McGILL BIRD OBSERVATORY

WINTER POPULATION MONITORING

Week 9:  December 26, 2005 - January 1, 2006

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

PICTURE OF THE WEEK:


Though not yet predictably present on a daily basis, the Common Redpolls are increasing in number, with as many as 19 observed together.  In this photo, five of them are hanging on the new nyjer seed feeder, while a sixth one is flying in from the right, likely an after-hatch-year male based on the extensive rose wash on the upper breast.  (Photo by Marcel Gahbauer)
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Special thanks to Wildlifers in Baie D'Urfe for donating the seed to stock the feeders for MBO's Winter Monitoring Program - click here for information about the store.

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THIS WEEK

THIS WINTER

2005 TOTAL

SITE TOTAL

# birds (and species) banded

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173 (11)

4132 (84) 5053 (92)

# birds (and species) repeat

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98 (5)

839 (36) 893 (41)

# birds (and species) return

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6 (2)

78 (14) 78 (14)

# species observed

11

44

164 170

# net hours

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66.5

5447.6 6422.1

# birds banded / 100 net hours

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260.2

75.8 78.6

Note: table does not include nocturnal banding (owls)

Bander-in-charge:  Marcel Gahbauer

Notes:  A quieter week, with no repeat sightings of any of the "winter surprises" observed last week.  Of note, however, was the flock of 19 Common Redpolls on Thursday, our highest count to date.  At one point, 11 of them were on or immediately around the black nyjer seed tube, providing ample evidence that it is what is attracting them to the site.  Also on Thursday, a couple of deer were heard down by the pond, crunching through the thick crust of ice on the snow.  Their tracks are all over the place, and they are clearly sleeping under some of the conifers, but this is the first actual sighting in almost two months.  First bird of the new year, seen on a Sunday walk, was a male Northern Cardinal right by the gate. 

The 2005 totals above summarize an excellent year of banding.  However, we have every reason to expect that 2006 will be every bit as interesting again, and are looking forward to seeing what the changing seasons bring us once again.  As of next week's report, the year total counter will be reset, with today's 7 species the first members of what will hopefully be another list of 160+ by the end of 2006.

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