WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST

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  • Rushton Conservation Center

Put the Lime in the Chestnut-side

September 13, 2018 By Blake Goll

 

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Hatch Year male) banded at Rushton today. Photo by Blake Goll

Strikingly different from the deep calico colors it flaunts during breeding season, the fall Chestnut-sided Warbler is still a sight to behold.  Sporting a stunning lime green poncho and snow white underparts, it bears an uncanny resemblance to the present meadow landscape of Rushton, in which the rich yellow blanket of goldenrod is broken up by fluffy white seed tufts.  Banders were thrilled to have two of these birds in the hand this morning to compare plumages of two different ages and sexes; this species has been absent from our banding records since September of 2015.

Comparing ages and sexes of two Chestnut-sided Warblers  banded at Rushton today. Photo by Blake Goll

As a foliage gleaner of small stature, the Chestnut-sided Warbler is a bird that must stop frequently during migration to build fat stores from foraged insects in order to make it to Central American wintering grounds.  The Veery on the other hand, like the one shown below, is a formidable athlete with powerful wings that can propel it 160 miles in one night —even over open ocean—on its way to central and Southern Brazil.  The orange glow in the photo below is a large amount of subcutaneous fat stored in the furcular hollow (wishbone area) of a Veery we banded today at Rushton.  It is the mighty four-cylinder engine that powers this ball of avian adrenaline.

Veery banded yesterday at Rushton. Photo by Blake Goll
Checking the fat stores on a Veery. Photo by Blake Goll

Incidentally, the Veery pictured here weighed a whopping 47 grams, which was a good 12 grams or so more than the other Veeries we banded yesterday.    The Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a hefty bird with a heavy seed-eating bill, only weighed 43.8 grams if that gives you a better idea of the size of this Veery.  This extra weight is strictly from the stored fat, which birds only carry as fuel for migration.
All in all, we had a nice catch this week, despite having to cancel Tuesday because of the abnormally wet conditions and swampy net lanes.  Our “make-up day” yesterday produced 40 birds of 13 species, and today’s total was 45 birds of 16 species. Enjoy the photo highlights below.

Wood Thrush banded at Rushton today. Photo by Blake Goll
Trail’s Flycatcher banded yesterday at Rushton. Photo by Blake Goll
Banders comparing ages of American Redstarts banded yesterday at Rushton. Photo by Blake Goll
As a reminder, visitors are welcome to join us at Rushton Woods every Tuesday and Thursday morning through November 1st from 6:30- 10:30 am.  If it’s raining, you will not find us there.
There’s a lot going on in the woods,
Blake
Dewy spiderweb “dream catcher” with the new Rushton Conservation Center in the background. Photo by Blake Goll

Filed Under: Bird Banding, Bird ecology, migration Tagged With: American Redstart, Bird banding, Chestnut-sided warbler, fall migration, songbird conservation, veery, wood thrush

Warblers Comin' in Hot

September 4, 2018 By Blake Goll

Magnolia Warbler banded at Rushton today. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff

The Rushton banding crew was back at it this morning, collecting as much data as possible before the temperature exceeded the safe limit of 78 degrees.  Although it is important  to collect an accurate census of the  migratory birds using our protected open space here in Willistown, it is even more important to us to keep each individual bird as comfortable and healthy as possible.  Soon autumn will reign over summer, and the mornings will be crisp and cool— just what a fully feathered athlete prefers.
Even though we closed the nets over an hour early, we still caught 33 birds of thirteen species.  It was a quality assortment containing little gems like the Magnolia Warbler pictured above, which is making its first journey from the boreal forest of northern climes to the mangrove forests of the tropics.

American Redstart banded at Rushton today. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff
American Redstart banded at Rushton today.  Notice the rictal bristles around the bill. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff.  

Other interesting species included a scrappy young Eastern Towhee, one of the elusive Connecticut Warblers that elicit envy from listers (those nutty birders who keep life lists of species seen),  a Canada Warbler, and a show-stopping adult male American Redstart.  Redstarts flash their bright tails to startle insects out from hiding; the rictal bristles, specialized feathers around the bill, may also assist in snagging insects by helping the bird sense its orientation.  The bristles do not actually capture insects, but are an essential sensory structure like a cat’s whiskers —if I dare compare cats to birds.
There’s a lot going on in the woods,
Blake

Young Wood Thrush banded at Rushton today.  Notice the juvenal speckled feathers on its head.  The speckled feathers on its breast are not indicative of age.  Photo by Blake Goll/Staff.

 

Filed Under: Bird Banding, Bird ecology, migration Tagged With: American Redstart, Bird banding, fall songbird migration, magnolia warbler, Rushton Woods Preserve, wood thrush

Warblers, Thrushes, and Orioles, Oh My!

May 4, 2012 By Communications Team

 

Black and white warbler.  By Brianna Brigham
Black and White Warbler. Photo by Brianna Brigham

We were rained out of the banding station every day this week until Thursday, but it was worth the wait.  The past two mornings were chilly, foggy and gray, but the nets were hot, the woods and fields were alive with song, and the catch was colorful!

Here’s a quick  list of highlights and new (for the year) species banded this week:

  • 34 birds banded on Thursday, including 8 recaptures
  • 51 birds banded today, including 6 recaptures
  • Veery
  • Wood Thrush
  • Ovenbird
  • Indigo Bunting
  • Baltimore Oriole
  • Magnolia Warbler
  • Black and White Warbler
  • Common Yellowthroat
  • Chestnut-Sided Warbler
  • Black-throated Blue Warbler
  • Swamp Sparrow
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird (not banded)
  • Willow Flycatcher
  • One net was closed for the season (to be relocated next week) because of proximity to an active fox den !
  • We placed 3 more bluebird boxes at Rushton!
  • We heard Scarlet Tanagers, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler and American Redstarts (all of which evaded the nets)
Male Chestnut sided warbler. Photo by Blake Goll
Male Chestnut sided warbler. Photo by Blake Goll
Second Year Male Common Yellowthroat.  Photo by Blake Goll
Second Year Male Common Yellowthroat. Photo by Blake Goll
Indigo bunting.  Photo by Blake Goll
Indigo bunting. Photo by Blake Goll
Young (both Second Year) Veery wing comparison.  Photo by Blake Goll
Young (both Second Year) Veery wing comparison. Photo by Blake Goll
Wood Thrush.  Photo by Blake Goll
Wood Thrush. Photo by Blake Goll
Willow Flycatcher.  Photo by Blake Goll
Willow Flycatcher. Photo by Blake Goll

Hope to see you at Rushton next week!  We will band as usual on Tuesday and Thursday morning, sunrise until 11am,  unless it rains.

~Blake

7th grader with Magnolia Warbler.  Photo by Blake Goll
7th grader with Magnolia Warbler. Photo by Blake Goll

 

Filed Under: Bird Banding Tagged With: Bird banding, Rushton Woods Preserve, warblers, Willistown Conservation Trust, wood thrush

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Our nature preserves are open to the public 365 days per year from sunrise to sunset, providing natural places that offer peace and respite for all. Willistown Conservation Trust owns and manages three nature preserves in the Willistown area - Ashbridge, Kirkwood and Rushton Woods Preserve. We maintain these lands for the … Learn more about our nature preserves.

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