lost at sea...

with May coming to a close, migration is slowing down. however, the late migrants are just begining to move through, like the Willow and Alder Flycatchers (lumped into Traill's Flycatcher when in hand as it is impossible to tell the 2 species apart if they don't call), the Cedar Waxwings (in noisy flocks) and the late warblers (Wilson's, Canada, Mourning). Big flocks of Canada Goose have also starting to fly over, heading north (and more will come in June). Even for the harsh Arctic, it is already late for them to attempt to breed; it is more likely that these Geese are non- or failed breeders going north in search of a safer place to moult, in what is called a moult migration. Like ducks and swans, geese loose all their flight feathers at once, making them vulnerable to predation: better find a place with as few toothed beasts as possible...

numerous perils await birds in migration, natural and - increasingly - man-made. Imagine finding your favorite patch of dogwoods turned into a manicured lawn, because cottage owners think it is such a great way to spend time in the country mowing their infinite expanse of green desert... That's bad news when you need to replenish your fat reserve after many night-long flights...

Huge bodies of water like Georgian Bay are also a hazard to cross, especially for soaring raptors. Yesterday, while walking on the cobbled beach, we found the carcass of a young Red-tailed Hawk! With all the wing and tail feathers still attached and the skeleton complete, evidence pointed toward a death at "sea" instead of by predator (that would have plucked the bird and reaped the body apart)... the bird then was washed on the shore. It reminded me of a dead Broad-winged Hawk I found floating on the Bay while I was kayaking a few springs ago.

Soaring raptors use thermals or updrafts to do most of their migration, conditions rarely occuring above large bodies of water; thus, they avoid crossing water as much as they can (as unbelievable massive concentrations of raptors like at Vera Cruz, Mexico, attest). It is possible that these two young (still relatively unexperienced) where blown of course by strong south wind just like the one that is blowing today and found themselves in the middle of Georgian Bay. Already exhausted by their long migration, they couldn't stay aloft long enough to reach the other shore...

the chance to find a carcass, either on the shore or on the water, given the vastness of the bay, the depth of the water column, and all the scavengers around, is very small. So these 2 birds are certainly the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

however, not all is grim in the migration world: this spring, we recaptured an adult male American Redstart that was banded in spring 2001 (as a second-year, which means it was born in 2000). Not only it is a testimony to its strength and survival, this specific individual has been recaptured every spring here since its initial banding! Ever so faithful, it is also lucky to like the nature reserve where the station sits in, as it will always have its neck of the wood ready to welcome him in spring!

i am looking forward to catch him in the springs to come! (the oldest known American Redstart is 10 years and a month - see http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/homepage/longvrec.htm)

warblers, warblers, and more warblers!

well, the migration is not over yet! with the ups and downs of the spring weather, one day cold with northerly winds, the other warm and humid with a big push of south air, migration is on a swing at Cabot Head! we've been having slow days and incredibly busy days! On May 15, following a day of strong south wind precluding banding, birds were everywhere! we banded 84 this day, of a nice mix of species! A week later, on May 22, it was the busiest time of May for banding, with 151 birds banded of 35 species (including an incredible 20 species of warblers!). It was one of those rare days of non-stop banding, when there's no break between checking nets and banding birds! unfortunately, it didn't leave much time for observations, and i'm sure that interesting observations were missed. nonetheless, it was exciting to band that many birds, with treats like 6 Bay-breasted Warblers in the same net at the same time (when usually only 1 or 2 are banded in a spring!)...

During these last 10 days, almost all the birds not yet arrived have been observed: the first Red-eyed Vireo on May 18, the first Gray-cheecked Thrush on May 20, the first Yellow-bellied Flycatcher on May 23, bringing the total of species observed for the season at 143 for now.

There are still a few species to come, still some migrants in skies and trees and shrubs that look more and more summer-like (with the first smog adivsory for Bruce Peninsula...). Another flying migrant, a Monarch was spotted for the first time on May 24!

With so many changes in such a short time, spring is a truly fascinating season! So let's keep our eyes and ears open!

so long for now!

more warblers!

As eagerly expected by all birders in eastern North America, the ever-so-striking warblers are back from their tropical winter haunts, brightening the fresh new green of our woods with their multiple colours! Every spring brings the same excitment and awe as our northern latitudes are being filled by feathered jewels like the warblers. I could not imagine being ever blase by the sight of a Blackburnian on a pine bough or a Magnolia in a sun ray or even the common and probably looked-over Yellow-rumped Warbler! They are all beautiful in their own way!

Now, 23 species of warblers have been detected at Cabot Head! The most unusual for the station was the Prairie Warbler, but the most striking was the very high number of Palm Warblers seen and banded!

It seems this year that the earliest warblers (like Yellow-rumped and Palm) move through the area a little later than usual, with huge movements in early May instead of late April. But the rest of the migration appears more normal, with the second week of May being very good for all warblers. Weather was particularly cooperative during this week for us, banders, more than for birds: we had a few days with some rain, fog, or overcast conditions, which are always good to ground migrants. And thus to observe and catch them! As a consequence, banding was very good for 3 days in a row when birds were forced to spend more time on the grounds.

But spring is not all about warblers. Many, many other species are fascinating and provide a quickening of the pulse. One great excitment, followed by a sudden disapointment, was the capture of a Broad-winged Hawk! However, being the first and only ever caught at Cabot Head, there was no band for it!! It was heart-broken for all the banders present (the Volunteer British Force and myself) to let go this magnificent bird without a mark of some sort!

Among new species for the season were Baltimore Oriole (date of first sighting: May 9), Rose-breasted Grosbeak (May 11), Ruby-throated Hummingbird (May 9), whip-poor-will (May 8), Clay-coloured Sparrow (May 8), Veery (May 7), Swainson's Thrush (may 8).

The highlight of the last few days was certainly an AMERICAN MAGPIE! It is a first and new species for the station and was happily seen by the group participating in BPBO's birding workshop, as well as by the Brits (who band them back at home). Unfortunately, the only one to have missed this special bird is your humble bander-in-charge, busy doing census at the other end of the area...

But it proves that the unexpected is always to be expected in migration time! Have wings, will fly (almost anywhere!).

So long for now!

the warblers have arrived!

the last few days have seen a constant arrival of new species, especially warblers. And today, with a strong, warm, south wind, migration was in full swing. No banding was done, due to windstorm conditions, but lots of birds were seen, notably warblers and white-crowned sparrows, feasting on the recently emerged midges.

We detected today (May 8) 14 species of warblers (with a season total of 17 already). The new species were: Golden-winged warbler (quite unusual at the station), Northern Parula, Blackburnian Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Orange-crowned Warbler. Also newly arrived were Least Flycatcher, Great-crested Flycatcher and Swainson's Thrush (after the first Veery just yesterday. Also of notice, a Clay-coloured Sparrow was seen and heard, in a flock of the numerous White-crowned Sparrows.

The flows of Yellow-rumped warblers and Northern Flickers are down to a trickle now. Another Golden Eagle (a young) was observed on May 7. Sharp-shinned and Broad-winged hawks are still quite abundant. Our resident Merlins are in full courtship display!

boom and bust in April

the 2 weeks of April were typical for migration. Many bust days when temperature and wind were against migrant birds, but also some impressive boom days. When the conditions turn just right for flying north, birds, after waiting impatiently, rush in hordes! There's a definite urge to move in spring, contrary to the leisure pace of fall. In spring, birds want to secure the best neck of the woods before anyone else: location, location, location, if you want a mate!

So, when the weather cleared, kinglets and juncos moved in numbers. We banded 170 birds one day and 175 another one, the highest one-day totals ever seen in spring at Cabot Head!

It's not just in the nets that excitment occurs: Golden Eagles graced the sky on several occasions in April. A young seemed to have stayed a few days around Cabot Head, as we observed it on consecutive days. It perched from time to time on the bluff. On one unique occasion, 2 Golden Eagles were soaring together, an adult and a young! Several Bald Eagles of all ages were also seen quite regularly.

Now it's May and warblers are coming through, showing off their bright colourful plumage! 8 species have been detected so far: numerous, numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers, numerous Palm Warblers (a numerous down than Yellow-rumps), handfuls of Pine, Black-throated Green and Black-and-White Warblers, and only fingers of Cape May, Nashville and Black-throated Blue Warblers.

Every day brings high expectations, because every day brings new species for the season! More are to come, as I should report (hopefully more regularly) in this blog.