banding at the marsh on the global big day

Today is a big day for birders around the planet.  Today is the day that birders  get out and count as many birds as they can and submit their checklists to ebird. Ebird is a data base portal that compiles checklists from birders around the world  and in time will allow researchers  to gain great insight into the patterns and general health of bird populations. Anyone can  participate in this data base  all that is needed is a computer or an ebird phone app and you are ebirding.

rusty blackbird species at risk for Ontario nice catch on global big day

Today at the marsh we were excited to have the chance to band before the rains hit and we  were rewarded with a nice parade of warblers  and the arrival of some birds from the tropics. Perhaps the most beautiful bird of the day was also the most painful. A beautiful rose breasted grosbeak that had an appetite for my fingers. Well worth the pain.

beautiful after second year  male  rose breasted grosbeak

here are our totals for the day

white crowned sparrow                13
white throated sparrow                 2
veery                                             1
pine siskin                                    1
american goldfinch                       1
purple finch                                   1
american robin                              1
red-winged blackbird                    15
rusty blackbird                              2
northern waterthrush                     1
yellow warbler                             1
orange crowned warbler               1
Nashville warbler                          11
black and white warbler               1
palm warbler                                6
yellow rumped warbler                10
rose breasted grosbeak                 1

total birds 78
total species  17


this was our highest species total for the year but we could have banded more birds but dd not have enough extractors to run all of our nets

second northern water thrush of the season

good movement of nashville warblers today in french they call them grey cheeked warblers

comparing  second and after second year female  red winged blackbirds 

first  black and white of the year

Emilie with the first yellow warbler of the year

this chipping sparrow was banded last year on may 10th almost exactly a year ago







Bird is the word!!!