set later, and (unfortunately) the nets are filling with colourful leaves. However, the season isn't over yet, and there were excellent encounters and beautiful sights to behold at both stations this week! There are a few days remaining to experience our migration monitoring program at Pedder Bay, and don't miss your chance to visit our evening Northern Saw-whet banding (the last night is Halloween)!

Autumnal paradise at Pedder Bay (David Bell)

Cackling Goose at Rocky Point (James Kennerley)

This week at Rocky Point, the team was shocked to discover a Cackling Goose in net 2! This is a first for our stations and caused quite a stir. These small geese are a welcome sight during Fall migration - making them a nice addition to our station observations for this time of the year. This individual was of the smallest subspecies, minima, which migrate from their Northern breeding grounds in Western Alaska and the Yukon down to Oregon and California for the Winter. This bird was a hatch-year Male, with an impressive wing length of 359 mm. Unfortunately, we were unable to collect the mass, but the average ranges from 1300-1550 grams!

Look at the size of that wing! James has experience handling geese,
which was an exceptional help with this bird.
 (Mara Hanneson)

This week the stations celebrated birds 3000 (Hermit Thrush at Pedder Bay) and 4000 (Spotted Towhee at Rocky Point). Many Fall favourites turned out in good numbers, with Spotted Towhee taking the top spot at Rocky (50 banded), and Fox Sparrow at Pedder Bay (49 banded). The combined totals bring our season to 7,101 new birds - wow! This is all made possible by our dedicated volunteers and supporters, thank you!

Can you hear this photo too? (Emma Radzuil)

AHY Female Red-breasted Nuthatch (Emma Radzuil)

Pine Siskins from the same net at RP (David Bell)

The Red-breasted Nuthatch is skilled at avoiding our nets, but this week at Pedder Bay the team was treated to a lovely after-hatch-year Female. Another species which has been evading us is the Pine Siskin. Large flocks had been enjoying the habitat at each station throughout the week, leaving us hoping for a close-up encounter. On Friday we were rewarded with two in the same net at Rocky Point!

Ruby-crowned kinglet (L) and Hutton's Vireo (R)
The HUVI is sporting a significant fault bar.
(Mara Hanneson)

A second side-by-side comparison provided a nice example of two species which can be difficult to distinguish from one another. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet is pictured above beside a Hutton's Vireo. These yellow-green birds share a shockingly similar appearance and have been known to stump birders in the field. Their call, behaviour, and foraging strategy can all be helpful in determining the correct species, but this close up photo displays some notable field markers:

• Bill: The Kinglet has a thin, sharp, black bill which contrasts with the thicker, pale bill of the Vireo (also with a small hook at the end)
• Wing Pattern: Both species sport two white wing bars, but the kinglet alone has a black marking at the base of the second
• Size: The photo below is not an optical illusion - Hutton's Vireos are stockier, heavier birds when compared to the dainty physique of the Kinglet
• Legs: While not visible in the photo, it is a helpful marker. The Kinglet has slender dark legs with yellow feet in contrast with the thicker grey-blue legs of the Vireo

"The name's Tit, Bushtit", this feisty agent received a band with the ending number 007!
Perhaps he will be taking over the coveted role in the next Bond film?
(Katelyn Fryer)

European Mantis (Mantis religiosa) is an introduced species to North America
(James Kennerley)

If you have been out volunteering over the last several weeks, this sight is likely unsurprising. European Mantis sightings have been growing steadily on Southern Vancouver Island, and we see them often at both of our banding stations throughout the Fall. This insect is a close relative to the cockroach and was introduced to the Okanagan Valley and Kamloops in the late 1930s as an effort to control the grasshopper populations. The Mantids have continued to spread across BC since, finding success in the meadow landscapes of Metchosin. (More details here - including a surprise guest star in one of the photos).

American Robin (Emma Radzuil)

Varied Thrush (David Bell)

Yellow Warbler (Evan Lewis)

Anna's Hummingbird (James Kennerley)

Wow - a treat for the eyes at Rocky Point (David Bell)

Morning light at Rocky Point - likely accompanied by a chorus of Gulls and Sea Lions
(James Kennerley)

A familiar sight for those checking the "hill nets" at Pedder Bay 
(James Kennerley)

Banding summary for both stations 
(click to enlarge)

Week 11: Palms n' Roses (and Five Million Birds)

Well, that was quite the week! With nets and skies full of birds and a few rarities kicking about, combined with mostly good weather, we really couldn't have asked for a better start to the late fall season here at RPBO. 

Western Palm Warbler (David Bell)

After about a week of rainy nights and southerly winds, the radar lit up on the night of the 28th, with about five million birds passing through southern Vancouver Island according to BirdCast (https://birdcast.info). Luckily we had somewhat foreseen this by closely monitoring the weather and nightly bird movements, so our stations were well-staffed and more or less prepared for the onslaught! The birds did not disappoint, with a record-setting 235 birds banded at Rocky Point on the 29th. Including recaptures, we processed 263 total birds there that day - quite a large number for our typically lower-volume station! Pedder Bay also fared well that day with 150 birds banded, and had they not needed to close nets for a period of time to catch up with the sheer volume of birds, that total likely would have been closer to 200 as well. The birds continued migrating en masse through the weekend, with no fewer than four days in a row with over 100 new birds banded at Rocky Point, bringing the weekly totals to 833 for Rocky Point and 562 for Pedder Bay. This represents the second-most birds banded in a single 7-day period at Rocky Point (after the 2005 kinglet invasion), and likely the most at RPBO overall. Golden-crowned Sparrow claimed the top spot this week, with 302 banded between the stations. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (208), Fox Sparrow (185), and Spotted Towhee (137) also featured heavily this week in the nets. The full list of species banded this week can be found at the bottom of this post.

A funky Golden-crowned Sparrow (or maybe a hybrid? - Evan Lewis)

With so many birds moving through, it is to be expected that one or two of them might be unusual for the area! We lucked out in that regard this week as well, with a Rose-breasted Grosbeak banded at Pedder Bay on October 1st representing a first banding record for the migration program (third for RPBO overall with two from our MAPS program). Other interesting birds in the nets included a Clay-colored Sparrow (third this fall, 8th overall) on October 1 and a Western Palm Warbler (fourth banding record) on October 2, both at Rocky Point, and a Red x Sooty Fox Sparrow at Pedder Bay on October 5. 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak! (Thea Mills)

Clay-colored Sparrow (Rebecca Reader-Lee)

Red x Sooty Fox Sparrow (James Kennerley)

The same bird as above (David Bell)

Among our 278 recaptures this week were several birds from previous years; mainly 2021 and 2022, but also one from as far back as 2018! These were all sparrows which likely winter at the site or use it as a stopover location to refuel on their journey south. Of particular interest was a Bewick's Wren caught at Pedder Bay on the 5th, which initially did not show up in our system, but looked like a band from one of the RPBO strings. After some investigation, it turned out this bird was banded at our Witty's Lagoon MAPS station back in mid-July! As far as we know this is only the second MAPS bird recaptured at the migration stations.

Bewick's Wren from Witty's Lagoon (James Kennerley)

Of course, our birding at the stations is not entirely limited to the nets, and among the tens of thousands of birds passing through this week were a few goodies! A Clark's Nutcracker at Rocky Point on the 29th represented a first record for the site, and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher the same day was a third site record. Other rarities seen in the field this week included Lewis's Woodpecker and Clay-colored Sparrow at Rocky Point, and a Western Palm Warbler at Pedder Bay. Of note at a very local level, a flock of Lesser Scaup flew over Pedder Bay on 30 Sep, and a Blue-winged Teal flew past Rocky Point the same day; both species have only a small handful of records for the sites. Other new birds for the season included Long-tailed Duck, Red-throated Loon, Swamp Sparrow, and Snow Goose. Pine Siskins, American Robins, Turkey Vultures, Cackling Geese, and other late-season movers began to show up in large numbers as well. Thousands of Snow Geese went east over the area and were reported all over Victoria as well on the evening of October 4th; likely coming down the west side of the island and heading over to Delta.

A thermal image of some Snow Geese migrating over Metchosin on the night of October 4 (James Kennerley)

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (David Bell)

As far as other wildlife goes, the stations never fail to impress! The recent burn at Rocky Point seems to have made foraging acorns easier, and the Black Bears are taking full advantage. The local Black-tailed Deer and Roosevelt Elk are getting ready for rutting season, and Humpback whales were enjoying the many bait balls close to shore by lunge-feeding, giving several volunteers excellent views. The rains brought out a few Rough-skinned Newts and Pacific Tree Frogs, and a few interesting butterflies were noted at Pedder Bay after shift on a sunny day, with a Milbert's Tortoiseshell and a Comma sp. (probably Satyr Comma?). 

Milbert's Tortoiseshell (David Bell)

As always, a huge thank-you to our volunteers who came out this week to help count, extract, band, and record data! The extra hands and occasional tasty snacks were much appreciated by all of us, and we hope those empty shifts can be filled up - check the When to Help schedule for openings!

Pedder Bay	29 Sep	30	1 Oct	2	3	4	5	Total
Banded	150	122	92	69	63	28	38	562
Species banded	17	15	17	17	14	11	13	31
Recap	13	14	21	22	34	24	16	144
Species recap	7	7	6	6	9	10	8	14

Rocky Point	29	30	1 Oct	2	3	4	5	Total
Banded	235	145	124	118	92	70	49	833
Species banded	25	18	19	21	17	23	11	39
Recap	11	8	12	15	10	13	12	134
Species recap	7	4	6	9	8	10	6	15

Weekly totals - click to enlarge

Week 10 - A mix of fire and rain

Rising early has its perks! Sunrise at Pedder Bay. (Photo: David Bell)

As many of you might already know, controlled fires at Rocky Point reduced our regular banding hours this past week, particularly on September 22nd when the banding team had to close the nets after only a few hours of banding. Historically, fires have been common on this landscape - South-East Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. The climate here was warmer and drier between 9,000-6,000 years ago, and it is during this period that Garry Oaks arrived along with other species that expanded their range northward. Pollen records show that meadows here were expansive, and many of its species evolved with fire. Such a long time period allowed for some very unique inter-species relationships to evolve. Nature is in fact a network of millions of highly specific interactions like these, some that can only be found here! 

Oaks are a particularly important genus, hosting more species than any other in North America. (Photo: Sonja Futehally)

The fires help to restore some of the Garry Oak ecosystem plants, particularly the geophytes (like Yampah and Great Camas) and native annuals that are provided with temporary relief from some of the other more competitive species. Fires help reduce the density of native shrubs and young Douglas Fir forests, promoting a more open canopy with widely spaced trees. They also help with controlling species like scotch broom and spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola). 

As is typical for this time of year, many of the oak leaves are dry, and the warm fall colours seem to have caught the attention of our winter residents - Pacific Wren, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets. As morning breaks you might have heard them tinkering with their vocal instruments.

This week we had mist net closures due to both fire and rain (hence the title) that affected the total number of birds banded. The planned burn at RP on the 22rd, and the rain on September 28th kept nets closed at both stations at the start of the day. At Pedder Bay a total of 277 birds were banded. The most banded birds were Fox Sparrow (47), Golden-crowned Sparrow (40) and Hermit Thrush (23). At Rocky Point 337 birds were banded this week. Spotted Towhee (58) blazed the trail, followed by Golden-crowned Sparrow (48) and Ruby-crowned Kinglets (30) in 3rd - but at the top of the podium for cuteness. Please refer to the table at the end of the post for more detailed statistics.   

Some banding highlights this week included White-throated Sparrow, Varied Thrush, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Black-headed Grosbeak and Cooper's Hawk. 

Evan Lewis banding his first raptor, a Cooper's Hawk! (Photo: David Bell)

Cooper's Hawk (Photo: David Bell)

On September 24th at Pedder Bay a Nashville Warbler was banded (3rd record at Pedder Bay, and 10th for RPBO).

Nashville Warbler (Photo: Evan Lewis)

And a special capture on the 22nd at Rocky Point was a Chestnut-sided Warbler! 3rd record for RPBO. 

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Photo: David Bell)

Emma Radziul had the pleasure of banding the Chestnut-sided Warbler (Photo: Emma Radziul)

White-throated Sparrows have been banded at both stations (Photo: David Bell)

A great photo showing the eye colour of a sexually dimorphic species - Bushtit (Photo: Adam Ross)

High above the nets, flocks of Sandhill Cranes, Vaux's Swifts, Cackling, Greater White-fronted, and Canada geese have been heard and seen migrating. Notable observations at the stations this week include Pectoral Sandpiper, Brown Pelican, Lewis's Woodpecker, Lapland Longspur and Northern Waterthrush. 

This is a great time and place to hawk watch. Broad-winged, Red-tailed, Sharp-shinned, Coopers Hawks and Turkey Vultures have been seen kettling above the stations regularly. Such sightings often reminds me of a tale that exemplifies the importance of familiarizing oneself with the flight styles of birds. 

An article written by C.H. Donald for the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society in 1952, describes his experience of a falconry exploit on the Indian subcontinent during British India. The writer had secured the services of two local falconers (or bazdars as they were known) and on this occasion, while at 11,000ft above the tree line, his bazdar named Balunda, came to a standstill and said ‘Sahib, what is that?’. A very large and very dark bird above them soared, and C.H. Donald thought it to be an Imperial Eagle. Balunda, a fine falconer who had made his hobby a fine art, disagreed, and admitted he had never seen the bird before. Its flight was entirely different. The bird in question was collected for identification, as was the custom at the time, and Balunda remarked on its large feet and talons, which supplemented his belief that it was not an Imperial Eagle. In an attempt to identify the bird, the specimen was sent to the Bombay Natural History Society. After a long week of suspense the reply came, it was an Imperial Eagle. Not convinced, a request was made for another examination. A reply stating that a committee of the leading ornithologists in India had examined the bird, and it was an Imperial Eagle. Seeing that Balunda was still not satisfied, Donald made another, very polite request to have the bird examined at the Natural History Museum, London, England. Imagine the effort required to have the specimen transported from Bombay to London in those days! Well, it went, and three months later came the reply that the bird was in fact a young Golden Eagle!

Field observations are just as important for us at the banding station as banding birds. Balunda has shown how significant flight style can be as a system of identification, and that multiple identification points can be helpful when identifying a bird, both in the hand and in the field. 

Perhaps you will have a chance to watch the raptors migrating and look for a rare Golden Eagle, or join us as we marvel at the intricacies of birds at the station. Thank you to all the volunteers for contributing your time to the station so far. Whether you have been a scribe, extractor, educator, or done census at the station it has all been a great help and we look forward to seeing you again!

Band-tailed Pigeons flying above the station. The individual in the centre left of the photograph did right itself! (Photo: Sonja Futehally)  

Gatekeeper at Rocky Point. (Photo Mara Hanneson)

Roosevelt Elk and other mammals have been spotted this week. (Photo: James Kennerley)