|
Spring 2005
Banding Report |
|
The 20th consecutive year of spring migration monitoring at the Kaiser-Manitou Beach banding station was conducted for 51 days from April 15 to June 11, 2005. A total of 3,088 birds of 105 species were banded
(see
banding table). An additional 41 female and 21 male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were captured and released unbanded.
The total number of birds banded during spring 2005 was below the average (3,354) for the past 20 years. Numbers were down especially during the period from April 23 until May 4, when fewer than 12 birds were captured per day. Winds from the North and very chilly temperatures contributed to the shortage of birds. Dawn temperatures averaged 8.11 °C in spring 2005 compared to 9.94 °C in spring 2004.
A total of 10,477 net hours of banding resulted in a capture rate of 29.5 birds/100 net-hours, one of the lowest capture rates in station history. The most active day was May 10 when 210 birds were banded. There were no other 200+ bird days. The greatest species diversity also occurred on May 10 when 42 species were banded.
The 511 recaptured birds included 25 individuals that were banded in a previous season and returned to Braddock Bay.
Bobolink was a new species for the spring cumulative list, which now stands at 138 species. Hooded Warbler was the only species having a record high count (12) during spring 2005. Cedar Waxwing captures (5) were the lowest since 1992 and Black-throated Blue Warbler captures (53) were the lowest since 1990. Totals for Magnolia Warblers (160) were just about half the 10-year average (315), as they were for Canada Warblers (34; 10-year average 71) and American Redstart (112; average 213).
Research
In addition to our migration research, we collected samples from the preen gland of some thrush species for Dr. Meena Harribal of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, who is studying the chemical ecology of preen gland secretions, an understudied area of avian physiology.
Feather samples from American Redstarts were collected for Katie Langin, a student at Queens University who is working in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution. Feather samples were also taken from Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers for graduate student Kevin Fraser at Queens University. Both students are studying isotopes in the feathers to help identify the migration patterns of these species.
Dr. Mark Deutschlander of Hobart and William Smith Colleges continued his ongoing research on orientation in thrushes. Mark will be on sabbatic at the Observatory this fall to continue his research.
Education
Jennifer Dawson, Chris Gates, Marina Phillips, Stephanie Sadlon, and Maggi Sliwinski successfully completed our Bander Training Course. Dan Bushey from the Diversified Occupations program at Hannaford Career Center in Middlebury, VT, provided excellent assistance for two weeks.
Informal banding demonstrations were conducted for several hundred visitors to the banding station and for students from the Hannaford Career Center who visited from May 18-20. SUNY Brockport students from Dr. Chris Norment’s Field Biology course visited the banding station, as did members of the Allyn’s Creek Garden Club, Cayuga Bird Club, and the Rochester Retired Teachers Association.
Highlights & Appreciation
Thanks to all our faithful volunteers: Ann Adams, Nancy Chevalier, Jack and Barb Duval, Cricket Fegan, Marilyn Guenther, Donna Hilborn, Peggy Keller, John Lehr, Chita McKinney, Shirley Meston, Emily and Andrea Patterson, Gretchen Putonen, Jesse Roberts, Ron and Erin Rockwell, Lee Schofield, Jeanne Skelly, Gale Smith, Lois Smith, Ruth Stork, Rob Van der Stricht, Glenn Wagner, and Scott and Theresa Wolcott.
Licensed banders David Bonter, Elizabeth Brooks, Kelly Dockery, Jon Dombrowski, Mark Deutschlander, Sue Finnegan, Erin Karnatz, Cindy Marino, Robert McKinney, Rodney Olsen, and Bob Yunick conducted the banding. Banding assistants were Linda Boutwell, Luke Donius, Virginia Duffy, Coby Klein, Pat Lovallo, Patti O’Kane, Chris Villone, and Barb Wagner. Our Field Assistant was Courtney Rawleigh and our Senior Intern was Ryan Kayhart.
We enjoyed visits from bander training course graduates Tom LeBlanc and Jennifer Henley, and from former interns and field assistants Chris Betrus and Charley Eiseman.
Thanks to Bunny Boutwell for the donation of a printer and extra ink cartridges; Mary Beth O’Hara for the case of paper towels; David Boutwell for assessing the electrical system at the boathouse; Cory Ireland for the nice article in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle; Rob Van der Stricht for applying the deck sealer on the outside tables; Jeanne Skelly for the sand for our walkway; and to Jim Gillette for spreading the gravel in our parking lot.
Special thanks to Jeff and Joan Dodge, Dick and Mary Beth O’Hara, Bob and Charlene Reed, David Forsini, Suzanne and John Olson, and Sue and Bob Bayley for providing housing to visiting banders, interns, and students; and to Bill Kaiser and the Board of the Genesee Land Trust for use of their land.
|
|
|
