Teslin Lake update - August 20th

adult Pacific Loon

Perhaps the most prominent feature of late has been the lousy weather that continued through the entire period and prevented us from running the nets on two consecutive days. From Aug 16th through Aug 20th Teslin Lake averaged 56.7 birds/day and 0.45 birds/net-hour (excluding weather days Aug 19th and 20th when no banding took place) for a total of 170 birds banded. There were no new species for the season banded in this period. The top five species banded during the period were Alder Flycatcher (74), Yellow Warbler (23), Swainson's Thrush (9), Wilson's Warbler (8), and Dark-eyed Junco (7). The current season top five species banded are Alder Flycatcher (324), Yellow Warbler (208), Swainson's Thrush (74), Yellow-rumped "Myrtle" Warbler (67), and Blackpoll Warbler (45).

Some of the observation highlights included 508 Greater White-fronted Geese on the 17th, 76 Red-necked Grebes and 5 Olive-sided Flycatchers (incl. Contopus sp) on the 18th.


Olive-sided Flycatcher

HY Tennessee Warbler

HY Hammond's Flycatcher
photos ©Jukka Jantunen

The complete list of bird banded at Teslin Lake Bird Observatory this season as of August 20th (the last 5 days in brackets).

Sharp-shinned Hawk - 3 (1)
Spotted Sandpiper - 2
Solitary Sandpiper - 3
Belted Kingfisher - 5
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 3
Downy Woodpecker - 5
Northern Flicker - 1
Western Wood-Pewee - 1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 5 (1)
Alder Flycatcher - 324 (74)
Least Flycatcher - 10
Hammond's Flycatcher - 21 (2)
Dusky Flycatcher - 3
Northern Shrike - 1
Warbling Vireo - 15 (1)
Black-capped Chickadee - 32 (6)
Boreal Chickadee - 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 5 (1)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 9
Swainson's Thrush - 74 (9)
Hermit Thrush - 1
American Robin - 10 (1)
Bohemian Waxwing - 1
Tennessee Warbler - 4 (1)
Orange-crowned Warbler - 17 (3)
Yellow Warbler - 208 (23)
Yellow-rumped "Myrtle" Warbler - 67 (5)
Yellow-rumped "Audubon's" Warbler -1
Townsend's Warbler - 4
Blackpoll Warbler - 45 (4)
American Redstart - 31 (2)
Northern Waterthrush - 38 (2)
Common Yellowthroat - 18 (4)
Wilson's Warbler - 40 (8)
Chipping Sparrow - 24 (1)
Savannah Sparrow - 7 (3)
Fox Sparrow - 3 (2)
Lincoln's Sparrow - 5 (3)
White-crowned Sparrow - 5 (2)
Slate-colored Junco - 37 (7)
Brown-headed Cowbird - 1
Purple Finch - 1
White-winged Crossbill - 1
Common Redpoll - 4 (1)
Pine Siskin - 4 (3)
= 1100 (170) birds of 44 species
0.303 (0.45) birds/net-hour