19 May
Today produced 54 new birds of 30 species and 15 retraps. Warblers processed were Tennesse Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Palm Warbler, American Redstart, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson's Warbler, Canada Warbler
Oven bird
Gray Catbird
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 2
Yellow-breasted Flycatcher - 1
Alder/Willow Flycatcher - 1
Least Flycatcher -1
Eastern Kingbird - 1
Tree Swallow - 1
Blue Jay- 5
House Wren - 1
Swainson's Thrush - 1
American Robin - 1
Gray Catbird - 5 (3)
Starling - 0 (2)
Philadelphia Vireo - 1
Red-eyed Vireo - 1
Tennesse Warbler - 2
Yellow Warbler - 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 2
Magnolia Warbler -8 (1)
Palm Warbler - 1
American Redstart - 2
Ovenbird - 3
Common Yellowthroat - 3 (1)
Wilson's Warbler -3
Canada Warbler - 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 2 (1)
Common Grackle - 1 (2)
Brown-headed Cowbird - 0 (2)
Baltimore Oriole - 1 (3)
American Goldfinch - 1
20 May
Our date for departure to the tip of Long Point was moved forward two days and we left a couple of hours after morning banding. The morning was very slow and not many birds were ringed at Old Cut, only 38 birds of 19 species, with 12 retraps. The one bird we would have loved to see, an Acadian Flycatcher, we missed.
Totals: 38 (12)
Yellow-breasted Flycatcher - 1
Acadian Flycatcher - 1
Alder/Willow Flycatcher - 2
Tree Swallow - 1
Blue Jay-4 (1)
House Wren - 1 (1)
Swainson's Thrush - 1
Gray Catbird - 3
Starling - 2 (2)
Philadelphia Vireo - 1
Yellow Warbler - 1 (2)
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1 (1)
Magnolia Warbler -4 (2)
American Redstart - 3
Ovenbird -0 (1)
Mourning Warbler - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 4 (1)
Wilson's Warbler -2
Canada Warbler - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 2 (1)
Common Grackle - 2
The weather was worse than we had hoped, but the boat was packed and we were all kitted out in survival suits when we were given the option to delay - so we went for it! On arrival we were told that there had been no netting at the tip all morning due to high winds. We (DEN & CHL), MRI and DOT, joined Mick, Richard and EP1 while two other Brits made the journey back to Old Cut.
The ringers' cabin. It used to be the lighthouse keeper's cottage.
The lighthouse
We settled into our room at the cabin and I ringed my first bird at the Tip, a Mourning Dove, was caught in a ground trap.
Mourning Dove
21 May
The wind had subsided a little by the next day and although breezy, all nets were operated. There were some nice captures, with 46 new birds of 24 species, and 17 retraps.
Female Indigo Bunting
ASY male Magnolia Warbler
Brown Thrasher
Red-eyed Vireo
Least Flycatcher
American Goldfinch
Northern Flicker intergrade.
This individual is the offspring of a flicker pair, one yellow shafted and the other red shafted.
Among birds seen were Bald Eagle, Eastern Kingbird and Western Kingbird, a regional rarity found by Chris, which a few days after we left was surpassed by a Cassin's Kingbird in the same trees!
Western Kingbird
Meanwhile, Denise spent time monitoring some Tree Swallow nestboxes with EP1.
The number of eggs is recorded in each box. Later hatch dates and ringing of adults and pulli would follow. There are over 60 boxes at the Tip with a further two grids in the Old Cut area.
Tree Swallow male 'on guard'
Totals : 46 (17)
Eastern Wood-Pewee -1
Least Flycatcher -1(1)
Eastern Kingbird - 1
Tree Swallow -0 (2)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1
Blue Jay-1
Swainson's Thrush - 1
American Robin - 1
Gray Catbird - 4 (1)
Red-eyed Vireo - 1
Tennesse Warbler - 1
Yellow Warbler -5
Magnolia Warbler -2 (3)
Cape May Warbler - 1
Bay-breasted Warbler - 1
American Redstart - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 2 (2)
Wilson's Warbler -1 (1)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1
Indigo Bunting - 1
Chipping Sparrow - 3
Lincoln's Sparrow - 0 (2)
Red-winged Blackbird - 8 (2)
Common Grackle - 2 (1)
Baltimore Oriole - 2 (1)
Pine Siskin - 0 (1)
American Goldfinch - 3
22 May
Despite the wind, all nets were opened, catching was more brisk than the previous day leading to day with near to 100 new birds, with 94 birds of 34 species processed, along with only 8 retraps
Black-throated Green Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Orchard Oriole
Swamp Sparrow
Three Eastern Kingbirds caught together proided opportunies for comparison.
CHL, DEN & DOT with Eastern Kingbirds
The fiery orange feathers are rarely visible in the field.
In the afternoon Chris helped to site some new information boards with Matt. the concrete bases made it a difficult job but the tip now had boards to match Old Cut.
Total: 94 (8)
Eastern Wood-Pewee -1
Alder/Willow Flycatcher - 5
Least Flycatcher - 1
Eastern Kingbird -3
Barn Swallow - 1
Blue Jay- 4
House Wren - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Veery - 2
Swainson's Thrush - 1
Hermit Thrush - 1
Gray Catbird - 2 (1)
Brown Thrasher - 0 (1)
Philidelphia Vireo - 1
Yellow Warbler -17
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 2
Magnolia Warbler -11 (1)
Cape May Warbler - 1
Black-throated blueWarbler - 1
Black-throated green Warbler - 3
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
American Redstart - 2
Northern Waterthrush - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 1
Wilson's Warbler - 4
Northern Cardinal - 0 (1)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1
Chipping Sparrow - 3
Lincoln's Sparrow - 3 (1)
White-throated Sparrow - 0 (1)
White-crowned Sparrow - 1 (1)
Red-winged Blackbird - 4
Common Grackle - 3
Brown-headed Cowbird - 2
Baltimore Oriole - 2
Orchard Oriole - 1
American Goldfinch - 6 (1)
23 May
The temperature was 3 degrees when we opened at 5.30am. The wind had dropped but there seemed to be few birds, which resulted in only 27 birds of 18 species and 7 retraps.
Red-breasted Mergansers
There was an obvious movement of Blue Jays towards the tip but warblers and flycatchers were thin on the ground. There were still plenty of Red-breasted Mergansers on the lake and the Least Bittern is seen in the reed-bed regularly. The Western Kingbird was present for the third day and a Summer Tanager was also found in the morning. The bird found its way into a mist net for the 11am net round.
SY female Summer Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeck
Myrtle Warbler
Other captures for the day included Swamp Sparrow, Rose-breasted Grosbeck and Myrtle Warbler. Chris helped finish off the boards in the afternoon, then we tried for terns and gulls at the tip.
Boneparte's Gulls, Common Terns and Long-tailed Duck
Before we packed up we'd had birds on either side of the net, and the Western Kingbird on the top line but there were no captures.
Total: 27 (7)
Barn Swallow - 1
Blue Jay- 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 2
American Robin- 2
Gray Catbird - 1
Yellow Warbler -3 (1)
Magnolia Warbler -0 (1)
Myrtle Warbler - 1
Northern Waterthrush - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 1 (2)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1
Song Sparrow -2
Lincoln's Sparrow - 2
Swamp Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 2
Common Grackle - 2 (1)
Brown-headed Cowbird - 0 (1)
Baltimore Oriole - 1
American Goldfinch - 0 (1)
24 May
Our busiest day with 181 birds of 37 species, and the first day with no re-traps. There were lots of birds around and some new species for us both.
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
SY male Blackpoll Warbler
Great Crested Flycatcher
Brewster's Warbler ( Blue-winged x Golden-winged hybrid)
Blue-winged Warbler
Acadian Flycatcher
Blackburnian Warbler female
Canada Warbler
Mick and Rich left at 4pm and we saw them on the start of a very choppy trip, that no doubt had them and Matt soaked before they had got far. It clouded up and the wind freshened significantly in the afternoon. Matt returned with food supplies just before nightfall.
Eastern Wood-Pewee -6
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 6
Alder/Willow Flycatcher - 15
Acadian Flycatcher - 1
Least Flycatcher - 3
Great Crested Flycatcher - 1
Eastern Phoebe - 2
Eastern Kingbird -2
Northern-rough winged Swallow - 1
Barn Swallow - 2
Blue Jay - 6
House Wren - 1
Gray-cheeked Thrush - 1
Swainson's Thrush -6
Gray Catbird - 6
Brown Thrasher - 1
Philidelphia Vireo - 2
Red-eyed Vireo - 18
Blue-winged Warbler - 1
Brewster's Warbler - 1
Tennesse Warbler - 1
Yellow Warbler -14
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 6
Magnolia Warbler -19
Black-throated blueWarbler - 1
Blackburnian Warbler - 2
Blackpoll Warbler - 4
American Redstart - 10
Common Yellowthroat - 17
Wilson's Warbler - 6
Canada Warbler - 3
Savannah Sparrow - 1
Lincoln's Sparrow - 6
Red-winged Blackbird - 3
Common Grackle - 1
Baltimore Oriole - 2
American Goldfinch - 3
25 May
A very breezy morning and a start with some nets remaining closed. Nonetheless, it was still a 100+ day, with 103 new birds of 26 species, and 5 retraps.
Blackpoll Warblers and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers were going through in numbers and there was Yellow-breasted Chat and a second Summer Tanager.
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager SY male
Red-eyed Vireo - Americans use words and phrases to represent birds songs
'Here I am, right up here, in the tree'
Wilson's Warbler - some birds can be sexed by wing length and cap size.
The afternoon was spent birding or sleeping, then ringing a few last birds for the day.
EP1 and DOT, being braver souls than us, went for a swim on the south shore.
In the evening a large Snapping Turtle hauled itself out of the lake to find a good place to lay its eggs.
Snapping Turtle.
Eastern Wood-Pewee -3
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 21
Alder/Willow Flycatcher -11
Least Flycatcher -4
Swainson's Thrush -1
Gray Catbird - 5
Brown Thrasher - 2
Philidelphia Vireo - 2
Red-eyed Vireo -7
Yellow Warbler -2Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1
Magnolia Warbler - 5 (1)
Black-throated blueWarbler -2 (1)
Black-throated Green Warbler - 1
Blackpoll Warbler -15
American Redstart - 5 (1)
Common Yellowthroat - 3 (1)
Wilson's Warbler - 2
Northern Cardinal - 2
Yellow-breasted Chat - 1
Summer Tanager - 1
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird -2 (1)
Baltimore Oriole - 2
American Goldfinch - 3
26 May.
More Yellow-bellied Flycatchers and an influx of cuckoos on a day when it was possible to open all nets, resulted in 138 new birds of 34 species, and 14 retraps.
Black-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Mid-morning, and there came a new wave of warblers that included a single Connecticut Warbler and we caught the first of the Cedar Waxwing that were going through on passage.
Connecticut Warbler
Cedar Waxwing
Rough-winged Swallow
Northern Cardinal - These birds take stainless steel rings as they
are able to prise the usual metal rings off with their beaks.
are able to prise the usual metal rings off with their beaks.
After a lunch of Macaroni Cheese (never knew it was so popular in Canada - they even serve it in burgers) Chris and Matt tackled the water problem (there was none), that had developed over the morning. Water is pumped in from the lake, and since just the week before is heated by solar panels, bringing hot showers to the tip. It looked like this problem was beyond the capabilities of people on site and for the time being, water from the storage tower at the block house would be used, so no more showers for the meantime.
The block house houses the ringing lab and provides emergency water storage.
Least Bittern
On the bird watching front, the Least Bittern was seen, as was a Belted Kingfisher and a pair of Eastern Bluebirds that are spending time near the ringing lab.
Species count is new birds only and includes Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers that are extracted but not ringed.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher are not ringed, although
a ring size is provided in Pyle
(the equivalent of Svennson)
a ring size is provided in Pyle
(the equivalent of Svennson)
Totals: 138 (14)
Black-billed Cuckoo -2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee -2
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 19
Alder/Willow Flycatcher -17
Least Flycatcher -1
Eastern Phoebe - 1
Great Crested Flycatcher - 1
Eastrn Kingbird - 1
Tree Swallow - 0 (5)
Northern rough-winged Swallow - 1
Barn Swallow - 1
Blue Jay - 1 (1)
Swainson's Thrush -2
American Robin - 1
Gray Catbird - 2
Brown Thrasher - 2
Cedar Waxwing - 1
Warbling Vireo -1
Red-eyed Vireo -9
Yellow Warbler -11
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 5
Magnolia Warbler - 9 (1)
Connecticut Warbler - 1
Blackpoll Warbler -13 (1)
American Redstart - 6
Northern Waterthrush - 3
Common Yellowthroat - 5 (3)
Wilson's Warbler -1 (1)
Northern Cardinal - 2
Indigo Bunting - 3
Summer Tanager - 0 (1)
Chipping Sparrow - 2
Song Sparrow - 2
White-crowned Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird -9 (1)