Stéphane’s Posting for Oct. 23, 2011

A Burst of Birds!

After the storms of mid-week, weather cleared and birds moved through.  American Tree Sparrows arrived from their northerly breeding grounds: we banded 7 on Friday the 21st ! There are also lots of Juncos, Kinglets (mostly Golden-crowned), and Chickadees, which make the bulk of our captures.

Sizable flocks of White-winged Crossbills were detected on Friday, as well as smaller numbers the following days. On Saturday, we got a young female Pileated Woodpecker, a very fitting birthday present for our volunteer, Kendal, who turned 25 that day!

Unusual duck species have been hanging around on Wingfield Basin: scoters (one bird of each 3 species!) and one long-tailed Duck. There are also 2 Horned Grebes on the basin. I am still waiting for Buffleheads and Goldeneyes, always late migrants. Most gulls have moved away, as only a few are seen now.

Today, Sunday 23, there was a Red-bellied Woodpecker at Cabot Head.

Stéphane