To report technical problems,
e-mail webmaster@lslbo.org

Archived Postings

July 17, 2006 – July 23, 2006

July 17 to July 23, 2006 After this week, it is safe to say that the migrants are beginning move through. Daily observations increased dramatically and visual migration counts began to detect birds. It is not full fledged migration; it may be limited local movement since many of the birds captured were still in the middle of their summer moult and some young birds were still in their juvenile plumage. Another sign that the birds were moving through is that they were observed in mixed flocks. A wide variety of species will migrate together for predator defense and to increase foraging efficiency. Observing mixed flocks passing by is great, but banding them is better. This week, we banded a lot of birds. The banding total for the entire spring migration was 534 birds. We came very close to matching that total, banding 471 birds this week alone. The week started of with steady banding totals of about 30 birds a day. Then it picked up. Banding over 100 birds a day is considered a very busy day, especially with two people operating the station. July 20th was considered a very hectic day when 164 birds were banded that morning alone. The rest of the week remained steady busy. Species diversity is typically high on days with high capture rates when birds are moving in mixed flocks. The more common birds make up the majority of the captures. The top species captured were Tennessee warblers, Myrtle warblers, yellow warblers, American redstarts, and ovenbirds. These are usually the top species captured every fall. Mixed in with these species are less common birds. Philadelphia vireos, bay-breasted warblers, blackpoll warblers, black-throated green warblers, Cape May warblers, western tanagers, and swamp sparrows all appeared in the nets for the first time in 2006. One thing about fall banding, you never know when, where, or if there will be a big rush of birds. We completed the second last round of MAPS banding this week. Operating both migration station and MAPS at the same time means that observatory staff must split up. MAPS stations can be just as busy as the migration station. Not this week. While 471 birds were banded at the migration station, only 22 birds were banded at the four MAPS stations. While 164 birds were being banded that one morning, only 9 were being banded at the MAPS station the same morning. Birds will often concentrate in one area to forge before they move on, while the surrounding areas are quiet. There isn’t much that can be done about it, just bring a book, enjoy the summer sun, and wait.

2010