|
|
THIS WEEK |
THIS SPRING |
2013 TOTAL |
SITE TOTAL |
|
# birds (and species) banded |
29 (19) |
790 (68) |
1158 (73) |
42670 (112) |
# birds (and species) repeat |
22 (11) |
226 (33) |
297 (35) |
8278 (70) |
|
# birds (and species) return |
4 (4) |
105 (23) |
137 (27) |
1346 (38) |
|
# species observed |
77 |
145 |
149 |
208 |
|
# net hours |
240.0 |
2683.8 |
2738.8 |
72028.5 |
|
# birds banded / 100 net hours |
12.1 |
27.0 |
38.9 |
59.0 |
|
|
Note: table does not include nocturnal banding (owls) |
Bander-in-charge: Simon Duval
Assistants: Marc Boisvert, Salomé Bonnefoi, Luke Currin, Barbara Frei, Jo-Annie Gagnon, Alison Hackney, Jeff Harrison, Lisa Keelty, Betsy McFarlane, Benoit Piquette, Catherine Russell, Patricia Stotland
Notes: The spring season went out with a whimper, the 29 individuals banded this week matching the record low for week 10 set back in 2006, despite the weather improving and allowing full operations for the final three days of the banding program. Although the last couple of weeks were unusually quiet, the season total is actually within a few birds of the mean of all eight previous spring programs. Red-bellied Woodpecker was the only addition this week to the season checklist for species observed. However, that raised the total to 145, well above average for spring, and behind only 2009 (146) and 2006 (148).
This week’s
top 10 [last week's top 10 in brackets]
#
individuals banded |
mean # individuals observed daily |
1. Traill's Flycatcher (4) [5] |
1. Red-winged Blackbird (32) [1] |
1. Wilson's Warbler (4) [6] |
2. Cedar Waxwing (19) [-] |
3. Gray Catbird (2) [8] |
3. Yellow Warbler (13) [3] |
3. Indigo Bunting (2) [-] |
4. Cliff Swallow (12) [8] |
3. Song Sparrow (2) [-] |
5. American Crow (9) [2] |
3. Baltimore Oriole (2) [-] |
6. Blue Jay (9) [-] |
7. 13 species tied (1) |
7. Song Sparrow (8) [7] |
| |
8. Baltimore Oriole (7) [6] |
| |
9. Common Yellowthroat (7) [5] |
| |
10. American Goldfinch (6) [10]
10. Common Grackle (6) [-]
|
|
Granted, the numbers are small in a week when only 29 birds were banded in total - but this marks the first time ever that a flycatcher has topped the weekly list of species at MBO! Traill's Flycatcher shared the honour with Wilson's Warbler - also a newcomer to top spot, although this marks the fourth time in the past six years that 4 individuals have been banded in week 10. Unlike those two species that almost certainly are late migrants, the four-way tie for third place was occupied by species that are likely all local breeders, reflecting the decision to cut off banding midway through the final week of the season. The remaining 13 species with one bird banded each represented a mix of the two groups, with the late migrants including Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Magnolia and Blackpoll Warblers.
The mean daily count of Red-winged Blackbirds was virtually unchanged from week 9, and the species remained the most abundant on site by a wide margin. Cedar Waxwings finally arrived in good numbers and took second place, while Yellow Warbler maintained its strong showing this spring, hanging on to third place. Cliff Swallow sightings were up a bit this week, while American Crows were unusually scarce. Another wave of Blue Jays came through, bumping them up to sixth place. Otherwise though, the list was rounded out by summer residents - Common Yellowthroat, Song Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Common Grackle, and American Goldfinch.
And so another spring season has already come to an end! Thank you very much to the many volunteers who made valuable contributions throughout the season - we look forward to seeing you all again when the Fall Migration Monitoring Program kicks off in just 8 weeks, on August 1. Meanwhile, please check out the trip reports from our various Birdathon teams below, and consider making a contribution in support of your favourite - this is MBO's most important annual fundraiser, and every bit counts!
MBO Green Team - MBO and surroundings by bike (donate)
Red-eyed Wearios - eastern Ontario and southwestern Quebec (donate)
Alison Hackney - West Montreal by bike (donate)
Marcel Gahbauer - southern Alberta (donate)
|
Always one of the most stunning birds at MBO - a male Indigo Bunting.
(Photo by Simon Duval)
|
