Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Chatfield Banding Station - May 26, 2023

[Meredith McBurney]

Continued to catch more of our summer residents that are returning to breed another season.  Of these species, the House Wrens are the furthest along in their breeding cycle.....we've caught several females with brood patches, indicating that they are sitting on eggs.  Most of the returning birds that we are catching now are birds that hatched last year - they are the later arrivals after the adults have returned to reclaim their breeding territories!

Here's the breakdown of the 22 new birds caught today:

House Wren 1

Gray Catbird 3

Cedar Waxwing 2

Yellow Warbler 7 new, 1 banded 2021

Common Yellowthroat 1

Wilson's Warbler 1

Yellow-breasted Chat 2

Song Sparrow 1

Bullock's Oriole 1

House Finch 1 (female with brood patch; I'm guessing the mate of the male we caught 10 days ago; these are the first 2 HOFIs caught at the station area, as opposed to at the feeders at the Nature Center,  possibly ever)

American Goldfinch 1

We are down to our last 4 days - open this weekend, then Tuesday and Wednesday next week

Meredith McBurney

Bander, Chatfield Banding Station

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies