With many of our long-distance migrants already departed, this week was generally slow for the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory (LSLBO) with one exception: after days of rain and high winds, the nice weather on September 20 provided this year’s busiest day in the nets with 231 captures as birds foraged to make up for… Read more »
Weekly Banding Reports
September 8 – 14, 2022
With less than two weeks remaining, the end of songbird migration monitoring is fast approaching for the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory. Although a few large foraging flocks produced two days of over 120 captures each, activity has begun to diminish as the second wave of Myrtle Warblers wanes. Only a few early migrants linger… Read more »
September 1 – 7, 2022
With thousands more birds overhead and a day of 202 birds in the nets, September began busy for the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory. The vast majority of these observations were Myrtle Warblers, but they were joined by a handful of Orange-crowned Warblers, Palm Warblers, Cedar Waxwings, and what was likely the last of the… Read more »
August 25 – 31, 2022
With no recent sightings of the Black Bears which earlier seemed to be around every corner, the LSLBO can again open our nets. Yet most migration continues as a stream of overhead Myrtle Warblers with some new faces. These new observations include Greater White-fronted Geese, Gray-cheeked Thrush, and American Pipits – all tundra breeders we… Read more »
August 18 – 24, 2022
As fall migration gains momentum with a second wave of birds heading south, the LSLBO has had to keep most nets closed due to persistent and bold black bears on-site. To keep birds safe, we have kept 12 of our 14 nets closed, opening only our two aerial nets that are raised up into the… Read more »
August 11 – 17, 2022
As the LSLBO enters the lull in migration that often occurs mid to late August, we are left wondering where all the Myrtle Warblers are. This subspecies of the Yellow-rumped Warbler tends to be our top captured and observed songbird, but at 177 banded they are only in fourth place. While we wait to see… Read more »
August 4 – 10, 2022
The unusual and exciting captures of our Fall Migration Monitoring program continued for the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory with our tenth ever Red-winged Blackbird, despite periods of poor weather and often subdued bird activity. Thanks to this lull we are able to summarize our Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program, which completed on… Read more »
July 27 – August 3, 2022
The Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory recently finished its final period of Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS), but our summary of this breeding-focused program will have to wait until next week. While most of the 629 birds banded this week were again American Redstarts and Yellow Warblers, our Fall Migration Monitoring program had three… Read more »
July 21 – 27, 2022
Southward songbird migration is well underway at the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory. Though the sky is relatively quiet, the nets are getting busier such that July 27 captured 141 birds to become the busiest day of captures so far this fall monitoring period. Since migration began, the nets have been busier than average overall,… Read more »
July 14 – 20, 2022
Believe it or not, the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory began tracking southward bird migration on July 12. The first week of Fall Migration Monitoring was slow with captures and observations of baby birds and their parents many, but observations of clear migration few. Already a shift has begun. More and more we are seeing… Read more »
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Join us next month for our OWL NIGHTS! Learn about the LSLBO Owl Fall Migration Monitoring program, enjoy the fun activities and if you are lucky, get the change to see a beautiful Northern Saw-whet Owl up close! ![]()
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Space is limited for this popular program so call/email soon to book your spot!
After the weekend's wind and rain, we were treated to our busiest day of 2022's banding on September 20. Of the 231 birds captured, 184 were Myrtle Warblers. Something is missing from this bird, can you tell what? The answer lies in our weekly report: www.lslbo.org/weekly-banding-reports/september-15-21-2022/
Both Yellow-bellied Flycatchers (left) and Alder Flycatchers (right) are quietly moving through. Most years our last observation of these species is during the second week of September, so we may have already seen our last for 2022. Certain flycatcher species are the subject of a new collaborative research project which you can learn more about here: www.lslbo.org/weekly-banding-reports/september-8-14-2022/