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
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