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Spring 2006
Hannah Suthers
March was the driest on record. The puddles and vernal pool filled
during April showers, but three puddles were dried out on May 11,
stranding thousands of Wood Frog tadpoles. Mid April, ATVs destroyed
3 vernal pools in the wet woods. During this period 90 species of
resident, transient and breeding migratory birds were seen at the
Featherbed Lane Bird Banding Station. Two Goldfinch males chased a
female Cowbird on 25 April. An unusual sighting was a Merlin perched on
a snag, being harassed by two male Baltimore Orioles on May 13. Several
species of migratory birds were proven breeders in May. Some of the
action follows:
Great-horned Owl | regular, mobbed by crows 20 March |
Red-tailed Hawk | pair throughout |
Hybrid Chickadees | on territory 16 March, banded with brood patch 21 May |
American Robin | 100+ on pasture 19 March (overwintering Robins already gone) |
Eastern Phoebe | pair 20 March, nest 29 April |
Carolina Chickadees | on territory 20 March |
American Woodcock | 8 displaying 23 March |
Black-capped Chickadees | on territory 31 March, banded with brood patch 28 May |
Eastern Bluebird | 31 March & nesting May |
Chipping Sparrow | on territory 31 March |
Field Sparrow | on territory 31 March |
Eastern Towhee | on territory 17 April, banded with brood patch 21 May |
Winter Wrens | singing 18, 21 April |
Yellow Palm Warbler | 19-Apr |
Red-eyed Vireo | on territory April 20 |
Slate-colored Junco | last seen 21 April |
Blue-winged Warbler | on territory 25 April, 5 May, banded 21 May |
Common Yellowthroat | on territory 25 April, banded with brood patch 28 May |
Rose-breasted Grosbeak | on territory 26 April, banded with brood patch 21 May |
Ruby-crowned Kinglet | last seen 26 April |
Black Vulture | pair 27 April |
Ovenbird | on territory 27 April, banded with brood patch 21 May |
Yellow Warbler | on territory 28 April |
Pileated Woodpecker | end April, early & 28 May |
Tree Swallow | pair 29 April, nesting 2 May |
Yellow-throated Vireo | April 29, with nest material 21 May |
Baltimore Oriole | on territory 30 April |
Barn Swallows | 4 pairs nesting 1 May |
Gray Catbird | on territory 2 May, banded with brood patch 21 May |
Great-crested Flycatcher | on territory 3 May |
Scarlet Tanager | on territory 3 May |
Hairy Woodpecker | on territory 6, 13, 21 May |
Black-billed Cuckoo | arrived 6 May, heard 7, 13 May |
White-eyed Vireo | 6 May, banded with brood patch 28 May |
Yellow-billed Cuckoo | arrived 7 May, heard 13 May |
Sharp-shined Hawk | 7-May |
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | 7, 13 May |
Nashville Warbler | 7, 11 May |
Eastern Meadowlark | adjacent hayfields territory 7 May |
Wild Turkey | with poults 8 May, 2 Fox-mutilated hen carcasses 13 May |
Ruby-throated Hummingbird | on territory 8 May, 3 territories, male mist-netted 21 May |
Eastern Wood Pewee | on territory 9 May |
Red-shouldered Hawk | 10, 13 May |
American Redstart | 11, 12 May, banded with brood patch 21 May |
Magnolia Warbler | 12, 21 May |
Black-throated Green Warbler | 12, 21 May |
Black-throated Blue Warbler | 12-May |
Blackburnian Warbler | 13, 21 May |
Blackpoll Warbler | 13, 21 May |
Bobolink | adjacent hayfields territory 13 May |
Indigo Bunting | on territory 13 May |
Swainson's Thrush | 13-May |
Hermit Thrush | last seen 13 May |
Yellow-rumped Warbler | last seen 13 May |
White-throated Sparrow | last seen 13 May |
Screech Owl | calling 21 May |
Cedar Waxwing | 21-May |
White-breasted Nuthatch | pair in breeding condition banded 21 May |
Black-and-White Warbler | 21-May |
Northern Waterthrush | 21, 28 May (2) |
Kentucky Warbler | 21-May |
Canada Warbler | banded 21, 28 May |
Yellow-breasted Chat | banded 21 May |
Gray-cheeked Thrush | 3 banded 28 May |
Bicknell Thrush | banded 4 June |
Hannah Suthers and the Featherbed Lane Banding Station Crew
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