Sparrows and Kinglets - Oh my!
RPBO Weekly Summary, Week 11 - Sept 28th to October 5th
What could convince you to get outside while the stars are still out and the moon in still up?
(photo credit: David Bell)
Fall migration bird monitoring, of course!
Calling first might be the thrushes and the Towhees from the bushes. As the sun comes up, on the wind you will hear the whistled songs of Golden-crowned Sparrows and Fox Sparrows. The jit-jit of Ruby Crowned Kinglets will tick from the bushes, and the tinkling of Golden-crowned Kinglets will be heard overhead.
The White-crowned sparrows and American Goldfinch that bread at our sites have moved on and now are seen and caught in smaller numbers. What vagrant might you see? Our most uncommon bird seen this week was a Blue Jay, heard and photographed, but not caught and banded, at Rocky Point.
Sneaky Blue Jay (photo credit: Rebecca Reader-Lee)
Week 11 at saw an influx of migratory and over wintering sparrows. At RP, our most banded sparrow this week was the Spotted Towhee (69), followed by the Golden-crowned sparrow (33), then the Song Sparrow (25). At PB, the most banded sparrow was the Oregon Junco (85), followed by the Fox Sparrow (56) and Golden-crowned Sparrow (40).
High numbers of Ruby-crowned Kinglets (99 - RP, 55 - PB), Yellow-rumped Warblers (38 - RP, 18 - PB) and Pacific Wrens (23 - RP, 14 - PB) round off our most-banded birds this week.
Still sticking around, we enjoyed our last-of-the-season Yellow Warblers and Orange-crowned Warblers in the nets, and we observed some Townsends and Wilson's, in addition to some last of the migrating Swainson's Thrushes, House Wrens, Pacific-slope Flycatchers, and Violet Green Swallows.
Large flocks of Pine Siskins criss-crossed our sites and came down from the skies occasionally to feed. Varied Thrush and Steller's Jays became more common visitors to our sites.
Hutton's Vireo (photo credit: Emma Radziul)
"It's a big kinglet?!?" .. Nope, a Hutton's Vireo! Note it's larger size, characteristic hooked bill, large and prominent head, and thick grey/blue legs, in addition to the different behaviors of this species in the field.
Now that's a kinglet (photo credit: Emma Radziul)
Identifying Yellow-rumped Warbler to subspecies kept our banders and volunteers on their toes this week. There were even 4 Intregrade Yellow-rumped Warblers showing a mix of characteristics of both subspecies caught in the nets.
This week has shown us it's a good year to see and hear White-throated Sparrow in our area, having banded a season total thus far of 11 at Rocky Point and 6 at Pedder Bay. Previous max records were 12 at RP (average is 5 WTSP per year) and 11 at PB (average is 5 per year).
Magnificent displays of Turkey Vultures have been seen, with numbers in the hundreds intermittently seen from Pedder Bay, and numbers regularly upwards of 1000 this week at Rocky Point. Mixed in to these kettles have been Broad-winged Hawks and other buteos, accipters and falcons.
Turkey Vultures peppering the sky (photo credit: Rebecca Reader-Lee)
Broad-winged Hawk and Turkey Vulture (photo credit: Rebecca Reader-Lee)
These raptors sometimes are seen low to the ground, hunting, and occasionally getting caught in the nets! This week, RP banded one Cooper's Hawk and one Sharp-shinned Hawk, much to the delight of all present.
Cooper's Hawk banding (photo credit: David Bell)
Another crowd favorite has been the Sandhill Cranes, observed daily this week at Rocky Point and beautifully photographed by Cathy Reader.
Northern Saw-whet Owl banding has seen some great nights this week, with the busiest night having caught 37 owls at a single site.
Norther Saw-whet Owl (photo credit: Rebecca Golat)
So if you're thinking of signing up for owls (which ends this month on the 31st) or passerines (which ends on the 18th), don't miss out, there are still some shifts to sign up for on When To Help. See you out there, whether it be for an early morning or a late night. Let's make the very end of the season a good one.
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