There and back again a siskin's tale... by Nick Alioto

There and Back Again: A Siskin’s Tale….

Hello, again Marsh followers! I am aware that it has been a few weeks since I have written a blog post and no it is not because I forgot, or because I have an excuse like an ulcer or something, but I can say it is because we were so busy with exciting new birds that I couldn’t decide on the right time to do a blog that would encompass all the highlights! However, as we near the mid-way mark of September I thought this would be the perfect time to give everyone an update on what our team has been up to at the Marsh!

pine siskins

Apart from playing cribbage, watching TV, hanging out, relaxing or sleeping (which is by far my favorite hobby), we have had a very busy September thus far with a total of 1141 newly banded birds of 56 species. Along with a new month brought a new top 10. Yes, I know what you’re thinking, that the Alder Flycatcher has remained in the top spot for the season, but actually, they have been overthrown and even I did not think the 320 Alders from August would be topped so easily, but I guess records are meant to be broken. So, without further delay, the new number 1 banded bird for September and throughout the whole fall season is….. drum roll please……………. the Pine Siskin!!!!!! Well, I guess it was kind of obvious based off of my blog title….

Anyway, to date we have done 471 siskins which have easily landed them the new number 1 spot. Thus, I thought it would be suiting to provide information about the Spinus pinus to all you bird lovers that might not know about this common feeder bird. To start, the Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) is a common nomadic bird that belongs to the finch family. They are characterized by their slender bill, notched tail and striking yellow edging that explodes in a beautiful flash of yellow when they take flight. It reminds me of the color of a cool crisp lager--maybe that is why I see such beauty in them! They are usually seen in dense flocks that hang around in the top canopy of seed-bearing trees where they often hang upside down from branches trying to completely strip cones bare. If you want to attract them to your feeders they are particularly fond of nyjer seed. If these little guys do find their way to your feeders and you do not see their bright yellow plumages then you will certainly hear their constant call notes as they are not shy to let you know when they have arrived.

At the marsh, they have been showing up in flocks anywhere from 20 to 70+ birds and it has been documented that some siskins will migrate in flocks that sometimes number in the thousands which is truly incredible. We are all astounded by how many there has been since there have not been numbers like this before at the marsh. Soooo like the good biologist I am (or that I tell myself I am), I did a little research to uncover some answers about the Siskins. What I learned is seriously cool, not only from a physiological standpoint but also from an evolutionary one. Pine Siskins it appears to seem to go through some sort of population cycle where some years their numbers are low and other years where they seem to undergo an eruption per se. Although it is not understood why their numbers fluctuate like they do, it would seem that this year is eruptive and when their numbers are this high it causes them to move into southern and eastern North America. Although these cycles seem to be erratic, the movements may not be. Various banding data suggests that some birds fly east-west across the continent while others move north-south. Therefore, by us catching and banding so many it may help to one day help us understand the siskin's migration movements and why they do what they do. There have been no signs of them slowing down and it will be exciting to see how many we can manage to band. Now everyone is probably sick of hearing about siskins and I could go on about these beauties for easily another paragraph but instead, I will give an update on some highlights from September with pictures, followed by a chart of the new top 10 for September thus far.

September highlights include Blue-headed vireo, 

 second ever solitary sandpiper left  yellow-bellied  sapsucker right

Yellow-bellied sapsucker, Solitary Sandpiper, American kestrel, and Gray-cheeked Thrush. Stay tuned for news from our owl banding which kicked off this week along with more news from other members of the “A” team. I hope everyone now has grown to appreciate siskins the way I have. They are seriously unique and deserve to be the focal point of a blog. Until next time keep your nyjer seeders full and stay classy!

September 2018 Top 10 Birds:

Pine siskin	471
Nashville warbler	74
Common yellowthroat	68
White-throated sparrow	53
Western palm Warbler	41
American redstart	36
Swamp sparrow	35
Myrtle warbler	33
Swainsons thrush	29
Black-capped chickadee	24

american kestrel