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Rushton Banding Station Final Spring Update

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Thanks for a wonderful season and look for fall banding information arriving in late August!

If you’d like to receive Rushton bird updates and photographs throughout the summer, please subscribe to our blog: http://wctbirds.wordpress.com/

 Friends of Rushton Banding,

Spring migration banding came to a screeching halt a week earlier than anticipated.   The lack of migrants in the trees and in our nets was a sign that birds bound for the north had moved through.   Instead of  brightly colored warblers, we were catching our own breeding birds sometimes again and again.

Ovenbird by Adrian Binns
Ovenbirds are small, inconspicuous birds that build their nests on the forest floor throughout Rushton Woods.

Banding in the vicinity of nests and nestlings puts pressure on the parents and their ability to incubate and feed their young.   By closing the nets for the season we eliminated that stressor and insured that Rushton’s breeders will have a good chance to raise big healthy broods.  It was the right thing to do.

Before we made that decision, however, a  Pileated Woodpecker gave us some last minute excitement.  We finally caught  the “Woody Woodpecker” bird and on a day of celebration!

Young Pileated Woodpecker
This Pileated woodpecker was the grand finale of our spring migration banding season!

We were celebrating the completion of the banding shelter with Marge and Art Miller whose Chester County Community Foundation provided the funds for the project.  The shelter gives us a level floor, protection from the elements, storage, a gorgeous spruce table and lots of light.   Cody Pitz, the Eagle Scout who completed the huge building assignment, wore his circa 1910 scout uniform-straight out of Norman Rockwell.   Cody’s mom and dad, architect Dick Bensing and lots of banding friends were also on hand as WCT officials offered their appreciation for the generous grant and Cody’s leadership and hard work.

Contributors to the Banding Shelter
(From Left) Architect Dick Bensing, Marge Miller, Eagle scout Cody Pitz, and Art Miller.

 

Reporters from The Malvern Patch filmed the story.   If you want to see the article and two short interviews, take a look at  Malvern.patch.com.  You’ll also see more footage of the Pileated Woodpecker.

 

That was the good news.  Saw-whet Owls and Pileated Woodpeckers wear the same size band – #4.  All my owl banding equipment is stored together and separately from passerine equipment because they are never used together and there’s no point dragging it all around all year.   Therefore, the size 4 band I needed was in it’s special safe storage space in my basement and we had to release Woody unbanded.  That was a disappointment that could have been avoided.  It may take some time, but we’ll catch another Woody one of these days.  The pair flies over and around our nets all the time.   I carry size 4 bands everywhere now!

 

We banded a total of 450 birds of more than 40 species.  As our first spring attempt, we are very pleased with the results.  I think we can anticipate starting a week earlier next year.  I think we’ll move some nets that weren’t as productive in spring as in fall.  I know we’ll welcome back our talented and loyal banding assistants, Lou Hahn, Denis Brennan, Win Shafer, Godefroy Devevey, Jamie Miller and Erika Arnold.

white-eyed vireo by Adrian Binns
This exquisite White-eyed vireo was one of the more surprising visitors to Rushton this spring.

The fall season should start in the last week of August, give or take a little.  We’ll have to see when north winds begin bringing the birds back to us.  And, I believe our banding days will again be Tuesday and Wednesday.  We plan to start Saw-whet Owl banding in early-mid October.

Northern saw-whet owl
Northern Saw-whet owl migration typically peaks in late October, right around Halloween!

Enjoy your summer, relax, watch birds and I hope to

 
See you in the woods.

Doris

Spring Migration Banding is Closed for the Season – But Stay Tuned

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Our Banding team completed three productive days during the week of May 16 through the 21st despite unrelenting rain.  We continued to catch migrants stopping at “Hotel Rushton” for food and rest on their way north.  We also had a visit from human migrant, Natalie Staples, our former intern and budding writer whose college essay was inspired by her banding with us two years ago.  She was as excited as ever to rejoin us banding during her break from Kenyon College and this illustrated an important part of what Rushton banding is all about.

 Capturing the talent and imagination of young people on behalf of avian research, conservation and education are lofty goals which we hope to achieve.

Speaking of talent and imagination, Saturday, May 21, was dedicated to young birders and they came in droves!  Our visitors totaled 65 on a sunny day with lots of cooperative birds jumping into our nets.  We welcomed more than 40 youngsters from 4 to 18 years old, along with parents, teachers, and mentors from several partnering organizations.  The Episcopal Academy Bird Club led by our volunteer, Win Schafer, was our middle school population, while an older group of experienced birders came from Upper Main Line Y.  PA Young Birders from the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (http://www.payoungbirders.org/PA_Young_Birders/Welcome.html ) were also part of the mix.  The very youngest birders were members of the Rushton Junior Bird Club.

Banders demonstrated band application, measuring, ageing and sexing birds.  Kids got close views of wings, tail feathers, brood patches and even ticks attached around the birds’ eyes.

Seeing the kids visual acuity reminded all of us “older kids” that young eyes are extremely useful for birdwatching.  One young birder spotted a Common Nighthawk roosting in a tree, which sent visitors rushing to see a bird most people won’t see in a lifetime.  Not a hawk at all, it’s actually a member of the nightjar family and please read more about this fascinating bird here:  http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/id

Stay tuned for our last update, which is slightly delayed due to our busy spring schedules.

 

Doris and Lisa

Banding Update – Monday May 16, 2011

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As we mark the half-way point of  the spring banding season, we’ve banded 300 birds from 40 species and we’ve caught many birds that we banded in the past seasons.   Remarkably we’ve had a diverse set of warblers such as Yellow-rumped, Nashville, Magnolia, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, and Black-and-white. Among other interesting birds were White-eyed vireo, Baltimore Oiole, Indigo Bunting, Ovenbird, Veery, Swainson’s Trush, and Wood thrush.  Of course, the most magnificent was the male Scarlet Tanager who happened by as Bonnie Van Alen was visiting.

Bashful woodthrush
Bashful woodthrush

Banding at Rushton would have been a blast even if we didn’t catch so many colorful warblers, orioles, and vireos. However, we also saw a box turtle, a striking red, yellow and black corn snake and we found a garter snake “eating” a wood frog! Actually the snake was only “holding hands” with the frog because only the narrowest part of the frog’s leg could fit in the snake’s flexible jaw.   Frog tried to hop away and snake tightened his grip.  We’re not sure what would have happened if we hadn’t been there, but we were there and the snake finally let go of the frog’s leg. We left them in peace and didn’t see them again.

First Veery of the season
First Veery of the season.

This was nature way of illustrating “your eyes are bigger than your stomach.”   Our expertise is bird banding, but we’re interest spans all life forms at the Preserve.

We changed the path to one net to avoid flushing a Turkey Vulture sitting on two eggs. Before we found the eggs, we thought the vultures were feeding on an animal that had died in the woods.  A vulture flew up every time we checked a net suggesting a nest was nearby, but we couldn’t be sure until we found the eggs. Vultures prefer to nest in caves, outcroppings and abandoned buildings, but this pair found a suitable situation in a large cave-like tangle.  Vultures make little or no sounds, so their nests are especially difficult to confirm.

Male Indigo Bunting
Male Indigo Bunting

The quantity and diversity of our human visitors has rivaled that of our bird species.  On May 4th, visitors at our Banding Station represented 6 other countries:  Russia, Ghana, France, New Zealand, Ireland, and England.   Since then, we’ve hosted members from the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (DVOC), The Pennsylvania Institute for Conservation Education (PICE), Bryn Athens College Ornithology Class, The Westtown School’s first grade class, and staff members from Veritable Investment Consultants, LP.

For the record, Cody Pitz from the Radnor Boy Scout Troop has recently become our banding station’s hero as we sit atop the beautifully constructed “Rushton Banding Lodge.”  He has worked tirelessly during the past few months constructing a magnificentshelter for our banding station, which has given us a comfortable place to band birds and host visitors.  As we continue to captivate our visitors, we areextremely grateful to our dedicated group of volunteers who keep the station running stress-free.

See you in the woods.

Doris and Lisa

Just a few photos to share

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Hi everyone,

Our bird banders have been very, very busy this spring. So busy that they haven’t had much time to post updates on the blog. So I thought I would share just a few of the extraordinary birds they have banded during the last few weeks. Enjoy!

-Jodi

Bonnie and Tanager gazing into each other's eyes
Bonnie, our fearless leader, and a male scarlet tanager.
Emily with Baltimore Oriole 2
Emily, our stewardship intern from Conestoga High School, with a Baltimore Oriole.
Female Blue winged warbler 2
Female Blue Winged Warbler
Isabel with Magnolia warbler
Isabel with Magnolia warbler
Male Canada Warbler
Westown students admire a Male Canada Warbler

Spring Banding Has Begun!

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Our Spring banding season began with a rainy day, a foggy day and a gorgeous day each with corresponding results.  Twelve students from the Vertebrate Zoology class at Eastern College studied our birds and observed the banding process on Wed.

Not only are Rushton’s breeding birds returning from wintering grounds, but many neo-tropical migrants stop at Rushton to rest and feed before continuing north to breed. These transient little jewels with red, yellow, blue and orange feathers bring sighs from banders that rival those heard at fireworks…OOH, AHH.Worm Eating Warbler

A Worm-eating Warbler on the 19th was an early surprise.  This little warbler is prettier in the hand than as pictured in field guides.  Its breast really has a “pumpkin” hue which glows against the olive tones of the back and wings.  Other warblers caught for the first time were Blue-winged, Yellow Palm (always a golden stunner), Myrtle Warbler and Nashville.

A few Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows are still in the hedgerows, but they will quickly depart.  Only our Eastern Towhee, Gray Catbird, Common Yellowthroat, Field Sparrow and Chipping Sparrow have returned, but we know that Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager and other Rushton breeders will shortly be arriving and hopefully jumping into our nets.

The dawn chorus increases with each new avian arrival.  Eastern Bluebirds (one pair is nesting in the box between net #2 and #4) dominate the chorus and we were happy to finally put a band on one.  This male Bluebird was at least two years old judged by the color and lack of contrast in his flight feathers.  He had sustained a serious head injury which removed the skin and feathers of his crown leaving his skull exposed in a circular wound.  How did he get through the horrible winter of 2010 without 100% of his insulation intact?  We will be on the lookout for this male with his shiny band and a gray line where his crown feathers are missing.

We are proud that Lisa Kiziuk received her banding license in March and that two of our volunteers will take advanced training to perfect their banding skills.

When you visit, you’ll be wowed by the new banding shelter that is being erected by Cody Pitz as his Eagle Scout project.  It provides protection from the elements, a flat dry floor, storage bins and extra seating for visitors.  Supported with a generous grant from the Miller Family Foundation and a donation of skylights by Lou and Barbara Hahn we are eagerly awaiting its completion.

See you in the woods.

Doris