Bird banding – Page 8

American Woodcocks at Songbird Banding, A Visit from American Birding Association and A New High for Saw-whet Owls Banded at Rushton!

November 5, 2012 By Communications Team

American Woodcock. Photo by Justin Thompson.

Sandy set us back drastically last week with net lanes filled with water and debris, but public songbird migration banding will resume tomorrow, Tuesday (11/6), the last day for the 2012 songbird banding season. We will open at 5:45am.

The remainder of the fall catch was great with a couple of 80-bird days! White-throated Sparrows began dominating the bounty in late October along with thrushes including Hermit, Swainson’s and Gray-cheeked. Dark-eyed Juncos have joyfully entered the limelight, and flocks of Pine Siskins are around but not in the nets. In the last few weeks of migration, we also banded many Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Myrtle Warblers (or butter-butts), Palm Warblers and leftover Black-throated Blue Warblers along with exciting birds like Lincoln’s Sparrow, Field Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, our first Blackpoll Warbler of the season, a Savannah Sparrow, a Saw-whet Owl (during the day!) and an exceptionally magnificent WOODCOCK!! We often flush American Woodcocks from the hedgerows in the pre-dawn moments, but we’ve never captured one until now. There’s never a dull moment at the Rushton banding station.

Saw-whet Owl in daylight. Photo by Justin Thompson.

Golden-crowned Kinglet, Photo by Justin Thompson.

White-crowned Sparrow. Photo by Heather Kostick.

Northern Cardinal. Photo by Justin Thompson.

On Friday after Sandy, we braved the frigid air to band over 50 birds of 16 species including a handsome Fox Sparrow (always the last of the winter sparrows to show up) and ANOTHER AMERICAN WOODCOCK. This bird was aged as an adult male as evidenced by the shorter bill length and stubbier wing in addition to a narrower p10 in relation to the female. P10 is the tenth and outermost primary flight feather, which is stiff and narrow in male woodcocks to give their flight the nice twittering sound that gets the lady woodcocks excited during their elaborate aerial courtship displays! Just as fabulous to see up close was the prehensile bill tip that these birds use to feel and grasp their food (earthworms) while probing in the mud. With big beady eyes to see in the dark and precisely camouflaged leaf-like coloring this bird is a spectacular, crepuscular and cryptic beauty!

American Woodcock. Photo by Heather Kostick — American Woodcock camoflage coloring. Photo by Heather Kostick

Aging the American Woodcock. Photo by Justin Thompson.

Measuring exposed culmen to sex the American Woodcock. Photo by Justin Thompson.

We have had a great songbird season with beautiful birds, wonderful volunteers (thank you all!), delighted visitors of all ages and bright young school groups. Here are some pictures and a link to a wonderful little article in the Abington Friends School blog about the 2nd graders’ “magical” field trip to Rushton Woods Preserve on October 18th to learn about our birds, woods and farm. To our great happiness, the teachers and kids reported, “it was the best field trip ever!”

Child with Chickadee. Photo by Blake Goll.

Abington Friends student with bird before release. — Abington Friends student with Field Sparrow before release.

Abington Friends watching Todd Alleger and Doris McGovern banding a White-throated Sparrow — Abington Friends students watching Todd Alleger and Doris McGovern banding a White-throated Sparrow

Abington Friends student releasing White-throated Sparrow

Abington Friends students planting garlic and picking carrots for lunch!

Abington Friends student drawing of their field trip to Rushton.

Abington Friends student drawing of herself releasing a bird at the banding station.

American Birding Association Visits Rushton Owls on a Record Breaking Night!

On the last Saturday of October, we were thrilled to welcome to Rushton Adrian Binn’s and Deb Beer’s distinguished guests, Jeffrey and Liz Gordon, the passionate President and “First Lady” of the American Birding Association (ABA). The ABA is a nationally recognized non-profit whose mission is to inspire all people to enjoy and protect wild birds through birding and consequently habitat conservation. Check out the ABA website to learn more about this great organization’s mission.

Liz and Jeffrey Gordon, President of ABA, with Saw-whet Owls at Rushton. Photo by Adrian Binns.

On that special Saturday, October 27th, around 11:30 pm your fabulous Rushton banding crew, accompanied by the American Birding Association, elatedly banded our 92nd new Northern Saw-whet Owl (NSWO) of 2012, surpassing the 2010 season record of 89 new NSWOs! At that time in 2010 we had only just begun banding on October 28th after we got this brand new owl banding station up and running. Even if we had been banding the entire month of October in 2010, we still would not have seen the numbers we are seeing this year because 2010 was a more typical fall born from food scarcity in the north with migration of adults and young peaking around October 31st. This year the peak has occurred much earlier than usual with an influx of fat babies spilling south ahead of their elders after a northern summer of luxury and abundance. While the young owls have been flooding through Rushton for all of October, the adults have only just arrived in very small numbers.

Rushton Banding Crew and volunteers with American Birding Association. Photo by Adrian Binns. — Rushton Banding Crew and volunteers with American Birding Association and the 92nd owl of 2012. Photo by Adrian Binns.

In addition to these 92 “New” Saw-whet Owls never before banded (now 120 as of last night, November 4) , we also catch owls from other banding stations, Foreign Recaptures, like the young owl banded in Ellenville, NY that ended up at Rushton this fall after flying 130 miles south in a week or so. In addition, we catch some of our own banded owls, Retraps. Retraps can linger for days or weeks at Rushton, eating the tasty voles and mice that thrive in the farm’s pesticide-free environment (Thank you, Farmer Fred!). We also catch local Eastern Screech Owls. Counting Screeches, Retraps and Foreign Recoveries, we caught more than 20 additional owls so far this year.

One of our owls banded at Rushton on November 1, 2011, was caught on the north shore of Lake Ontario in Canada on October 16th this year. That bird is over three years old and obviously taking its time traveling back south to Rushton this fall!

Eastern Screech Owl. Photo by Mimi Davis.

Northern Saw-whet Owl. Photo by Mimi Davis.

As for the Northern Saw-whet Owl public banding schedule, we are banding most nights with Thursday, Friday and Saturday being public. Please reference the last blog entry , which has all the information you need to know about visiting Saw-whet Owl banding, and email Lisa Kiziuk ( lkr@wctrust.org) to make a reservation.

Doris McGovern, Rushton’s Master Bird Bander, spelled out our mission beautifully:

“Our goal is to contribute data to the continent wide Saw-whet Owl banding network. We report owl data to the USGS where it becomes part of a national data base for researchers. We currently mentor college grads who need research skills, such as bird banding. We share our knowledge of owl biology with school groups, home schoolers, scouts, CSA members, local bird clubs and interested adults.”
“We want you to be proud of all that your WCT owl banding team does while you are comfy in your soft, warm bed and we are shivering in a cold, drafty barn with our fingers bleeding from the sharp talons of those cute little Saw-whets you love so much. Are you drinking hot cocoa? We love hot anything,” tweets Doris McGovern.

Doris McGovern showing Saw-whet Owl to the PA Young Birders. Photo by Adrian Binns.

PA Young Birders and Owls

The PA Young Birder (PAYB) Owl Night on October 19th was a hit! Over 60 people (including 35 children) enjoyed the night through an owl’s point-of-view and learned about the science behind bird banding. Eight Northern Saw-whet Owls bravely presented themselves to the crowd for banding and photographing and “oohing and awing”. Other highlights of the night included creating masterful owl art with Adrian Binns, telescopic moon gazing with Deb Beer, and enchanting (albeit muddy) night hikes with me, Blake Goll.

PA Young Birders with Saw-whet Owl and Doris McGovern. Photo by Adrian Binns

Measuring the owl's wing. Photo by Adrian Binns. — Measuring the owl’s wing. Photo by Adrian Binns.

PA Young Birders creating owl art. Photo by Adrian Binns.

Barn Owl drawing by a PA Young Birder. Photo by Adrian Binns

PA Young Birder releasing a Saw-whet Owl.

The next PAYB event is “Owl Night for Teens,” this Friday November 9th, 7-9pm. All kids, 13 and over, are invited to learn about Saw-whet Owl banding and hopefully see some of these little woodland elves. Other activities may include exploring the farm garden, star gazing and night hikes. Please RSVP to me, Blake Goll (bhg@wctrust.org).

Saw-whet Owl banding. Photo by Adrian Binns.

Stephen Kress of “Project Puffin” To Speak at Delaware Valley ornithological club (dVOC) Banquet November 15

Dr. Stephen Kress is the director of the National Audubon Society’s “Project Puffin”, which re-established nesting Atlantic Puffin colonies on islands off the Maine coast. He will speak in Philadelphia on Nov 15 about “Restoring endangered seabirds: lessons learned from puffins and terns.” I have heard this inspiring man speak about his work at Hog Island in Maine, and I can tell you that he is an exceptional presenter who will make you want to move mountains. Please click here for more information about Stephen Kress, to learn why seabirds are threatened worldwide and to register for the DVOC annual banquet.

Knowledge gained from this successful program is being used worldwide in seabird conservation. Here is sneak preview that will give you an idea of how good this lecture will be: http://www.youtube.com/watch

Enjoy the waning days of fall!

Mid-Morning Shower Yields a Pot of Avian Gold at the End of a Rainbow

October 1, 2012 By Communications Team

Female Common Yellowthroat. Photo by Blake Goll.

The air was thick, sticky and unseasonably warm on Wednesday, not at all the kind of crisp air that brings a flurry of fall feathers to our nets. We were hosting a handful of very enthusiastic children who had off from school for Yom Kippur, so we were wishing for some yellow warblers to brighten the otherwise meager catch of Gray Catbirds, Song Sparrows and wrens. However, we did catch our 15th Swainson’s Thrush of the season and the second White-throated Sparrow of this autumn, which is an exciting indicator of the beginning of the next chapter of fall migration.

Swainson's Thrush. Photo by Gloria Ives. — Swainson’s Thrush. Photo by Gloria Ives.

White-throated Sparrow. Photo by Blake Goll.

Finally, a couple of lovely Magnolia Warblers graced our audience with their bright plumage, and we were satisified with that. There were plenty of birds for the visitors to study, and they were able to see many ageing and sexing criteria for different species. We thanked the maggies, the kids ooed and awed over a spritely Black-and-White Warbler, and we settled in for the rest of what we expected to be a dull morning (we spoiled banders are never satisfied!).

Magnolia Warbler (adult male). Photo by Blake Goll.

Ageing a Magnolia Warbler by the shape of tail spots.

Plip. Plop. Drip. Drop. Suddenly a cloud looming above decided to burst open even in the unabated presence of the sun. After a few minutes of this bizarre weather, we thought we’d better check the nets. As we trekked around to all the nets, most of which were empty, the rain subsided as abruptly as it started. We rounded the corner of the hedgerow to check one of the last nets, net 10, and there was our pot o’ gold at the end of the rainbow! Rain drops sparkled on the net as it sagged and bounced under the weight of 10 wiggly pairs of wings, including two golden beauties- a Nashville and a Tennessee Warbler, appropriately sticking together. Birds of the same state stick together?

Nashville Warbler (male). Photo by Blake Goll.

Sexing the Nashville Warbler by the extent of red feathers on the crown. This is a male.

Tennessee Warbler (hatch year). Photo by Blake Goll.

Wilson's Warbler being extracted from net. Photo by Blake Goll (taken in Oregon). We banded a Wilson's Warbler at Rushton 2 weeks ago. — Wilson’s Warbler being extracted from net. Photo by Blake Goll (taken in Oregon). We banded a Wilson’s Warbler at Rushton 2 weeks ago.

Other goodies in our jackpot included two Red-eyed Vireos, Black-throated-Blue Warblers, a Magnolia Warbler and Tufted Titmouse. This great catch could have just been a coincidence, but more likely these were birds that were foraging high in the canopy or at the edge of the woods and dove for cover in the underbrush of the hedgerow when the rains came. Sometimes trapped titmice make such a fuss that they lure other birds into the net, but we didn’t hear anything from the banding table, which is fairly close to Net 10. We need a little shower of rain and birds like that every day we are out there! This week, we will commence daily rain dances.

Male Black-throated blue Warbler (hatch year). Photo by Blake Goll.

The total number of birds caught last week (2 banding days) was 92, including those mentioned above plus the first of the year White-throated Sparrow, a Gray-cheeked Thrush, a Brown Thrasher, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Field Sparrow, Eastern Towhee and an American Goldfinch. In the hedgerows, but not the nets, were American Woodcocks, Scarlet Tanager, Philadelphia Vireo and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

A hawk or Philadelphia Vireo or Red-breasted Nuthatch spotted during banding session. Photo by Blake Goll. — A hawk or Philadelphia Vireo or Red-breasted Nuthatch spotted during banding session! Photo by Blake Goll.

Be on the look out for Red-breasted Nuthatches (RBNUs) at your feeder, in your yard or wherever you bird. As a result of a coniferous cone crop failure in the northeast (they eat the seeds of pinecones), many RBNUs are leaving their northern haunts to find better seed sources to the south for the winter. Others will remain in northwestern Ontario where the cone crops are much better. Additional northern birds like Common Redpolls might also show up in our area this winter for similar reasons related to the white birch seed crop in the north. Read the Winter Finch Forecast on the American Birding Association’s website for information about other irruptive finch species.

Red-breasted Nuthatch from Cornell Lab of Ornithology "All about Birds" website. — Red-breasted Nuthatch from Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All about Birds” website. Here they describe this nuthatch as “an intense bundle of energy at the feeder.”

Reminder: Keep your hummingbird feeders up and your salvia shielded from the frost at least through Thanksgiving! Other vagrants headed our way that could show up in your yard include Rufous Hummingbirds and other western species of hummers. These guys usually don’t appear until October, November or even December long after the Ruby-throats have gone. Ever-warmer winters are making the east perfectly hospitable to these vagrant western hummingbirds who are surviving and passing on their somewhat mutant genes to their offspring, which will follow in their parents’ wingbeats migrating from the west to the east instead of south for the winter. Hence, new migration routes for western hummers are emerging right before our eyes!

A Rufous Hummingbird. Photo by Blake Goll. This is one of my photos from banding in Washington state. Don't worry, hummer freeze like this and "play dead" when caught. She was fine and flew off with a nudge. — A Rufous Hummingbird. Photo by Blake Goll. This is one of my photos from banding in Washington state. Don’t worry, hummers freeze like this and “play dead” when caught. She was fine and flew off with a nudge.

Visit Scott Weidensaul’s website for more details about this new movement of western hummers and how to become part of the hummer banding study if you find one in your yard this fall or winter. Psst….I hear these western wanderers really like Pineapple sage if you have any of that.

Northern Saw-whet Owl. Photo by Adrian Binns.

Those fuzzy balls of cute fury are winging their way toward us at a faster pace than ever before. Saw-whet banders north of us are saying things like, “No one will sleep this Autumn,” and, “Sawweet dreams southern banders!” Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory in Burdett, NY (between Ithaca and Watkins Glen at the south end of the two biggest Finger Lakes) has alreay netted four hatch year Northern Saw-whet Owls as of September 27th, the first they have ever banded in September.

This is an irruptive species, whose major movements south depend on an adundance of voles during the northern boreal breeding season. It’s been said that this summer was a good one for the little owls, so there are many additional “kids” who will be spilling south this fall. Stay tuned for our official public owl banding start date, but think mid-October…. In the meantime, public songbird banding continues every Tuesday and Thursday mornings at Rushton, 6am-11am (unless it’s raining). Hope to see you at the station!

There’s a lot going on out there,

~Blake

View from the Willistown Conservation Trust's Run-a-Muck course. — View from the Willistown Conservation Trust’s Run-a-Muck course. Photo by Blake Goll.

Three Connecticut Warblers, a Wilson’s Warbler, Gray-cheeked Thrush and More!

September 22, 2012 By Communications Team

NOTE: For those of you viewing this post by email, please remember to click on the title to read the post from the actual site for a better viewing experience.

Common Yellowthroat. Photo by Gloria Ives.

Ode to a Bander’s Autumnal World

by Blake Goll

As the ardent air of autumn eclipses the weary haze of summer’s last breath,

The wind whispers to the wild wings that it is time.

Oh how the northern trees must weep as they somberly settle into winter solitude

And yearn for the intimate avian romance that enchants their days of green.

By most of mankind, the birds’ desperate southern voyage goes unseen.

But to the fortunate few, like you and me, this is the splendor we have feverishly awaited!

As if a million precious gems of a giant royal chest were catapulted south,

We scramble frantically to touch as many as we can before they continue spilling past,

Each jewel in hand more exquisite and exciting than the last.

Like secretive spiders faithfully tending their dewy webs by dawn’s dim light,

We raise our mist nets in hopes of gently snaring a few denizens of the sky;

A small silver ring upon the ankle, a reverent study of intricate feathers, then the rapturous release that leaves us breathless in awe,

Each lovely feathered captive feeds our hunger to understand

The storied lives of the heavenly birds with whom we share the land.

Blake Goll carefully ageing a White-eyed Vireo by its feathers. Photo by Gloria Ives.

The feathered gems are indeed, flying southward in all earnest now. The wood warblers are still abundant, but the mid-fall migrants are beginning to show up, like the thrushes, kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warblers. The endless procession of catbirds still has not diminished and White-throated Sparrows have yet to reach us.

Northern Parula female. Photo by Blake Goll.

Nothern Parula female. Photo by Mariana Pesthy.

Yesterday, we banded 43 birds of eleven species for ten environmental educators from all over the country. The most notable birds were a beautiful first year female Northern Parula (only our third since 2010), a young Red-eyed Vireo (our second ever during migration banding) whose eyes were more brown than red, and the first Gray-cheeked Thrush of the season! We caught several Swainson’s Thrushes as well, distinguised from the Gray-cheeked by yellow orangish spectacles and buffy rather than gray cheeks. The Gray-cheeked Thrush is the most northen breeder of all America’s spotted thrushes and is infrequently seen; its gray pallor is a reflection of its austere tundra environment.

Gray-cheeked Thrush. Photo by Blake Goll.

Gray-cheeked Thrush (left) and Swainson's Thrush. Photo by Mariana Pesthy. — Gray-cheeked Thrush (left) and Swainson’s Thrush. Photo by Mariana Pesthy.

Young Red eyed Vireo. Photo by Blake Goll.

Heard and seen (but not netted) yesterday at the banding station were several small kettles of Broad-winged Hawk (nothing compared to the tens of thousands counted at DelCo and MontCo hawk watches), Red-breasted Nuthatch, and at least three Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks circled over the net lanes looking for easy pickings.

We hosted 21 members of the Birding Club of Delaware County on Saturday and the staff of PA Audubon on Monday. Both of these days were relatively slow (around 35 birds each day), but the quality was stupendous! No one was mourning when a female Connecticut Warbler materialized and mesmerized with her quiet, rare beauty. This is a bird that evades most big time birders’ life lists, as I mentioned before, and it was our third of the season! Check out bird photographer Matt Levanowitz’s guest blog post on Nemesis Bird about his quest to find the mysterious Connecticut. Can somebody tell him he just needs to visit Rushton!?

Connecticut Warbler (female). Photo by Justin Thompson.

Other birds banded earlier this week include Swainson’s Thrushes, Magnolia Warblers, Ovenbirds, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Cardinal, Yellow Shafted Flicker, Wood Thrush, Field Sparrow and one scruffy young male Eastern Towhee.

Eastern Towhee (hatch year male). Photo by Bob Pierce.

Northern Cardinal (hatch year male). Photo by Blake Goll.

Ovenbird getting his picture taken before release. Photo by Blake Goll.

Wing of Yellow-shafted Flicker. Photo by Blake Goll.

Child with Magnolia Warbler (hatch year female) before release. Photo by Blake Goll

Though our banding crew was not able to be out last Sunday the 16th, it would have been great banding because there was a BIG flight over Southeastern PA the Saturday night before. I birded the woodlot behind my house in West Chester that morning from 9-10:30am, which is far too late by most birders’ standards. However, I really lucked out and got awesome close views of 13 migrant species bustling about: Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Northern Parula, Pine Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Wood Thrush, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Red-eyed Vireo, Wood Pewee and my very first breath-taking BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS! Who says you have to set your alarm at the crack of dawn for birding? My warblers were feeding so low in the understory at one point that I could actually hear their bills snapping as they chased the insects out from the leaves and into the open air near me. As close as they were though, it was still quite a task differentiating “confusing fall warbler” plumage. It’s much easier in the hand than when they are darting through the canopy!

Male Chestnut-sided Warbler (Hatch year). Photo by Blake Goll.

Working my way backwards in news from Rushton banding station, last week we caught about 150 birds in 3 mornings. Perhaps the most thrilling catch was an itty bitty WIWA or Wilson’s Warbler on 9/11, only the second ever for Rushton! We measured the extensiveness of black on his head to determine he was an adult male. These handsome little guys breed largely in Canada and the Pacific Northwest.

Wilson's Warbler ( an adult male). Photo by Blake Goll. — Wilson’s Warbler ( an adult male). Photo by Blake Goll.

That same day we also banded a trio of refined Cedar Waxwings: an adult female and two “kids”. Although we often hear and see Cedar Waxwing flocks feeding on berries and insects high in the hedgerow, this is the first time they have come down to our nets since fall of 2010.

Female Cedar Waxwing. Photo by Blake Goll.

A hatch year female Cedar Waxwing. Photo by Blake Goll.

On 9/11 we also banded three hatch year Song Sparrows, which we suspect are the ones born in the Tiger Stripe tomato plants this summer, a wonderful picture of the harmonious relationship between the sustainable farm and the birds.

Song Sparrow siblings. Photo by Justin Thompson.

Asters and goldenrod at Rushton Farm. Photo by Blake Goll.

At least two White-eyed Vireos were taunting us all last week, calling from the hedgerow, but never venturing into a net. However, at the end of the week we did manage to catch one young White-eyed Vireo! This is a fantastic bird with blue legs, an eery white, human-like eye and an uncanny resemblance to a miniature velociraptor, if you ask me.

Other birds banded last week include:

Another female Connecticut Warbler!
Black-and-White Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Eastern Towhee
Yellow Shafted Flickers
Gray Catbird
Common Yellowthroat
House Wren
Carolina Wren
Ovenbird
Northern Cardinal
Magnolia Warbler
Swainson’s Thrush
Wood Thrush
Veery
Field Sparrow
American Robin
Young Indigo Buntings

Black-and-white Warbler (hatch year). Photo by Justin Thompson.

Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird in the net.

Young House Wren with bill deformity. Photo by Blake Goll. — Young House Wren with bill deformity. This bird’s future success after mom stops feeding him is bleak. Photo by Blake Goll.

Birds noted but not banded last week include a dozen or so American Wood Cocks, which we flushed at dawn’s first light from the fields, and a Common Nighthawk, which flew from its roost at the edge of the woods late one morning as we were closing the nets.

Songbird Banding Schedule

Rushton Banding Station is in operation and open to the public every Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 6am until 11am, unless it rains. In addition, we will be open to visitors Wednesday morning September 26th, 6am-11am.

Songbird banding runs until mid to late October when we start banding for Northern Saw-whet Owls. Stay tuned for more info about owl banding.

Young Gray Catbird. Photo by Justin Thompson.

The banding crew including Ellie, the staff pug and new banding mascot. (Don’t worry-this pug has no interest in birds whatsoever).

Things To Do This Weekend:

Run-A-Muck is TOMORROW September 22!

Come out to support the Willistown Conservation Trust’s land preservation efforts and enjoy a challenging run or leisurely walk through the most scenic trails of rural Willistown, not normally open to the public. Country supper, live music, wine, beer, movie under the stars, mechanical bull rides, prizes, raffle and more! Click here to find out more. Registration is only on a walk-in basis at this point, but you may still purchase raffle tickets online for a chance to win $5,000, even if you are not at the event!!

Hawk Mountain Art Show September 22-23

Check out the hawk watch and then enjoy the dozen talented wildlife artists who will have their artwork on display and for sale in the Visitor Center. Click here to learn more about the artists.

By the way, on Monday 2,806 migrant monarch butterflies passed by the Hawk Mountain lookout, a one-day record that beats the average SEASON total over the last 21 years of 1,804 monarchs! WOW.

There’s a lot going on out there,

~Blake

Garter Snake waiting for the sun to warm her up. Photo by Justin Thompson. — Garter Snake waiting for the morning sun to warm her up. Photo by Justin Thompson.

Fall Banding Season Off to a Bright Start!

September 11, 2012 By Communications Team

Black-throated Green Warbler. Photo By Mark Moore.

Last week was the first official week of Rushton’s fall 2012 public banding season. The rain prevented us from banding on Tuesday, but the rest of the week was fantastic! Between last week and the week before (the last week of August), we have been averaging 45 birds per day of about 13 different species each day. Our most common southbound species include Common Yellowthroat, Gray Catbird, Ovenbird, and House Wren. Resident species (those that do not migrate) have included Northern Cardinal, Carolina Wren, Downy Woodpecker, Song Sparrow, and Northern Flicker (some do migrate). The American Goldfinches are all over the place feeding on the thistle, but they have not hopped into our nets yet! Instead, a few obliging female Indigo buntings picked up the slack and got in line to get their “bracelets” before their sojourn.

Goldfinch on sunflower. Photo by James Weisgerber.

As for the warblers, those “butterflies of the bird world”, we have banded a stunning array so far. Species included Black-and-white Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Northern Waterthrush (not a thrush at all), Magnolia Warbler, American Redstart, Canada Warbler, and Black-throated Blue Warbler.

Magnolia Warbler. Photo by Justin Thompson.

Uncommon birds included a Connecticut Warbler and Mourning Warbler, both of which were young hatch year birds and looked very similar! The Connecticut Warbler is the more elusive of the two, evading more birders’ life lists than the Mourning, partly because of its habit of foraging in low, dense undergrowth during migration. It breeds in open larch-spruce bogs in the north and winters in the tropics.

First Fall Connecticut Warbler (with lots of ticks on its eyes!). Photo by Blake Goll.

Mourning Warbler (Hatch Year male). Photo by Blake Goll.

The Mourning Warbler is more common within its range than the Connecticut Warbler, but also tends to remain hidden in thick vegetation. The Mourning Warbler has a darker gray hood than the Connecticut and a broken rather than complete eyering.

Kentucky Warbler (A Second Year Male-first banded during summer 2012). Photo by Blake Goll.

Another uncommon, low lying, hard-to-find warbler that we caught last week was the Kentucky Warbler, and not just ANY Kentucky Warbler. It was the SAME one we banded this summer in Rushton Woods! A young male! We have no way of knowing whether he bred successfully or at all, but we know he’s alive and preparing for his trip to Central or South America! This is grand news. The Kentucky Warbler is declining throughout much of its range because it needs healthy native understory as opposed to understory invaded by multiflora rose and other invasive plants, so the fact that our bird seems healthy after a summer at Rushton is good. Hopefully a female will join him next year….

Male Kentucky Warbler close-up. Photo by Blake Goll.

Last but not least, we banded Rushton’s very first Yellow-bellied Flycatcher on August 29th! This is BIG NEWS! This is a very cryptic, secretive bird that is uncommon during migration in our area. It is a rare breeder in isolated mountain-top bogs in northcentral PA, but otherwise breeds in boreal forests and bogs of Canada. This flycatcher winters in semi-open habitats of Central America and has been found in higher densities on shade-grown coffee plantations than sun-grown.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Hatch Year- by yellowish wing bars). Photo by Blake Goll.

Switch over to shade-grown coffee , if you haven’t already, to promote habitat for birds. Check out Birds-and-Beans or Golden Valley Farms Coffee Roasters right in West Chester! It even tastes better than sun-grown coffee because the coffee cherries ripen slower in the shade, thus allowing more subtle flavors to develop.

Blake Goll with Ovenbird and PA Young Birders — Blake Goll with Ovenbird (before release) and PA Young Birders.

The Open House at the banding station this weekend was fun and educational for all! There were about as many people as birds, 50 and 50. The highlight bird species banded were of course the crowd-pleasing Carolina Chickadee and three young, molting Field Sparrows born this year! The Field Sparrows were all in the same net together so they were obviously sticking together on their dispersal adventure. We made sure to release them all at the same time, and they flew off together into the fields of goldenrod. Field Sparrows are declining throughout their range due to their grassland and field habitats disappearing. The fact that we have them breeding here is another toast to the Willistown Conservation Trust’s land preservation efforts!

Young Field Sparrow siblings. Photo by Rebecca Goll

Young Birder "caught gray handed"! (Gray Catbird). Photo by Gretchen Larson — Young Birder “caught gray handed”! (Gray Catbird). Photo by Gretchen Larson

Remember that all are invited to Rushton Woods banding station every Tuesday and Thursday throughout September and October to observe songbird banding. Nets go up at 6am and we band until 11am. No banding if it’s raining! We expect to start getting more Wood Thrush, Veery and other thrushes. Then come the White-throated sparrows and juncos!

Female Monarch on thistle. Photo by Blake Goll.

Many species of butterflies are also everywhere at Rushton nectaring from the thistle and goldenrod. Hawk Mountain reported a 1-day record for Monarch migration on September 4th; the hawk counters counted 883 monarchs floating past them on the ridge between 2 and 4 pm!

PA Young Birders with Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Photo by Blake Goll.

PA Young Birders, don’t forget to register for the ABA Mid-Atlantic Young Birder Conference, September 22. It’s at the Ashland Nature Center in Hockessin, DE and should be a great day of birding instruction, distinguished speakers, bird study skins and more!! Click here for more information and to register.

There’s a lot going on in the woods and in the field,

~Blake

Autumn Colors Are Flying Our Way, and Fall Banding Will Soon Begin

August 28, 2012 By Communications Team

Swamp Sparrow. Photo by Justin Thompson.

Are you looking for a great spot to observe fall migration? Since habitat is everything, the Willistown Conservation Trust invites you to visit the Rushton Woods Banding Station, which is an extraordinary place to watch birds congregate while they find plenty of food and protection from predators along their journey southward.

Rushton Farm in summer. Photo by Blake Goll

Our public bird banding program will run every week during fall migration beginning Tuesday, September 4!

We will band songbirds every Tuesday and Thursday through the last week of October as weather permits-we will not band if it rains. With our nets going up at sunrise, visitors wishing to see the most birds should arrive as early as possible. Action is often constant until 11:00am, after which the nets are closed. Feel free to stop by for an hour before work or stay the whole morning from 6am till 11am!

Rushton Banding Shelter. Photo by Jodi Spragins.

Rushton Woods Banding Station is located at the Rushton Woods Preserve and Farm in Newtown Square, PA. (NOTE: GPS address is across the street from 950 Delchester Road, Newtown Square, PA). Rushton is located at the corner of Goshen and Delchester Roads, with the entrance on Delchester Rd. Park in the entrance parking lot and walk to the hedgerow opposite from Delchester Rd. Hang a right when you get down to the hedgerow and quietly walk along the hedgerow past the net lanes until you see a mowed trail veering up through the hedgerow to your left. Follow that and you’ll soon see the banding shelter. Please approach quietly so as not to scare the birds.

Children observe a mist net in which the birds are gently caught.

Observers of all ages will get a chance to learn about birds from skilled bird banders and see all aspects of this exciting scientific process. Birds we will be gently catching and banding are migrating south for the winter and are using Rushton as a stopover site to refuel and rest. By inspecting the feathers of their wings, we can glean much important information about the amazing lives and the health of these beautiful birds. The data we collect contribute to global bird conservation and helps us document the effects of our land preservation efforts on bird populations.

Second year female Northern Flicker. (Ageing by feather molt and wear). Photo by Blake Goll.

We are extremely grateful to the volunteers and staff members who contribute to the operation of our station by banding, serving as guides for visitors and presenting educational programs for groups. Please remember that financial support comes entirely from the donations of individuals and organizations so please contact Lisa Kiziuk (lkr@wctrust.org) if you can help support the Willistown Conservation Trust’s Rushton Woods Banding Station.

Saw-whet Owl at donation box. Photo copyright Adrian Binns. Note: No owls were compromised during this photo shoot. They must be held for 10 minutes after banding to be sure their eyes have time to adjust to the darkness again, after which they may be placed on a perch (or donation box) and observed until take off. — Saw-whet Owl at donation box. Photo copyright Adrian Binns. **Note**: No owls were compromised during this photo shoot. They must be held for 10 minutes after banding to be sure their eyes have time to adjust to the darkness again, after which they may be placed on a perch (or donation box) and observed until take off.

Bird Banding Station Open House for Families – Saturday September 8th at Rushton Woods Preserve and Farm

In addition to the normal Tuesday and Thursday public hours, the banding station will be open to everyone, Young Birders, teens and adults, on Saturday September 8 anytime from sunrise (around 6am) until we close the nets at 11am. We are not normally open on weekends, so don’t miss this opportunity to stop by and observe our fabulous fall migrants!

Episcopal Academy teacher and advisee with Baltimore Oriole female before release. Photo by Blake Goll

PA Young Birders invited to visit Banding Station from 9-11am on Sept. 8

During this time, other visitors and families are certainly welcome to observe bird banding, but we will kindly ask them to allow the children to take the “first row seats”. PA Young Birders are welcome to come earlier than 9am too if they wish to see more spectacular birds. Otherwise, from 9-11am Young Birders will be observing bird banding and learning about these amazing birds up close. We’ll do some birding and explore the hedgerows to try to figure out what it is that’s drawing these traveling birds to this place. We might get a chance to see other migrants too, like Monarch butterflies! Please RSVP to Blake Goll (bhg@wctrust.org or 610-353-2562 ext.20).

Banding a Magnolia Warbler and recording data.

Lost and Found Caterpillar

Our PA Young Birder meeting last week about Monarchs and other butterflies was lots of fun! John Black, a Master Naturalist for Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey, taught us all about the fascinating life cycles of Monarchs and what we can do for them, like plant milkweed host plants and nectar sources in our backyards. Did you know that right before a Monarch caterpillar becomes a chrysalis, it vomits out its insides? After all, it won’t need tough leaf-digesting organs as a nectar-drinking adult butterfly!

Young Birders looking at Monarch chrysalis. Photo by Blake Goll.

John Black showing Young Birders a Monarch butterfly. Photo by Blake Goll.

Passing Monarch to child for release. Photo by Blake Goll.

Young Birders releasing a Monarch Butterfly. Photo by Blake Goll.

John even brought a butterfly-rearing tent containing live Monarch butterflies, which the children got to release, various instars of Monarch caterpillars, Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillars munching on spicebush, and Eastern Black Swallowtail caterpillars munching on parsley. The Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar was a favorite with its adorable “face” looking up at us! Those eyespots are not eyes at all nor is that even its true head (it is underneath that “mask”), but this is an effective way to confuse predators.

Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar. Photo by Derek Ramsey on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Spicebush_Swallowtail_Papilio_troilus_Caterpillar_2400px.jpg)

However, we (the predators) confused the spicebush caterpillar when we accidentally shook the branch he was on! To our dismay, the helpless caterpillar fell to the ground and landed somewhere amongst the grass where thirty minutes of rescue searching were to no avail. John, having seen this happen many times before during his programs, knew just what to do. He stuck a little spicebush twig with leaves into the ground near where the tiny caterpillar fell and simply went on with his program, not worried at all.

At the end of the night during cleanup, John collected his spicebush twig and the found caterpillar! In just under half an hour, the little caterpillar smelled his life- giving host plant, found his way up to a leaf, and spun himself into his silk blanket with the tip of the leaf folded over him for the night. Snug as a bug in a rug! It just goes to show how sensitive these caterpillars are to their host plants.

Monarch caterpillar. Photo by Margot Patterson. — Monarch caterpillar on milkweed. Photo by Margot Patterson.

That’s just one of the many reasons why it is so important to use native plants in your yard rather than fancy ornamentals. It’s the native plants with which our native insects have evolved, so it’s the native plants we must plant to promote a healthy native habitat that supports native beauties like Monarchs. If you have Butterfly Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed or Common Milkweed in your yard you may be hosting wonderful Monarch caterpillars who must feed solely on milkweed (this is what makes them toxic to birds as adults). Other lovely native plants, like goldenrod and ironweed, will provide great nectar sources for adult Monarch butterflies.

Monarch on Joe Pyeweed outside the Willistown Conservation Trust office.

Go to MonarchWatch.org to find out more about how to attract Monarchs to your garden and how to create a certified Monarch Waystation for migrating Monarchs! They need our help.

A great field guide to the invertebrate community in a milkweed patch is “Milkweed, Monarchs and More” by Ba Rea, Karen Oberhauser, and Michael Quinn.

End of Summer Observations

I can’t wait for those warblers but am having fun in the meantime just watching my bird feeders. There are so many young birds born this summer visiting my feeders now, and even though they are starting to look exactly like the adults I can tell they are babies, mostly by their silly behavior. I saw a young hummer at the sugar feeder the other day who had the most trouble trying to figure out where to stick his bill! Goldfinch babies are begging from their parents incessantly at the sunflower feeder, young Tufted titmice are curiously hopping around on the floor of the deck instead of on the actual feeders, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers with gray heads are waiting patiently on the nearby tree for their mother to bring them a suet morsal or two.

Many of the adults are looking rather shaggy as they molt out of their tired “nesting season” feathers in preparation for the harsh cold weather ahead. The goldfinches will soon lend their brilliant yellow color to the leaves of autumn as little yellow warblers take center stage for a fleeting fall moment…

Ageing a Goldfinch. (Second Year) — Ageing an American Goldfinch. (Second Year)

We hope to see you at the banding station throughout the season!

Gratefully,

~Blake

American Woodcocks at Songbird Banding, A Visit from American Birding Association and A New High for Saw-whet Owls Banded at Rushton!

American Birding Association Visits Rushton Owls on a Record Breaking Night!

PA Young Birders and Owls

Stephen Kress of “Project Puffin” To Speak at Delaware Valley ornithological club (dVOC) Banquet November 15

Mid-Morning Shower Yields a Pot of Avian Gold at the End of a Rainbow

Three Connecticut Warblers, a Wilson’s Warbler, Gray-cheeked Thrush and More!

Songbird Banding Schedule

Things To Do This Weekend:

Fall Banding Season Off to a Bright Start!

Autumn Colors Are Flying Our Way, and Fall Banding Will Soon Begin

Our public bird banding program will run every week during fall migration beginning Tuesday, September 4!

Bird Banding Station Open House for Families – Saturday September 8th at Rushton Woods Preserve and Farm

PA Young Birders invited to visit Banding Station from 9-11am on Sept. 8

Lost and Found Caterpillar

End of Summer Observations

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