Week 2: All These Birdies... Yet Par for the Course!

 As Week 2 of migration monitoring at RPBO comes to a close, it’s clear that we’ve found our groove for this season. New interns and banders are getting comfortable and confident, first-time volunteers are learning and progressing many valuable skills, while the veterans and returning faces demonstrate what it means to take a banding operation from good to great! As the title suggests, our numbers of new passerines banded this week, at both Rocky Point (RP) and Pedder Bay (PB), are amazingly close to our average numbers for Week 2s of the past! RP with 200 banded this week vs. an average of 196, and PB with 172 banded vs. an average of 181. We’re all patiently waiting for migration to kick it into high gear and multiply these numbers!

Incredible details of a hatch-year Brown-headed Cowbird. Always wondering which species raised this young... (David Bell)

It's not only the fresh faces that are learning new tricks! Seasoned extractor, owl bander, and board member Mark Byrne had the opportunity to band his first hummingbird this week! This adorable Rufous Hummingbird (RUHU) was aged as a Hatch-Year (HY) male, meaning he only popped out of his egg a few weeks prior to receiving this new bling.

Mark diligently applying a wrap to keep this RUHU safe and cozy. (Robyn Byrne)
 

A closer view at the type of restraint we use to prevent hummingbirds from moving their wings and causing injury! (Robyn Byrne)

Although Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are now behind us, there’s no reason we can’t still celebrate the beauty of parenthood! For some time now we have been watching this pair of Olive-sided Flycatchers (OSFL) sing their “Quick Three Beers!” song atop the dead trees behind the station at RP. Conspicuously gathering food and making themselves comfortable, we eventually got sight of their cozy little nest where Momma-Flycatcher would spend her time warming the eggs. And finally, on July 29^th, we got confirmation of hatched chicks! Not everyone can say they were born on Rocky Point…

Momma OSFL keeping watch over her territory. And looking good while she does it! (David Bell)

If you look closely, you can spot Poppa OSFL sporting a band on his right tarsus! (David Bell)

Half of a month into banding and observing operations and no rarities spotted yet! What’s the hold up you guys!? Rest assured our skilled volunteers and staff are watching the skies like hawks, anticipating the first odd bird to make its way to our part of the island. Until then, the subtle beauty of the botanical world and our expected migrants keep us company!

A hatch-year Chipping Sparrow sporting its racing stripes while it still can. (David Bell)

A Caspian Tern, the largest Tern in the world, gliding ever so aerodynamically over the strait. (David Bell)

Epipactis helleborine leaving many of us in awe! (Aiva Noringseth)

Hooded Ladies' Tresses' impressive rotational growth pattern. (David Bell)

Sometimes net rounds yield no birds to process! Flexing our creative muscles is something we do frequently at RPBO, whether that be drawings on the whiteboard, or in this case painting stones to bring a uniquely human and light-hearted touch to our trails.

All-star volunteers Robyn and Melissa bringing the inanimate to life on a calm RP morning. (David Bell)

Our rock colony to keep us company in the far reaches of the net lanes! (Emma Radziul)

The majesty of a sunrise along the island coast is nothing short of a miracle! And a beautiful thing it is that we can share in this enjoyment with our neighboring Harbour Seals. Scattered along the rocky ridge were over 40 seals soaking up the sun and finding peace. We could learn something from them!

A peaceful view to start the morning at RP. (David Bell)

Harbour Seals in zen-mode as they absorb the sun-soaked rocks. (David Bell)

Our meadow shining in gold as the sun creeps over the canopy. (David Bell)

If you read last week’s blog, you may not be surprised to know that the Wilson’s Warblers (WIWA) are still coming in hot! For this week at RP they are our most captured species (65), with Pacific-slope Flycatchers coming in at second (24), and White-crowned Sparrows (WCSP) at third (13). At PB the Wilson’s are still leading the charge (30), however the WCSP are trailing ever so slightly (29), with Orange-crowned Warblers sitting at a comfortable third place (24). Fun Fact: Wilson’s Warblers now comprise over 20% of our total individuals caught so far, or in other words, 1 in every 5 birds in the net is a WIWA! Yet we still never get tired of these adorable little creatures!

Week 2 and season totals. (Click to enlarge)