Banders & Birders, This weekend brought very good numbers of hummingbirds again (41 banded), and moderate numbers but good diversity of warblers. Thrushes were beginning to move in, but Empidonax flycatchers were completely absent (darn!). A total of 128 birds (plus 5 recaptures) was banded this weekend, with 68 (+2) on Saturday and 60 (+3) on Sunday. Saturday's highlights included an Eastern Screech-Owl captured on our second net run (6:45 a.m.), which we've been trying to do (unsuccessfully) at this station for six years! Of course, night banding at this locale has had them, but never before in the early morning hours. Another unusual capture for us was a Mourning Dove, the first of the season. We don't catch many Mourning Doves, and this one was in a net with woodland on both sides! Other season firsts were a Wood Thrush and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak (same net run as the owl). Highlights of Sunday included our 4th Mourning Warbler of the season, which ties our previous record season, and our 8th Veery, which breaks our previous record by one. Of additional interest, we captured 10 Red-eyed Vireos this weekend, and after noting in my last report our 7th ever adult, we captured no less than three more this weekend. On Sunday we had the pleasure of visiting banders/hummingbird bander trainee Daniel Webb from Ohio, and another bander, Deb Plotts.
Butterfly and dragonfly numbers were up slightly from last weekend, with increased numbers of Monarchs and Black Saddlebags, but diversity remains about the same. Seven Monarchs were tagged on Saturday and Sunday, with good numbers migrating above the treetops on both days. Photo highlights will be posted over the next couple days on the HBMO website (www.hbmo.org). Banding results: Saturday, September 6, 2003 9.00 hours from 05:00 - 14:00 E.S.T., 112.50 Net Hours. Temperature was 14-26 Celsius, sky was mostly clear to clear, wind was SW-W @ 3-5 km/hr. 68 birds of 16 species, plus 2 recaptures. Mourning Dove - 1 (first of season) Eastern Screech-Owl - 1 (first for station in "daylight") Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 22 Blue Jay - 1 Veery - 1 Swainson's Thrush - 5 Wood Thrush - 1 (first of season) Red-eyed Vireo - 3 Nashville Warbler - 3 Magnolia Warbler - 16 Black-throated Green Warbler - 1 Black-and-white Warbler - 3 American Redstart - 2 Ovenbird - 4 Wilson's Warbler - 3 [Northern Cardinal - 2 recaptures] Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1 (first of season) Banders: Allen Chartier, Bob Hall-Brooks, Carl Pascoe Assistants: Rachel Powless Sunday, September 7, 2003 10.00 hours from 05:00 - 15:00 E.S.T., 125.00 Net Hours. Temperature was 17-28 Celsius, sky was mostly clear to clear, wind was SSW @ 3-5 km/hr. 60 birds of 19 species, plus 3 recaptures. Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 19 Veery - 1 (8th of season, record) Gray Catbird - 1 Red-eyed Vireo - 7 Tennessee Warbler - 2 Nashville Warbler - 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler - 3 Magnolia Warbler - 10 (+1 recapture) Black-throated Blue Warbler - 1 Bay-breasted Warbler - 1 Blackpoll Warbler - 1 Black-and-white Warbler - 2 American Redstart - 2 (+1 recapture) Ovenbird - 2 Mourning Warbler - 1 (4th of season, ties record) Wilson's Warbler - 2 (+1 recapture) Canada Warbler - 1 Northern Cardinal - 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1 Banders: Allen Chartier, Carl Pascoe, Bob Hall-Brooks Assistants: Rachel Powless Visiting Bander/Trainees: Daniel C. Webb, Deb F. Plotts Holiday Beach Migration Observatory (HBMO) is an organization devoted to monitoring migration at the Holiday Beach Conservation Area, Essex Co., Ontario, administered by the Essex Region Conservation Authority. In addition to a hawk-watch/passerine count that has been in operation since 1974, HBMO operates three banding stations, two for raptors (since 1987) and one for passerines and hummingbirds (since 1997). The Holiday Beach Conservation Area was designated an Important Bird Area by Conservation International in 2000. Lat: 42-01'54.1" Long: 083-02'41.6" Website: www.hbmo.org Allen Chartier [EMAIL PROTECTED] 1442 West River Park Drive Inkster, MI 48141 Website: http://www.amazilia.net Michigan HummerNet: http://www.amazilia.net/MIHummerNet/index.htm "Allen Chartier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
