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Southbound

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Baltimore Oriole banded this May. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff.

Summer is short for our migratory birds like this dazzling Baltimore Oriole. They grace us with their stunning tropical colors and songs for just a few months before their restless souls are again pulled southbound. The truth is, many of these neotropical migrants would likely call the lower latitudes their real home. The North’s appeal lies only in our temperate protein pulse, set in motion each spring by the freeze/thaw cycles found nowhere else. Rich nutrients from glacial soils migrate to the surface of rivers as it warms, thus supercharging an insect driven food web.

This spring’s banding season was our best spring yet with a total of 608 birds of 51 species. That total number includes 483 brand new birds plus 125 recaptures. All but one of the recaptures were our own birds either banded within the same spring season or in previous years at Rushton. The one outlier, or foreign recovery, was an American Goldfinch that was originally banded last fall as a hatch year bird in Maryland!

Visitors helping to release an American Goldfinch after it was banded this May. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff

April and May set some other records for us as well. We were seeing stripes as Black-and-white Warblers dripped from the trees; sure enough, the data showed that we more than doubled out highest Black-and-white capture (14 in 2017) with a total of 33! Oriole numbers were up as well with 7 Baltimore and 3 Orchard. This could very well be a testament to the rich edge habitat, which is preserved around our Rushton Farm that promotes conservation.

Visitors of all ages, from grade schools to universities, flocked to our banding station this spring to learn about these incredible creatures and how our banding efforts help us understand more about them. Check out our previous blog post to learn more about why we band birds at Rushton. Also please enjoy the galleries below of the highlights from our spring banding season. (Click on the individual photos for slideshow style with captions)

April 2019 Rushton Banding Highlights

May 2019 Rushton Banding Highlights

You can visit our banding station at Rushton Woods Preserve now that we are officially opened to the public for fall migration every Tuesday and Thursday morning (weather permitting) from sunrise until about 11 am. Fall migration extends from September 3rd to the first week of November. Stay tuned here for updates and photos throughout the exciting fall season, which is already off to a roaring start with 104 birds caught this past Tuesday.

There’s a lot going on in the woods,

Blake

A bird bander measures the wing of an American Goldfinch this April. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff

For the Love of Birds

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Golden-crowned Kinglet banded on October 30th. Photo by Blake Goll

On the morning before Halloween, the hedgerows and meadows of Rushton were teeming with migratory birds that had descended on the preserve in the pre-dawn chill.  Banders skillfully processed a rush of 60 birds in just the first two hours of opening; the sun was high by the time Alison and I finally had the chance to look at each other and exchange morning greetings after those blurred hours of poring over birds side-by-side behind the banding table.  During the lulls in activity, cold banders could be seen standing in the meadow thawing in the morning sun—some dressed in ridiculous (and awesome) bird onesies in the spirit of the holiday.

One of our banding volunteers as a Scarlet Macaw on October 30th Banding Bender. Photo by Blake Goll

We could not have picked a better day for Rushton’s first 24-hour long banding big day or bird banding bender as some called it.  The purpose of this endeavor was to understand how the bird community shifts throughout the day at Rushton, whether foraging strategies change toward dusk, and if different species are active later in the day.  Banders took shifts throughout the 24 hours until dawn of Halloween.  The resulting catch was 115 songbirds of 22 species and 12 Northern Saw-whet Owls.

Northern Saw-whet Owl banding at the end of the big day, October 30th.  This owl was not amused by the costumes.  Photo by Amanda Dunbar

Analysis of the results led to some interesting finds.  Most of the activity occurred during the first few hours after sunrise, as we suspected; this is when birds’ energy demands are highest after a long night of traveling or simply resting and metabolizing body fat for warmth.  There was a drop in activity mid-day followed by a surge of activity from 4pm until sunset, such that banders had to finish processing the catch with headlamps lighting the feathers.

Banding birds at sunset on October 30th. Photo by Fred de Long

The top species from the banding bender included sparrows (White-throated, Song, and Swamp), American Robins, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets.  Interestingly, the sparrows were only captured during the morning and evening rushes, whereas the kinglets were captured consistently throughout the day.  We suspect  this is because the kinglets have such high metabolisms that the mid-day siesta is not an option for them; they must forage all day long to meet their energy demands, gleaning mostly insects and spiders along with some seeds and berries.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet getting banded. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Visitor releasing a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Golden-crowned Kinglet getting banded on October 30th. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Hermit Thrush banded October 30th. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Banders were most excited about a White-crowned Sparrow, Brown Creeper, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk (banded at dusk).  After operating the owl station through the night, we began catching songbirds again around 5:30 am, well before dawn.  These were probably incoming migrants, dropping out of the night sky to rest their wings in the habitat that Rushton offers before the morning feeding frenzy.

Brown Creeper banded October 30th. Photo by Alison Fetterman

Leg gauging a Sharp-shinned Hawk for size at the end of the big day, October 30th. Photo by Amanda Dunbar

After the monumental effort of the big day, banders were back at it on November 1st for what was to be the last day of songbird banding for 2018.  However, it didn’t quite feel like the end of the bell curve that we are trying to capture by working the entire season of avian migration.  There was no tapering off of migrants, no time for stretching and yawning and reflecting on how great of a season it was.  The only quiet moments were stolen during the opening of the station in the pre-dawn—hands reaching up to set the black nets against navy skies under the white moon, as sparrows twinkled and stirred in the hedgerows.

White-throated Sparrow banded November 1st. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

The morning rush hour on November 1st. Photo by Blake Goll

Then it was all hands on deck, bird bags weighing down our rack, nets sagging under the weight of birds, and leaves replaced by wings.  Everywhere we looked, small balls of energy were flitting about; kinglets darted and hovered in the shrubs within an arm’s reach, the meadow was alive with sparrows, young White-throats babbled their beginner songs from every corner,  robins streamed overhead, and flocks of geese sailed through the blue skies.

Rushton Farm sunrise on November 1st. Photo by Blake Goll

Banders extracting birds on November 1st. Photo by Blake Goll

There was a palpable migratory energy in the unseasonably warm air.  There was plentitude, multiplicity, and joy.  Psychologists claim that the human mind derives joy from abundance, round things, and color.  I realized that morning why birds bring people so much joy.  They are all of these things and more.  We’re in this business to try to keep them abundant.

Cedar Waxwing in the hedgerow on November 1st. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

When all was said and done, we  processed 97 new birds on November 1st (during the normal banding hours).  A total of 14 species were caught including 32 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 10 Purple Finches, 27 White-throated Sparrows, and 2 White-crowned Sparrows. It was a strange day for the first of November with dragonflies, milkweed bugs, and butterflies active again, taking advantage of the last warm day.  “If you can live, LIVE,” Alison said matter-of-factly.  That struck me.  All any of us creatures have is today, this season, and the beauty of this moment.  And so we soldier on.

White-throated Sparrow release. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

White-crowned Sparrow banded November 1st. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Todd Alleger determining the age of a Tufted Titmouse banded November 1st. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Palm Warbler banded November 1st. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Male Purple Finch banded November 1st. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Female Purple Finch banded November 1st. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

It didn’t feel right shutting down the station with such a high capture rate and key bookend species missing including the Dark-eyed Juncos and Fox Sparrow.  Though we were all tired from a long season, we decided to open the station again last week for one final day.  “Can’t stop, won’t stop,” Holly said.

Holly Garrod taking “light box” photos of the birds on October 30th  for feather study. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

For the love of birds, we operated last Thursday, November 8th.  We processed 73 new birds and 14 recaps of 17 species, including the Dark-eyed Juncos and another Brown Creeper.  The juncos are our snowbirds, breeding in the western mountains and Appalachians as well as throughout Canada, and gracing us with their white-tailed beauty all winter long.  Like other overwintering sparrows, they enjoy feeding on the seeds of native perennials like goldenrod that we have available in the wild meadows of Rushton.  For this reason, we do not mow our meadows until spring.

Dark-eyed Junco banded last Thursday. Photo by Blake Goll

Brown Creeper banded  last Thursday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Brown Creepers are one of our favorites as well.  These bark-colored birds use their down-curved bills to probe under furrowed bark of large trees for insects and other arthropods.   Methodically working their way up from the base of the tree, they use their rigid tail feathers as a kickstand, much like woodpeckers.
We concluded the season appreciating a few of our common residents including a Carolina Wren and a White-breasted Nuthatch.

White-breasted Nuthatch banded last Thursday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Carolina Wren banded last Thursday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Aging a Tufted Titmouse. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Swamp Sparrow banded last Thursday. Photo by Blake Goll

Last Gray Catbird banded last Thursday. Photo by Blake Goll

All in all, it was an extraordinary season, thanks to an exceptional team of licensed banders, ornithologists, volunteers, visitors, students, photographers, and bird lovers.  The grand total was 1,010 new birds and 162 recaps of our own.  We’ll be out there again next spring, for the love of birds.
There’s a heck of a lot going on in the woods,
Blake

Golden-crowned Kinglet released after banding last Thursday. Photo by Blake Goll

P.S. Stay tuned for a special owl report coming to a blog near you.
 

When it's Cold Outside, I've Got the Month of May

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Cape May Warbler banded Wednesday. Photo by Blake Goll

As if we weren’t already a motley crew, banders donned their mismatch layers of winter coats, thrifted fleeces, alpaca fingerless gloves, and garish hats this week.  Mornings dipped into the 30’s, and although the sun was (actually) shining bright, the brisk autumnal wind kept the temps suppressed.   Banders and birders live for this  kind of weather though, because riding in the dark on these cold north winds come oodles of southbound migrants.

Indeed, Tuesday set a record for our season thus far even though we kept two of our fifteen nets closed all morning due to the wind.   Banders bared the cold and cranked through 65 birds of 19 species. We were thrilled to host some savvy birders from Birding Club of Delaware County who wisely chose this day to bird at Rushton, knowing this first cold front would have opened the migratory floodgates.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet before release on Wednesday. Photo by Blake Goll

The first Ruby-crowned Kinglets came en masse, and we are always amazed by these little flying nickels (they weigh little more than that).  Thrushes abounded as well including Swainson’s, Gray-cheeked, and Hermit, and the array of warblers was astonishing— Tennessee, Palm, Yellow-rumped, Blackpoll, Black-and-white, Black-throated Blue, and even a Common Yellowthroat still hanging around.

American Robin banded Tuesday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Swainson’s Thrush banded Tuesday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Swainson’s Thrush banded Tuesday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Yellow-rumped Warbler banded on Tuesday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Yellow-rumped Warbler banded Thursday. Photo by Blake Goll

Palm Warbler banded Thursday. Photo by Blake Goll

The stunner was our very first Yellow-bellied Sapsucker!  Even as a young hatch year bird, she still stole the show with her beautiful golden belly, her bark-like charcoal flecking, and her finely spotted red princess crown.  As a more northern breeder, sapsuckers are only seen in our area during migration and winter.  Sapsuckers drill small holes in trees with their sturdy bills to consume the sap and even the cambium of the tree.  Other creatures can sip the sap at these sapwells, including bats, porcupines, and hummingbirds.  In fact, some Ruby-throated Hummingbirds time their spring migration to parts of  Canada with the arrival of sapsuckers.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker banded on Tuesday. Photo by Blake Goll

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker banded Tuesday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Northern Flicker banded Tuesday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Wednesday was another cold  and exciting morning with 52 birds of 16 species.  The morning opened with a delightful suite sparrows — Field, Song, Swamp, and Lincoln’s— and Rushton’s first adult male Purple Finch!  These finches have the most beautiful dusty rose hue to their feathers, like raspberry sorbet, pink velvet, and peonies.

Field Sparrow banded Wednesday. Photo by Blake Goll

Swamp Sparrow banded Wednesday. Photo by Blake Goll

Song Sparrow banded Wednesday. Photo by Blake Goll

Lincoln’s Sparrow banded Wednesday. Photo by Blake Goll

Purple Finch banded Wednesday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Purple Finch banded Wednesday. Photo by Blake Goll

Then came the morning’s fun puzzle, a confusing fall warbler species that Rushton banders had never had in the hand before.  After happily poring over various warbler guides and bander references, we concluded that this was a first year female Cape May Warbler! She was beautiful with her delicate streaking and yellow auricular patches; breeding males are even more handsome with tiger stripes and chestnut cheeks.  This is a fascinating and poorly understood warbler that breeds in the conifers of the boreal forest and winters in the West Indies where it sips nectar from a semi-tubular tongue that no other warbler has.

Cape May Warbler banded Wednesday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Thursday saw the last of the Gray Catbirds, lots more warblers including another Blackpoll, thrushes and white-throats, and our first spunky Golden-crowned Kinglets.  We processed 56 new birds, 7 recaps, and a total of 16 species.  An additional  handful of Purple Finches set another record for Rushton and validated the official finch forecast, which called for an irruption year.  This means the pine cone seed crop up north was poor, so finches and other boreal seed-eating birds like Red-breasted Nuthatches will flood south for the winter.  You’ll likely see Purple Finches, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and Pine Siskins at your feeders this fall and winter.

Golden-crowned Kinglet banded Thursday. Photo by Blake Goll

There’s a lot going on in the woods,
Blake

Black Swallowtail caterpillar on dill at Rushton Farm on Tuesday. Photo by Blake Goll

Something to Chat About

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Yellow-breasted Chat (Hatch Year) banded on Tuesday at Rushton. Photo by Blake Goll

Another dreary, drippy morning on Tuesday surprisingly produced a season record of 54 birds spanning a dazzling 20 species.  Highlights included Gray-cheeked Thrushes, another prized Connecticut Warbler, the first Yellow-rumped Warbler of the season, and an increase in numbers of individuals of several species as compared to previous years—including Black-throated Blue Warblers, Indigo Buntings, and Eastern Towhees.  The grande finale was a glorious Yellow-breasted Chat, the second ever for Rushton!

The Yellow-breasted Chat is a large, chunky warbler with an atypical song that is more similar to the varied, staccato songs of catbirds and mockingbirds than to its more refined sounding relatives in the warbler family.  Dining mostly on spiders and insects in dense thickets, it also feasts on berries as evidenced by the traces of wild grapes on this chat’s bill.
Although this was undoubtedly a migrant, chats could theoretically breed at Rushton; we have everything a chat could ever want like dense shrubbery of blackberry bushes, sumac, multiflora rose, and honeysuckle.  Perhaps on its way back north from winter in the tropics, it will remember Rushton and decide to start a family here.  Never mind those pushy jewelers peddling their silver bracelets from the shady shack in the hedgerow.

Connecticut Warbler banded at Rushton. Photo by Blake Goll

Female Eastern Towhee banded on Tuesday. Photo by Blake Goll

Gray-cheeked Thrush banded Tuesday at Rushton. Photo by Blake Goll

One of our banding volunteers carefully blows the feathers aside to assess fat stores of a migratory Northern Waterthrush. Photo by Blake Goll

Students from Strath Haven High School experienced nature like never before as they crowded around the banding table in their pajamas (they mumbled something about homecoming school spirit week).  They were touched by these creatures as they guessed how many nickels a Common Yellowthroat weighed and learned of their arduous journeys to Central America.

Strath Haven student releasing a Common Yellowthroat on Tuesday. Photo by Blake Goll

The nets were still on fire on Wednesday with 42 new birds, 7 recaps, and a total of 14 species.  As I opened the woodland nets in the dawn haze, I got chills as high-pitched “weep” calls echoed from every corner of the dark woods.  It was as if I was surrounded by spring peepers in a second spring.  They were the distinct contact calls of Swainson’s Thrush, reserved specifically for migration.  These were birds that probably just touched down after a long night of travel and were checking in with each other before breakfast as the sun came up.

White-throated Sparrow banded at Rushton. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

White-throated Sparrows are now outnumbering Gray Catbirds as the fall migration plays out.  Rain kept us from banding on Thursday, but we will be back again next week, and the next and the next.   If you have been meaning to stop by to see us, you have three more weeks: every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 6:30-11 am.

Dewy dahlia bud at Rushton Farm. Photo by Blake Goll

There’s a lot going on in the woods,
Blake
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Rushton Conservation Center and dahlias for days. Photo by Blake Goll

How You Like Me Now? Crowds Get Heavy at Rushton

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White-eyed Vireo banded at Rushton on Wednesday. Photo by Blake Goll

This week of banding was a whirlwind of feathers, fanatics, and fog.  It began with our bi-annual Open House last Saturday, which brought over 80 visitors to the preserve including our old friend, the sun.  The crowd was an exuberant mix of children in our Rushton Nature Keepers club, students from University of Pennsylvania, and others of all ages from our immediate community and beyond.

University of Pennsylvania students and Rushton Nature Keepers during the Open House. Photo by Blake Goll

Rushton Nature Keepers observing a cardinal being banded. Photo by Blake Goll

Although our catch left a lot to be desired for us banders, the visitors were thrilled with Gray Catbirds, Ovenbirds, Northern Cardinals, and Common Yellowthroats.  As many Gray Catbirds as we band, it is important for us to remember that releasing a common bird back to the wild is still special to someone who never knew such a bird existed in their backyard all summer.  And then to imagine it flying hundreds of miles to overwinter near Mayan ruins is even more captivating.

University of Pennsylvania student releasing a bird. Photo by Blake Goll

Villanova student releasing a Gray Catbird. Photo by Blake Goll

During Saturday’s event, Rushton Nature Keepers had fun extracting plush birds from a demo net set up just for them.  They also took measurements on their exceptionally agreeable subjects like wing length, weight, and leg size.  This quickly devolved into kids repeatedly tossing the birds back into the net so they could keep extracting the birds.  Future net pickers?
The quote of the day came from a little girl holding a diminutive, drab wren before release.  “Birds are such extravagant creatures, ” she exclaimed in wide-eyed wonderment.

Rushton Nature Keeper releasing House Wren. Photo by Blake Goll

Rushton Nature Keepers “extracting”  plush birds from the net. Photo by Blake Goll

Rushton Nature Keeper “extracting” a plush bird from the net. Photo by Blake Goll

Wednesday was a gloomy day, but the catch revved up with 40 birds of 12 species.  Highlights included a female Indigo Bunting, a luminous male Magnolia Warbler, and a show-stopping White-eyed Vireo.  The White-eyed Vireo was determined to have hatched this summer, as evidenced from the grayish instead of white eye.  I always get jurassic velociraptor vibes from this bird and am reminded that birds are living dinosaurs.  Maybe it’s the intelligent way in which these vireos cock their heads, fearlessly peering at us through those wild white eyes.

White-eyed Vireo (Hatch Year) banded at Rushton on Wednesday. Photo by Blake Goll

Red-eyed Vireo banded at Rushton this week. Photo by Blake Goll

Magnolia Warbler (After Hatch Year male) banded at Rushton on Wednesday. Photo by Blake Goll

Thursday was the grand finale of people and birds.  Nets were filled with 35 new birds and 18 recaps of 15 species.  So many recaps indicates a bit of a holding pattern for migrants as little movement could occur during the rainy nights we had.  Nonetheless, some brave birds must have lifted off after the rain subsided Wednesday night because Thursday did see a more thrush-heavy catch and managed a young male Rose-breasted Grosbeak as well as a Blackpoll Warbler.  After breeding in the far northern forests, most of these incredible long-winged warblers shoot out from our northeast coast for an over-water, nonstop, 72-hour flight to the northeastern coast of South America.

Swainson’s Thrush banded Thursday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

“Seeing Double”: Black-throated Blue Warblers banded on Thursday. Photo by Celeste Sheehan

Blackpoll Warbler banded at Rushton on Thursday. Photo by Blake Goll

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Hatch Year male) banded on Thursday. Photo by Blake Goll

Researchers using the cutting edge Motus Wildlife Tracking System of automated radio receiving towers have learned that younger Blackpolls tend to take a safer flight south, hugging the coast after wandering around their natal habitat.  This pre-migratory wandering is thought to help the inexperienced birds develop a search image for ideal habitat the following spring.

Blackpoll Warbler banded at Rushton on Thursday. Photo by Blake Goll

In partnership with Bird Studies Canada and Cornell Lab of Ornithology, our own Caitlin Welsh is piloting high school level science curriculum around this growing new Motus System (which includes more than 40 receiving stations in Pennsylvania, all strategically positioned to help researchers learn about the movements of birds passing through with tiny nanotogs on their backs).  Students from Westtown School will learn how this technology can be used to ultimately help protect birds.  Their visit to the Rushton Banding Station on Thursday had a powerful  effect on the students who are now able to make an emotional connection from what they will learn in the classroom to these incredible living creatures.

Caitlin Welsh educating Westtown School students about bird banding. Photo by Blake Goll

Westtown School Juniors and Seniors with Caitlin Welsh in front of the Motus tower at Rushton. Photo by Blake Goll

There’s a lot going on in the woods,
Blake

A greenhouse at Rushton Farm laid to rest for the season. Photo by Blake Goll