April 2011

The end of one of the wettest Aprils on record. Out of a possible 26 days we were able to band only 16 days. Last year we banded 21 days. We banded 350 birds helped greatly by the birds in the last week with a total net hours of 1,124. Last year we banded 406 with net hours of 1,562 so more effort but really not such a big drop in birds. This year if we had banded 100 hours we would have banded 31 birds. Last year it would have been 30. Conclusion is that even though this April was frustrating weather wise we did fine bird wise. In fact the two years are quite comperable. So much for how I thought the month had gone.

April 30: Jim, Roswitha, Jason, Rob, Fraser, Owen, Preston and mom and dad Ian and Tara. It was a cool morning of -3 with some nets opening black and white. Wind was from NW 5 with no real clouds. The morning warmed up and was beautiful. Banded: House Wren 3, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Thrasher, Myrtle Warbler 3, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Easter Towhee, White-throated Sparrow 7, Red-winged Blackbird 3, American Goldfinch 2 = 22 of 9 species. Retrapped 8 of 4 species. Saw 24 species.

April 29: Jim, Roswitha, Julien. After the winds of yesterday I expected to find nets crushed by blown over trees but everything was fine. This is Julien's last day and he returns to, we hope, sunnier Quebec. At least the last few days of his stay were good in relation to the birds banded. He did well and, I think, learned a great deal. We had a cloudy morning with some light showers and some wind from the west. Banded: Yellow-shafted Flicker-female, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 13, Gray Catbird 2, Blue-headed Vireo, Yellow Warbler, Myrtle Warbler 22, White-throated Sparrow3, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird 3 = 50 birds of 12 species. Retrapped only 5, saw 33 species. There seems to be a Bald Eagle flying around with some dead stuff stuck to a leg since I have seen it now three times.

April 27: Roswitha, Kim, Jason. Cloud 3/10 temperature 9 wind S at 5. Banded: Eastern Wood Pewee, Blue Jay, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5, Wood Thrush, Gray Catbird, Myrtle Warbler 6, Western Palm Warbler 2, Song Sparrow 2, Swamp Sparrow 2, White-throated Sparrow 12, Red-winged Blackbird 3, American Goldfinch = 38 of 13 species. Recapured 1 White-throated Sparrow. Species observed- 24.
I was on a medical appointment. Just tuning my meds.

April 26: Well another one for the weather man. 100% chance of rain with heavy thundershowers. Morning had no rain and by 9:00 I decided to get some things for the aerial poles and to go out. Julien was at the trailer and he helped me with the aerial net and we decided to open a few nets. Number 4 and 5 were never opened. It was 13 degrees with sun. We heard thunder to the north but other than a little shower we were fine. Banded: Yellow-shafted Flicker, Brown Creeper, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 15 including three females, Hermit Thrush 7, American Robin, Nashville Warbler 3, Yellow Warbler, Hooded Warbler female, Myrtle Warbler 7, Black and white Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow 24, American Goldfinch = 65 birds of 14 species, didn't retrap any and only saw 11 species mainly because we were too busy. Net hours 55.
Julien brought back a pretty good sized Snapping Turtle which I didn't band. Appologies to Rick Young for saying last night that I wasn't going out based on the %^#$& weather report.

Aprril 25: Jim, Roswitha, Kim, Julien. Full cloud and sprinkling of rain by closing.Wind from NW which is an excellent Fall wind but not much good for spring. We have lakes across roads in the park but the boardwalks mainly keep us out of the water and mud. Banded: Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4, American Robin 2, White-throated Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, American Goldfinch = 12 birds of 8 species. Recaptured 9 birds of 7 species. Saw 30 species including an Osprey and a Towhee who is still "drink your teeee" ing..

April 23: Jim Julien. It rained most of the morning so I didn't go out until around 11:30 not really with any intention of banding. I was more interested, now that the road is kind of open (mainly for big trucks and my truck making a hop and a jump across holes made worse by the big trucks, to get some things into the banding station that have been waiting for the road. We decided to open 8 nets those being 1, 2, 9, and 7. Meanwhile Julien and I got the aerial net erected. We got everything up but the pulley system did not do the job intended; the rings holding the net loops got stuck; the rope got hung up on a branch; we couldn't get the net down again; we had to drive the truck under the net to get it to come down; we ended up taking the top down to do something with the pulleys. In short it didn't work. The net is up and the lower poles and I have to look for other pulleys. Weather was t-shirt. Oh ya, we caught one winter wren.

April 22: Jim, Roswitha, Jason, Rob, Julien. Weather -2 with cloud and later sun and cloud. Wind from SE rising to 15. Banded: Yellow-shafted Flicker male, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet 3, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 6, Hermit Thrush 2, American Robin, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow 3, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird = 23 of 13 species. Recaptured 5 birds of 5 species. Saw 24 species.

April 21: Jim, Jason, Kim, Julien: Weather was -2 degrees C. on starting with only 5/10 clouds so we actually saw sun. Wind was from W and dropped through the morning from around 20. Banded: Downey Woodpecker-female, Brown Creeper 2, Ruby Crowned Kinglet 2 still only males, Hermit Thrush 2, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow 2, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch = 14 of 10 species. Retrapped 8 of 4 species-5chickadees some caught for the thirds time this season. Observed 31 species, lots of cowbirds, tree swallows are actively looking in boxes, bald eagle doing a fly through.

April 19: Jim, Rick, Julien. Weather again cool and threatening. -3 for starting and full cloud and winds from N.W. but only slight. Mixed precipitation was forecast for 8 but we managed until 10:00. As wind crept up it was cold. Banded: Brown Creeper 4, Golden-crowned Kinglet 2, Swamp Sparrow 2, and Red-winged Blackbird-female = 9 birds of 4 species. Recaptured 0 because I threw away 5 chickadees, Saw 15 species. There were quite a few creepers around. We need some warm air from the south.

April 18: Jim, Roswitha, Jason: Saturday was a complete rain day and todays forecast was for mixed precipitation after 11 and I sit looking out at wet snow. We had a touch of sun on starting up changing to full cloud and -3 degrees made to feel chillier by the dampness. Banded: White-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet 3, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3, American Robin 2, Song Sparrow 2, Swamp Sparrow 2, White-throated Sparrow 2, =15 of 7 species. Retrapped 10 birds of 3 species with chickadees 8/10. Saw 27 species.

April 15: Jim, Jason, Roswitha, Julien: -3 degrees with no clouds but wind from NE at 15. Banded: American Robin, American Tree Sparrow, Song Sparrow 2, Red-winged Blackbird, Purple Finch, = 6 birds of 5 species, Recaptured 12 birds of 5 species chickadees making 8/12. Saw 23 species with a flying over Belted Kingfisher being somewhat noteworthy.

April 14: Jim, Jason, Roswitha, Julien: Weather was perfect for banding. No wind, sun trying to come through clouds, temperature 4 and rising. Now a little more participation from the birds would have helped greatly. Banded: Black-capped Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Fox Sparrow 2, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow 2, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, House Sparrow = 11 birds of 9 species. Recaptured 7 birds with 4 of them chickadees. Saw 23 species.

April 12: Jim, Jason, Rick, Julien: Weather was cloudy to start then sun by closing. Temperature 2 with winds from NE at 15 to 20. Nets were hung up and blown out. Banded: Black-capped Chickadee 4, Brown Creeper 3, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, American Goldfinch = 15 of 10 species. Recaptures were all Chickadees 3, Observation- Last years Bald Eagle down on big trees at lake and 25 other species.

April 11: I have to get a new weather forecaster. I had 90% rain and thundershowers and it ended up being a slight shower and nothing else. It was, however way too windy so that part was correct. I'm sure that Julien wondered what happened to us since I have no way of contacting him at the park.

April 9: Jim, Jason, Rob, Julien Bev. A really nice morning with full sun and moderate breeze from SE. and high of 21. The best bird of the morning was the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker which is seldom caught and I don't think I have caught a full male before. Banded: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren 2, American Robin 2, American Tree Sparrow 2, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, American Goldfich with the males looking for pied with winter and summer plumage 3 =17 of 11 species, Retrapped 12 of 6 species, observed 29 species.

April 8: Jim, Kim, Jason, Casey, Rob and we welcome Julien St-Amand from Sept-Ille, Quebec. We are still slogging through the bush to get into the banding area but a change is in sight and the road may be open next week. Weather was 1 to start with a little sun then cloudy and felt colder. Full cloud with a SW breeze. Banded: Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren 3 American Robin, , American Tree Sparrow, Song Sparrow 6, Swamp Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco 9 = 23 birds of 8 species, Retrapped 13 with 11 being Chickadees. Saw an additional 23 species.

April 7: Jim, Kim, Jason, Casey. Fog and a temperature of -5. Nets were frozen solid and by 9:30 they were still not unfrozen enough to open. I figured maybe by 11 so we decided to go home. No birds caught, seems chasing them through the bush does not work as well as the nets. We had 25 species on observation. A lingering Pine Siskin was good. Lots of wild turkeys calling when we went in. Jason cut brush along net 5 and 3. I fussed and fumed and tried nets. Kim tried to unthaw one with her hands and Casey went to get the dog trimmed. This year just does not want to get started.

April 6: Kim- Sunny periods earlier in the morning and raining by 10. One of the worst things a master bander can do is not inform a volunteer that there would be no banding. Kim was out bright and early at 6:30 and although I haven't asked I expect she may even have had a few nets opened. I stayed home and got paper work organized, a surprising amount of forms are needed for start up plus computer files for the new year. Kim phoned later and I felt like a bumb. She suggested that we write things down; I wonder why she thinks this? My wife just informed me that she also thought was a good idea. A conspiracy?

April 5: Jason, Jim- Cloudy and cool with a pretty good wind by noon. We didn't start until 8. Yesterday was a rain event all day although it was warm.
Got nets opened without any difficulties but one net right out of the package has the tethers all squed pulling the net in weird directions and it will have to be replaced. Probably ones of John's seconds. Lots of Golden-crowned Kinglets around, plus saw a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, probably the one Derrick Taylor got a picture of. Banded: Black-capped Chickadee 5, Slate-coloured Junco (Dark-eyed) 6, American Tree Sparrow 3, Golden-crowned Kinglet 2, Eastern Phoebe 2, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren 2, Northern Cardinal, White-breasted Nuthatch, Song Sparrow 3, Common Grackle 2, Eastern Towhee = 29 of 13 species. Retrapped 11 of 4 species with 8 being Chickadees. Saw 16 species, no lake view. Road is still not open into the banding side of the park.

March 30- Roswitha, Kim, Jason and myself got all but one net up and ready for our opening which this year will be April 4. The Haldimand Annual Meeting is on Saturday April 2 with two good speakers one on Tree Swallows and the other on Snowbuntings. It should prove to be an interesting morning.
Friday will serve to get the finishing touches, clean up and other chores done. One of our main problems at the momement is that the park has been working on a new sewage system and the road into our banding area has a twenty foot ditch crossing it. This of course prevents us from driving into the banding area and means we walk through the bush with all our various things needed to get started. Not fun when half the trail is under water. Hopefully, at least, the road part of the ditch will be finished soon. We have kept a feeder going all winter which has made for some winter walks into the banding area. This last spring storm meant pushing through snow covered bushes in order to get in. We have a few distance volunteers lined up for the Spring which will be announced at the appropriate time.

Well here we are at year eleven for spring banding at Rock Point Provincial Park. It hardly seems possible which proves time flies when you are having fun.