Week 8: Achtung (Excel) Baby

September 08-14^th

This week we welcomed a significant wave of migrants passing through our bird observatory. On the night of September the 9^th, BirdCast (birdcast.info) estimated 777,800 birds migrating over the area. As it happened, September 10^th and 11^th were our busiest days this week at both Pedder Bay and Rocky Point, with record high numbers of birds processed (this season). 

This week also brought “computer issues” that we hope have migrated through. On more than one occasion, long-time volunteer Mike Motek came to the rescue and resolved the problem(s). We are very grateful for his time and expertise.

Rocky Point:

Observations at Rocky Point never seem to disappoint. This week’s notable species were Greater White-fronted Goose, Northern Fulmar, Sooty/Short-tailed Shearwaters (over 2000 on Sunday!), Black-legged Kittiwake, Herring Gull, Sabine's Gull, Brown Pelican, Lewis's Woodpecker and Sora. 

A total of 492 birds were banded at Rocky Point this week. Our top 3 captures were Puget Sound White-crowned Sparrow (63), Spotted Towhee (52) and Fox Sparrow (46). Notable captures included a Clay-colored Sparrow, Audubon’s Warbler and Sharp-shinned Hawk. 

A great recapture for us was a Chestnut-backed Chickadee banded at our station in 2019. The recapture prompted me to reflect on this species, one that I don’t often dwell upon because it is a common bird here in the Greater Victoria area.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee originally banded in 2019

But in fact, the Chestnut-backed Chickadee which belongs to the family Paridae, a well-studied group of birds, has provided some interesting particulars. Many species in this family have a good memory for food caches which can help them survive during the winter months. Chestnut-backed Chickadees (and others in the family Paridae) are often the nuclear species of mixed species foraging flocks, vocalizing to alert other species of their presence and choosing foraging locations. In the winter, we often find Brown Creepers, kinglets and Red-breasted Nuthatches in these flocks. The use of different microhabitats while foraging together is remarkable, the chickadees inspecting the foliage of trees, creepers preferring deeply furrowed bark, and the nuthatches descending head-first down tree trunks.

Mysteriously, this week at Pedder Bay we captured an adult Red-breasted Nuthatch, and an adult Brown Creeper. 

AHY male Red-breasted Nuthatch

 Red-breasted Nuthatch rectrices

AHY Brown Creeper

Pedder Bay banded 315 birds this week; the top captures were Fox Sparrow (58), Golden-crowned Sparrow (31), Lincoln’s Sparrow (30) and Hermit Thrush (30).

Notable species banded include Townsend’s Warbler, White-throated Sparrow and Cassin’s Vireo. A female Anna’s Hummingbird was recaptured, originally banded here in 2021. Aside from banding, avian observations included a Northern Pygmy-Owl, Western and Least Sandpipers, Varied Thrush, Steller’s Jay, increasing numbers of Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, and American Pipit. Almost all the Barn Swallows nesting under the eaves of the café have now fledged, the remaining chicks presumably enjoying their last few days in the nest before preparing for the perils of migration with many others. 

Recently fledged Barn Swallows at the Pedder Bay Cafe