Teslin Lake update - August 25

Aaahhh, Foxy Sparrow!

The period of August 21^st to 25^th was very similar over all to the previous period. The weather was unsettled and we are still waiting for the warbler movement usually taking place around this time of the year. Banding was a bit slower with a total of 225 birds (0.389 birds/net hr) banded. The period top six was Alder Flycatcher 98, Yellow Warbler 25, Wilson’s Warbler 20, Yellow-rumped Warbler 18 and Blackpoll Warbler and Swainson’s Thrush both 10. This brought the season total to 1439 birds (0.361 birds/net hr) banded of 39 species. The current season top five is Alder Flycatcher 763, Yellow Warbler 140, Blackpoll Warbler 76, Wilson’s Warbler 67, and Yellow-rumped Warbler 63. Some of the sparrows were starting to appear more often while Northern Waterthrushes have been caught less often. Two new species for the season were caught: Fox Sparrow on the 23^rd and Western Wood-Pewee 25th.

 

The season 1st Western Wood-Pewee

 

Say's Phoebe

 

One of the most interesting developments of the last five days was an apparent start of a Red-breasted Nuthatch invasion or flight.  One or two had been noticed almost daily earlier but on the 21^st 6 were seen and on the 25^th a flock of three was spotted in active migration flight. At the same time we’ve had more Boreal Chickadees showing up, including 5 banded on the 24^th. Maybe they’ll have another good fall movement as well. Other irregular “invasion” migrants seen included a few Common Redpolls, some small flocks of Pine Siskins and a good number of White-winged Crossbills (94 on the 25^th). With the help of some north winds Greater White-fronted Geese passed over in moderate numbers on the 22^nd and the 23^rd (800 and 500, respectively) but only a few small flocks were seen after that and we were left waiting for the main flight. Otherwise it has been quite quiet with obs – just a few hawks heading south once in a while, the season 1^st Wilson’s Snipe flushed up from the grass by the pond on the 21^st and the season 2^nd Parasitic Jaeger chasing the gulls on the lake on the 24^th.

 

 

Abril counting specklebellies

 

 

 

Two very different looking sunrises

The complete list of birds banded at TLBO this season by Aug 25^th (last five days in brackets):

Sharp-shinned Hawk – 7

Merlin – 1

Solitary Sandpiper – 3

Belted Kingfisher – 4 (1)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 1

Western Wood-Pewee – 1 (1)

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher –9 (1)

Alder Flycatcher – 763 (98)

Least Flycatcher – 3

Hammond’s Flycatcher – 2

Dusky Flycatcher – 2

Warbling Vireo – 14 (1)

Black-capped Chickadee – 16 (2)

Boreal Chickadee – 11 (6)

Red-breasted Nuthatch – 6 (2)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 5

Swainson’s Thrush – 26 (10)

Varied Thrush – 1

Tennessee Warbler – 1

Orange-crowned Warbler – 21 (5)

Yellow Warbler – 140 (25)

Magnolia Warbler – 1

Yellow-rumped Warbler – 63 (18)

Townsend’s Warbler – 4 (1)

Blackpoll Warbler – 76 (10)

American Redstart – 16

Northern Waterthrush – 45 (3)

Common Yellowthroat – 21 (7)

Wilson’s Warbler – 67 (20)

Chipping Sparrow – 16 (1)

Savannah Sparrow – 12 (2)

Fox Sparrow – 3 (3)

Lincoln’s Sparrow –4 (1)

White-crowned Sparrow – 8 (3)

Dark-eyed Junco – 56 (4)

Purple Finch – 2

White-winged Crossbill – 2

Common Redpoll – 3

Pine Siskin – 3

= 1439 birds - 39 species - 0.361 birds/net hr (225 birds - 23 species – 0.389 birds/net hr)