Migrants, CSR El Paso Co, Friday

[Steven Brown]

Hi COBIrders,

I, too, was watching the wind forecasts anticipating migrants at my Clear Spring Ranch banding station. I will probably close the station for the season this weekend, so I was hoping!

Well, it was clear and cold this morning, 33o, the first frost-on-the-nets of the season, with increasing SE winds through the morning that kind of blew things out by 11:00.
It was a better than average day for passerine movement, double what I’ve caught the past few days, especially for Song Sparrows. This was my biggest day for them, seven banded of a mostly solitary species here. Also caught were several Lincoln’s and Gambell’s White-crowned Sparrows. The catch-of-the-day was my FOS Audubon’s Warbler, finally, a Hatch-year female. They’ve been going through for a couple weeks, but 30-40’ up, and not near the nets.

Also seen flying slowly S into the wind was a Ferruginous Hawk over the hayfields.

Enjoy migration!
Steve Brown
Colorado Springs