Waiting for the lilacs to bloom

everyday we check the weather and look for any signs that the push will be on. So far any interpretation we have done has failed and now we are left with all sorts of  denial and rationalizations  explaining why we our nets are not full of warblers.  Well we are still catching orange crowns  and palms warblers. Well we have not had much rain. Well they have not been getting much down south and on it goes.

Sidney is always thumbs up fr a challenge 

     




We did get our first  Wilson's warbler  and Sid  did get bit very hard by  rose breasted grosbeak so that must have been to get her attention that the wave will be here very soon.

Sidney still with a smile 

Having said that we are catching a fair number of birds  and we are getting a lot of interesting retraps  but we are waiting for the wave .  maybe as soon as the lilac blooms  yes that is it when the lilac blooms  we will have more birds!

Lilacs not in bloom!!!

May 17th totals


yellow rumped  warbler               4
Nashville warbler                        6
Wilson's warbler                         1
common yellow throat                2
palm warbler                               4
blackburnian  warbler                 1
orange crowned warbler             3
northern water thrush                 1
least flycatcher                           2
ruby crowned kinglet                 3
swamp sparrow                          3
Savannah sparrow                      4
song sparrow                              3

white crowned sparrow            17
white throated sparrow              6
slate coloured junco                   1
american goldfinch                    7
 downy woodpecker                   2
rose breasted grosbeak               1
red-winged blackbird                11
common grackle                          1
american robin                             1
hermit thrush                                1

22 species
85 birds

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Gee  and Chris with our second blackburnian of the spring 

May 18th  

Reed with our 3rd  rose breasted grosbeak of the year early signs  are that we might have another good spring for these beautiful birds when we first started banding at the marsh these were cause for great excitement . While they still create a buzz due to their beauty and attention deserving bill. They have become an expected capture for the season. Perhaps another indicator of a changing climate.

Sid entering retrap data

A huge job of every banding station is entering not only current banding data but looking up retrapped birds . We have been getting some very interesting  retraps which I will expand upon on another blog. It is a huge job and we are lucky to have someone who can embrace the challenge with a smile a celebrate birds that have migrated only to have rediscovered the marsh. Thanks and well done Sid. Between her and Chris we have almost caught up on retraps and birds we have banded this year.  Thanks for all of the fine work I really like the feeling of being caught up. It is really new to me !!!


Totals for May 18th  another good day and more palm warblers  another sign that the wave is yet to come !!!!!


Nashville warbler                           4
palm warbler                                  10
orange crowned warbler                 4
common yellow throat                    3
yellow rumped warbler                   7
northern water thrush                      1
american redstart                             2
Wilson warbler                                2
ruby crowned kinglet                      3
least flycatcher                                4
Savannah sparrow                           3
swamp sparrow                               2
Lincoln sparrow                              4
song sparrow                                   1
white throated sparrow                  10
white crowned sparrow                  25
red-winged blackbird                       6
common grackle                               1
american goldfinch                           9
purple finch                                      3
rose breasted grosbeak                     1



94 birds
21 species



bird is the word