With the autumnal equinox arriving at 11:09 p.m. yesterday, 21 September was the last FULL day of summer, so it seemed only appropriate our final birds banded that day were SUMMER Tanagers. One was a brilliantly plumaged adult male, the other a more cryptically colored bird that required closer analysis to determine its age and sex. For a closer look at this species and an explanation of why Summer Tanagers are sometimes disliked by beekeepers and pollination enthusiasts, please visit our "This Week at Hilton Pond" photo essay for 11-21 September 2010 at <<http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek100911.html>>
While there, don't forget to scroll down for a list of all birds banded and recaptured during the week, plus miscellaneous notes about the current drought, early fall migration, and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. We also gratefully acknowledge a sizable group of supporters who made contributions during the period. You may also be interested in knowing about two scholarships available for our hummingbird expedition to Costa Rica in January 2011. If you've always wanted to study hummers in the warm, sunny Neotropics when winter is at its worst in much of North America, here's your chance to receive a $1,799 trip scholarship and get a tax deduction while supporting Hilton Pond Center's education, research, and conservation endeavors. Happy Nature Watching! BILL ========= RESEARCH PROGRAM c/o BILL HILTON JR. Executive Director Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History 1432 DeVinney Road, York, South Carolina 29745 USA office & cell (803) 684-5852 fax (803) 684-0255 Please visit our web sites (courtesy of Comporium.net): Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History at http://www.hiltonpond.org "Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project" at http://www.rubythroat.org ==================
