Week 2: Quiz Time

Rufous Hummingbird-David Bell

The weeks are flying by at RPBO. Week 2 has been a perfect time for quizzing the interns and not a day goes by without learning something new. 

Are you a scribe at RPBO? Have you been wondering why the dedicated banders may take an extra few minutes banding a bird you have seen a hundred times? Well, this season we have added the WRP (Wolfe-Ryder-Pyle) code to our data collection. WRP is an alternative aging system based on molt cycles instead of the calendar year, and uses three-letter codes to define the plumage and molt cycle of the bird. At RPBO, we have historically used the calendar aging system (e.g. Hatch-Year and After-Hatch-Year) to age our birds during migration. This system works well when the individual is from a temperate region where there is generally one well-defined breeding season (i.e. spring/summer). If the bird breeds in a tropical region, where breeding seasons are not well defined, then the WRP aging system comes into play and is more useful than calendar year. Combining these two systems provides the most accurate means of categorizing age. Thanks for bearing with us while we learn these codes!

Now a quiz for you. Who are these two birds?

Rocky is on pace for a record high, with the season total of 542 beating last year’s record high of 517 as of the end of week two (average is 406). 220 new birds were banded there this week, above the average of 194 for the second week of migration.

Highlights this week include the first Downy Woodpecker for the season, along with a Hairy Woodpecker and a Northern Flicker. Now we are just waiting on that Pileated Woodpecker (fingers crossed)! Hints of fall migration are appearing with more Willow Flycatchers, MacGillivray’s Warblers, and a whopping 63 Wilson’s Warblers in the nets. Observation highlights include the first Wandering Tattler, Short-eared Owl, Short-billed Dowitcher and Common Nighthawk of the season. Seawatch opportunities have been almost non-existent due to fog in the early morning and heat haze later in the morning.

Another quiz...

Pedder, despite having a slow week of 145 new birds (average 185 for the second week), had the highlight bird of the week, a Cooper’s Hawk. Rebecca Reader-Lee got the banding tick for the hatch-year male bird. The banders at Pedder had their hands full this week with lots of hummingbirds; 13 Anna’s and 11 Rufous. Observation highlights include the seasons first Barred Owl, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Cassin’s Vireo.

Rebecca RL with the Cooper's Hawk-David Bell

Did you know we have a "tarantuloid" - a related type of tarantula here on Vancouver Island ?

The banders and volunteers at Pedder are becoming familiar with the Pacific folding trap-door Spider, Antrodiaetus pacificus . These arachnids are harmless and docile as shown here by bander Sam facing her fears. 

Always handle with care as these
spiders can live up to 20 years old!-Rebecca Golat

Antrodiaetus pacificus-Samuelle Simard-Provençal

As always a huge thank you to our amazing volunteers.  We had some new faces around the banding station and we were happy to teach what bird banding is all about! If you are interested in signing up to volunteer please apply here: 

RPBO Volunteer Application Form

We are happy to have visitors this season and if you would like to visit the station please sign up here:

Pedder Bay Banding Station visits

Quiz Answers: Photo 1- House Wren (left), Bewick's Wren (right)

                         Photo 1- Hairy Woodpecker (left), Downy Woodpecker (right)