Bird Conservancy of the Rockies - Chico Basin Ranch banding station 5/18/22

[Chicobander]

As my Mother used to ask me:" why don't you have a day off?" I say because birds don't take a day off during migration. They have places to go and just stopping over at the appropriate habitat to rest and refuel. I used to run a migration banding station that operated every day during migration because migration does not take a day off. The other days if I was off, I would think what am I missing? What came through when I was not there? Why do I tell you this? Migration is different from day to day. Weather, wind direction, food and water resources, are among the variables that pushes the birds in different places. This time of year, birds of course want to get up to the breeding grounds as fast as possible and be in "good" condition to set up and defend a territory, attract a mate, build a nest, lay eggs, and raise young. If they arrive on the breeding grounds in poor condition, they may have delayed breeding because they are not in good enough condition to perform the breeding activities that require extra energy resources. Delayed breeding can be detrimental for some northern species as they may have a short window that is appropriate weather or habitat conditions to lay eggs and raise young. I say all of this because it was another Swainson's Thrush day! I am told that there are a lot of Swainson's Thrush that migrate through the ranch. 

67 New Banded Birds

Yellow Warbler -7

American Redstart -1

MacGillivray's Warbler -2

Common Yellowthroat -1

Dusky Flycatcher -4

Western 'Cordilleran' Flycatcher -1

House Wren -1

Lincoln Sparrow -1

Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow -2

Blue Grosbeak -1

Veery -1

Hermit Thrush -2

Swainson's Thrush -35

Gray Catbird -6

Bullock's Oriole -1

Orchard Oriole -1

3 Recaptures/ Repeats/ Returns

Western Palm Warbler - repeat from yesterday 

Ovenbird - repeat from yesterday 

Bullock's Oriole - return male 

The Banding station will be operating through May 27th except on Monday May 24th. The nets are open 5 hours each day. First net check is around 6 am. Stop by and visit if you are in the area.