3 days before the rain, trees,and more rain.

It has been a crazy migration to say the least but it has been a lot of fun and the birds have given us a lot to think about. I am looking forward to analyzing the retrap data at the end of the season  as we have had a record number of retraps this spring which is not surprising as we banded so many birds last year.  OK to be honest I am looking forward to Sid  doing the  retrap data. She has been  compiling on the retrap data throughout the spring  and we have some  really neat retraps to share at the end of the season. We still have a week of banding to go and will be stretching the season a little further as we had to cancel two school classes this week due to  the rain. The rain however gives us  chance to catch up on data, sleep, and to get a few things done at the marsh that "running the nets " does not give us the chance to do. The timing of the rain was actually perfect as you will see we had the chance to get some trees in the ground by the feeder nets .

Amigo clowning around 

Thursday June 2nd big wind  

Reed rescuing a gosling separated briefly from parents during river check.

2 ruby throated humming birds
1 ruby crowned kinglet
1 chestnut sided warbler
2 american redstart
1 black and white warbler
2 alder flycatcher
1 common yellow throats
2 red eyed vireo
6 red winged blackbirds
1 common grackle
1 american goldfinch

20 birds
11 species


Friday June 3rd  tree day

2 ruby throated hummingbirds
3 least flycatchers
3 chestnut sided warblers
8 alder flycatchers
3 yellow warblers
1 mourning warbler
2 yellow bellied flycatchers

Ethan with  yellow bellied flycatcher

1 swamp sparrow
1 red eyed vireo
1 swainson's thrush
1 veery
1 cedar waxwing
1 gray catbird
4 red-winged blackbird
1 common grackle
1 american robin
2 american goldfinch
4 american redstart


40 birds
18 species

J12347 return hummingbird banded


Saturday June 4th  red headed pterodactyl day

2 least flycatcher
1 northern water thrush
3 common yellow throat
10 alder flycatcher
4 yellow warbler
1 black and white warbler

Chris excited to band the stations second ever piliated

4 american goldfinch
1 american redstart
3 red-eyed vireo
1 song sparrow
1 swamp sparrow
7 cedar waxwing
1 veery
1 gray catbird
2 red-winged blackbird
2 common grackle
1 piliated woodpecker  *** second ever for station  ***


45 birds
17 species

nice to see the business end is pointed away

amigo checking out the new habitat by the feeder nets . Notice the net is back up.

Malcolm from Demora construction with back up

Ethan a fish and wildlife grad from Sault College  was the perfect site coordinator for the planting of the trees . Ethan was very happy we did not have to dig the holes by hand  for the size of the root balls the trees have . Digging in clay would not have been fun

Some of  the most important jobs at the marsh are invisible . It took reed and Sid  almost 4 hours to fill the holes with soil and take care of the new habitat.  School groups are going to finish with planting  honeysuckles  making this habitat irresistible to birds and the Scots pine can be keep trimmed  at net height  to help ensure consistent habit in years to come . Well done Reed and Sid.  Thank  you Temiskaming Foundation for funding the trees more on that in  a future blog. Reed worked so hard today that not only did he break a wheelbarrow he also broke his glasses!!!  His attempts at sabotage were for naught as we borrowed nearby marsh supporter Cheryl Hibbs  wheelbarrow to get the job done .Thanks Cheryl

The forecast for the next two days is rain and more shoveling  as we prepare the site for planting by Haileybury public students and a class from Kirkland Central public school next week.  If you plant it they will come........... bird is the word!!!!