Songbird Banding Continues Full Speed Ahead and Owl Banding Off to a Roaring, Record-Shattering Start

Well, I have lots to report from the field, so I’ll start with last week, which was an exciting one for Rushton banding station! On Monday (Columbus Day) we netted 73 songbirds of 17 species  including lots of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, our first Hermit Thrush of the season, Swamp Sparrow, Magnolia Warblers, Black-throated Blue Warblers, Common…

Last Days of October Produced The Season’s First Juncos, First Snowfall, and A Bunch of Halloween Owls

I haven’t brought you up to date on last week or this week yet because it has been pretty hectic for us sleep-deprived, cranky bird banders.  This is the time when we are working hard banding back to back: nights for Saw-whet Owls and mornings for the last fall songbird migrants.  This sounds crazy, I…

Last Week of September Brings a Major Migratory Shift

Even with the warm, muggy weather of last week, we still noticed a major shift in Rushton’s migratory visitors.  The catbirds are of course still congregating, but the wonderful warblers are waning, the first of the thrushes are traveling through, and even a solitary White-throated Sparrow was spotted.  Could that mean the jolly Dark-eyed Junco…