05/26/2022
Daily Update: Navarre Marsh Banding Station
Date: Wednesday, May 25, 2022
Pictured: Leucistic Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)
- Number of Birds Banded: 114
- Number of Recaptures: 47
- Number of Species Banded: 29 (+6 recap only)
- Top Five Species Banded: Red-winged Blackbird 27 (+1 recap), Gray Catbird 10 (+8 recap), Common Yellowthroat 9 (+5 recap), Traill's Flycatcher 9 (+5 recap), American Redstart 7 (+2 recap).
- Total Number of Species on Point Count: 41
- Total Number of Species Recorded: 65
- Total Number of Warbler Species Recorded: 15 (33 for spring)
- Total Number of Hours Station Operated: 5.33
Highlights: Olive-sided Flycatcher, Tree Swallow, and Black-billed Cuckoo.
Notes: With winds barely shifting to a southerly direction before dawn, we saw a little bump of birds today. But with the high number of recaptures, it was clear that many birds are still holding out until more conducive migration winds swing around. Also bolstering today's numbers were Red-winged Blackbirds who are moving lower and ramping up their antics as males chase females and other males with the breeding season having begun. Today's pictured bird was a very interesting and exciting capture! With mostly white feathers disguising any facial features, immediate thoughts were "what kind of warbler is this!?" But given bill and leg coloration, and the little bit of patterning in the back, wing coverts, and tail feathers, Blackpoll Warbler stood out as the identity of this very unique bird.
Weather: A fairly temperate day with potential rain in the forecast. Temps ranged from 60F to 68F with mostly cloudy skies. Winds wavered overnight from northeast to southeast by dawn, settling on east by close.
Head over to the BSBO website for a full breakdown of the spring numbers (so far) under the Spring Daily Banding Totals: https://www.bsbo.org/passerine-research.html