[cobirds] RMBO Banding Station Report, Chatfield, 5/29/13

Opened and closed twice today – big downpour about 8:15 a.m. Birds were most active in the early hours before the rain, then slower during the ~2 hours when the sun was briefly out.  Banded 18 new birds and caught 2 from prior years.  Also caught a male Downy that we had banded earlier this season with a brood patch.  We caught the female and likely mate (they were in the same net) yesterday.  It was interesting to actually see both sexes with brood patches (Both sexes of Woodpeckers incubate.  From Birds of North America on DOWOs: “Male incubates and broods at night; sexes share duties during the day. At individual nests, male or female may play a more dominant role, and relative role of sexes can shift with stage of nesting cycle.”)  We also recaught a Catbird with a brood patch. I don’t remember catching GRCAs that were already sitting on eggs during the banding season; seems early.

 

Here’s the breakdown of todays 20 new birds:

 

Willow Flycatcher             1 (FOS)

Cordilleran Flycatcher    1

House Wren       2

Swainson’s Thrush          1

Gray Catbird       2

Yellow Warbler 9 new, 2 returns (1 banded in 2010, 1 in 2012)

American Redstart          1 (FOS; female; male was nearby, avoiding the net)

Lincoln’s Sparrow             1

 

Only 4 more days; this Sunday is the final day for this spring.

 

Meredith McBurney

Biologist/Bander

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory

303-329-8091

 

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