with a big, warm push from the South wind!

Today (Wednesday May 20) started calm and rather cool (only 6 degrees C at dawn), but our nets filled up quickly with all kinds of birds, as the temperature climbed up and a south wind started to pick up! For a solid 2 hours, it was almost non-stop banding. Then, the wind really increased to storm-like conditions, reducing the flow of birds and forcing us to close our nets one by one...

But the tally was awesome: 103 birds banded of 23 species! The most common of the day were the American Redstart, the Common Yellowthroat, the Least Flycatcher and the Magnolia Warbler! We had 16 species of warblers detected in total, with the first Mourning Warbler of the spring. Other new species for this spring were: Veery, Swainson's Thrush, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Indigo Bunting and Cedar Waxwing! So, 7 new species and lots of birds: it was a good day to migrate, riding a warm wave of weather!

Those last few days have been a mix of banding and non-banding days: windstorm and rain precluded banding 4 days out of the last week!! That might explain the big movement of today and the one on Friday (May 15), when we banded 85 birds of 23 species. That day, the most often banded was the Black&White Warbler, with 15 individuals, followed by the American Redstart. In all, 17 species of warblers were detected, including the first Tennessee and Bay-breasted of the season!

On Monday (May 18), a less busy day, we had more time to observe. On the flat mirror of Georgian Bay, a sight on itself to behold as it is rare to see the tormented Bay smooth as a baby's bottom, a flock of gulls was pecking at bugs on the surface. Among the usual Ring-billed Gulls were about 20 Bonaparte's Gulls! What a lovely sight! I find this gull to be exquisitely beautiful, delicate and refined! It was a real treat as we rarely see this species at Cabot Head, especially in the spring. But more excitement was too come: as the count period was nearing its end, I went again on the shore for a last baywatch. And my astonished eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing: close from shore and not far from my post, a RED-THROATED LOON in full breeding plumage was gently floating on the bay! This species is occasionally reported at Cabot Head, but in 6 years and a half of working here, it was my first observation of this slender loon. Everybody present at the station got a good look, as it obligingly stayed a while, diving from time to time. After maybe 10-15 minutes, it finally took off and flew away, its head typically held down! It was a great sighting and now it is a nice connection with Arctic memories!

What a spring!!