Stéphane’s Post for Sept. 12/10
“Goodies” at Cabot Head
A new species of bird banded at Cabot Head!
On September 10, we were very surprised to catch in our nets an Olive-sided Flycatcher! It was duly banded with a 1B size band, as a Hatch-Year. It is surprisingly a relatively big bird in hand, especially when one is used to Least or Willow/Alder Flycatchers!
It is the first Olive-sided Flycatcher banded at Cabot Head Research Station ever! This species is detected every spring and rarely in the fall in low numbers, most often heard than seen.
Another interesting bird is the Yellow-billed Cuckoo that was caught on September 9! In the last 8 years, it has been captured in 5 falls, in very small numbers (one or 2), but never in spring.
Other goodies at Cabot Head this week-end were the delicious meals, generously shared by a group of painters from Owen Sound with the banding team. It was a week-end workshop by members of StudioXX (check out their website at studioXX.ca), but it seems to us more of an eating workshop! Their food was delicious and it is hard to single out any of it. But it has to be said that Kathy’s brownies were absolutely fabulous!!!
That’s how tough life is at Cabot Head!
Stéphane
Very cool! This species was recently added to schedule One of the Federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). This species has declined by as much as 80 percent over the last 20 years in Ontario and has experienced similar declines throughout its range.