First Mates

First Mates
Originally uploaded by makeupanid

We got out for our first full day of Spring Banding!

We were all thumbs and the ground was all muddy and icy but it was still great to be out. We only set up three nets and caught a whopping total of 7 birds. Four recaptured chickadees the first bird to be banded of the year was a Black Capped Chickadee-(a little different from last years first bird-Bohemian Waxwing!) which is usually our first bird.

We also caught a pair of Nuthatches we haven't banded Nuthatches in quite awhile so they were nice to see. The female was very, very noisey, she complained the whole time she was being extracted the whole time she was being processed and as she was being released too. She shot out of there like a bat out of hell. We i.d. here as a second year female.

The male on the other hand was quiet and unassuming until we went to take his photo-then it was time for him to complain. When we released him he stayed in a tree quite close for awhile preening away-I don't think he liked his new jewelry!

Anyone interested in joining us banding feel free to email me at makeupanid@gmail.com

We'd love to have you!

An Owl Winter

At the Mall
Originally uploaded by makeupanid

I know I have been very remiss in updating the Blog and for this I apologize. A few times I tried and was thwarted by computer issues-and never got around to trying again. Because it is almost Spring-I thought I better write something. I hope everyone had a good holiday season and are ready to get back to banding!

And now for the subject of this post-this Winter has been a great winter for owls. I finally got a Snowy Owl as a lifer earlier in the year-and since then made a trek to Amherst Island and saw another 6 of them. The day we were there a birding club was also there and I later read on Ontbirds that eighteen had been reported!

A Great Grey Owl would also be a lifer for me and they have certainly been reported in the Toronto area. I hope to get to see one before they go back up North-keep your fingers crossed for me.

Northern Saw Whets, and Boreals are also two of the species found at Amherst Island-if you have a chance to go there and are an owl fan I would strongly recommend it.