Andrew’s Posting for May 17th to May 22nd

90 Birds Banded and 130 Species Seen in 1 Day.

Today (May 17th) was a slow day with only 24 birds banded of 10 species including Sharp Shinned Hawk, Veery, Blue Jay and Black Throated Blue Warbler. Both Bald Eagles were seen sitting on their nest but they don’t seem to be very active around it so the nest likely doesn’t have eggs this year.

Today (May 18th) was windless and warm and our nets were full of birds. We banded 90 birds of 21 species including; Brown Creeper, Ruby Crowned Kinglet, Bay Breasted Warbler, Ovenbird, Northern Parula our first Blackburnian Warblers and  Canada Warblers and Gray Catbirds. 13 species of warblers were banded for the day and 13 species were seen on Baywatch including; Bufflehead, White Winged Scoter and Black Scoter. A Green Heron was heard calling from across the basin during census and later seen in a fir tree. 49 species on census Spotted Sandpiper, Wilson’s Snipe, and Red Bellied Woodpecker.

Today (May 19th) BPBO scaled back its operations at CHRS and focused on the Birdathon census and observations were still undertaken. We finally broke the big five-O barrier with 52 species seen on census and 62 seen for the daily count at CHRS. Small movement of raptors included Red Tailed Hawk, Broad Winged Hawk, Sharp Shinned Hawk, Merlin, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon flying low leaving the observers below awestruck by it flying prowess. Birdathon was done by President of BPBO Rod Steinacher, Vice-President Ted Cheskey, Salvadora Morales and myself. It began at 4:00 am and continued until 11:00 pm, a grueling grind of slogging through marshes and forests to show our dedication and respect for birds. 130 species were seen in the area between Cabot Head and Cape Hurd! Thanks to all those who sponsored us!

Today (May 20th) was very windy and we were unable to open all of our nets however we still banded quite a lot for the we had open. We banded 33 birds of 9 species including Our first Yellow Bellied Flycatcher as well as Swainson’s Thrush, Wilson’s Warbler and  Canada Warbler. With May dragging on waterfowl movements over Georgian Bay are slowing down and Baywatches are becoming less eventful today the usual birds Common Loon, Red Breasted Merganser and Common Merganser. Census turned up our first Eastern Wood Pewee of the year and several Blackpoll Warblers.

Today (May 21st) was windy once again and again only a few nets could be opened but still an average day with 54 birds of 19 species banded. We banded our first Red Eyed Vireo, Tennessee Warbler and Mourning Warblers as well as 9 other warbler species, a total of 12. An Eastern Towhee was heard singing across the basin during census and a Whip-Poor-Will was heard calling early in the morning, it has been calling from just dark to midnight for the past 2 weeks but was only heard once during our monitoring period. Rose Breasted Grosbeak was seen as were 4 Bobolinks as they flew over calling “pink” and over 120 Cedar Waxwings were counted today.

Today (May 22nd) was yet another windy day but almost all the nets were opened for the morning. Slower than yesterday we banded 46 birds of 14 species including our first Wood Thrush of the year and a Sharp Shinned Hawk. 39 species were seen on census including; Turkey Vulture, Blue Headed and Red Eyed Vireo, Indigo Bunting and Red Bellied Woodpecker. A single Ruby Crowned Kinglet was seen today during obs and over 70 Canada Geese were seen flying high in the sky North.

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