Hey COBirders. Nick K is right.
It was another upslope day here at Clear Spring Ranch banding - low ceiling, misty, soaked, slight SE breeze - PERFECT for migrants, especially Swainson’s Thrush! I have always closed on or before 6/1 for the season, since I wouldn’t be catching any more migrants, and not wanting to bother the local breeding birds. I almost closed for the season Monday after a major blow-out at 7am, but I was still catching migrants. I returned Tuesday and thought about closing again, but caught 29 more birds - many still migrants, including flycatchers, Lincoln’s Sparrows, and 3 MacGillivray’s Warblers. The forecast for today was for rain through mid-morning, so I was mostly discounting any chance of banding today. But the weatherman showed at 6:00 that the rain was ending in Fountain, so I zoomed out and opened nets at 7:00. It was wet, but immediately there were Swainson’s Thrush all over the place - on the ground in the net lanes (only cleared areas in all of the dense brush), on downed logs, and bouncing off the cottonwood and Russian Olive branches. I caught 4 right away, but it seemed the dozens I saw were moving North along the creek, and soon most were gone. Then I started catching flycatchers - 6 Willow FL, and 5 W Wood-pewees, way more than expected 6/1 (eBird agrees). About 9:30 a second wave of migrants arrived, with the woods suddenly full of Swainson’s again (banded 10 more - total 14 for the day), along with Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos, MacGillivray’s, Wilson’s, and an Audubon’s YR Warbler. ALL of these are unusual on 6/1. Of the 46 birds caught today. 5 were recaps, 3 were probable local breeders, and the other 38 were migrants! Nobody was going in the nets at noon, so I closed FOR THE DAY, but there were still many thrush foraging on the ground when I left. I can’t open tomorrow, but plan to work Friday, maybe more, depending on how many more migrants I see. I’ve never had the station open this late! BTW, unsurprisingly, I passed my spring season record with now 1250 birds this spring (450 Chipping Sparrows!!), and the last 2 days I had 75 birds! Whew. Happy Migration (Still!) Steve Brown Colo Spgs -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/704AFDBB-6612-43E6-AF23-291CA880CAF0%40gmail.com.
