Week 7- Dawn to Dusky

 The first week of September at Rocky Point Bird Observatory has been slow and steady. However our fall migrants are starting to trickle in. It is starting to feel like fall with colder mornings and Fox Sparrows in-hand!

Dawn at Rocky Point (Rebecca Golat)

 P.S. Owl banding starts in less then a week and there are still lots of spots to sign up for volunteering!

Banding highlights

Rocky Point remains above-average with a season total of 1685, despite a rather low week with 'only' 219 new birds. Rocky Point banded their 1500th bird, a Lincoln’s Sparrow, which was appropriate since the most numerous species banded were Lincoln’s Sparrows (29), followed closely by White-crowned Sparrows (28) and Orange-crowned Warblers (23). Volunteers were delighted by a few Red-breasted Nuthatches that were banded during the week, including the HY female and AHY male shown below. Red-breasted Nuthatches are a common species that we do not catch in the nets too often. This week also saw a few shortened banding days at Rocky due to closures. 

Left HY female and Right AHY male(Rebecca Golat)

Pedder had 223 new birds for a season total of 1361. The Pedder Bay crew had something better than coffee to wake them up on September 1st when Northern Pygmy Owl bounced out of net 15! Unfortunately, he did not get caught but it was some excitement for what is to come. We usually catch a NOPO once, maybe twice per season, a treat that every bander looks forward to. Pedder’s most numerous species include Lincoln’s Sparrows (44), White-crowned Sparrows (38) and Dark-eyed Junco (19).  Pedder also passed its season record for Western Tanagers at a total of 29 birds and still counting!

A great place to listen out for NOPO (David Bell)

Census & Obs Highlights

While birders are starting to turn their binoculars to the sky for migrating raptors, RPBO has started a pilot study for hawkwatch! Because of the shortened days at Rocky, banders and volunteers headed to East Sooke park to see what kind of hawk action they could get. It is not full raptor migration yet however the crews spotted Red-tailed Hawks, Sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks, Turkey Vultures, Falcons, lots of Vaux’s Swifts and Band-tailed Pigeons. 

Hawk Watch at Beechy Head (David Bell)

On the first, Rocky Point was treated to some early Broad-winged Hawks kettling with a Red-tailed Hawk. The same day David Bell spotted a suspicious-looking flycatcher and managed to get a couple of shots on his camera. After he got back home he looked a little closer and found it was a Dusky Flycatcher! The bird hasn’t been seen again but we are taking a few extra measurements all the Hammond's Flycatchers we catch. Those two can sure look alike! 

Making some careful measurements to look out for DUFL

Other highlights include the first American Pipits and Horned Larks for both stations and a Virginia Rail at Pedder Bay. 

Wildlife Sightings

The Rocky Point crew got some great looks at transient orcas on their walk back to the cars one day this week. They saw 6 orcas which were later identified as the T109A’s pod along with T60D and his little brother T60E. Even from shore you can tell the difference between male and female with the male’s large dorsal fin.