More rain at Chico Basin Ranch put a damper on the final week of banding, but not before our big day of the season on Monday. We banded 145 birds of 25 species, including a gorgeous male Magnolia Warbler and an equally lovely adult male Orchard Oriole. Steady captures kept the crew hopping until closing at 2 pm.
We weren't able to band again until Thursday, with a late start due to overnight rain that soaked the net lanes and made the ranch roads even more muddy. We banded 38 that day and 41 on Friday, including our first and only Veery of the season. We ended the season on Saturday with our second highest day of 78 birds, including the capture of 6 species of flycatcher, a stunning adult male American Redstart, and a feisty adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Even with a scant 22 days of banding for the season and a number of net lanes consumed by tumbleweeds, we finished with 625 birds of 50 species, including a station-first Prairie Warbler. Not too shabby. Bill Maynard says that the best birds show up after Nancy leaves. I guess we'll see.
Many thanks to Chico Basin Ranch for its enduring hospitality and to my most excellent volunteer crew: assistant bander Diane Luck, superior scribe Lynne Miller, and hopefully-returning net picker Anna Joy Lehmicke.
Nancy Gobris
Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
We weren't able to band again until Thursday, with a late start due to overnight rain that soaked the net lanes and made the ranch roads even more muddy. We banded 38 that day and 41 on Friday, including our first and only Veery of the season. We ended the season on Saturday with our second highest day of 78 birds, including the capture of 6 species of flycatcher, a stunning adult male American Redstart, and a feisty adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Even with a scant 22 days of banding for the season and a number of net lanes consumed by tumbleweeds, we finished with 625 birds of 50 species, including a station-first Prairie Warbler. Not too shabby. Bill Maynard says that the best birds show up after Nancy leaves. I guess we'll see.
Many thanks to Chico Basin Ranch for its enduring hospitality and to my most excellent volunteer crew: assistant bander Diane Luck, superior scribe Lynne Miller, and hopefully-returning net picker Anna Joy Lehmicke.
Nancy Gobris
Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
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