Sunday, May 4. 126 new bands of 24 species; 3 recaps. New species Orange-crowned Warbler, American Redstart, Eastern Towhee. Another large group visits from Cornell’s Spring Field Ornithology course on a busy bird day. Rachel Vallender from Cornell helps David Bonter and Ryan Kayhart band during the early morning rush. Thanks to Marilyn Guenther and Kathy Habgood for their help and wonderful baked goods. Palm Warbler is the bird of the day with 36 banded – more than an average spring season total.

Monday May 5. 47 new of 17 species; 20 recaps. New species Blackburnian Warbler.
We have SW winds during the night but it is really cool by the lake so we only get 47 birds. John Lehr brings us much appreciated new weighing cans. Visitor Dave Levy helps us fix the ropes on one of our elevated nets. Bird of the day is Ruby-crowned Kinglet with 14 banded.

Tuesday May 6. 107 new of 25 species; 10 recaps. New species House Sparrow. Joanna Klima repairs a net while Kelly Dockery and Chris Gates plant more wildflowers in our Memorial Garden. We band 30 Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a nice variety of warblers – 11 species including 16 Western Palm Warblers.

Wednesday May 7. 67 new of 21 species; 18 recaps. New species Brewster’s Warbler, Northern Parula and Baltimore Oriole. Karl Miller, whose research is with Florida Scrub Jays and who learned to band at BBBO in 2001, returns for a visit. Ryan and Betsy discover six Northern Orioles all in one net!!! Charley Eiseman, our former Field Assistant, arrives for a visit, and in the evening shows us digitals of tracks and other signs of Invertebrates for the book he is writing.

Thursday May 8. 22 new of 12 species; 7 recaps. New species Rose-breasted Grosbeak. There’s an icy wind at set-up and it’s a very slow day. Sue Evans, with the help of Karl Miller, mends nets. Dave Tetlow plants some trees in our field.

Friday May 9. 54 new of 19 species; 17 recaps. New species Red-winged Blackbird. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet migration is slowing but they are still bird of the day with 14 banded.

Saturday May 10. 22 new of 15 species. Bob McKinney, with help from Chita, Ryan, Karl, and Noelle, has a slow day. But we enjoy a visit from students in Dr. Chris Norment’s SUNY Brockport Ornithology class who see two Sharp-shinned Hawks banded along with six warbler species