If you are interested, below I have a report for banding numbers at Clear Spring Ranch for Fall 2018.
I operated my station in willows along Fountain Creek (and across from irrigated hayfields) from August 6-October 28, most days from dawn to about 11:00.
2320 birds were banded, my second best season by about 30 birds but I was closed about 15 days compared to 2016, for travel and weather, while I had NO closed days that year! I wasn't expecting much this fall since foliage was severely damaged by summer drought, then intensive hail damage. I was wrong!
As mentioned before, I open early to try for migrating Yellow Warblers, which we saw very few of during my falls helping at Chico Basin Ranch banding, but anecdotally I had observed moving as early as July. YEWA's taper off about Labor Day, to be replaced by migrating Wilson's Warblers through September, and Orange-crowned Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets through October. Also of note has been the good numbers of Northern Waterthrush in August.
Warbler Numbers for Fall 2018
N. Waterthrush - 17 (best is 19)
Yellow Warbler - 157 (best previous was 68 in 2017!)
Wilson's Warbler - 304 (best previous was 198 in 2017)
Orange-crowned Warbler - 62 (best previous was 55 in 2017)
Common Yellowthroat - 26 (best was 64 in 2016)
MacGillivray's Warbler - 13 (best was 12 in 2016)
other warblers I usually don't see:
Townsend's Warbler - 2
Blackpoll Warbler - 1
American Redstart - 1
Flycatcher Numbers for 2018 - 40 of various species were banded, (best previous was 27 in 2017)
Western Wood-Pewee - 22
Dusky Flycatcher - 2
Least Flycatcher - 2
Willow Flycatcher -11
Western Kingbird - 2 (early August, same net, same day, juv male and female)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 52 (previous best was 12 in 2017!)
Vireo Numbers - 11 (best previous 5) First at station for Cassin's (4) and Plumbeous. and most for Red-eyed (2), and Warbling, including a very
late WAVI on 10/25.
Gray Catbird - 18, below average, (best was 64 in 2016)
Yellow-breasted Chat - 14, about average (best was 20 in 2017)
Sparrow Numbers for 2018
Chipping Sparrow - 822 (about 500 in first week of September!) (best was 1031 in 2016)
Clay-colored Sparrow- 218 (best previous was 38 in 2016!) Particularly interesting early this fall.
Brewer's Sparrow - 31 (bet previous was 7 in 2017)
Lincoln's Sparrow - 103 (best previous was 151 in 2016)
Gambell's White-crowned Sparrow - 103 (best was 151 in 2016)
Mountain White-crowned Sparrow - 31 (previous best was 5 a couple of times)
White-throated Sparrow - 4 (best, but about average)
Song Sparrow - 61 (about average - best was 116 in 2016)
Grosbeaks and Buntings - much below average. In 2016 they gorged in a standing oat crop next to my nets - not this year.
Black-headed Grosbeak - 1 (about average, but 30 in 2016)
Blue Grosbeak - 0 (usually see some)
Lazuli Bunting - 13 (87 in 2016, 44 in 2017)
Indigo Bunting 1 - average
It was a fun and productive fall, and I really enjoy comparing year-to-year numbers (now with 7 falls to compare) and speculating on why I am seeing what I am. Every year is different.
If you have any questions about particular species numbers let me know.
Steve Brown
Colorado Springs
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