Today was a make-up day for getting rained out yesterday (Thursday, 7/15). And it more than made up for the inconvenience. We had 39 total individuals of 10 species of which 32 were new, six were recaptures and one was unbanded.
Four cedar waxwings were a nice catch. It was two pairs and they showed the large variation in the wax tipped secondaries for which they get their name. The first pair had no waxy tips at all and the second pair had a full complement. Either way they are very attractive birds.
An American redstart was a bit of a surprise. We don’t catch many at this site although they are a common nester locally. This birds was a Second Year (SY) female and appeared to have been reproductively active. How nearby it nested is anyone’s guess. She was well into her pre-basic molt and really looks a mess!
The bird of the day was an American Woodcock. This woodland shorebird is one of the oddest looking birds around. Their camouflaged markings are exquisite and their eyes are set so far back on their head that have binocular vision both to the front and the back. This was an HY bird and was probably fledged here at the station. We had been flushing a woodcock earlier in the summer by the first net and there was probably a nest nearby.
Here's the catch:
American Woodcock 1 N
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 U
Black-capped Chickadee 3 N
American Robin 2 N
Gray Catbird 16 N, 3 R
Cedar Waxwing 4 N
American Redstart 1 N
Song Sparrow 3 N. 2 R
Brown-headed Cowbird 1 N
American Goldfinch 1 N, 1 R
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