RMBO Banding at Chico Basin Ranch, El Paso Co.
Nancy Gobris
RMBO fall migration bird banding at Chico Basin Ranch commenced on Thursday, September 5th. In three days, we captured and banded 361 birds of 22 species. Daily species and numbers follow.
Surprisingly, we have had an unprecedented number of Brewer’s Sparrows this season. Normally we catch 0-3 per season; over the 12-year history of the banding station, we have banded a total of 21. In the past 3 days we have banded 97 Brewer’s Sparrows, nearly all hatching-year birds – apparently it was a good recruitment year for them! Same goes for Chipping Sparrows, with 126 banded in 3 days, also mostly young-of-the-year. 2011 was a banner year for this species at both our Colorado and western Nebraska banding stations, and 2013 may be another.
It’s the usual cast of characters otherwise – no unusual species yet, but we’ll see what the season brings.
Thursday 9/ 5: Total 115
Western Wood-Pewee – 4
Willow Flycatcher – 1
Warbling Vireo -1
House Wren – 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 1
American Robin – 1
Swainson’s Thrush – 1
Gray Catbird – 1
Brown Thrasher – 1
Orange-crowned Warbler – 2
Yellow Warbler – 5
MacGillivray’s Warbler – 1
Wilson’s Warbler – 20
Yellow-breasted Chat – 1
Brewer’s Sparrow – 24
Chipping Sparrow – 49
Friday, 9/6 – Total: 146
Western Wood-Pewee – 5
Willow Flycatcher – 1
Cassin’s Vireo – 1
White-breasted Nuthatch – 1
Gray Catbird – 2
Brown Thrasher – 1
Orange-crowned Warbler – 9
House Wren – 4
Virginia’s Warbler – 1
Yellow Warbler – 2
Wilson’s Warbler – 21
Western Tanager – 4
Lazuli Bunting – 4
Green-tailed Towhee – 1
Brewer’s Sparrow – 42
Clay-colored Sparrow – 6
Chipping Sparrow – 39
Lincoln’s Sparrow – 2
Saturday, 9/5 – Total: 100
Western Wood-Pewee – 3
House Wren – 2
American Robin – 2
Swainson’s Thrush – 2
Gray Catbird – 2
Orange-crowned Warbler – 1
Yellow-breasted Chat – 1
Western Tanager – 2
Black-headed Grosbeak – 1
Lazuli Bunting – 2
Brewer’s Sparrow – 31
Clay-colored Sparrow – 2
Chipping Sparrow – 38
Lincoln’s Sparrow – 1
Wilson’s Warbler – 10
Nancy Gobris, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
Steve Brown, Banding Assistant
Nancy Gobris
Light rain early and the threat of more rain late morning precluded banding at Chico Basin Ranch today (Sorry, Aiken Audubon!). Monday and Tuesday were both >100-bird days (species lists follow). We have now banded 626 birds in 5 days. Spizella sparrows continue to dominate the catch, followed by Wilson’s Warblers. Brewer’s Sparrows now total 174.
Monday 9/9: Total 120
Western Wood-Pewee – 1
Least Flycatcher – 1
Hammond’s Flycatcher – 2
House Wren – 3
American Robin -2
Gray Catbird – 1
Brown Thrasher – 1
Orange-crowned Warbler – 2
Yellow Warbler – 1
Wilson’s Warbler – 33
Yellow-breasted Chat – 1
Western Tanager – 2
Brewer’s Sparrow – 14
Clay-colored Sparrow – 3
Chipping Sparrow – 45
Lincoln’s Sparrow – 5
House Finch – 1
Lazuli Bunting – 2
Tuesday 9/10: Total 145
Western Wood-Pewee – 2
Western Flycatcher - 3
Hammond’s Flycatcher – 1
Dusky Flycatcher – 1
Townsend’s Solitaire – 1
American Robin – 1
Swainson’s Thrush – 6
Hermit Thrush – 1
Gray Catbird – 1
Brown Thrasher – 1
Orange-crowned Warbler – 1
Yellow Warbler – 1
Wilson’s Warbler – 33
Black-headed Grosbeak – 1
Brewer’s Sparrow – 63
Clay-colored Sparrow – 7
Chipping Sparrow – 20
Lincoln’s Sparrow - 1
Nancy Gobris
Steve Brown, Susan Craig
Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory