[cobirds] CSR Banding Summary Fall 2016

Hey COBirders,

This fall was phenomenal for numbers of birds banded at Clear Spring Ranch (El Paso Co.). I started early (8/3 this year) to get a jump on Yellow Warblers that were already migrating, and hoped for Orange-crowned Warblers and Kinglets later in October. What wasn't expected was the incredible number of sparrows caught this year, on the fringe of an uncut oat field.  I had four days where I banded over 100 birds in a morning, and averaged about 35 birds/day, when previously 30 birds was an exceptional day! I doubt that I'll see these kind of numbers again at CSR!

Listed here are the numbers for the most commonly caught species, their numbers for the best previous fall, and the span of dates captured.

Total birds 2354, previous best 521, 51 species, 8/3-10/23.

W Wood Pewee, 20, prev 4, 8/3-10/13

Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 6, prev 8, 9/9-10/21

Gray Catbird 43,  prev 30, 8/3-10/17

N Waterthrush 19,  prev 1, 8/11-9/7

Orange-crnd Warbler  23,  prev 28,  9/3-10/17

MacGillivray's Warbler   12,  prev 2, 8/13-9/24

Com Yellowthroat 64,  prev 31,  8/3-9/22

Yellow Warbler 53,  prev 39, 8/3-9/10

Wilson's Warbler 127, prev 75,  8/13-10/17

Yellow-breasted Chat 20,  prev 7,  8/24-9/24

Spotted Towhee 40,  prev 16,  8/15-10/22

Savannah Sparrow       112, prev 1, 8/4-9/27

Clay-colored Sparrow 38,  prev 1, 8/16-9/17

Brewer's Sparrow 3,  prev 3, 8/24-9/8

Chipping Sparrow     1031, prev 96,  8/14-10/23

Lincoln's Sparrow       151,  prev 13, 9/1-10/21

Song Sparrow       115,  prev 52,  8/4-10/23

Gamb White-crnd Sprw 151, prev 75, 9/11-10/23

Vesper Sparrow 5,  prev 0,  8/16-9/24

Dark-eyed Junco 13,  prev 11, 9/26-10/22 (Oregon, Gray-headed, Pink-sided, Slate-colored)

Black-headed Grosbeak 30,  prev 1, 8/4-8/30

Blue Grosbeak 14,  prev 1, 8/8-9/8

Lazuli Bunting 87,  prev 6, 8/4-9/24

Indigo Bunting 5,  prev 1 8/17-9/11

Other noteworthy birds - My first ever banded for Yellow-headed Blackbird (8/24) and Dickcissel (8/29). Also, unusually low numbers for 

Brown Thrasher (1), Red-shafted Flicker (1), W Tanager (1), Orchard Oriole (1), Swainson's Thrush (1), and Hermit Thrush (2).

Thanks for the encouraging words I received from many of you this season. It was an enlightening season, and a lot of fun.

Good birding,

Steve Brown

Colorado Springs