Banders & Birders, This weekend brought a significant increase in hummingbird, warbler and thrush numbers to our site, but decreases in Empidonax flycatchers (some of us are actually disappointed in this). Including the vailant attempts of Bob, Carl & Rachel to operate the station today, a rainy Monday Memorial Day, we were open for a total of 21.50 hours (263.75 Net Hours) over the weekend. Daily banding totals included 103 (plus 1 recapture) on Saturday, 59 (plus 2 recaptures) on Sunday, and a lone bird in 2 hours of effort between raindrops on Monday. Our single-day record for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (previously 14) was broken both days, with 28 banded Saturday and 16 on Sunday. This is the largest movement of hummingbirds we've ever recorded this early in the season. Saturday's highlights included the second ever Golden-winged Warbler for the station, and 16 warbler species total which included the first Cape May, Black-throated Green, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll (6), Wilson's (3), Common Yellowthroats (2), and American Redstarts (7) of the season. The three Red Bats caught in our nets on the second net run were also quite interesting. Sunday's highlights included the season's first Eastern Wood-Pewee, Red-eyed Vireos (4), and Nashville Warbler. One of the Red-eyed Vireos was an adult, which may seem unremarkable, but this is only the 7th adult we've captured here since 1997 (out of 136 banded), and the first one in three years. Monday's highlights undoubtedly included getting warm and dry at home!
Butterfly and dragonfly numbers were quite low, with no significant sightings. Four Monarchs were tagged on Saturday and Sunday, with good numbers migrating above the treetops on Saturday. Photo highlights will be posted over the next couple days on the HBMO website (www.hbmo.org). Banding results: Saturday, August 30, 2003 10.00 hours from 05:00 - 15:00 E.S.T., 125.00 Net Hours. Temperature was 17-23 Celsius, sky was mostly cloudy to partly cloudy, wind was N @ 3-5 km/hr. 103 birds of 22 species, plus 1 recapture. Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 28 (record) Blue Jay - 1 Carolina Wren - 1 Veery - 2 Swainson's Thrush - 6 Golden-winged Warbler - 1 (second ever for station) Tennessee Warbler - 12 Chestnut-sided Warbler - 3 Magnolia Warbler - 19 Cape May Warbler - 1 (first of season) Black-throated Blue Warbler - 1 Black-throated Green Warbler - 1 (first of season) Bay-breasted Warbler - 1 (first of season) Blackpoll Warbler - 6 (first of season) Black-and-white Warbler - 2 American Redstart - 7 (first of season) Ovenbird - 3 Northern Waterthrush - 1 Mourning Warbler - 1 Common Yellowthroat - 2 (first of season) Wilson's Warbler - 3 (first of season) Northern Cardinal - 1 Banders: Allen Chartier, Bob Hall-Brooks, Carl Pascoe Assistants: Rachel Powless Sunday, August 31, 2003 9.50 hours from 05:00 - 14:50 E.S.T., 118.75 Net Hours. Temperature was 12-20 Celsius, sky was mostly cloudy, wind was S @ 3-5 km/hr. 59 birds of 19 species, plus 2 recaptures. Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 16 Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1 (first of season) Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 1 Blue Jay - 1 Veery - 3 Swainson's Thrush - 1 Red-eyed Vireo - 4 (first of season) Tennessee Warbler - 1 Nashville Warbler - 1 (first of season) Chestnut-sided Warbler - 4 Magnolia Warbler - 11 Black-throated Blue Warbler - 2 Blackpoll Warbler - 2 Black-and-white Warbler - 1 American Redstart - 3 Ovenbird - 3 Mourning Warbler - 1 Wilson's Warbler - 2 American Goldfinch - 1 Banders: Allen Chartier, Carl Pascoe, Bob Hall-Brooks Assistants: Rachel Powless Monday, September 1, 2003 2.00 hours from 08:30 - 10:30 E.S.T., 20.00 Net Hours (only 10 nets opened). Temperature was 14-16 Celsius, sky was overcast and mostly rainy, wind was NE @ 3-5 km/hr. 1 bird of 1 species. Magnolia Warbler - 1 Banders: Bob Hall-Brooks, Carl Pascoe Assistants: Rachel Powless 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.
