Metro Beach banding station report - April 23 & 27, 2014

For the first time, every banding day in the month of April started out with temperatures in the 30s. The two banding days covered here did reach into the 50s by the time we closed the nets. Hopefully we'll see a warming trend soon! Only one banding day was possible the third week of April because that's all the volunteers I could convince to come out, so the first day of the next week is included here also. Overall, captures were rather low for the entire month of April. We'll see what happens once the warblers arrive.

Highlights of the 25 birds banded on Wednesday, April 23 included the third Northern Flicker of the spring, this one a male, as can be clearly seen by its black whisker.

After hatch-year male Northern Flicker

After hatch-year male Northern Flicker

The first swallow of the spring was captured today. But despite there being considerable Tree Swallow activity around the nest box near the Field Nets, the first swallow banded was a Northern Rough-winged.

Second-year male Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Second-year male Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Although they have been in the banding area for at least two weeks, the first Winter Wren of the spring was captured today. It could certainly be the last since very few have been banded in the first week of May here.

After hatch-year Winter Wren

After hatch-year Winter Wren

Not much of a highlight, but still a beautiful bird up close, was the European Starling; this one a male distinguished by the light blue at the base of its yellow bill. Normally I don't band starlings, but the previous bander here did, so to follow the protocol I band them here.

After hatch-year male European Starling

After hatch-year male European Starling

Interesting birds observed but not banded included a calling Pied-billed Grebe in the marsh to the north, calling Virginia Rails and Sora, an Eastern Phoebe, the lingering Louisiana Waterthrush, and a Rusty Blackbird.

Highlights of the 39 birds banded on Sunday, April 27 included the second swallow of the season, this time the expected Tree Swallow. In addition, another already banded Tree Swallow was captured, that one a male that had been banded in spring of 2013.

After hatch-year male Tree Swallow

None were heard singing in the banding area today, or any day prior, so it was nice to have the season's first House Wren today as a sign that the migration was progressing...slowly.

After hatch-year House Wren

After hatch-year House Wren

Overwintering White-throated Sparrows are sometimes caught in early April. That did not happen this year, but they are almost always quite worn and dull. It was clear that the two caught today were the first migrants from farther south as they were in very fresh, bright plumage, one white-striped morph and one tan-striped morph. Both birds were aged second-year based on molt limits, and were sexed as male by wing chord (>74mm), so the differences seen below are due to each being a different color morph.

Second-year male White-throated Sparrow (Tan)

Second-year male White-throated Sparrow (White)

Second-year male White-throated Sparrow (White)

And a common species that we don't catch very often was a single House Finch.

After hatch-year male House Finch

And I'll end with a gratuitous portrait of the same White-throated Sparrow, to show off its bright colors.

Second-year male White-throated Sparrow (White)

Interesting birds observed but not banded included a flyover Common Loon, calling Sora and Virginia Rails, a calling Common Gallinule in the marsh north of the banding area, a briefly heard calling Solitary Sandpiper, two flyover Forster's Terns, three species of warbler; Nashville, Yellow, and the still lingering Louisiana Waterthrush, and a female Rusty Blackbird that gave good views most of the day.

It is also a great relief to have an insect highlight, as insects are finally now becoming active. You know it was a long winter when you're happy to see bugs! This half-inch beetle was found out near the Field Nets, and brought back to the station to be photographed. It is a species that I've seen several times when looking for salamanders. They like to hide under logs so are not often seen. And before now they have been too fast for me to get photos. This one had to be restrained in the ziploc bag that I keep my parking permit in...and an attempt to photograph it outside the bag failed as it flew off almost immediately.

Red Flat Bark Beetle (Cucujus clavipes)

Red Flat Bark Beetle (Cucujus clavipes)

============================
Banding Data
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WEDNESDAY, April 23, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:39
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:00
Hours Open: 7.00
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 91.00
Temperature (F): 39-54
Cloud Cover: 100-20%
Wind: NW @ 12-7 mph
Barometer: 29.36 - 29.45
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 25 (plus 11 recaptured, 2 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 13
Capture Rate: 41.8 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 10.00 hours, 5:00-15:00): Steve Mangas, Tom Schlack (5.5 hrs), Sue Wright

Downy Woodpecker -1 (plus 1 recaptured)
Northern Flicker - 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1
Winter Wren - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Hermit Thrush - 2
American Robin - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)
European Starling - 1 (plus 1 released unbanded)
Song Sparrow - 3 (plus 1 recaptured)
Swamp Sparrow - 4 (plus 1 recaptured)
Red-winged Blackbird - 8 (plus 3 recaptured, 1 released unbanded)
[Brown-headed Cowbird - 1 recaptured]
[American Goldfinch - 3 recaptured]

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SUNDAY, April 27, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:33
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:00
Hours Open: 7.00
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 91.00
Temperature (F): 34-57
Cloud Cover: 50-80%
Wind: NE-SE @ 3-5 mph
Barometer: 29.51 - 29.50
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 39 (plus 7 recaptured, 3 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 11
Capture Rate: 53.8 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 9.5 hours, 5:00-14:30): Annie Crary, Jacob Charlebois, Kathy McDonald, Blanche Wicke

[Downy Woodpecker - 1 recaptured]
Tree Swallow - 1 (plus 1 recaptured)
House Wren - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Hermit Thrush - 3 (plus 1 recaptured)
Song Sparrow -3 (plus 1 recaptured)
Swamp Sparrow - 10 (plus 1 recaptured, 1 released unbanded)
White-throated Sparrow - 2
Red-winged Blackbird - 14 (plus 1 recaptured, 2 released unbanded)
House Finch - 1
American Goldfinch - 3 (plus 1 recaptured)

Metro Beach banding station report - April 17 & 19, 2014

Spring is springing, but winter is not letting go either. On Thursday, April 17, it was 31 degrees in the morning so a very thin layer of ice had formed overnight all over the swampy banding area, and it did not go away until the second net run! On Saturday, April 19, it was 36 degrees in the morning but did not feel much warmer because of the light north winds. Both days did improve significantly however with temperatures getting into the 50s.

Highlights of the 45 birds banded on Thursday, April 17 included a Northern Flicker, which is always a nice species to have in hand as only a couple are typically captured in a season.

Second-year female Northern Flicker

A resident species that doesn't find its way into our nets very often is the White-breasted Nuthatch; maybe one per year has been banded at this station, so another nice species to have in hand.

After hatch-year male White-breasted Nuthatch

The Golden-crowned Kinglets seem to have mostly gone north but the Ruby-crowneds are just arriving, and today the first two of the season were captured, both males as expected.

After hatch-year male Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Although we did not see any in the banding area, surprising given the lack of anything green yet, the first four Hermit Thrushes of the season were banded today.

Second-year Hermit Thrush

And a Swamp Sparrow, the first of many more to come, was captured today. We see many more birds with rufous in the crown in spring than in fall, but there is no known correlation with age or sex as this character is quite variable.

After hatch-year Swamp Sparrow

Interesting birds observed but not banded included flyover Common Loon, Turkey Vulture, Wood Duck, and American Kestrel. Both Sora and Virginia Rails were calling in the marsh, and Wilson's Snipe continued to winnow overhead through most of the morning. A Red-headed Woodpecker flew through the banding area but did not stop, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler was singing briefly in the morning, as was an Eastern Towhee.

Highlights of the 40 birds banded on Saturday, April 19 included one of the first birds that started singing at first light. At first, it sounded like an American Tree Sparrow, but it got louder and clearer, and became obvious it was a Louisiana Waterthrush, only the second I've ever had in the park! It had been found the day before by a birder, and by the time the first birders turned up looking for it this morning a bit after sunrise, the bird had stopped its vigorous and almost continuous singing, giving just an occasional "chink" note. It took a couple of net runs, but the bird finally found its way into the nets, for only the second of its species ever banded at this station!

After hatch-year (SY?) male Louisiana Waterthrush

After hatch-year (SY?) male Louisiana Waterthrush

There were no plumage characters that allowed it to be sexed, but as it was almost certainly the only member of its species in the area, and it was clearly singing, there is no doubt it was a male. The age is a bit uncertain to me. The secondaries and tail feathers were very worn, suggesting that it might have been a second-year bird. Species ID points included the very large bill compared with Northern Waterthrush, as well as the lack of yellow anywhere on the underparts, and a mostly unspotted throat.

After hatch-year (SY?) male Louisiana Waterthrush

After hatch-year (SY?) male Louisiana Waterthrush

Thinking this would probably be the highlight of the spring season, it was very surprising to come across yet another great bird later in the day, this one a first ever for the station, a beautiful male American Kestrel! This is the 124th species banded here since 1989, and the 120th since 2004.

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

After hatch-year (SY?) male American Kestrel

Interesting birds observed but not banded included two flyover Common Loons, flyover Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, two Sandhill Cranes (one flying south, one calling from the South Marsh), a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and possibly the last American Tree Sparrow and Fox Sparrow of the season.

============================
Banding Data
--------------------------------------
THURSDAY, April 17, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:48
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:15
Hours Open: 7.25
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 93.25
Temperature (F): 31-54
Cloud Cover: 50-70-30%
Wind: ENE-SE @ 5-7-12 mph
Barometer: 29.72 - 29.67
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 45 (plus 7 recaptured, 3 released unbanded)
No. of Species: 12
Capture Rate: 57.7 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 10.00 hours, 5:00-15:00): Jacob Charlebois (4.5 hrs), John Bieganowski (5.5 hrs), Tom Schlack (4.5 hrs), Steve Mangas (10.0 hrs)

Downy Woodpecker -1
Northern Flicker - 1
Black-capped Chickadee - 1
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
Brown Creeper - 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 2
Hermit Thrush - 4
American Robin -3 (plus 1 released unbanded)
Song Sparrow - 1 (plus 3 recaptured)
Swamp Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird -26 (plus 2 recaptured, 2 released unbanded)
[American Goldfinch - 1 recaptured]

-------------------------------------
SATURDAY, April 19, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 5:45
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:00
Hours Open: 7.00
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 91.50
Temperature (F): 36-55
Cloud Cover: 20-0%
Wind: N-NE @ 5-7-10 mph
Barometer: 29.77 - 29.78
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 40 (plus 9 recaptured)
No. of Species: 12
Capture Rate: 53.6 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 9.5 hours, 5:00-14:30): Jacob Charlebois (6.0 hrs), Sarah Toner, Blanche Wicke

AMERICAN KESTREL - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 3 (plus 1 recaptured)
Northern Flicker - 1

Black-capped Chickadee - 1 (plus 3 recaptured)
Brown Creeper - 1 (plus 3 recaptured)
Hermit Thrush - 5
American Robin - 4
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH - 1
Song Sparrow - 2
Swamp Sparrow - 6 (plus 1 recaptured)
Red-winged Blackbird - 14 (plus 1 recaptured)
American Goldfinch - 1

Spring Banding kickoff

After a long, hard winter in southeastern Michigan it was nice to get out once again and slog around in water instead of ice, and slippery mud instead of hard dirt! Of course, the scene below greeted us at the meeting spot on opening day on Sunday, April 6, lots of ice piled up on the shoreline of Lake St. Clair.

Icy shore of Lake St. Clair with rafts of ducks in distance

Once we got back into the banding area in the swamp woods and edge of Point Rosa marsh, there was little to clear in the net lanes, and the water and mud was as it has been the past several years, with no increase despite near-record snowfall over the winter. Perhaps the marsh is draining better now with the improvements implemented over the past couple of years? It didn't take too long to get the station up and running, allowing us to band for 4 hours and catch a good number of birds. The weather cooperated nicely, with temperatures ranging from 30-50, and on Wednesday, April 9, there were similar temperatures though the light north wind made it feel cooler. It was great hearing the first frogs of the season, though almost a month later than in may recent years!

Highlights of the 35 birds banded on Sunday, April 6 included several Golden-crowned Kinglets, with the first bird banded this season being the adult male below.

After hatch-year male Golden-crowned Kinglet

Starting the banding season this early is intended to document the very earliest spring migrants, including Golden-crowned Kinglets which in many years have already mostly departed by early April. It is also intended to catch some of the last lingering winter species, including American Tree Sparrow. Like the Golden-crowned Kinglets, many of these are often out of our area by early April with typically low numbers banded most springs. The ten American Tree Sparrows banded today represented a good, but not record number, and an additional bird already wearing a band had been banded on November 3 last fall, providing the first proof (though it was assumed) of late fall tree sparrows overwintering at this locale.

After hatch-year American Tree Sparrow

An early migrant, that overwinters in small numbers (perhaps none this winter?) is Fox Sparrow, and the 6 banded today was a very good total for a single day.

After hatch-year male Fox Sparrow

An interesting Black-capped Chickadee, banded last year as an after hatch-year female (showing a brood patch in late spring), was captured. She had three feathers on her crown that appeared brown. Might this be a sign of hybridization with Boreal Chickadee? Since Boreals don't breed within 200 miles of this site, more likely they are just some worn feathers.

Brown feathers on Black-capped Chickadee crown

Interesting birds observed but not banded included a single flyover Double-crested Cormorant, a Northern Harrier flying in off Lake St. Clair and heading north, three Wilson's Snipe winnowing over the marsh most of the morning, two Eastern Phoebes in the banding area but avoiding the nets, several Tree Swallows including a couple birds checking out the nest box near the Field Nets, and a single singing Winter Wren. A few Brown Creepers were in the area but avoided capture.

Highlights of the 33 birds banded on Wednesday, April 9 included the first Eastern Phoebe of the season. This species has been banded later than the end of April only once in 10 years, so starting early int he spring is a good way to document their occurrence. This first bird was documented as a second-year, which is only occasionally possible, by the presence of two very worn outer greater secondary coverts contrasting (molt limit) with the rather fresh-looking and broadly whitish tipped inner coverts.

Second-year Eastern Phoebe

Second-year Eastern Phoebe. Arrows show older worn coverts.

The first Brown Creepers of the spring were banded today, the last of the early migrants that starting so early in the season is intended to document.

After hatch-year Brown Creeper

It is always nice to get a close look at this species amazing bill, and interesting eye shape that it shares with the wrens.

After hatch-year Brown Creeper

An interesting recapture was another American Tree Sparrow that was banded in a fall season, but this one was banded in fall 2012, documenting for the first time (but completely expected) winter site fidelity of this species in the park. 

Interesting birds observed but not banded included 4 flyover Double-crested Cormorants, two flyover Great Egrets, a calling Virginia Rail in the marsh near the Field Nets, a flyover Sandhill Crane, three Wilson's Snipe still winnowing over the marsh, two singing Winter Wrens, and a single singing Swamp Sparrow (many more to come!).

============================
Banding Data
-----------------------------------------------
SUNDAY, April 6, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 6:06
Time Open (E.S.T.): 8:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:30
Hours Open: 5.5
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 70.00
Temperature (F): 30-55
Cloud Cover: 10-20%
Wind: Calm-S-ESE @ 0-3-7 mph
Barometer: 29.57 - 29.50
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 35 (plus 7 recaptured)
No. of Species: 8
Capture Rate: 60.0 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 8.00 hours, 7:00-15:00): Jacob Charlebois (4.5 hrs), Annie Crary (1.5 hrs), John Hummel, Sarah Toner

Black-capped Chickadee -1 (plus 4 recaptured)
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 8
American Robin - 4
American Tree Sparrow - 10 (plus 1 recaptured)
Fox Sparrow - 6
Song Sparrow - 3
Red-winged Blackbird - 1
American Goldfinch - 2 (plus 2 recaptured)

-------------------------------------
WEDNESDAY, April 9, 2014
Sunrise (E.S.T.): 6:01
Time Open (E.S.T.): 6:00
Time Closed (E.S.T.): 13:00
Hours Open: 7.00
No. of Nets: 5.0-14.0
Net Hours: 91.00
Temperature (F): 37-52
Cloud Cover: 30-10%
Wind: NW-S @ 3-5-7 mph
Barometer: 29.25 - 29.35
Precipitation: None
No. Banded: 33 (plus 20 recaptured)
No. of Species: 11
Capture Rate: 69.6 birds per 100 net hours
Volunteers (worked 9.5 hours, 5:00-14:30): Jacob Charlebois, Anne Ross (9 hrs), Edie Schmitz (9 hrs), Sarah Toner, Blanche Wicke (9 hrs).

[Downy Woodpecker - 1 recaptured]
Eastern Phoebe - 1
[Black-capped Chickadee - 1 recaptured]
Brown Creeper - 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 9 (plus 1 recaptured)
American Robin - 3
American Tree Sparrow - 2 (plus 1 recaptured)
Fox Sparrow - 2 (plus 4 recaptured)
Song Sparrow - 4 (plus 6 recaptured)
Red-winged Blackbird - 2
American Goldfinch - 7 (plus 6 recaptured)

Winter is for writing reports...

The record setting winter in southeastern Michigan has kept me indoors more than normal. The up side is that I've had more time to get reports from last year's activities finished. These include the 2013 Hummingbird Banding Report (download a PDF here). Michigan had a record number of Rufous Hummingbirds last year, while Ohio and Indiana both had good numbers as well. Unlike most years, all of them departed by mid-December, apparently sensing what kind of winter was coming.

Adult male Rufous Hummingbird, banded in Westerville, OH

Also available is the Fall 2013 Banding Report from Lake St. Clair Metropark, Macomb Co., Michigan (download a PDF here).

Hatch-year Red-tailed Hawk

And, I have also updated the annual banding results from 2004-2013 (website link here).

Spring banding at Lake St. Clair Metropark is just around the corner, with opening day scheduled for the first weekend in April. Hopefully all our snow will be melted by then, and the banding area won't be flooded to badly.

I did manage to get out a little bit this winter, including a wonderful day at Port Huron on February 19 to observe the Long-tailed Duck spectacle that the near-record ice cover on the Great Lakes has produced there. A few photos from that day follow. Click on the images to view them full size.

 There were a few duck species present on the river, and I ran into a small group  of Canvasbacks very close to the shore, including this nice male.

Male Canvasback at Port Huron

 Slightly greater numbers of Red-breasted Mergansers were interspersed among the Long-tailed Duck hordes. This nice male was close to shore but was a challenge to photograph because it kept dozing off and had its eyes closed most of the time.

Male Red-breasted Merganser

I like the way the wake of this bird seems to reflect the shape and texture of its wispy crest. Artsy...

Male Red-breasted Merganser

My estimate was 25,000 Long-tailed Ducks in about a two-mile stretch of the St. Clair River; less than had been there a week ago, but more than I'd ever seen in one place before. The Coast Guard cutter flushed this group just as I was preparing to take video.

Long-tailed Ducks

There were many opportunities to photograph sitting birds nearby, but I was especially interested in getting some flight shots. This male cooperated nicely.

Male Long-tailed Duck

The landings were especially interesting, as they came in with feet swung forward and tail tips dragging the water.

Male Long-tailed Duck

At first, it looks like it might turn into a graceful landing...

Male Long-tailed Duck

But then they just PLOP breast first into the water, even bouncing once or twice like a skipping stone. Notice the out of focus male in the background of this image trying desperately to get out of the way of the "landing" bird!

Male Long-tailed Duck

A fun day capped off nicely by running into friends, Bob ("Dr. Bob") and Judy Setzer.