Bird Conservancy Banding Report - Chatfield Station, 5/14/18

[Meredith...@birdconservancy.org]

Michael Kiessig remarked this morning that days like today are the reason he volunteers.........We got a late start because of the rain and a threatening thunderstorm forced a quick close, but from 8 a.m. until noon things were close to perfect. A constant stream of interesting birds!  We banded 30 birds of 12 species, plus caught 9 birds banded in earlier years, including an astounding 8 Yellow Warblers.  The oldest was a male, banded as an adult in 2012, making him at least 8 years old.  Here's the breakdown for the day:

Western Wood-pewee 1 (FOS)

Least Flycatcher 1 (FOS)

Plumbeous Vireo 1 (FOS and likely only!)

House Wren 2

Swainson's Thrush 1 (FOS)

Gray Catbird 2 new (FOS) and 1 return, banded last year

Yellow Warbler 5 new, and 8 returns - 1 from 2012, 3 from 13, 2 from 15, 1 from 16, 1 from 17

Spotted Towhee 2

Chipping Sparrow 10 (a nice little flock, in the nets by the river; unusual for this station)

Song Sparrow 1

Lincoln's Sparrow 3

White-crowned Sparrow, Mountain 1

Come visit! Station is open daily, weather permitting, through the end of May, except for Memorial Day. We open nets about 6:30 and close around noon. If you would like to visit on a weekend, you must pre-register - go to the Audubon Society of Greater Denver website. Perhaps the best time for birders to visit is early in the morning during the week - fewer people and more birds! (School groups arrive each day between 10:00 and 10:30.)

Meredith McBurney
Bander
Chatfield Banding Station
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
303-349-0245