Teslin Lake update - September 25

Without Boreal Chickadees we would've had almost nothing to band!

 

The period from September 21^st to 25^th was right back to the migration doldrums we were experiencing two weeks ago. We only banded a total of 66 birds (0.1 birds/net hr) for a current season total of 2295  birds (0.319 birds/net hr) of 46 species. The period top three was Boreal Chickadee 36, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 7, and Black-capped Chickadee 4. The current season top five is Alder Flycatcher 827, Yellow Warbler 225, Yellow-rumped Warbler 192, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 123, and Boreal Chickadee 122. No new species for the season or anything else of particular interest were captured.

pretty Lincoln's Sparrow - the Lanceolated Warbler of Nearctic boreal...plumage wise

UFO!??...some claimed it was a Murrelet...the former is almost easier to believe (TLBO = Canada'a area 51!?)

 

The period started very nicely with a pair of Great Horned Owls serenading at the dawn of the 21^st. The biggest surprise of the season so far was a non-breeding plumaged black and white Murrelet that whirled by on the 24^th. Unfortunately the views nor the “photos” allowed it to be identified to species. Other highlights were very few. Three Parasitic Jaegers were seen on the 21^st, 8 Snow Geese on the 22^nd and 28 more on the 25^th. The season 1^st Hairy Woodpecker was seen on the 23^rd and the season 1^st Long-billed Dowitcher on the 24^th. A fairly late Spotted Sandpiper stopped by briefly on the 23^rd. Another mystery of TLBO and Teslin Lake is the relative lack of Canada Goose migration. A few flocks were seen daily this period including 424, a high tally for us, on the 25^th. Also on the move in the last five days have been smallish numbers of Lesser Scaup, raptors, Boreal Chickadees, and Pine Siskins.

 

Finally, a thank you to Cathy Pohl for taking the time to volunteer at TLBO inspite of the cold weather and lack of birds.

Migrating male Northern Harrier heading towards the first sun rays of the day

Subadult Bald Eagle - our regular guardsman in the spruce top

Snow Geese

Early morning Red-necked Grebe

Our station mascot - the juvenile Black-billed Magpie

Mountain Chickadee performing some acrobatics

Cathy Pohl showing visitor René Carlson how to hold a Yellow-rumped Warbler

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

Sharp-shinned Hawk – 11

Merlin – 1

Solitary Sandpiper – 3

Belted Kingfisher – 6

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 1

Western Wood-Pewee – 3

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher –9

Pacific-slope Flycatcher – 1

Alder Flycatcher – 827

Least Flycatcher – 3

Hammond’s Flycatcher – 6

Dusky Flycatcher – 2

Warbling Vireo – 15

Black-capped Chickadee – 49 (4)

Boreal Chickadee – 122 (36)

Red-breasted Nuthatch – 12 (1)

Golden-crowned Kinglet – 3

Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 123 (7)

Townsend’s Solitaire – 1

Gray-cheeked Thrush – 4

Swainson’s Thrush – 41

Hermit Thrush – 3

Varied Thrush – 2

Tennessee Warbler – 1

Orange-crowned Warbler – 87 (2)

Yellow Warbler – 225 (1)

Magnolia Warbler – 1

Yellow-rumped Warbler – 192 (2)

Townsend’s Warbler – 6

Blackpoll Warbler – 87

Cape May Warbler – 1

American Redstart – 21

Northern Waterthrush – 47

MacGillivray’s Warbler – 1

Common Yellowthroat – 45 (2)

Wilson’s Warbler – 117 (3)

American Tree Sparrow – 10 (2)

Chipping Sparrow – 17

Savannah Sparrow – 24 (1)

Fox Sparrow – 6 (1)

Lincoln’s Sparrow – 8 (1)

White-crowned Sparrow – 22

Dark-eyed Junco – 108 (3)

Rusty Blackbird – 8

Purple Finch – 2

White-winged Crossbill – 2

Common Redpoll – 6

Pine Siskin – 3

= 2295 birds - 46 species - 0.319 birds/net hr (66 birds - 14 species – 0.100 birds/net hr)