It has been a slow month. I guess the warm weather in March led us to believe that birds would come through sooner than normale.  We banded 406 birds down from 661 last year.  Birds per 100 net hours were 57 last year and 26 this year.  We had 400 more net hours than last year and lower catches. 
We logged 346 volunteer hours with  12 volunteers contributing to this total in contrast to 235 with 6 volunteers last year.  We banded 32 species.
Thanks for all the help.  Hopefully May will make up for April's short fall.

April 30:  Jim, Roswitha.  7 degrees to start with 8/10 cloud and sw wind.  By closing we had no clouds and temperature in high teens.  A white-throated Sparrow day!  We still were down to no birds on net rounds by closing.
Banded:  Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Thrasher 2, Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Towhee (female), Lincoln's Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow 38, Eastern White-crowned Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird 2, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, American Goldfinch = 50, retrapped 2, saw 38 species.

April 29:  Jim, Roswitha, Sarah, Laura.  Laura was writing an article for the Dunnville Chronicle.  Temperature on starting was 1 degree rapidly rising through the morning.  Full sun and moderate breeze from the W changing to S.
Banded:  Blue Jay, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 12, Hermit Thrush 4, American Robin, Blue-headed Vireo, Western Palm Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Field Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow 15, Red-winged Blackbird 4, Common Grackle 2, Brown-headed Cowbird 2 = 46, retrapped 12, saw 36 species.
A Sandhill Crane was noteworthy.

April 28: Jim, Roswitha, Kim.  Zero on opening with wind from N.W at 15 later in morning gusting to 40.  Full cloud in morning and then clearing to clear by mid morning.  Wind in morning was really cold.
Banded:  Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3, American Robin, Field Sparrow 2, White-throated Sparrow 4, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird 2, Common Grackle 2, American Goldfinch = 17, retrapped 6, Saw 30 species.

April 27: Jim, Rick, Dora, Kim, Gisele. A light wind to start feeling like -1.  Sun with a few clouds.  Gusting to 20 or 30 and blowing nets out by mid morning.
Banded; Ruby-crowned Kinglet 6, Hermit Thrush 3, Northern Waterthrush our first warbler, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow 6, Common Grackle 2, American Goldfinch 2 =21, retrapped 3, saw 25 species.

April 26:  We stayed home because of rain.  It turned out to be just showers which we could have handled.  I managed to get data caught up, so still a useful day.

April 24: Jim, Roswitha, Bev  I had high hopes for more birds with south winds through the night.  Highlight of the day was Ian Darling, Fraser, Owen, Preston and Ema who came out.  Wind changed to the east in the morning.
Banded:  Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 and one was a female, Hermit Thrush, White-throated Sparrow 3 = 6, retrapped 2, saw 32 species.

April 23: Jim, Roswitha.  -3 this morning with nets opening looking like zebra. Wind continuing from the north.  Anyone know if there is a wind dance I could do to change this wind to something that will bring birds?  I'm getting lots of continuous exercise, don't have to stop at nets at all!  No clouds but not warm until after 10.
Banded:  (same stuff)  More specifically:  Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 and still no females, American Robin, Swamp Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco 2, Red-winged Blackbird 3, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird = 11, retrapped 4, saw 32 species.  We are down about 150 birds from last year at the same time.

April 22: Jim, Roswitha.  4 degrees with no wind and up to 15 from N.W. later in the morning. Felt chilly.  Cloud cover early cleared to full sun.  Last year same date we did 7 birds but we had already done a number of over 40 days.
Banded:  Ruby-crowned Kinglets 4, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Swamp Sparrow 3, Common Grackle 2, Brown-headed Cowbird = 12, retrapped 4, saw 27 species.

April 21:  Jim, Kim.  2 degrees with no wind or clouds.  Around 5 km/hr from west later in morning. Beautiful day but still not many birds. 
Banded:  Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4, Hermit Thrush 3, American Robin, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow 6, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle 3, Brown-headed Cowbird = 22, retrapped 3, saw 28 species.

April 20:  Jim, Rick, Dora, Kim.  Temperature was -1 and foggy.  One net was beaded with frozen water.  Wind to start was calm then about 15 from N.W.  Sunny the rest of the morning.  HO HUM bird wise.  We need some south winds.
Banded: Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3, White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Common Grackle 3, American Goldfinch = 9, retrapped 4,  saw 35 species.  Took home one wood tick. Now if a breeze blows a hair on my arm I am looking for more.

April 19: Jim, Roswitha.  Found out I lost 6 bands at Ball's Falls.  Two from each of the larger bands.  I guess nothing is safe.
Today it was -2 to start with a N.W. wind of 5.  Full sun .
Banded:  Winter Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 10 and still all males, Northern Cardinal, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco 2, Common Grackle =17 retrapped 6 and Saw 27 species.  More white-throated Sparrows should be here by now.

April 18:  Roswitha and I went down to Ball's Falls Conservation Area to do a bird banding presentation.  Rob Kuret works there so he was also helping out. The first part of the morning was threatening but later we were into a nice sunny morning.  Quite a few people came out to see the demonstration.  Unfortunately the birds did not co-operate and we did not catch one.  People still saw the slide presentation and how the net worked.  We moved the net but still did not catch a bird.  We are thankful for the donation towards Haldimand.
MY APPOLOGIES TO THE DARLING BOYS ON APRIL 10 SINCE I MANAGED TO SPELL OR ABSOLUTELY NOT GET CORRECT THEIR NAMES.  NO EXCUSE SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN INTO ROCK POINT QUITE A NUMBER OF TIMES.

April 16:  Jim, Roswitha.  We got scared home early by the cold front that came through and the threat of rain.  There was a shower as we closed.  First part of morning was cloudy with sunny periods and 11 degrees.  Wind from S.W
Banded:  Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 11 again all males, Field Sparrow, a seldom caught at Rock Point Savannah Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird 3 = 18, retrapped 4, Saw 27 species.

April 15: Jim, Roswitha.  A nice day with sun except for a quick shower about 10:30. Nets were left open and only enough rain to almost wet the boardwalks.  The wind from the south brought some birds our way.
Banded: Mourning Dove 2, Black-capped Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 11 and all males, American Robin, Swamp Sparrow 5, White-throated Sparrow 4, Dark-eyed Junco 4, Red-winged Blackbird 4, Common Grackle 2, Brown-headed Cowbird,= 35, retrapped 9, saw 32 species.

April 14:  Jim, Kim.  A cool morning with nets again frosted -2. A little wind out of the east.  No cloud cover.  Ho hum again in relation to number of birds.
Banded:  Golden-crowned Kinglet 4, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 we have been hearing them for a number of days, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Song Sparrow 2, Swamp Sparrow, American Goldfinch = 12, retrapped 3 so stuff has moved out, Saw 25 species.

April 13: Jim, Kim, Rick, Sarah Mulder.  A nice sunny day but with not many birds. Breeze from the north. High clouds at start of morning.
Banded:  Tree Swallow, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet 3, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Northern Cardinal, Dark-eyed Junco 2, Red-winged Blackbird 3, American Goldfinch = 15, retrapped 9, Saw 28 species

April 12:  Jim, Roswitha, Kim.  Nets frosted with a -3. No fun to open.  Wind calm but breeze from the north.  Turned into a beautiful day but no birds.
Banded:  Golden-crowned Kinglet 3 all female, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, American Goldfinch 3 = 9, retrapped 10 Saw 31 species including a Bald Eagle.

 April 10:  Jim, Roswitha, Bev, Rob, Tracy.  Cool morning of -3 with boardwalks slick from frost.  N.W. wind around 10.  We had Ian, FRASER, OWEN, and PRESTON Darling out to give us a hand on Owen's 8th birthday.
Banded:  Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Golden-crowned Kinglet 5, Brown Thrasher 2, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco 3, Red-winged Blackbird 3, Common Grackle 2, American Goldfinch 2 = 22, Retrapped 19, Saw 30 species.

April 9:  High wind and -5 windchill factor.  We stayed home.

April 8: Rain event.

April 7:  Jim, Roswitha, Kim.  We got three hours out of the morning before almost being caught by a fast moving thunderstorm.  I have been remided that Roswitha and Kim were caught as the hail came down.   Temperature was 9.
Banded: Blue Jay, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Fox Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow and Red-winged Blackbird = 6 Retrapped 10 and saw 30 species.

April 6:  Closed because of rain most of the morning.

April 5: Jim, Roswitha, Kim
  Full cloud and only 8 degrees changing to full sun later in morning.
Banded:  Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Brown Thrasher, Swamp Sparrow 2, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, American Goldfinch 2 = 10  and retrapped 23 mostly Chickadees and Junco.

April 3:  Jim Gerda- 15 degrees to start.
Banded:  Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco 16, Red-winged Blackbird =18  Only opened 3 net locations.  Most birds are coming out of the feeder net.

April 2:  Jim and Roswitha.   Summer continues.
    Banded:  Golden-crowned Kinglet 2, American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Song Sparrow 2, Dark-eyed Junco 3, Red-winged Blackbird 2, Brown-headed Cowbird, American Goldfinch = 13 and retrapped 12

April 1:  Jim, Kim, and Roswitha.  Summer like temperatures and sunny.
    Banded:  Black-capped Chickadee 2, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet 4, Song Sparrow 2, Dark-eyed Junco 9, Red-winged Blackbird 1 = 19 and retrapped 8.
      
March 31:  Kim and Jim- temperature 12 degrees and sunny.
   We started late and ended early just trying to get things put back together.
Banded:  Black-capped Chickadee- 3, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Song Sparrow 2, Dark-eyed Junco 12 = 18 and Retrapped 9.

March 28/29  Roswitha, Kim and myself went out and got all but three nets up. Net 3 remains to be put up and half of net 9.  The shed needs to be fixed up because things were moved because of the new windows.  Heard a few Kinglets around plus Chickadees, Jay, Crows, Cardinals.  No evident real movement of birds.