27 May
Another windy start with it impossible to fully open the garden nets until after 7am and only 4 nets workable at the tip, resulting in only 78 new birds. The highlights included observations of more Cedar Waxwings heading off the tip, Eastern Meadowlark and 4 Eastern Bluebirds near the ringing lab. In the ringing lab there was another Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Acadian Flycatcher, a Marsh Wren and a male Indigo Bunting.
We also continued to collect feather samples for a study on Mercury levels in American Redstart, Swainson's Thrush, Magnolia Warbler and Blackpoll Warblers.
We completed the shorebird census on the North shore but there was not much in the way of shorebirds to report.
Later, we tried our luck at gull and tern catching.
A storm swept in and the weather changed fast. This probably contributed to the capture of two Bonaparte's gulls as visibility dropped considerably as sand was swept low across the tip.
Stunning sunset after the storm
Blue-gray Gnat catcher - extractions are recorded but birds are not ringed
Northern Parula
South shore
A few posts and some wire mesh are all that remains of an old heligoland trap.
Testiment to the shifting sands at the tip.
Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker
Another windy start with it impossible to fully open the garden nets until after 7am and only 4 nets workable at the tip, resulting in only 78 new birds. The highlights included observations of more Cedar Waxwings heading off the tip, Eastern Meadowlark and 4 Eastern Bluebirds near the ringing lab. In the ringing lab there was another Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Acadian Flycatcher, a Marsh Wren and a male Indigo Bunting.
Marsh Wren
Wilson's Warbler
Indigo Bunting
Lincoln's Sparrow
We also continued to collect feather samples for a study on Mercury levels in American Redstart, Swainson's Thrush, Magnolia Warbler and Blackpoll Warblers.
Samples for Mercury levels study
Coyote tracks along the shoreline
Later, we tried our luck at gull and tern catching.
Chris goes to set a selection of ground traps to target gulls and terns.
Denise tries to avoid sun stroke in the fierce heat.
The storm rumbles closer
SY Bonaparte's Gulls
Totals: 78 (0)
Bonaparte's Gull - 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 3
Acadian Flycatcher - 1
Yellow-breasted Flycatcher - 22
Alder/Willow Flycatcher - 11
Least Flycatcher -4
Eastern Kingbird - 1
Tree Swallow - 1
Blue Jay-1
Marsh Wren - 1
Gray-cheeked Thrush - 1
Swainson's Thrush -2
Gray Catbird - 4
Red-eyed Vireo - 3
Yellow Warbler -5
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1
Magnolia Warbler - 1
Blackpoll Warbler - 5
Common Yellowthroat - 1
Wilson's Warbler -1
Indigo Bunting - 2
Chipping Sparrow - 1
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 1
American Goldfinch - 1
28 May
Today the morning totals reached 102. EP went on to Breakwater and DOT returned to Old Cut. We continued netting into the afternoon. There were new species for both of us.
Matt arrived back with Matteo at 5pm and the team at the tip was now down to four people.
In the evening we had the usual evening visit from a raccoon that, as normal, tried to get a meal from the bird feeders. It is amazing that the animal has enough strength to haul a full, wooden feeder up and off the hook before dropping it to spill the seed.
Totals: 115 (4)
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Black-billed Cuckoo - 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee -2
Acadian Flycatcher - 1
Yellow-breasted Flycatcher - 9
Alder/Willow Flycatcher - 23
Blue Jay-1
Swainson's Thrush -3
Gray Catbird - 2
Brown Thrasher - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 2
Philidelphia Vireo - 1
Red-eyed Vireo - 10 (1)
Yellow Warbler -13
Hooded Warbler - 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1
Magnolia Warbler -4
Black-throated Green Warbler - 1
Blackpoll Warbler - 4 (1)
Black and White Warbler - 2
American Redstart - 4
Ovenbird - 1
Northern Waterthrush - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 5 (1)
Wilson's Warbler -4
Canada Warbler - 1
Indigo Bunting - 1
Field Sparrow -2
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 7
Common Grackle - 1
Baltimore Oriole - 2 (1)
American Goldfinch -2
29 May
There are just four of us now so busy days will be hard work. Daily census still needs to be done leaving scribing, extracting and ringing down to three at what can be a busy time a few hours after nets are first opened.
The Cedar Waxwings continue to pass through and more are stopping to feed in the tall trees around the house. The morning total reached 62 new and rose to 70 from non-standard captures after 11.20am in the garden nets.
Totals: 70 (4)
Rough-winged Swallow - 2
Barn Swallow - 2
Blue Jay-1
Bonaparte's Gull - 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 3
Acadian Flycatcher - 1
Yellow-breasted Flycatcher - 22
Alder/Willow Flycatcher - 11
Least Flycatcher -4
Eastern Kingbird - 1
Tree Swallow - 1
Blue Jay-1
Marsh Wren - 1
Gray-cheeked Thrush - 1
Swainson's Thrush -2
Gray Catbird - 4
Red-eyed Vireo - 3
Yellow Warbler -5
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1
Magnolia Warbler - 1
Blackpoll Warbler - 5
Common Yellowthroat - 1
Wilson's Warbler -1
Indigo Bunting - 2
Chipping Sparrow - 1
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 1
American Goldfinch - 1
28 May
Today the morning totals reached 102. EP went on to Breakwater and DOT returned to Old Cut. We continued netting into the afternoon. There were new species for both of us.
Canada Warbler
Black-throated Green Waber
Field Sparrow
Philidephia Vireo
Acadian Flycatcher
Baltimore Oriole
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Two SY Black and White Warblers
Hooded Warbler
Matt arrived back with Matteo at 5pm and the team at the tip was now down to four people.
In the evening we had the usual evening visit from a raccoon that, as normal, tried to get a meal from the bird feeders. It is amazing that the animal has enough strength to haul a full, wooden feeder up and off the hook before dropping it to spill the seed.
Raccoon
Totals: 115 (4)
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Black-billed Cuckoo - 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee -2
Acadian Flycatcher - 1
Yellow-breasted Flycatcher - 9
Alder/Willow Flycatcher - 23
Blue Jay-1
Swainson's Thrush -3
Gray Catbird - 2
Brown Thrasher - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 2
Philidelphia Vireo - 1
Red-eyed Vireo - 10 (1)
Yellow Warbler -13
Hooded Warbler - 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1
Magnolia Warbler -4
Black-throated Green Warbler - 1
Blackpoll Warbler - 4 (1)
Black and White Warbler - 2
American Redstart - 4
Ovenbird - 1
Northern Waterthrush - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 5 (1)
Wilson's Warbler -4
Canada Warbler - 1
Indigo Bunting - 1
Field Sparrow -2
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 7
Common Grackle - 1
Baltimore Oriole - 2 (1)
American Goldfinch -2
29 May
There are just four of us now so busy days will be hard work. Daily census still needs to be done leaving scribing, extracting and ringing down to three at what can be a busy time a few hours after nets are first opened.
The Cedar Waxwings continue to pass through and more are stopping to feed in the tall trees around the house. The morning total reached 62 new and rose to 70 from non-standard captures after 11.20am in the garden nets.
Cedar Waxwing
Red-winged Blackbird
Great-crested Flycatcher
Mourning Warbler
Common Grackle (photo of bird ringed 21/05)
Grackles sometimes feed in Poison Ivy and scratches sustained while handling these birds can result in long-lasting, itchy and irritated rashes known as Grackle pox. We were both glad to have managed to avoid it.
Totals: 70 (4)
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 2
Alder/Willow Flycatcher - 3
Least Flycatcher - 1
Great Crested Flycatcher - 1
Tree Swallow - 1Rough-winged Swallow - 2
Barn Swallow - 2
Blue Jay-1
American Robin -2
Gray Catbird -4
Brown Thrasher - 1
Cedar Waxwing -8
Warbling Vireo - 2
Red-eyed Vireo - 2
Yellow Warbler -7
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1
Black-throated Green Warbler -2
Blackpoll Warbler - 7 (1)
American Redstart -3
Ovenbird - 1
Northern Waterthrush - 3 (1)
Mourning Warbler - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 1
Wilson's Warbler -2
Northern Cardinal - 1
Chipping Sparrow - 1
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 2 (1)
Common Grackle - 1
Brown-headed Cowbird - 0 (1)
American Goldfinch - 4
30th May
It was much too windy to open nets today. Instead we went for a walk and got some more observations for ETs. Chris saw a Muskrat in the marsh area.
We had another try at the Tip but got just one Bonaparte's Gull for 3 hours watching and waiting. A Bobolink was on the freshly mown lawn (courtesy of Chris) and when the wind reduced in the late afternoon it was caught in one of the two dropped nets. A few more birds were also caught but we were still short of 7000 for the site, which was not looking like we would achieve with a storm with severe rain and thunder was expected the following day.
Totals: 12 (1)
American Robin -1
Yellow Warbler -2
Blackpoll Warbler - 5
Northern Cardinal - 0 (1)
Gray Catbird -4
Brown Thrasher - 1
Cedar Waxwing -8
Warbling Vireo - 2
Red-eyed Vireo - 2
Yellow Warbler -7
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1
Black-throated Green Warbler -2
Blackpoll Warbler - 7 (1)
American Redstart -3
Ovenbird - 1
Northern Waterthrush - 3 (1)
Mourning Warbler - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 1
Wilson's Warbler -2
Northern Cardinal - 1
Chipping Sparrow - 1
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 2 (1)
Common Grackle - 1
Brown-headed Cowbird - 0 (1)
American Goldfinch - 4
30th May
It was much too windy to open nets today. Instead we went for a walk and got some more observations for ETs. Chris saw a Muskrat in the marsh area.
We had another try at the Tip but got just one Bonaparte's Gull for 3 hours watching and waiting. A Bobolink was on the freshly mown lawn (courtesy of Chris) and when the wind reduced in the late afternoon it was caught in one of the two dropped nets. A few more birds were also caught but we were still short of 7000 for the site, which was not looking like we would achieve with a storm with severe rain and thunder was expected the following day.
SY Male Bobolink
Totals: 12 (1)
Bonaparte's Gull - 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1
Alder/Willow Flycatcher - 1
Blue Jay-1American Robin -1
Yellow Warbler -2
Blackpoll Warbler - 5
Northern Cardinal - 0 (1)
31 May
A full blown storm today. Wind, waves and rain with no chance of netting all day. By lunchtime DEN had made a batch of peanut cookies, a jam sponge and prepared vegetable curry.
Rain, wind and waves to batter the beaches
Tree and Barn Swallow neighbours.
1 June
A very slow day. It was only possible to open a few nets so not many birds were caught in the morning.
Eastern Woodpewee
Sanderling
There had been an influx of waders after the bad weather so we had another go at the tip, that we found to have been shortened considerably by the rough weather.
Double-crested Cormorants, gulls and terns rest out the rough weather.
Sleeping Raccoon on the south shore.
It was Matteo's last night at the tip and we had a fire and dinner on the beach.
Totals: 16 (1)
Sanderling - 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1
Alder/Willow Flycatcher - 1
Brown Thrasher - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 1
Yellow Warbler - 2
American Redstart - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 2
Lincoln's Sparrow - 1
American Goldfinch - 3
House Sparrow - 1
2 June
Another slow day. Nets open after main banding hours did little to boost the total that could not be pushed beyond 25. Highlight of the day was undoubtedly a Northern Parula in the morning.
After banding DEN took a walk along he south shore to see the Bank Swallow nestholes, and Matteo left for Old Cut and Richrd C came to keep the team at four.
Testiment to the shifting sands at the tip.
Bank Swallow nest holes
Attempts to catch a Bobolink in the garden were unsuccessful, however a female Eastern Bluebird was caught.
Eastern Bluebird
Total: 25 (2)
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1
Alder/Willow Flycatcher - 4
Least Flycatcher - 1
American Robin - 2
Gray Catbird - 5
Cedar Waxwing - 3
Red-eyed Vireo - 1
Yellow Warbler - 1
Blackpoll Warbler - 0 (1)
Northern Waterthrush - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 0 (1)
Northern Parula - 1
Song Sparrow - 1
American Goldfinch - 3
Eastern Bluebird - 1