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McGILL BIRD OBSERVATORY |
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Welcome
to the McGill Bird Observatory weekly report.
Click here for a complete listing of our archives.
Banders-in-charge: Barbara Frei, Marie-Anne Hudson, James Junda Notes: Peak migration is still underway at MBO! Remarkably the number of birds banded this week was exactly the same as last week, at a whopping 1113 - more than twice as many individuals banded this week as during week 10 of 2007. As well, we are at an unbelievable 2.5 times the number of birds banded overall this fall compared to last fall at this time. Week 10 was a week with several highlights beyond the sheer number of birds banded. Three species were banded this week for the first time this fall – American Tree Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, and ... Bicknell’s Thrush! What a treat for the Monday crew, to find this rare thrush in the nets. Only one other Bicknell’s Thrush has been banded in the history of MBO. There is a small breeding population of these elusive birds in Mont Tremblant Park, which is probably the source of the rare individuals we've spotted at MBO during migration. Further proof that we never know what surprises await on any given morning, and how quickly an ordinary day can turn extraordinary. In addition, two more species were added to this fall's overall checklist – a Northern Goshawk and a pair of American Pipits.
For the top ten banded this week, very little has changed in the top three spots, with the Yellow-rumped Warblers still in a very clear lead, despite a small drop in numbers - hard as it still is to believe that 649 in one week could be considered a reduced quantity. Like last week they were followed by Ruby-crowned Kinglet and White-throated Sparrow, each of which increased slightly in numbers. While they both topped the 100 bird mark for the week, the Yellow-rumped Warblers overshadowed them to such an extent that their peak wasn't evident until we looked at the total numbers at the end of the week. Song Sparrow and American Robin both jumped up several spots in the list, as their late season migration became more evident. Nashville Warblers were the only other warbler to make it into the top ten this week, with most others now having made their way well to the south already.
Canada Geese were still seen in large flocks daily this week. The Yellow-rumped Warblers jumped up to the second most frequently observed species of the week - it's not often that a small songbird beats out the large and noisy flocks of robins, crows, and blackbirds for such a prominent spot on the list, but it reflects the sheer number of these little guys around! The remainder of the top ten species are all common fall birds for the station. With an average of 1000+ individuals seen on site each day, MBO has been a busy place indeed this week 10.
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