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Autumn
Banding Report - 2004 |
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By Betsy Brooks
The 19th consecutive year of autumn banding at the Kaiser-Manitou Beach Banding Station began on 29 July and ended on 11 November 2004. Banding was conducted by licensed banders David Bonter, Elizabeth Brooks, Kelly Dockery, Jon Dombrowski, Erin Karnatz, Cindy Marino, and Robert McKinney. Banding assistants were Jessie Barry, Linda Boutwell, Virginia Duffy, Ryan Kayhart, Coby Klein, Pat Lovallo, Doug Smith, Chris Villone, and Barb Wagner. A list of birds banded during autumn 2004 appears on page 6.
Banding was carried out for at least six hours beginning at dawn every day between 31 August and 17 October, with three days lost due to inclement weather. Banding was also conducted on five days prior to and six days after the intensive banding period, for a total of 10,758 net hours on 57 days. The season ended with 5,176 birds of 84 species banded (4,678 birds of 89 species were banded in 2003). Two male and three female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were released unbanded, with the last hummingbird captured on 17 September. The season’s overall capture rate was 48.1 birds/100 net hours. There were no new species for the cumulative autumn list that stands at 122
species.
See
final banding tally here.
The best banding day of the season was 12 October when 402 birds (22% Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 19% White-throated Sparrows, and 18% Golden-crowned Kinglets) of 20 species were banded. Other days with more than 200 birds banded were 5 October (339), 11 October (321), 13 October (303), 9 October (269), and 23 September (210). The greatest species diversity occurred on 23 September when 39 species were captured.
It was a good year for thrushes, with record high numbers of Gray-cheeked, Gray-cheeked/Bicknell’s, Bicknell’s, and Swainson’s Thrushes banded (note that many Gray-cheeked Thrushes and Bicknell's Thrushes cannot be distinguished by measurements). Other species banded in record high numbers in autumn 2004 were Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Tennessee Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, and Northern Cardinal.
Species absent in our totals this season included Eastern Wood Pewee, which was not banded for the first time since 1990. Baltimore Oriole was missing after being banded in 10 out of the last 13 years, and House Finch was missing again after being banded in 11 of the last 13 years.
As many as 45 twelve-meter mist nets and four six-meter nets were used daily, with most nets located in the same locations as in previous years. Included in the 44 twelve-meter nets were six double-high net assemblies. Capture time (hour after sunrise to the nearest 0.5 hour) and net number was recorded for each bird handled.
More than 715 birds were recaptured after the initial encounter. Data on recaptured birds is collected for ongoing studies of stopover duration and changes in energetic condition during stopover at Braddock Bay. In addition to same-season recaptures, 14 birds banded in a previous season were recaptured during the autumn banding season.
Abnormalities
Few birds had deformed bills or were infected with avian pox this autumn. Avian pox is a viral disease that causes wart-like growths to form on the featherless areas of the body such as around the eye, the base of the bill, and on the legs and feet. The noticeable decrease in this disease was a welcome change after last autumn’s unusually high incidence of pox and bill deformities.
Birds showing evidence of avian pox included Hermit Thrush (2), Veery (1), Swainson’s Thrush (2), Black-throated Blue Warbler (2), White-throated Sparrow (2), and Northern Cardinal (4). Ticks were removed from four White-throated Sparrows and a Veery. Hypoboscid flies were found on three White-throated Sparrows and a Swainson’s Thrush.
Research
Mark Deutschlander conducted research on nocturnal orientation of Swainson’s Thrushes and Gray-cheeked Thrushes. Nazareth College professor Beverly Brown continued her studies of fecal samples from migrants to identify what food resources were being used in the area of the banding station.
Education
James Casey, a student from the Rochester Institute of Technology, successfully completed a five-week, one-credit Bander Training Course at the Observatory. Students from Dr. Beverly Brown’s plant biology class at Nazareth College, Dr. Mark Deutschlander’s senior seminar on bird migration at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Dr. Kristi Hannam’s animal behavior Class at SUNY Geneseo, and Dr. Sara Morris’ vertebrate zoology class at Canisius College all visited the banding station.
Appreciation
Our fall research assistant was Peter Doherty and Ryan Kayhart was our senior intern.
BBBO thanks Tom Muller, Chita McKinney, and Doug Smith for mowing paths, Jim Gillette for mowing the field, and Doug Smith for all of his habitat management. Appreciation to the following individuals who helped scribe, tended net lanes, or assisted with other aspects of our educational or banding operation: Liz Barry, Kevin Dockery, Jesse Ellis, Judy Engerman, Cricket Fegan, Peggy Fuller, Marilyn Guenther, Michelle Hall, Mike Harvey, Jennifer Heckler, Donna Hilborn, Anya Illes, Ben Kopec, John Lehr, Chita McKinney, Shirley Meston, Dan Niven, Debbie Reed, Jesse Roberts, Michelle Rogne, Lee Scofield, Jeanne Skelly, Lois Smith, Greta Stephany, Ruth Stork, Tami Walsh, and Scott and Teresa Wolcott. A special thanks to Bob and Charlene Reed for housing and to Bill Kaiser and The Genesee Land Trust for permission to band on their land.
BBBO, as an environmental conservation organization, recognizes the need for modern, well-run landfills and applauds Seneca Meadows for its ongoing sensitivity to the environment and the local community. BBBO is happy to welcome Seneca Meadows as a major benefactor, and looks forward to advising the company on how to best manage its properties for the benefit of birds.
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