Week 9: A Butternut, but no Butterbutts?

Week 9 is typically the peak of our season at RPBO, with our Rocky Point station averaging 440 new birds banded during this week over the past 20 years! This week likely would have been no different, except for some unfortunate circumstances. The 16th, 20th and 21st were busy days at Pedder after overnight rains prevented new migrants from arriving on the 17th, 18th, and 19th. These were also all blasting training days at Rocky Point, so we could only open nets for the first hour. The 17th was also rained out at both stations. Nonetheless, in our three full days of operation (and some partial days), we managed 210 new birds at Rocky, bringing us to a season total of 2143 (average 2137). Pedder fared better, opening on six of the seven days, banding 350 new birds (average 370 for Week 9), for a season total of 1884 (average 2106). 

Tennessee Warbler (David Bell)

Pedder was the only station to add a new banded species for the season, and in fact it was a first banding record for the station overall (3rd for RPBO)! A hatch-year Tennessee Warbler dropped into net 12 on the 16th, our busiest day of the season up until then. An influx of Fox and Golden-crowned sparrows, Hermit Thrushes, Pacific Wrens and Ruby-crowned Kinglets made for our current busiest day, with 98 birds banded at Pedder and 40 at Rocky (in one hour!) on the 20th. Some other highlights in the nets were more subtle, with a merrilli Song Sparrow at Pedder on the 20th and a maculatus Spotted Towhee at Rocky on the 21st, two subspecies from the interior of the province that rarely make it to the coast. We are hoping that these are indicators that we will get more interesting interior species in the next week. Surprisingly, we had a grand total of zero Yellow-rumped Warblers (butterbutts) in the nets, and very few flying over. This week is typically the beginning of the peak for them, so hopefully they are just delayed.

Spotted Towhee, maculatus subspecies (Rebecca Golat)

Song Sparrow, most likely merrilli subspecies (Liam Singh)

gambelii White-crowned Sparrows are moving in for the winter! (David Bell)

With all this migration happening, it’s no surprise that we had a few observation highlights and new species for the season seen at the stations. A Blue Jay at Rocky on the 20th regaled us with its raucous calls – or maybe it was taunting us seeing as we had to leave and wouldn’t have an opportunity to band it! New for the season there this week were a few Iceland (Thayer’s) Gulls. Highlights at Pedder were less about regional rarities and more about station highlights, with a first station record of a Black-bellied Plover flying over on the 18th, a Black Turnstone on the 15th, Lapland Longspurs on the 18th and 20th, Heermann’s Gull and Brandt’s Cormorant on the 20th, and Pectoral Sandpiper on the 21st. Other new species for the season there included Horned Lark, Broad-winged Hawk, Black Swift, Greater White-fronted Goose, Pacific Loon, and Sandhill Crane. 

Rocky Point mood this week with all the closures (David Bell)

Black Swift - note the shape difference to the next photo (David Bell)

Vaux's Swift (David Bell)

Our other wildlife sightings this week have mostly been highlighted by Black Bears at Rocky, as they move in to fatten up on acorns. Humpback Whales continue to be seen out in the strait when the weather and birds allow for a short seawatch. Praying Mantises continue to entertain the banders, volunteers, and visitors alike, and one even tried to get in on the banding action!

Why hello there (Rebecca Reader-Lee)

How do these things work? (David Bell)

Rocky Point	Sep 15th	16th	17th	18th	19th	20th	21st	Total
Banded	67	17	2	32	35	40	17	210
Species banded	16	11	2	13	16	15	8	24
Recap	5	0	0	8	9	0	0	22
Species recap	5	0	0	5	6	0	0	10

Pedder Bay	Sep 15th	16th	17th	18th	19th	20th	21st	Total
Banded	46	88	0	39	33	98	46	350
Species banded	18	21	0	16	15	19	16	33
Recap	14	5	0	24	25	16	7	91
Species recap	10	4	0	8	12	9	5	18

 

Red-breasted Sapsucker (David Bell)

Golden-crowned Kinglet (Liam Singh)

Townsend's Warbler (hatch-year female) (Samuelle S-P)

(click to enlarge)

If you made it this far and didn't get the title, apparently "Butternut" is/was a nickname for people from Tennessee!

P.S. Still plenty of shifts open through to the end of the season, especially at Pedder Bay - we and the birds would love to have you out! Sign up here.