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WINTER
POPULATION MONITORING |
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Week 12: Mar 21 - Mar 27, 2005 |
Welcome
to the McGill Bird Observatory weekly report. Click
here for a complete listing of our archives. Comments or questions are welcome at mbo@migrationresearch.org.
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PICTURE OF
THE WEEK: |
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Since the expected
early spring migrants (American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird,
Song Sparrow, etc.) have yet to return to MBO, it's up to the
American Goldfinches to
remind us the seasons are changing. The scattered patches of
black on the forehead
and bright yellow on the breast and throat are new feathers,
likely grown within the
last couple of weeks. (Photo by Marcel Gahbauer)
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THIS
WEEK |
WINTER
TOTAL |
YEAR
TOTAL |
SITE
TOTAL |
| #
birds (and species) banded |
13
(4) |
256
(14) |
59
(10) |
980
(49) |
| #
birds (and species) repeat |
2
(1) |
109
(9) |
34
(2) |
212
(17) |
| #
birds (and species) return |
1
(1) |
10
(3) |
10
(3) |
12
(4) |
| #
species observed |
14 |
36 |
26 |
138 |
| #
net hours |
7.0 |
110.0 |
58.0 |
1032.5 |
| #
birds banded / net hour |
185.7 |
231.8 |
101.7 |
94.8 |
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Note: table does
not include nocturnal banding (owls) |
Bander-in-charge:
Marcel Gahbauer
Banding assistants: Tony Bezina, Christina Donehower, Marie-Anne Hudson, Noemie
Laplante, Meghan Larivee, Catherine Lessard, Michael Mayer, Julia Mlynarek,
Michelle St. Martin
Notes:
With the expectation of a busier spring season soon to come, we're
keeping banding visits fairly limited toward the end of the winter
season. On Monday morning, a group of volunteers began the process
of reinstalling the nesting boxes around MBO, for bluebirds, swallows,
chickadees, wrens, and others. Banding took place once this week, on
Friday morning.
As
noted last week, the American Goldfinches are rapidly moulting into their
brighter summer colours. Today one male already was almost entirely
yellow on the upper breast, and the individual in the photo of the week
was also looking very different from when it was originally banded in
early December. Despite windy conditions today, we caught 13 unbanded birds, the largest number we've had in a while. Among them
were 9 goldfinches, including the first females we've banded this year
(another subtle hint that the spring migration is underway even if the
traditional harbingers of spring are slow in returning).
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